Huyze Die Maene

We felt sorry for the people coming in after us. We arrived in a rush without checking the reviews or even the name of the place, and ended up in what felt like a tourist trap. There was no free tap water, and the food was horrible, as if reheated from frozen. It was dreadful, especially in a city as magical as Bruges. Please read the reviews and avoid this place. I believe they're all true, and would stick to places that are clearly Belgian-operated.

The food, service and prices were all so bad. My cocktail tasted like a candle. When we asked for a box for my leftovers, they said they didn't have takeaway boxes. The service was maybe mediocre, and then my husband was asked to leave a tip when he went to pay. In Europe, tipping is up to you, and only something I'd consider for service that went above and beyond.

We felt completely ripped off. The food was probably the worst we've ever eaten out together, and staff tried to charge us for drinks we hadn't had. Even after leaving, we realized the total didn't add up. Maybe they added an outrageous service charge. I debated writing this because plenty of people won't check reviews before wandering into this tourist trap, as we did, but so many others have had similar or worse experiences, and there are an awful lot of one-star reviews. The Belgian authorities should shut the place down.

This review is for the Bistro. The stew portion was average, the salad tiny and tasteless, and the fries were like fast food. There was what looked like a bay leaf in the Flemish Beef Stew. The sign outside advertised it for 19.50 Euro, but I was charged 24.00 Euro after a mediocre meal. They said I hadn't asked for the special of the day.