The cocktail bar that Brussels' bartenders visit on their nights off. Sips occupies a plain-fronted building near Matongé with a menu of 40 cocktails that reads like a syllabus in the history of mixology. The owner trained at some of London's best bars before returning to Brussels to open something that made no concessions to trends. Order whatever the bartender last made before you walked in; there is no better introduction to how seriously this place takes its craft.
The room is Saint-Boniface's answer to Brussels's broader hidden gem scene. The bartenders take their craft seriously without making a show of it, and the menu rewards repeat visits rather than first-timers chasing the obvious order. The Bartenders' Bar programme is the right place to start.
Best time to visit is mid-week between 6pm and 9pm when the bar settles into its rhythm. Weekends fill up and the room takes on a different energy. Reservations are recommended for groups, and on Friday and Saturday for couples.
Sips sits in Saint-Boniface, one of Brussels's most distinctive drinking neighbourhoods. The crowd skews toward thirty-something locals on weekdays and a slightly younger international mix on weekends. The lighting is low. Conversation works at the bar; the booths handle small groups.
Dress code is smart-casual. The bar is most rewarding for an unhurried 90-minute visit between 7pm and 9pm — early enough to talk to the bartender, late enough that the room has filled in. Tags worth knowing about: Bartenders' Bar, Cocktails, Matongé.
Sips accepts walk-ins mid-week before 8pm. After that, expect a wait — reserve in advance through their Instagram or by phone. The bar takes cards. Tipping follows local convention in Brussels. Most regulars order two drinks at the bar, then move to a table when one opens up.
What to order
- 01
The Bartenders' Bar programme
- 02
Editor's Pick
- 03
Off-Menu Request