DD must find an Irish pub in every city she visits. Anyone have a recommendation for one in Amsterdam or Brussels?

Frankly, I despise them all in Brussels. They attract the same old British expat crowd who seldom venture away from that pub safety net to try real Belgian restaurants/cafes. I know a few guys at some of the pubs in Brussels who, despite living in Brussels for years, can't speak more than a few words of French (don't even think about Flemish/Dutch), can be found in the pubs at LEAST 4 nights a week unless they are back in the UK or off on holiday at a beach resort. We know one IT contractor who ate at only two non-pub restaurants in 18 months. And one of those was Harry's Bar, the American watering hole. Warning: coffee, wine and service are bad at almost all of them.

At any rate, The Bank on rue Bailli is one of the quieter ones, what was Sean O'Casey (now Collins or some such thing) is the main hangout for expat Brit males aged 30-50, on the corner of rue Bailli and Ave Louise, The Old Oak on rue Franklin (EU disrict) serves a popular Sunday roast menu, but get there before the turn the TV volume WAY up for the day's sporting event, Wild Geese sometimes has live music, O'Reilly's gets more tourists and James Joyce has the worst rep for drunken brawls, etc. Monkey Business isn't techinically a pub, but it draws the same pub crowd although it now serves a little better food than most (new Belgian chef).

In Amsterdam, try the Tara, Rokin 89

In Lutenblag, Molvania, try Vlad O'Reilljys where, as the Jetlag Guide puts it, "the homesick traveller can relax with a pint of Guinness and a plate of pickled beetroot before getting into a fist fight with a belligerent fellow drinker".

Hi sj3. Go to an Irish pub once if you must but Brussels has some brilliant Belgian bars ! When are you meeting DD there ? I could look up some we visited if you like.

All the best, Caroline

Thanks, everyone. I personally would not choose an Irish pub,BTilke, but DD has been serving in the Peace Corps in a remote village in Kenya for 2 years. She gets anything she wants from Mom right now!! And a pint (or two ) of Caffrey's would make her day!

Hi, caroline. How are you?!Good to "talk" with you! I'm meeting Kelly on the 20th for a week of "debriefing" before she returns to the pace of the USA. Leaving Africa is difficult for her and we figured having a bit of fun would be what the doctor ordered.

I've been to the O'Reilly's in both cities (I have to find them wherever I go, too). There are two in Brussels. ( www.oreillys.com )The O'Reillys in Heidelberg, Germany is practially an extension of my own living room. I'll see if I can find the name of the other one I went to in Brussels - it was quite cute. We were there for the end of the pub quiz. Definitely mostly ex-pats, but quite amusing.

So pleased for you that Kelly is returning to the US.

I'm fine, thanks - just about recovered fronm the festivals ! Hope you are well and that you have a lovely trip.

Thanks, caroline. I cannot wait to see her! You may remember I'm a Red Cross volunteer...With this incredible disaster assignment, I'll be ready for a change of scenery and mundane problems like the possibility of lost luggage or bad service in cafes or crowded sidewalks or people noticing I'm wearing white clunky tennis shoes!

Take care,
sallyjane

Ah, I had wondered how far away you were from the disaster area. It sounds like you've been helping there - well done you. You will certainly deserve a holiday, as will Kelly after her good work in Africa.

Well, she's not going to find Caffrey's at most Brussels Irish pubs. Some kind of disagreement with the supplier and most stopped serving it a while ago. I can't think of one offhand that still serves it.