Behind a discreet façade on Rue Royale, Brussels hides one of its most unusual treasures. “De Ultieme Hallucinatie” combines a Belgian brasserie, a winter garden and a century-old tramway, in the heart of a mansion transformed by Art Nouveau.
In a city known for its architectural gems, this place has a special place. As beautiful in form as it is in content, this place is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the stomach. Here’s where to enjoy a Flemish carbonnade aboard a 20th-century tramway, under the glass roof of a winter garden, in a setting designed by Paul Hamesse.
Art Nouveau brasserie in the heart of a mansion
Hidden behind a neoclassical façade on Rue Royale, brasserie De Ultieme Hallucinatie is astonishing as soon as you push open the door. The establishment occupies the former Hôtel Cohn-Donnay, built in 1841 and completely redesigned in 1904 by architect Paul Hamesse, an emblematic figure of Brussels Art Nouveau. Sculpted facade, carpentry loggette, luminous glass roof… every detail reveals the desire to blend architecture and decoration.
In 1980, the building was given a second life as a brasserie-restaurant with a singular charm. Carefully restored, it retains all traces of its past. The wooden furniture, the old train benches designed by Henri Van de Velde, the metal structure of the covered garden. In this singular place, everything evokes the Belle Époque, but revisited with a lively Brussels touch.
The cuisine here is 100% Belgian and homemade: fish waterzooï, shrimp croquettes, Flemish carbonnade, traditional desserts… Thirty Belgian beers accompany the dishes on the à la carte menu, in a setting that’s both chic and warm. Just sit down in the old tramway from the early 20th century and you’ll feel the charm of the stained glass windows and refined woodwork.
A vibrant place, between tramway and legendary memories
The interior is rich in secrets and anecdotes. In the listed salons, billiard tables and the “poetry salon” recall the art of living of yesteryear. In the 1980s, the house became a meeting place for Brussels’ elite. Politicians, journalists, musicians… All gathered here to debate, laugh or celebrate. Even Johnny Hallyday (who celebrated his birthday there twice), ZZ Top and Bryan Adams left their mark in the basement discotheque, now open for private events.
After a long hiatus, the restaurant reopened in 2019, driven by a passionate team keen to restore it to its former glory. Between the renovated winter garden, the rear terrace bathed in light and the period salons accommodating up to 120 guests, every nook and cranny invites immersion in a forgotten Brussels. It’s easy to see why the place is so fascinating: more than just a brasserie, De Ultieme Hallucinatie embodies a journey through a decor frozen between Art Nouveau and Belgian nostalgia. These walls breathe history… and good beer!
De Ultieme Hallucinatie
📍Rue Royale, 316 1210 Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode