Flander’s Belgian Beer & Fries

«The Belgian feasts, on holy days,
On pommes frites à la mayonnaise;
Alas, on common days he slips,
And dines on mayonnaise and chips.»
This place, the first to open on the newly-​extended Riverwalk, is a rather stark space, jammed between the Wacker Drive cinderblock wall and the Riverwalk itself. A few tables with metal stools, and some table seating outdoors (Lord knows what will become of that in winter; even in early October it was pretty blustery.) Big doors were open to the Riverwalk; swarms of little brown birds (Sparrows? Who am I, Roger Tory Peterson?) made themselves at home, outside and in. Rest rooms just to the east, at Riverwalk level; so far clean, though I wonder how long they can be kept that way, unlocked, in a neighborhood with a noticeable panhandler presence.
Food selection consists of pretzels ($ 4) and pommes frites ($ 5 small, $ 7 large). Fries appear fresh, some with peels, but include a lot of small random bits. Not very greasy. Sauce options include: barbecue; honey mustard; pesto mayo; chipotle mayo; scorpion (hot!); garlic Parmesan; Andalouse; and, my choice, a quite nice but utterly un-​Belgian sweet yellow curry. Notably missing: that Belgian café and street vendor staple, plain old mayonnaise.
The beer selection is surprisingly limited. On draft:
— Blanche de Brussels, $ 8
— Goose Island Sofie, $ 9
— Stella Artois («the beer that made Brussels envy Portland»), $ 6
Bottles:
— Bavik, $ 6
— Chimay, $ 10 (which Chimay line not specified)
— Duvel, $ 10
— Leffe Brown, $ 6
— Goose Island Matilda, $ 8
Good public transportation access: Two blocks from the Clark-​Lake rapid transit station (Brown, Orange, Pink, Purple, Green, and Blue lines) and Lake Street (Red Line). Within a few blocks of Public House, Harry Caray’s, and South Water Kitchen.

Along the river walk, my wife and I decided to stop for a drink and snack before heading back to the train. The busy, busy wine bar down the way seemed fine, but I had my eye on Flander’s, so we headed here.
I expected something very different… I expected a big bar, but it was really just a kiosk with some seats. You order at the counter, and there are a few tables along the river.
The beer selection was disappointing — only about three on tap, and a few more in bottle. I expected a lot more. But the selection was of good quality at least. We also got some fries which were really, really awesome — crisp, hot, tasty, with different sauces to choose from (we got garlic Parmesan which was delicious). In the end, for a small fry (perfect for two people), a Sofie, and a Stella, it was $ 20. Not bad for the location and the view, so I would return… but they need to up their beer selection a bit.

I’m a fan! What more can you want than eating delicious fries along the Riverwalk. They were prepared fresh and the Garlic Parmesan sauce pairs nicely with them. $ 5.00 for a small was plenty and reasonably priced.

The view is fantastic and the fries were fine, but don’t expect a great selection of Belgian beers. There were only a few and they were fairly common. Definitely not a beer snob’s paradise.

I don’t understand the poor reviews. Service was quick, fries were tasty. Beer selection was limited — but that is what this place DOES. If you are looking for 80 beers on tap, this is not the place for you. Wonderful location — one of my new favorite spots.
Granted of you go in the middle of a festival or a warm Friday night you will probably see a wait. But for this location that is to be expected.

Cool concept, great location, limited selection of great beers, and not so great fries. I popped in here as I am a die hard «Belgiphile.» I did find a few decent beers, but nothing near the selection you might find at a decent restaurant in town. And that’s ok for a touristy stop by the river! Wasn’t expecting Delerium Tremens and Mort Subite here, lambics or rare Trappist ales…
The fries were just disappointing. They had some great dips, but the fries themselves are not «vlamse frites» style, but rather come out of an automated machine in a resulting «weekend carnival» style. Lots of burnt greasy bits. Meh.
Stop by to people watch, have a Leffe or Chimay and relax! Just skip the fries…

Love, love, love this place! Beer and fabulous fries! Love all the dipping sauces, garlic Parmesan and chipotle mayo were our favs. Great place to stop and have a drink and snack, perfect for the river walk.

They only serve three things here: Beer, Fries, and Pretzels (and I guess water and soda too)
Delicious fries and sauces! The jalapeño aioli is a must! It tastes exactly like a jalapeño popper (so expect the spice!!). A small is pretty large, they really stuff those fries in there! The large is overflowing and great for a group of 4. All in all, this is a great spot for a beer and fries. I didn’t try the pretzel but that is also looked like a good choice. You can take your beer and fries and sit along the Riverwalk, there really aren’t any restrictions on sitting within a certain parameter from Flander’s so it’s great if you want a bite while enjoying the views.

Keep your expectations low and this place will work out fine.
The setting on the River Walk is fabulous. It’s between Dearborn and Clark, a great place for people watching and boat watching on a warm summer evening.
If you enjoy Belgian beer and frites, don’t expect it here. The fries are edible, but generally as bad as Unilocal reviewers say. I’ve never seen so many little pieces of fries in a single serving — did they buy the cutting scraps from McDonalds? They have a selection of sauces, NONE of which are remotely like what you’d get in Belgium. And the beer selection — on tap is one light beer and one Belgian beer. Plus bottled beers. The draft Belgian beer was good, but I was expecting an on tap selection.
Their service area is about the size of any single vendor’s space at a ball park. I had no problem with service, although the guy waiting on us had no idea if I could run a tab or not, and when I paid the «more experienced» guy tried to overcharge me. But moving beyond all that, this is a wonderful stop to sit along the river and enjoy a beer. Then go somewhere else.

Had a fun day in Chicago and decided to check out the new river walk. Walked past this restaurant and looked at some others but came back because the line was short. This place gets 3 stars because of the beautiful new river walk. Beautiful night! Beer not real cold (you gotta get that right in Chicago), fries are ok, pretzel was good. Service is slow but probably quicker than most since every other place was so busy. We didn’t have to worry about a table. We just sat right next to the river! The atmosphere is casual and if your in the mood for appetizers and beer in a very laid back atmosphere this is your place. Don’t worry about a dress code because it’s not that kind of place… no reservations taken, period! You can people and boat watch til your heart’s content! Other places on the river walk will make you stay within the confines of their restaurant. You can sit outside at their tables but you can’t take your beer or wine onto the river walk. There is simply no barrier for this restaurant as far as the river walk is concerned. If you’re looking for a place to hang out with your friends and have a beer or glass of wine in a real chilled environment then this is your place. Just keep any other expectations in check.

I must concur with the people panning this place. Hopefully it will improve, but right now it’s little more than a beer tap with some burnt fries. The lines are LONG here during the Riverwalk concerts — possibly the indolent staff should get a little more organized and efficient?
It’s a shame, since this is probably the most budget-​friendly option on the Riverwalk, with the $ 6 beers. Don’t bother with the fries, they are overcooked — nay, burnt — and made in some sort of metal machine contraption.
I’d wager this place will survive, since: location, and hopefully it will improve as well. I like the limited menu and short beer list, but that should mean the service is a bit more speedy.

Discovered Flanders while exploring the River Walk. The fries were made fresh, right after I ordered them. They were authentic Belgian, double-​fried, and served in the traditional paper cone (with a holder). There were lots of small pieces, and there could have been more larger ones. Flanders was out of regular mayonnaise, but the pesto mayonnaise was superb — and maybe better than regular. It was a very hot day, and the Blanche de Bruxelles witbier was very cold and refreshing, served in a plastic cup. The range of beers was impressive — from Leffe Blonde to Chimay to a Goose Island brew. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. It was great to be able to sit outside, along the river, and view passing boats and enjoy dining al fresco. Having recently spent three years living/​working in Brussels, I can say that this is the most authentic Belgian meal that I have had this side of Brussels! Well done! Flanders will be open into October, so plenty of return trips are planned.

Tiny burnt frozen fry pieces. Don’t ever fucking go here. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Even my girlfriend who loves fries couldn’t eat many of these disgusting things. Remember those lovely frites you enjoyed in Europe? Yeah… these aren’t them. Avoid.

Fries are fresh and the guys behind the counter actually threw away a batch of soggy fries instead of giving them to us. 5 stars just for the care they take. The beer is cold and the pretzel is nice and salty. This place might benefit from a beer line to speed things up but that’s about it! The perfect place for a snack at the riverwalk.

A great addition to the Chicago Riverwalk. Very simple and great scenery. I would very ugh encourage a recycling bin for your plate beer cups offered next to the garbage can. Otherwise, it’s a great spot to stop at during a walk

THE RIVER WALK IS OPEN! SO yes– this place will have a long line on those wonderful summer days that sometimes we just do not get enough of. But if you have the patience, and the time, and just enjoy sitting out by the river and watching boats and people watching– then come! They have live music playing and a variety of beers. Having fries as a snack is a filling option before or after meal plans. There are several restaurants on the river like City Winery as well but Flander’s service was nice.

My order of fries was overlooked but the manager gave me a couple of other sauces to try on the house. yummy fries good customer service 5 stars.

Stopped in while walking along the new and improved river walk. What a great find. I loved everything about the place. Awesome selection of Belgian beers to enjoy at their tables or out on the river walk. Very reasonable prices and some of the best french fries I’ve ever tasted. Amazingly good. And they have a huge list of delicious sauces for your fries, even though they are so good you really dont need them.