I was running an errand on a Saturday morning and decided to have lunch in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. Not too many places were open. But Mussel Bar & Grille was and they even had a DC restaurant week special. It’s a fantastic Belgian restaurant.

Mussel Bar & Grille is the creation of Robert Wiedmaier, a Belgian born chef. He began his career in Europe.

Wiedmaier has lived in the DC area since the 1980s. He began by working at local restaurants. In 1999 he opened hist first restaurant, Marcel’s (named after his son), in the Foggy Bottom area. Since then, Wiedmaier has founded over a half dozen restaurants in the area and even one in Atlantic City. Mussel Bar & Grille opened in 2010. The restaurant had a second location in Arlington, but it recently closed in December 2025.

Menu

Despite the name, Mussel Bar & Grille has much more than mussels. The heart of the menu is seafood. Besides mussels, the seafood options include oysters, salmon, and swordfish. Among other items are: chicken (Poulet de Grand-mere), and steak (Steak aux Frites). The side dishes consist of different variations of frites (fries). Appetizers include French Onion Soup, and Charred Octopus. The salads are a beet salad (Roasted Earth & Eats) and a Caesars.

Restaurant Week Meal

The restaurant week menu is a set menu where you pick one item from each of the three courses. I neglected to save the menu, but here is what I recall.

In the appetizers section, there was an Endive Salad, a Lobster Bisque, and perhaps one other item. (Maybe the Tuna Tartare?) I had the Lobster Bisque. It was rich and flavorful. The perfect dish to have on a cold winter day. Lobster Bisque doesn’t actually have any lobster in it. It gets its name from the stock used to make it. Regardless, it was delicious.

The entree section, except for one dish (I don’t remember which), consisted of different varieties of mussels. Choices include White Wine, Mushrooms & Bacon, Mediterranean, Thai Curry, and Bolognese. I chose the Bolognese, which is mussels with pork, veal, beef, and capers, all in tomato based broth. These were the best mussels that I have had outside of Belgium. They were big and juicy. The sauce was flavorful without overpowering the mussels. Just perfect!

The dessert choices were two: a Liege Waffle or Chocolate Mousse.

The Liege Waffle is a type of waffle seldom seen outside of Belgium. It is sweeter than the standard waffle and made with a yeast dough, giving it a chewier texture. I have never had one and dearly want to try it. But the chocolate mousse was calling me and that is what I had. It did not disappoint. With a deep, rich, chocolate flavor, it was to die for. Belgium’s reputation for chocolate is well deserved.

Drinks

Mussel Bar & Grill has a big selection of Belgian beers. The types of beers available include Pilsners, Blondes, Dubbels, Tripels, Wits, IPAs, and Fruit Beers. I am not that familiar with Belgian beer, and asked the waiter for a description. Unfortunately, he not able to describe them for me. Being all bottled beer, tasting was not an option. I was wondering about the Dubbel and ended up getting one, an Orval Trappist. It had a strong, malty flavor. Not bad, but I was more in the mood for a stout.

Atmosphere

Mussel Bar & Grill has an expansive dining area that is longer than it is wide. The tables are close together, giving the place a warm and cozy feel. It reminds me of the bars in Brussels. The wait staff is friendly, as was the manager. I had a nice conversation with him about the upcoming winter storm.

The service was prompt. My water was refilled without having to ask. Likewise, my bread basket was promptly replenished. However, I was there before the lunch rush started. I noticed that patrons who arrived during the rush did not get quite so prompt a service. And, as noted above, my waiter was unable to help me with my beer selection. Despite that, I was satisfied with the service and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere.