How do I celebrate a birthday at Brasserie Chez Clément?
By Lorenzo Eeman, Brasserie Chez Clément · Updated 2026-05-21
Quick answer
Book the right space, mention the birthday at the time of booking, and the team coordinates the cake, the candle moment and the atmosphere, from a small family table to a private dinner of up to 230 seated or 250 guests for a private event.
Birthdays are part of the long-standing rhythm of the house. Chez Clément has been a family brasserie since 1858 under five generations of the same lineage, Henri and Sidonie Clément in 1858, Jules and Marie-Lidwina in the 1920s, Marcel and Andrée from 1954 (who opened the wine bar in 1976), France Clément from 1996 (who launched the Thursday disco nights evenings), and today Marie and Gilles Verleyen of J and JJ Brasserie SA, with their daughter June informally counted as the sixth generation in waiting. From small intimate dinners to large group celebrations, the team has done this many, many times.
Practically, the first move is to choose the right space for the moment. A two-person birthday dinner in the conservatory has the soft, warm feel of the room where Marie and Gilles themselves got married. A family lunch for ten in the main room sits beautifully in the everyday energy of the brasserie. A milestone birthday for forty to eighty guests benefits from a partial private hire arrangement. A standing reception up to 250 guests is also possible for a very large celebration. The events team at info@brasseriechezclement.be helps with the layout and the room allocation.
The second move is to flag the birthday at the booking stage. Mention the name of the birthday person, the relationship to the booker, the number of guests, the age (or not, some people prefer discretion), whether a cake is desired (the kitchen can prepare a personalised house-made cake, see dedicated FAQ), whether a candle or sparkler moment is welcome, and whether the team should sing or stay neutral. The floor team coordinates accordingly, which is one of the practical strengths of running a thirty-two-person brigade with a long memory of birthday rituals.
For specific touches, a balloon decoration on the table, a personalised menu printed for guests, a specific wine pairing chosen with the sommelier, dietary adaptations across the table, mention it at booking. The brasserie has all the standard tools of a major Belgian house and is happy to align them around your moment, in any of the languages comfortably handled on the floor (French, English; Dutch where possible). The end of the evening, particularly on Thursdays, can naturally segue into the Thursday disco nights.
- Mention at booking: birthday, name, number of guests, preferred atmosphere.
- Room options: main room, conservatory, bar zone, partial private hire.
- Capacity: up to 230 seated, up to 250 for a private event.
- Personalised cake: house-made by the kitchen, see dedicated FAQ.
- Candle / sparkler moment: coordinated by the floor team.
- Singing: optional, mention preference at booking.
- Larger party: events team via info@brasseriechezclement.be.
- Thursday extension: Thursday disco nights from late evening.
To plan a birthday celebration, ring +32 2 652 33 92 or write to info@brasseriechezclement.be for larger parties.