Some call it the biggest bar in Europe. Last time I counted there were 33 bars on the Oude Markt. The occasional new bar or pizzeria opens up, but let us just stick to that number. For the purpose of this article I thoroughly inspected the left side of the square, when coming from the Grote Markt, starting with the last bar:

Rodins

At the entrance to this bar/restaurant/lounge, or whatever they call themselves these days, there is at least one bouncer in a suit. He will kindly ask you to get the ... out of there if you are not wearing dress shoes. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is a bar where all the posh kids go. So, if you like to pretend you have money and want to look super-cool in a small student town, step right up to this establishment. I must admit, a shot of double tequila was far beyond my expectations, both quality-wise and price-wise. The place also has a VIP section, with a red carpet, leather furniture and a velvet chain that separates you from mere mortals outside of your 2 by 2 square kingdom. The icing on the cake in Rodins must be the toilet. Even if you have been drinking all night, they try to charge you fifty cents for making use of their facilities. Think twice if you were planning on drinking beer. Not feasible, I tells ya.

Bierkelder

Enter the basement of lechery and... filth? This is the place where most students go when they want to find themselves a one-nightstand. A lot of non-students as well. Personally, I found the place a bit skanky every time I went there. An 80s style light show welcomes you at the door, and people dancing on your left and your right. Many students tell stories of good times at the Bierkelder, so you will have to take their word for it. It is one of those places where you go after you have a substantial amount of alcohol in your veins; something like The Seven Oaks of the Oude Markt. So, if you are up for that kind of fun, this is the right place for you.

De Rector

Many good memories. One of the rare places where you can go wild and dance on tables, and then go back the next day and have a great lunch on those same tables. The venue is quite big, with the bar on the far right and a huge dance floor covering basically everywhere else. That bar is sometimes too far away, and the waiters are either slow or non-existent. No worries, the beautiful girls (or boys) dancing in front of you will keep you busy. Rarely have I found the place empty. Quite on the contrary, it is always full of cheerful souls there just to have fun. If you like dancing and a good time, this is the place for you. And if you are a fan of nice and cheap meals, go there during the day and enjoy the terrace.

Ambiorix and Mefisto

The reason why I am putting these two bars in the same part of the article is simple. I cannot really make a difference between them. Be it the beers in my blood or the fact that they are next to each other, I mix them up all the time. It seemed to me that in one of them there were always people dancing and in the other one a lot of drink specials. Just go there and check it out yourselves.

Food at Oude Markt

After excess dancing and drinking, one is usually hungry. Luckily, there are a lot of places to eat on this side of the Oude Markt. For those who appreciate one-euro cheeseburgers and other not so healthy stuff, McDonalds is quite close. Around it are a couple of kebab and fries eateries, each similar in quality.

Next to Ambiorix/Mefisto you can buy a whole chicken and very nice potatoes (not fries). For a bigger budget, restaurant Ming and the Meating Room are quite nice. There is also a Pizza Hut and a small Belgian snack bar next to Rodins.

Well, folks, that would be it when it comes to the left side of the Oude Markt. Stay tuned next month for the follow-up. To be continued...