the birch bar

having traveled the globe i find the birch a very unique beer experience to be in norfolk. this type selection/depth is only found in larger areas. to replicate rare beers, the varieties that are offered there is very special and comes with great effort. my friends and i had not found this experience in va. til the birch got there. its all about the beer. many restaurants serve beer, very few bars and rest. have the strength of character to stand by its beer alone, at the birch the "suds does", (cheesetrays,limited sand. and snacks).truly a craft beer bar venue its constant rotation of drafts keeps the drinking experience new and exciting. i also use the birch as a social gathering spot to meet friends at. with conversation and no tv its a sporting event within itself. cheers !!

my husband and i have been a few times and it has always been great!!! awesome beer selection and thecheeseplate is mouth watering!!! fun atmosphere and good service! nice place to hang out with friends!

i finally found a bar i like. this is one of those fantastically hidden away gems that has only been around for a year or so, so if you're like me and feel like you've been missing out, you're not too far behind the curve. these guys serve high class craft beers that are unlike any beer from the mainstream distributors. i had an absolutely amazing imperial stout, german wild porter, and fortified cider while i was there, and every single beer had a unique flavor and was more than worth the small draft price.

as far as food goes, they have acheeseselection, which comes with good crackers, and for a small cost, also comes with honey, black and green olives, and delicious sausage. eachcheeseis delicious.

the bartender is extremely knowledgeable and i essentially took his recommedations for all three beers and my choice of cheese, and can honestly say it was worth the price.

no live music when i went (wed evening) but quality jazz music playing to match the diamond-in-the-rough atmosphere. if you're not a beer snob, this place will make you one. my only shame is that i found them so late in my time in norfolk, and am leaving the area soon. easily the best bar i've found in the whole 7 cities area.

a jewel. i love this place. one of my favorite places in all of tidewater. most of the beers served here are not served anywhere else in the area and are exquisite. and the atmosphere is simple and well done.

the owner is actually quite personable and helpful--as are the others, though i don't doubt that he'll try to make space for paying customers over those just tagging along for conversation.

as to food, this is not a restaurant. it is a beer bar. yes, they'll make you a sandwich, but that's not their raison d'etre. the best food is thecheeseboard. they have a phenomenalcheeseboard (i recommend stilton, cocoa cadonna & shepherd's blend).

not sure i understand the comment about no music. there is always music--good music--but i guess they keep the volume at a level that does not interfere with conversation.

don't go there with 12 people; go with 3 or 4 friends, talk with the staff about the beers, and the people next to you.

over the top. this place is our newest favorite place! we live downtown and have started going here at least 2-3 times a week because of the staff and the great beer. thecheeseboard is spectacular and the beer, unbelievable! our only complaint...we wish the birch was downtown. if you are not a beer lover, go here, you will be converted and find yourself a regular birchgoer very quickly.

over the top.... i have a feeling my fellow reviewer's aren't going to like what i have to say about this place, but i have to call it like i see it.

first things first. do they have great beer here? yes. do they have great atmosphere? yes. is it all over the top. absolutely.

the birch bar is the latest hipster trendy place to arrive on the norfolk scene. i'm not sure if that was by design or not, but that's what it's turned into. the beer selection is awesome and it's also way over priced even for downtown norfolk. food here is sparse. you can get a grilledcheesesandwich for $9.00 (cough) or one theircheeseboards. they also have some little finger snacks like popcorn and beer nuts for $3.00 each and that's it for the menu.

they play no music and i like this concept as it invokes conversation. however you wouldn't have been able to hear the music, or much less the person next to you, without screaming the night i visited.

the beers are many and varied and the assortment is always changing. no matter your poison, the pint or goblet you order is going to run you on average about $8.00 per beer. we were definitely having trouble getting a waitress to serve us so we ended up getting our beers from the bar.

i'm going to wait a bit and let the hype die down before my next visit. personally i wish they were open on sundays so you could experience the joint with a non nightlife environment. maybe they'll do that next year by the time football season has started.

a good start, but needs to get better. i have been a micro-brew fan for over two decades and the birch just opened up on my neighborhood. my first visit was disappointing. the beer selection is very good. they had a bit over 20 drafts and a bottle list of over 100 beers. the place is very small so if you go you may want to go right after it opens in mid-afternoon. the "movie popcorn" for three dollars appears to be microwave. thecheeseplate is tiny. the beers are expensive but not extreme. my wife had a cola and i had two beers. we had acheeseplate with two cheeses and the crackers/olive/honey/salami side. with tip, we walked out 40 bucks lighter. my second beer came in a round glass and the head was super thick and well below the top of the glass. so when it settled, i had about half a beer. our waitress was friendly. they sell no wine or other alcohol so if you have friends who don't like to drink beer, they won't be able to get an alcoholic beverage other than a hard cider. they had no ice tea and no lemons. lemons are good in a side glass of water, but also good in some varieties of beer. i think this place is can get better and i hope it will. it needs to improve its food and make the inside more pub-like and comfortable. i black concrete floor with small rickety tables does not cut it. my guess is, the owner was on a budget and just wanted to open. let's hope profits go into the bar/pub and that the food and atmosphere improve. cheers, ayerdan

a few comments and response to the trolls.. i really don't have enough good things to say about this place, and at this point i may just be an addict.

craft beer doesn't get any better. if you want to explore the seemingly endless world of beer with a staff that has the knowledge, experience, and personality to act as guide and mentor on your blissful quest then there really is no other place to go. there is no local comparison and you really are missing out if you haven't at least tried it.

a few of my favorite features:

- a draft list that constantly rotates so that each visit greets you with a different menu.

- you can sample the beer (draft only) before you buy a glass, so you know what you're paying for.

- can you say draft beer to-go? anything on the menu can be ordered to-go, and there's an excellent price incentive on the 1/2 gallon growlers.

- a staff (owners included) that are genuinely friendly people and have confidence, pride, and appreciation for their product.

- they open an hour before t-west, which for me means an opening act for taco night on monday and tuesday.

- the birch attracts people that are interesting and fun to talk to. go there and talk to someone random, they're probably very interesting.

finally, a couple of concerns about the grossly exaggerated negative reviews here. they're just that: grossly exaggerated and even flat-out wrong. whoever that was that said you get 4-oz glasses, for example, is off their rocker. you'll get smaller glasses for some of the more potent beers (like the 11% ones), but i'm pretty sure the smallest glass they have is 9oz. that doesn't mean you can't get a pint though, just pick a beer that's appropriate for that type of glass. if you don't know, ask. if you don't ask, learn by trial. the latter is my preference.

i'll attach a photo of what you can expect from theircheeseboards.

the good, the bad and the ugly. the good, the bad and the ugly......

the good....great beer selection and the quality of the beer is good. good use of glassware. on the down side, beers are poured with way to much head!! you pay eight bucks for a beer and get 4 inches of beer and 4 inches of head.

the bad....now i understand that maybe they aren't making food a focus and just need to have food since it's va, but really the food sucks! for example, i payed $15 for acheesetray and here is what i got: 4 slices of one cheese, a few crumbles of another, 4 small pieces of sausage, some stale crackers and some dipping honey. my friend got a $9 grilledcheesewhich was basically one piece ofcheeseand one piece of ham on two huge slices of bad bread. food is horrible and overpriced!! don't eat here!

the really, really ugly......worst service and rudest staff ever!!!
if you want to wait forever for your beer, go here. if you want to sit at a dirty table and wait an hour for it to be cleared, go here. if you want to sit at an empty table and then be told to move, go here. if you want a server to tell you they can't get you a beer because you're not in their area, go here. if you want to be yelled at to move because you're standing in front of the draft list, go here. i could give many more examples but what it basically comes down to is that the staff is rude and unfriendly and treats a lot of customers badly.

it is unfortunate that a place with such good beer is so lousy. i won"t be back to the birch!! fortunately there are other places to get good beer in the area. cogan's pizza has great food, better than average beer and a way nicer staff. taphouse ghent has decent food, good beer and a mostly nice staff. and if you just want to pick up really great beer to take home, go to grape & gourmet in va beach. they have an unbelievable selection and the nicest staff ever.

great place for craft beer. went to the birch bar for the first time recently after hearing about from a couple different people. i wouldn't consider myself to be a true beer geek, but it was a great place to hang out with friends and get some real beer that you can't find anywhere else around hampton roads. it was a pretty relaxed place even with friday night crowds and i liked that the music playing in the background. the big draft selection is also updated online (including prices) which is pretty cool. so far the main focus is beer, but i would like to see a few more food items to snack on. the soft pretzel i had was good and i tasted some goodcheesefrom one of the platters a friend ordered, but i dont think this is going to be a place to sit down for dinner.

the real deal for beer. really a great addition to the norfolk landscape. a much needed place for very excellent and huge selection of craft and cask beers. the landscape is ever changing as well with new additions all the time. haven't had a bad selection yet. ben and crew will tell you what you are in for in each selection. and there is a rhyme and reason for the cost of each beer and the glass you drink it from. as this is not just your average beer, the glass highlights particular styles and flavors. the food selection is fairly minimal at this point, but this is a craft brew place. their food choices compliment the beers and the cheeses and particularly the grilledcheesesandwiches are excellent. we'll see if the kitchen expands its selections, but be assured it won't be at the sacrifice of the beer. if this bud is for you, this might not be your place. but if you like taste, excellent beer and well....even more and different excellent beer, then stop by and make sure to talk to the staff about what to try. you won't be steered wrong. and be safe- a designated driver will be necessary, especially after a few selections. or, you can just live in west ghent and walk!

love this place. first off let me say that i love trying new things, and the beer world is one that has recently been opened up for me. there is no more perfect place than the birch for a guy like me - and a lot of others in the hampton roads area.

they still fill up quite quickly on these first few weeks of being open, but it's still a great place to congregate with friends or perhaps make new ones who share the same love for craft beer as yourself. great ambiance - no super loud music, no superiority complex, just a great place to go.

the owners and staff have great knowledge of the many beers they serve, which is amazing considering how much the beer list has already changed so much in so little time. it seems that there will always be new things to try, and friendly folks to recommend something that you might not have other tried otherwise.

i highly suggest going to the birch, pulling up a bar stool, getting acheeseplate or grilledcheesesandwich (both excellent) and trying something new. you can also buy a growler and fill it with your favorite beverage to enjoy at home.

best beer spot in hampton roads. i've had 3 amazing experiences at the birch. this place has become my new favorite watering hole!

i enjoyed both the stillwater saison and mikkeller beer geekbreakfast stout, they two beers that you won't find _anywhere_ else in the area. thecheeseplates are great and all are nicely presented. i'm addicted to the snack mix!!

can't wait to see what else the birch puts on draft, they are constantly changing it up!

best beer bar in town. i logged on to review the birch, because i had a great time there this week,!! i'm not a big beer drinker myself, but my friend i was with is. i asked for a lttle guidance since i wasn't sure what i would like. ben, who owns the birch definatly knows his beer and made a great choice for me!! we also had a grilledcheesewith procuitto sandwhich and chips that really hit the spot!! the place was packed which was very exciting for a week night. the service was amazing....even with a full house!
i read the previous reviews on here for the birch and am quite surprised. i would just like to say that ben and his crew are doing a great job! i'm a server and if you can't afford to leave a decent tip (20%)....you can't afford to go out to eat!!!! if the service was good, your food was good, there's really no excuse...maybe you shouldn't have had that last 2 rounds! and if you have a poor financial situation that only allows an 11% tip....you shouldn't be going out for beers you can't afford, silly :)