the birch bar

the apple falls far from the tree. as a west ghent resident, i wish i could provide a more positive review. the west ghent neighborhood enjoys the benefits of its location, which is near some very cool and eclectic offerings ranging from very trendy and varied eateries (tortilla west to bardo to press 626 to donut dinette) to a variety of artistic offerings (naro to boutiques to pottery) to a full range of nightlife activities (hooka lounges, etc.). what makes all of this work is the acceptance for diversity among the area's residents. although the birch is one of those offerings that is perfect for the west ghent environs and one that the neighborhood would love to have succeed, the birch is so attitudinal that they make their guests uncomfortable. the beer is varied and intriguing but offered at a high price and served with a sneer. unless the attitude of the owner and his staff embrace a more welcoming approach, this little gem will join a growing pile ofgoodideas that have been poorly executed.

the birch - craft beer and conversation. the birch made me smile and reminisce.
ben and malia and their hardworking team have achieved an unusual feat: a menu and atmosphere that is about two things: great craft beer and an atmosphere that fosters conversation. much like pubs in ireland and the 1920s speakeasies of nyc, the focus and delivery is really about two things: delicious beer and conversation, plain and simple. the whole experience centers on a beyond huge and comprehensive craft beer selection, great knowledge about the beers and an atmosphere that invokes agoodtalk and laugh with friends and neighbors. no posing necessary. come as you are. how refreshing and delicious and simple - but by no means simple to achieve. congratulations to to the owners who had a singular vision and their hard-working staff who help realize it every day. a wonderful and pure experience.
go and enjoy!!!!

my husband and i have been a few times and it has always been great!!! awesome beer selection and the cheese plate is mouth watering!!! fun atmosphere andgoodservice! 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 a cheese selection, which comes withgoodcrackers, and for a small cost, also comes with honey, black and green olives, and delicious sausage. each cheese is 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.

what a beer!. i first heard about birch bar in the oct. veer mag. i live in norfolk, and was surprised to hear about an all beer bar-had to try it. walked in and immediately appreciated the missing tvs!! :) the lighting is subdued, and the atmosphere very comfortable.
ben, the owner, came over, and was very open and forthcoming with an offer to assist in the decision-making process-which is agoodthing given that the bottled beer list is 3 pages long. :) there's a floor-to-almost-ceiling board listing the beers available on tap, and a list of eats available as well-although that list is modest in comparison to the other two. but it is all about the beer!
with a little assistance from ben, i settled on the ola dubh 18, and was absolutely smitten. i'm not an 'educated' drinker of beer, although i will always take the smaller, batch-made brews over anything mass-produced, but the od 18 was amazing. now there's only one problem....and it's quite serious....i have been thoroughly and unequivocally spoiled--all my other beer 'favorites' have turned to water in comparison....i've been back once so far....and have yet to get beyond........ola dubh!! :)

agoodstart, 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. the cheese plate is tiny. the beers are expensive but not extreme. my wife had a cola and i had two beers. we had a cheese plate 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 aregoodin a side glass of water, but alsogoodin 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 enoughgoodthings 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 their cheese boards.

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.gooduse 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 a cheese tray 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 grilled cheese which was basically one piece of cheese and 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 suchgoodbeer is so lousy. i won"t be back to the birch!! fortunately there are other places to getgoodbeer in the area. cogan's pizza has great food, better than average beer and a way nicer staff. taphouse ghent has decent food,goodbeer 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.

best bar in norfolk!. the birch is my new favorite bar in ghent. the selection is amazing, the staff is friendly and helpful. they have agoodselection of cheeses that go well with the beer too (just ask for suggestions). not to mention they have growlers! you can't beat the birch.

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 wasgoodand i tasted somegoodcheese from one of the platters a friend ordered, but i dont think this is going to be a place to sit down for dinner.

thanks birch. let me say first and foremost, as a lover of craft beer, i'm used to having to drive out to richmond to get a great beer on tap. i have waited for a bar to come to this area that felt the same way i do aboutgoodbeer. the birch gets it. ben, gordon and the whole crew are great people! they work themselves crazy making sure everyone gets taken care of. i wouldnt hesitate to recommend this place to anyone. go on over and you'll see what i mean.

this is honestly the best place in ghent, maybe hampton roads, to get a beer but only of you enjoygoodbeer. the selection is amazing and they have a great turnaround on bottles and taps so there is always something different. the food is perfect to just munch on while enjoying the beer and the menu reminds me of little beer bars in amsterdam and paris. don't let negative reviews sway you from checking this bar for the great brews and amazing workers. seriously, do yourself and mouth a favor and run to the birch bar and enjoy yourself.

awesome!. the birch had a great beer selection, awesome customer service, and great snacks too! if you're looking for a chill and welcoming atmosphere to try new beer, gain knowledge, and broaden your horizons, this is your place. the bar reminds me of the european bars i've been to in paris & spain...a knowledgeable, welcoming staff and homey atmosphere, all about the beer. i'm not an expert on beer and was a little intimidated by the selection, but the staff is very welcoming and warm and are willing to introduce you to new delicious brews!!

in regards to the negative reviews about price, atmosphere, and parking - this bar is in ghent! when the has there ever been parking in ghent? considering the rarity of the brews they carry, the prices are more than reasonable and if you're looking for a place to "pick up the chicks and get wasted" then you're in the wrong part of town. nothing against downtown, but you might want to try granby for that. ** don't get me wrong, it is definitely becoming a regular for my friends and i, all because ben and his staff have been able to create a cultural and fun atmosphere for their customers, without sacrificing their focus and passion forgoodbeer.

i'm proud to be a ghent resident because of places like the birch!!

cheers to you, birch bar.

it's about the beer!. i've been to the birch a few times since they opened on january 1st. whether the place is packed or has just opened with only a few customers at the bar, i receive the same service. knowledgeable and helpful. the staff converses with their customers more than i've ever seen. i've visited the birch alone a couple of times and never once felt that was actually the case. not only is the staff friendly and inviting, so are most of the people that go there. after sitting at the bar for an hour and a half last night, i had spoken with all of the wait staff and met four people. you couldn't ask for a better environment. great music lightly plays so it can be heard, but not so much that you have to yell to talk. the lighting is warm and cozy, allowing you to feel comfortable while giving off plenty brightness to see everyone around you. it's not your typical bar. they offer a few snacks, but it's obvious beer is the main course. i also love the authenticity of the birch when it comes to how they serve the beer. it's obvious they know what they're doing simply by the glass in which each beer is served. this place is quickly becoming my favorite spot to enjoy a great beer and somegoodconversation.

now that i think about it, i've probably doubled my beer knowledge in my few visits to the birch. i love beer, but my knowledge and understanding is quite limited. regardless, i never feel out of place when asking questions about what i'm drinking. come visit and you'll see what i mean within the first few minutes of stepping inside.

great place. i had an amazing time in this place last night with me a couple ofgoodfriends. the server was extremely well informed and recommended two beers i liked so much i took the bottles home to show more people. i will most definitely be back here very soon with more people to show. i was truly impressed with the wide selection of beers from around the globe. i saw so many other friends there as well, some i didn't even know were interested in craft beer. i can't think of a time when i have come to a bar and found this much diversity on the beer list. it seemed like they had something for everyone no matter what they liked about beer. i look forward to returning very soon. excellent experience all around.