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    The Birch

    4.3 (194 reviews)
    Open • 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    The Birch Photos

    Business Info

    THE BIRCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Birch

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    Reviews With Photos

    New England IPA & a fall festival ale
    Mary R.

    Plenty of outdoor area! Kid and fur baby friendly! They have an indoor area but it's small. Clean bathrooms and friendly staff! Snacks available like chips and peanuts. Check out their social media for their food truck events. Parking lot and street parking available. Plenty of great craft beers! Gose to stouts! They have beer to go as well!

    flight
    Nancy H.

    Love the vibes here! Dark, cozy and very trendy. We came for a late night beer flight on a Friday night. It wasn't very busy, we sat at the bar and the servers were all super welcoming and helpful. We didn't order any food, but it smelled and looked great. Beer options were fantastic. Will be back!

    Beer and cheese pairing night. I love this place for so many reasons. Hats off to the Birch!
    David Z.

    Never a dull moment at the Birch. So much to choose from, amazing food, great selection of brews, stellar service and an atmosphere that can't be beat.

    Menu
    Alana C.

    Just a really pleasant spot for a good meal and a drink (or two lol). I popped in for dinner at the bar. Very large and diverse beer selection on tap. If there's nothing that strikes your fancy on tap, there's an even larger selection of cans and bottles. Had a couple of really good IPAs and was very satisfied. Food: I mentioned to my server what I was in the mood for and ended up with the Vikings Blod sandwich. It was bacon cheesy perfection. Great beer and food? Already winning. The menu seems geared towards fancy grilled cheeses but they also have some appetizers and build-your-own charcuterie boards. Service: as I was at the bar, I ended up having a good chat with the bartenders. Along with being very helpful with both food and drink selections, it was great conversation. Winning again on enjoyment/experience. The place has a chill ambiance about it and outdoor seating is available as well. Overall, great experience and would highly recommend it for food and drinks.

    Brew Board 11MAR23
    Dan C.

    Interesting cocept...like a wine bar, but for beer drinkers. Actually wine is also available, but this is place to go to for a world of beer experiences. We hit it just before heading back home from a day of eating and traveling through town. We only stayed long enough to taste a few ales and have a cheese snack. All good. I don't now how many brews are available, but I've included a photo of the brew board. I like the fact that one can get a taste in as small as 4.5 oz. We will have try again when we have more time.

    Daleen T.

    Absolutely love this place! Service is always fantastic and the atmosphere is very relaxing. The decor inside is modern yet cozy, perfect for a date night or meeting up with a few friends. Decent beer selection and the choices for charcuterie/cheese are excellent. I mean what's not to like about being able to build your own board. Parking is street parking but we usually do not have a problem finding a spot. My husband and I have been here on multiple occasions and it never disappoints!

    Glass of blackberry cider.
    Samee S.

    My husband and I visited The Birch this past weekend for the first time and enjoyed every aspect of the experience! The venue itself is very calm and relaxing. It is an easy place for a date night or meet up with friends. There was plenty of room inside and outside for all preferences. The drink selection was also good, with a variety of beer selections and wines for any preference. I was a fan of the Blackberry Cider. Finally, the food selection was also great - however not ideal for those avoiding dairy. I had the Berry Nightmare sandwich and loved every bite! We will definitely be going back to The Birch for another date night in the near future!

    Tipopils taste
    Maria C.

    Nice set up! I would have never found out about this place if it wasn't for a case study I was apart of. Let alone this area of Norfolk is called Chelsea - super lost! I figured Chelsea was another city in Virginia or elsewhere. Well no more worries, I am in the know now. For beer lovers or those that enjoy an open atmosphere and a cool hang out spot with outdoor seating, this is your place. Full meals are not served here, but cheeses and some small plates are featured here. The owner suggests you order from nearby eateries. The closest spot is a pizza shop next door. However, keep in mind the pizza shop closes about 8 pm on weekdays. I visited on a Wednesday and by time I thought to order, the pizza shop was closed. But there are other restaurants within walking distance but I am unsure if they deliver. I tried a light beer and it was just OK. But please keep in mind I am hardly a beer drinker. Nevertheless, if I return it wouldn't be for the beer it would be to socialize in this low lit atmosphere. Kind of sexy inside, but I'd leave the kids at home. Parking is super limited. There is street parking, but I can imagine parking may be a headache on a weekend or any special event with larger crowds. On this random Wednesday night, the Birch had about 20 patrons present. All in all, I believe this is a cool place to check out to see what IPAs interest you. But please don't expect to have a big meal while you chug. Have fun and enjoy life.

    Christian S.

    My girlfriend and I went here about 3 years ago and decided to come by to check out the vibes during happy hour. It's still a really great place that's low key. We got the chef selection cheese & charcuterie. Chorizo and barbers 1833 cheese were on point. Wish they gave more crackers. The beers we had were good. I had the Dugges Bryggeri I Coffee Vanilla Deluxe, and my girlfriend had the Omnipollo I Hypnopompa. It's a great place for friends and couples to have a good time in a more intimate setting. Staff are really friendly and accommodating.

    Ice cream flight and beer
    Heather L.

    Boasting as the 4th best brewery in the nation, it definitely has amazing service and beer. Not a beer drinker myself, my husband and I went here to get one beer for my husband as we enjoyed some delicious pizza next door (the Bakehouse at Chelsea) so we can sit outside in the covered outdoor seating area. My husband ordered a draft which we cannot remember the name, and he enjoyed it so much he decided to try the Oktoberfest brew. He said it was delicious and ended up order two of those! They have a wide variety of drafts as well as an extensive food menu. I ended up trying the seasonal ice cream flight and it was delicious. The Apple pie one was probably my favorite, but the cold brew and the s'mores wasn't that far behind. The service like mentioned before was also top notch, really appreciated the staff coming out to check on us even with it drizzling! We will definitely be back to explore more of the menu because it's ever changing!

    Mahogany W.

    This is such a unique place. I'm not a fan of beer, but there are so many options here that even someone like me can enjoy The Birch. My friends and I rode the scooters here from Colley Ave. and it was a really great evening. The staff was nice and friendly and the ambience was great for like a date night. I was berry impressed with the cheese board selections - everything was tasty. The honey bee Gouda was the bee's knee! It was super creamy and paired well with the beer I was drinking (can't remember the name). I really like this spot and can definitely see myself coming here again!

    Shawna C.

    Outstanding customer Megan was a great recommendation specialist!!' I finally tried their deviled eggs which are out of this world if you like pimento and cheese which they make in house them you MUST try these. We added a the plank bier Hefeweizen which paired well and was perfect light beer. Coming back because that grilled cheese blueberry is on my next to try list

    Hardwood Raspberry
    J David H.

    Is The Birch a sophisticated drinking establishment in disguise as a dive bar. I mean anyone that has seen the neighborhood next to a military installation in a residential hood may ask the same. The fact it's in a cinder block building would beg the question. It's housed under same roof as Tortilla W. Parking is strictly off street if you can find it. They are closed Sunday and Monday, but Tuesday and Wednesday are not crowded and parking should not be an issue. On my walk to the joint I saw no excessive debris and no scary looking hipsters. I did smell the waffling odor of some reefer when passing Tortilla West, but who doesn't love that smell. On warm evenings the front turns outdoor patio, but it was 29 degrees and tables were not set up for obvious reasons. There is also a full size garage door that is lifted up if the climate is conducive to it. I imagine this would make the atmosphere of the place really cool. It was time to head in. From the outside looking in your unsure if The Birch is even open, that's called mood lighting folks and they love it. So as I opened the door, a door you could probably have on your garage at home I immediately witness it's dead. Concrete floors, open air duct work and a large bar that seats around sixteen. Tons of taps were in front of me as I sat down and absorbed the dimensions of the watering hole. A couple of male bartenders were behind the counter with three customers. Several others were at tables located in the center. It is not a big place, but again in warmer months they can really expand. Everything was spic and span clean which will always score high for me on any business. I alluded to the lighting before, it was like a hideout from the rest of the world to enjoy beer, this was good! Cool Pandora music played overhead providing a nice tranquil vibe for the night. This changes based on the crowd of course, but it was that type of night. There was a humongous chalk board listing all the current taps and boy does it go on and on and on. I immediately got the feeling this is a refined beer connoisseur establishment even though the looks from the outside would have you and others believe differently. I only recognized a half dozen of the crafts they had listed, that was great! I saddled up to the bar and was met quickly by a male bar keep that assisted me. I was unsure of tap, or bottle and looked over the drink menu, the board menu and asked for a food menu too! I let him know it was my first time so I could get some additional lay of the land help. There are some places that the staff can come off snobish when and I had heard that this joint catered to a cultured crowd that knows there crafts. However, I did not get that feeling at all and was felt at ease as some recommendations were made. The half pours sounded like the best deal and went that direction. The Hardywood Raspberry Stout only offered in the Winter won me over and boy did it ever. It was possibly the best finishing beer I've had in my life. The knowledge level of brewery's and brews left me feeling at ease and impressed. I knew for sure that I was eating and looked over the Beer Infused Grilled Cheese sandwiches which sounded tempting to order a few. I also asked for recommendation and was not disappointed, he knew their top sellers and the nuisances of each sandwich to guide me to the best choice. I ended up picking the Schlenky which contains grafton maple smoked cheddar, green apple mustard, prosciutto for $9. It comes which chips, nuts, or a mix. A hefty price for a sandwich, but considering a new establishment in Norfolk opened up charging even more this did not appear completely out of sight, especially if was high quality as I suspected. The bartenders double as cooks and he went back and flipped the light on and got right to work. The owner Malia came in and sat down beside me with her lap top to work. I found out she can go toe to toe with any beer geek which was impressive. The other male bartender got me another round, a Great Divide Imperial Stout on tap after discussing options. I had issues with locating the beer on untapped and he assisted which was nice. . The plating was nice on the sandwich, I mean it is a sandwich after all, but it present well for $9, ha! The flavors knocked my socks off, wonderful taste that my buds had not experienced before and assuming it was the green apple mustard which was present throughout every bite. A check in to see how I liked it was great. Water was provided upon request and refiled at the appropriate time. I tried one other before departing, the X Reserve Imperial Coffee Stout by Saucony. The head on this beer was fantastic and the taste of coffee was lingering as I finished off my sandwich. Cool atmosphere, very knowledgeable staff, clean everything including the restrooms and best of all service was well above expectations. I would easily return again and recommend.

    Hanging out with friends and enjoying some delicious brews!

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    3 years ago

    Hidden gem. Great charcuterie board...probably one of the best I have ever had. I look forward to going back in the near future.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Birch

    Review Highlights - The Birch

    “Only complaint is they don't fill 32/16oz growlers and they lowest price for a growler is $20.”

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

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    Hampton Blvd Farmers Market

    Hampton Blvd Farmers Market

    3.9(7 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    I had no idea this farmers market existed! I found out because I was stalking.... I mean trying to…read morefigure out how to get my hands on some Klassic Doughnuts. I found out they were going to be here so I planned to visit the Farmers Market. Locating the Farmers Market was not too hard. The area it is located in is so cute. Parking is hard. You have to park on the street which is tight! There is a small section of parking lot opened at the church, but, that fills up fast. Parking on the street is better than the lot. Be prepared to walk to and from your car. They had about 20-30 different places. You can get fresh produce, knifes sharpened, bath products... and DOUGHNUTS! It's a nice small farmers market.

    As far as farmers markets go, this one is small but carries an abundance of character…read more Not all vendors attend every market, but there is a great variety. Bodacious bakehouse have you covered for your freshly baked artisan bread needs, Cowboy Syd's got your neo-southern gourmet goodies (those of you who are Norfolk locals will know about Chef Meers and his famous restaurant career), meanwhile Cullipher Farm brings you locally grown fruits and veggies from Pungo Ridge. Three ships coffee roll up in their awesome coffee machine (don't know what I mean? You should be here then!) and Doughminion Donuts brings the treats for your sugary needs, soon to close their doors in Selden Market, but they'll be here right through til September. Then there's Fayton Farms artisan cheeses offering up some finely crafted small batch cheese from Mechanicsville but locally sourced milk, and Hampton Roads Winery coming through with the vino offering a taste of their wines for $1, and my personal favorite The Flower Lady, Robin Lindsey from Portsmouth along with her heeler pup Reno - bringing fresh free range chicken and duck eggs along with locally grown flowers. It's small, but there are plenty more vendors I've not named that should be checked out. The later in the day you get there the less there is on offer to buy, but it's definitely one to check out, just make sure you bring some dollars with you, it's not the cheapest - but all in the name of supporting small businesses right!? Love your locals!!

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    Mayas Rotisserie Chicken And Meats

    Mayas Rotisserie Chicken And Meats

    4.0(6 reviews)
    5.5 mi

    I stopped at Maya's one morning on my way to Apelu Island Cafe after seeing their flags for…read morepupusas! My partner is always looking for the best pupusas in town, so I had to stop and get some to put them to the test. After an embarrassing interaction due to a Spanish/English language barrier (I really should know more Spanish), I worked out one order of chicharron pupusa, which included three and curtido. They were made fresh; I could see the man making them by hand! This also means receiving the order took some time. I wasn't in a rush, so I spent my time looking at all the delicious international products they hosted in-store. I noticed an $11.99 lunch special that I'll have to come back for and a bunch of spices that I need to add to my pantry. I received my hot and fresh order with a smile and waited for my partner before digging in. They were delicious! A true delight. The outside was just the right amount of crisp, and the inside was gooey cheese, pork, and beans. I can't wait to go back and try more. An FYI to first-time visitors: the parking lot only has one entrance, and you can speed by it if you don't notice. The parking lot is small, but this seems to be an in-and-out place, so I suspect it shouldn't be too hard to find a spot.

    Was shopping at the CHKD Thrift across the street and as soon as I seen the decorated building and…read morefood truck I knew that was where the amazing smell was coming from. LOOOOOVE THIS PLACE!!! From the hospitality to the chicharrones to the BEST BIRRIA TACOS from the food truck outside. Literally a great find!!!!

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    Mayas Rotisserie Chicken And Meats - Inside Mayas

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    VA Goods

    VA Goods

    4.6(10 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    Great shop with great local finds. If you're looking for unique, one-of-a-kind gifts/souvenirs,…read morethis place has when you're looking for! I stopped in and they even have beers! I had one local and one not. Great shop and WOMAN OWNED! Couldn't get better :-)

    I am going to San Francisco and I needed to get some local gifts for friends that I am visiting…read morethere. VA Goods came to mind immediately as what says local more than "VA Goods". VA Goods is located in Selden Market, the incubator space mall in Downtown Norfolk, and it offers exactly that, goods made in VA. You can find anything to food products, jewelry and even glass blown items that is made my the owner herself, who is a glass blowing artist, among many things. - Parking - There is street parking available, as well as, the parking garages nearby. The one I like to park at when going to Selden Market is the Hilton Main parking garage as it is attached to Selden Market. If you get off on level P1, it will lead you directly inside Selden Market. What I found: I was specifically looking for VA-themed stickers and thankfully I found one that is in the shape of the state, with mountains on it with VA printed on it. I also found some VA is for lovers rubber keychains and VA peanuts! I got some chocolate covered and some Old Bay flavored. Mmm, maybe my friend will let me taste them once I give it to her LOL. You know how it is, just before going on a trip....so many things to do, so little time. I was so grateful this was a quick and fruitful trip! I got most of everything I needed and I was out within 15 minutes! Pro tip: At the time of this writing, they are offering a check-in offer on Yelp of 20% off your first purchase! This is subject to change at any time, so don't hold me to it if it's not available anymore when you go. You snooze, you pay full price. If you are looking for unique items from VA, VA Goods is the place to go! Enjoy, Friends, and never stop exploring!

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    VA Goods - Store front.

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    The Birch - cheese - Updated September 2026

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