Loved this place. We did a little tour of Norfolk breweries (O'Connor and Smartmouth) and stopped here after. Cute building - bright green - and next door was a wood fired pizza place. You can order pizza from there while hanging out at the birch. Very neighborly. Beer selection was original, lots I hadn't heard of before and some that are more mainstream (founders, dogfish, etc). We didn't eat here but want to come back and have a cheese board. The service was also quick, helpful, and friendly. read more

My fiancé and I love coming here- both for the many types of grilled cheese they offer and the wide array of craft beers and ciders. They have a wonderful staff that will make suggestions if you ask! read more

This is a beer joint, plain and simple. And a great one at that. Ask your server for a recommendation based on what you tend to like, and enjoy the experience of tasting something new. It's not a big place, but the atmosphere is great. Always has a good vibe. We love the drinks and conversations with the owners Ben and Malia. The rest of the staff is just as gracious. Also consider purchasing a growler to take a tasty beer home, or stop by on Fridays for their beer and cheese pairing menu. This place is a regular stop for us now each weekend. It's absolutely one of my favorite places to be. read more

So here's the deal. 5-star beer selection but the pricing makes it just OK for me. Half of the stuff they carry I've never seen anywhere else in my life, that you can get away with selling at a super premium. The other half of the selection is available at the Bier Garden at a much fairer price. Expect to easily pay $10 a beer after taxes and tip on average. Hungry? Not the place for you... $10-$12 micro cheese plates and bar snacks. The atmosphere is really lacking as well. Just a dark room full of chairs. So it sounds like I'm complaining but I'm still giving it 3 stars for daring to carry some of the odd beers that they do and opening a beer bar in a weird neighborhood in Norfolk. I just can't get over the prices. I'm pretty sure even the Church Key in Downtown DC is cheaper. read more

Finally made it back to visit The Birch this weekend. I had been anticipating the trip for quite some time because their odd hours. The place was crowded and their were only three people working. The waitress, that was working the tables by herself, did not even acknowledge our party of three when we came in. No Hello or anything! We went back to they bar and were stood there for at least 10 minutes and still were not served. The owner, who was tending bar didn't even say anything to us! The waitress did finally say something though, she told us to move because we were at her service area! After another few minutes and a couple of elbows from the waitress the man that was working the bar came around and got us some beer. The beer selection is great and there is ok place else in the area to find some of the stuff that is on tap there, but I will definitely spend my money elsewhere. I'll even drive the two hours to go to Mekong in Richmond before stepping foot in The Birch again! read more

Definitely a hidden gem worth visiting if you love beer. I tried 3 different IPAs, all from different continents, and that was just a small sample! If you are a beer lover, this place is for you. read more

Don't expect to get any food here.... It's all about beer. Has an incredible selection from all over the world but mostly European varieties. If you're hungry, walk around the corner to tortilla west and get the fish burrito... You won't be disappointed one bit. read more

Beer and cheese?! Can life get any better??? I submit that it cannot! A skillfully curated beer selection paired with delectable cheeses. Everything looked good. Try the sundried tomato pesto! read more

Really hipster and fun atmosphere. The servers were amazing updating us throughout the night about the status of our food and giving suggestions for their cheese and drinks. Highly recommended for a chill spot out. read more

Wow just wow this place is a place to treat your pallet. I'm on my third beer of the night and all I can say is amazing. This has been an exercise of my taste buds. Every beer so far has been an adventure for my taste buds. With 24 beers on tap and a two page selection of bottles and cans you can honestly entertain your mouth with flavors you've never tasted before and probably will never taste again unless you get the same beer again. read more

Great beer menu and amazing grilled cheese sandwiches. We went on a Friday evening and it wasn't crowded at all. Great attentive service.

The atmosphere makes you feel like you stumbled into a secret club. The eclectic crowd was full of beer enthusiasts, and the wait staff was knowledgeable and attentive, if not stretched just a bit thin. The owner is incredibly gracious. There's not much more to say about the beers that's not already been said here - fantastic selection of beers I've not come across anywhere else. I loved the half pours, which let me try several brews. The creative grilled cheese menu might be reason enough to return several times, as it was hard to settle on just one. If they are all as pleasing as the Blueberry Nightmare, this place can sit back and rest knowing it does beer and cheese better than anyone else. read more

Very little not to like about this place - superior beer selection, great food choices to complement the beer ( including grilled cheese menu!), laid-back atmosphere, and competent unpretentious service. read more

Beer. Cheese. This is where barley malt dies and goes to heaven. Go elsewhere for wine. Go elsewhere to be noticed. Where else can you buy Gueze at a bar? read more

One of the most memorable beer bar visits I've ever made in my life. Wish the wife coulda made it, but it was me and work buddies finishing off a Thursday night. Will knew about this place, and told me I wouldn't be disappointed. Far from it. The Italian IPA and sour beer selections were incredible. The service was excellent, and the prices were reasonable for the quality and diversity of beer available. HIGHLY recommended. read more

Came here for what I thought was a cider "event" and was disappointed. The waitress did not really know about the event (which had been advertised all over Facebook), there weren't any deals related to the event, which would have made it pretty pricy had it not been happy hour. After having a tiny cider, we headed over to a different bar where the deals are better and pours are larger. Will maybe come back due to my love of cheese and meat plates, but only during happy hour. This place is kind of out of the way, so I would need a reason to make that kind of effort. read more

Best beer selection and bartenders in Norfolk! Cool setting with great tunes. They got a good looking bar food / sandwich menu but we've yet to try it because we always get pizza from next door. read more

The Birch Bar is definitely a hidden 'gem' in an odd industrial area of Ghent/Norfolk. Once you're there, though, you'll be surprised by the hip and relaxed atmosphere. If you're not into beer, this might not be the best place for you. If you ARE, however, then it might just be your favorite friday night stop! They have a long list of draft beers that (from what I understand) changes periodically so you can really get a good taste of small breweries from around the world! The prices here are somewhat reasonable for what you get ($7 for about a pint?), but it's hard for me to say since I have no idea what it costs to import beer. They also have the option to take beer home with you in a jug if you're into that! There are a few outside tables in their patio, which we loved during a perfect friday night after the rain. One draw-back I found was that the service was sloww. We only had 1 beer (for each of 4 people) and it took about an hour to order, get our drinks, and pay. They were very nice and helpful, but I didn't feel like it was all that crowded for taking as long as it did. I should also mentioned that we got their soft pretzel, which was pretty good (4/5) and included a very good mustard seed sauce! The waitress gave us a good pitch for the food truck that parks outside the restaurant (and that has food you can bring in while you drink) on Fridays and (I think?) Wednesdays. She mentioned they constantly change the type of food it has, but on our visit they had burgers. I would have tried it if we weren't going to dinner right after. It did make me wonder about the quality of their own food since the place's own staff was pushing us towards someone else's after we asked about theirs. Overall, I think everyone in our group wants to go back in the near future! It's a little too expensive and too slow, however, for it to be a weekly place for busy and poor students like us. read more

Looks like there was a theme to today's visit: overpriced acidity. Literally everything we ordered was made to satisfy a senile person's burnt off tastebuds. I'm failing to understand the establishment's obsession with all things sour: sour dough, sour chipotle, and sour beer. Maybe I just boast an unrefined taste unable to appreciate the finer things in life, but I literally cannot wait for my microscopic glass of black berry whatever to be gone. Not ready to write this place off forever, but I am hoping that my next visit will be slightly more optimistic than that of today. read more

Birch Bar would get five stars from me if it wasn't so expensive. True, you can only get this selection at very few places, but it's a little too much. Also, I didn't really appreciate receiving my beers in wine glasses. It cut down on the beer amount and looked to dainty to be a beer glass! read more

By far, hands down, the BEST place to quench your thirst for craft beer. Malia and staff are always helpful when picking out a new craft to try or to help a newbie find something different to enjoy from their traditional "sex in a canoe" type beers (aka Bud, Coors, Miller, etc). You can purchase many of their beers to-go from bottles to growlers and they offer discounts on growler re-fills as well as bottled beer & cheeses to-go as well. I have been going to The Birch since around the time they had opened and have been excited to see it grow to the powerhouse it is today. Though, I do say that half-heartedly since now on weekend nights and on the occasional weekday it is quite busy to the point of standing room only (which is quite good for them) - it still doesn't deter my husband and I from getting a drink and cheese board while there. They also make some killer grilled cheese sandwiches too. To anyone who is complaining about the prices, you're paying for high-quality craft/artisan beer and cheese. Perfect for the "snobs" and those looking to get away from the norm. They also do pair with the local breweries during their events, but they are more known for their choices of "non-locale" beers. We tell all our friends to check this place out and anyone who might be traveling that way as well. Also be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook and website for infomation when they hold their 43 Hours of _____ events. My favorites have been the 43 Hours of Dark and 43 Hours of America and my husband is a fan of their 43 Hours of Sour. read more

Wonderful selection, attentive bartender who'll make informed recommendations depending on your tastes. This is the place to be if you like good beer without pretension or conceit. The food is an interesting plus and the interior is pleasant. read more

This is an amazing place for the true beer lover. It's considered pricey by people who don't understand why you would pay $6 or more for a beer. But I understand. Their selection and knowledge is amazing and ever changing. If you love trying different types of beer and breweries, go. If you only like Miller Lite or PBR, don't. Unless you want to change and join the fold. :) read more

I've died and gone to gastro-heaven. Specialty cheese and an excellent selection of craft beers can be found here. They have a phenomenal selection of delicious cheeses and grilled cheese sandwiches and the beer selection is first class. I am a huge fan of Saisons and Belgian Trippels which can be hard to find, the two they have on tap are first-class. Whoever chooses their beer really knows what they're doing. Service was fantastic, Eden took great care of the large semi-rowdy group I was with. If I lived in the area, I would be here every night. Love love love! read more

Stopped in here while in town for a few days at the recommendation of a friend. Very impressed with the tap list, care/handling of the beer (proper glassware!), friendly and knowledgeable staff. I wasn't planning on eating dinner here, but so glad that i did - the Gose Sandwich that they recommended was excellent! Many thanks to Malia and crew, I will definitely be back at The Birch the next time I'm in town! read more

This is one of those must-go places. I like to bring all my friends from out-of-town here and also enjoy going with my wife to hang out and try some new beers. The atmosphere is laid back and the staff is extremely knowledgeable. If you don't know what you like, they're great at helping you figure it out. They're also great at telling you what you might like based on what you usually drink. Beer snobs and novices alike can have a great time here. read more

Go only if you want beer but if beer is what you are after then you will not be disappointed. Great selection not available anywhere else in Norfolk and a helpful staff. I hope I am wrong but it may be too limited to last in Norfolk. Go while you still can! read more

There are an array of different beers to choose from at The Birch. The bartenders who have served me have always been very friendly and well educated about the beers that they offer. The bar always presents a nice ambiance and the food is always delicious. Do yourself a favor and get a charcuterie board and a cheese board. read more

I am a self proclaimed beer snob. This bar made me feel like I was in beer grade school. I have tried several hundred different beers, and I hadn't even heard of most of the beers they had on draught. Owner Ben and his wife (Malia I believe) are great people who are truly passionate and knowledgeable about beer. The locals there were really nice, and good conversations were had. This is absolutely my go too beer place in the entire Hampton Roads. If you are truly passionate about beer, this place is a gold mine. read more

Visited The Birch for their 43 Hours of Dark event. Great selection of beers, jammed packed 15 mins after opening, great service and friendly people. And what a selection. Kept muttering to myself "how do they get these beers in Norfolk?" It appears to be a bit off of the beaten path butte drove down from Richmond and found it no sweat. Literally around the corner from Smartmouth...make a day of it, and find a motel! read more

I had three days off and no plans, so the wife and I decided to pick a place and go. There was recently a thread on ratebeer claiming a lot of places get spam high reviews and mentioned The Birch. I was skeptical at first too. So I tried it out for myself! The location is very odd, 50 yards from an industrial loading dock and in a sort of low-income neighborhood. Next door seems to be a popular Mexican restaurant and bar. Parking along the street seemed to be enforced by resident permit, but around the corner closer to the dock entrance there is unlimited parking after 6PM I think. The inside is modest, homely, tavern-like, definitely a locals' bar with a lot of regulars, dark lighting, chalk board tap list. 20 Taps about with a lot of variety and nearly everything being odd or difficult to find. When I was there it was "43 Hours of Dark" where everything on tap was relatively dark...imperial stouts and such. Also a lot of one-offs from B. United's Zymatore series, some of which were very good. The staff are pretty much the bar owners, who chatted with us and made us feel at home. After ticking the tap list, I was asking about some bottles in their cellar that were on display. Unfortunately, those bottles are for display only and I guess are the owners' own private cellar. A bit of a tease but okay. But, the bottle I asked out was suddenly popped and sitting in front of me compliments of the house. What!? I ran to the car to bring some special beer to share as well. Really neat environment. Went back the next day to try the cheese plates and new things on the tap list. Likewise, we got to split an odd bottle from the cellar that the owners picked out for us. Awesome! PROS: homely environment, rapid keg rotation, rarities/one-offs, amazing staff, crazy licensing here to allow bottles to go/bottles to bring in/growlers to go, informal bottle sharability CONS: bizarre location, fairly pricey, cellar is not for sale via bottle list, minimal food/snack options though the cheese/olive/sausage plate is nice for palate cleansing. So a must go location for any beer hunter/nerd and remember to eat beforehand and bring some special beers to share with the staff. read more

I'm glad that there's a craft beer bar in Hampton Roads that refuses to go mainstream. I'm not glad that the tap list is always 90% European and essentially completely ignores the hundreds or thousands of high-quality American microbrews that exist now. The Birch's beers are great, the staff is knowledgeable, the atmosphere is smart, but it's possible to do SO MUCH BETTER than this when it comes to offering fantastic beer for an accessible price, and supporting the God d***ed U. S. of A. in the process. Just look in your own backyard, guys. read more

Beer, beer and more beer. Only interesting beer need apply. This is not a beer dive, corner tap or place to go get hammered unless you feel like dropping a lot of change. Thumbs up for the beer variety, the service and the fact that they do try and serve the beer in their appropriately branded glassware. Thumbs up on the cheese variety...but thumbs down on the cheese portions. Price/quantity ratio is a bit high on that offering. Overall: two thumbs up. I look forward to returning and trying another interesting and tasty import. read more

Still love the ambiance, still love the beer. Absolutely love getting eats a the Hubcap Grill parked out side. Yay for food trucks. Even better - randomly ran into my dear friend, Kevin, who stopped for a drink on his ride home from work. read more

No wine or liquor but lots of beer options! I always get the ciders :) they have pretzels and cheese (both very good) or you can get pizza from next door delivered - we go there often- give it a try read more

Food was great. Service was ok, menu was a little intimidating and hard to read but I'll keep going back

Love the rare beer selection, tad pricey and this owner must be trying to out-do all the other area beer menus, I didn't recognize one beer on the menu, that can be good and it can be bad for some. read more

I love this place they have a wonderful assortment of beer's to choose from. They also sell a great assorted plater with cheese, meat, & olives and homemade mustard, it's delightful. They also let you order pizza from next door that is fire oven cooked and they will deliver it for you. This is a must go to place. read more

Okay, I really, really like this bar! They have a fantastic draft and bottle list with some really eclectic drinks on tap. They also offer complementary pinxtos (Basque-style tapas) during pinxto hour (T-Th from 5:00PM-6:00PM). I haven't tried their food but I've heard great things! They also allow you to bring food over from the Bakehouse and other restaurants nearby. read more

Servers are friendly and knowledgable. The beers are of incredible quality and there is an excellent variety; there are even rarities. There is a great atmosphere with good music. It's a nice place for chilling out and can easily be your go-to hang out spot. read more