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

We love Birch Bar for the amaaaazing beer selection and the food is pretty yummy too. I like that the food and beer options are unusual - you will not find Amstel Light and wings at this place - to me this is a reason to go back! I can't tell you about the late night ambiance because I always seem to go at 5 pm when there are not many folks there yet. The wait staff is attentive and courteous - something I do not find many places in Norfolk. I think this is a great spot. read more

Decent location. Just had beer so no food review. Beer selection is off the hook! I count 26 taps and 6 pages of beer on the menu. They had Founders Breakfast Stout on tap, currently rated #51 on Beer Advocate. Knowledgeable bar tender, friendly atmosphere, open and airy floor space, good lighting. Kinda pricey but it's what you pay for really good beer. I'll be back. read more

Fantastic place for a wonderful evening of any kind of beer, cider, ale and mead. If you are a cheese lover, then this is also the place to be! The place offers great cheese and salami plates that are delicious and unique, along with gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. I waited a few months before going here and I regret the wait! Nice warm, laid back environment, too. read more

Indoor seating was a little dark but that's my only negative. The largest selection of beers I have ever seen!!! We went for a bachelor party and the staff treated us superbly. And the pizza from next door totally made the evening. read more

The Birch - What is on tap! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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

Stopped into the Birch on a Saturday with some friends who were visiting and love good beer. We were all so happy we did. Amazing beer selection and Brendan, who was our server at the bar, was quick with recommendations and really seemed to know the beers well. He also helped us pick cheeses for a cheese plate that was beautiful and delicious. He was attentive, funny and just a great bartender. Grabbed a growler of Radler to go before we left and we'll certainly be back for more. Can't wait to try the grilled cheeses! 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

My husband and I really enjoy this spot. There is a huge beer selection. I'm not really well-versed in beers, but the staff has usually beer very helpful in helping me find something I will like based on what I normally like. Plus, this place has sours and not too many spots around here carry those. The atmosphere is nice, it seems the crowd is a little older than other bars around here - probably due to the price. This place isn't cheap. But you get what you pay for. Overall, I recommend it. read more

They have a great selection of beer, and the cheese selections are fantastic. Some friends of mine and I go there regularly and enjoy the changing selections. One of the other cool things about the Birch is that they partner with a local food truck frequently to provide an extension to their limited food menu. The only drawbacks to the place are that the inside is fairly dark, and the draft menu is a giant chalkboard rather than a printed menu. The combination of the two means that you need to leave your table to decide what beer you'd like next. read more

The beer is great, but it's incredibly overpriced and the staff is incredibly rude. They cut my father off after two beers because he was "clearly intoxicated". In reality he was sober besides the two beers he had just consumed. We just got to town after a long drive from Charlottesville and my dad has a bad knee and limped into the birch. Apparently they have never seen someone with a limp before and assumed he was intoxicated and treated him horribly. The employees are obviously not very smart because they treated the man who was paying with a vast amount of disrespect. The place is too expensive for the employees to be that rude and inexperienced. I will never go back and I will never recommend to anyone. read more

Great selection of beers; between draft and bottle, they have a beer for any taste or flavor you want. The servers are very knowledgeable about all beers on draft. Very helpful, friendly, and patient. Basic food menu goes well with beer sampling. Very cool bar and atmosphere. Lots of different types of customers. Highly recommend!! read more

Hoo-ray beer! Although the list doesn't quite stand up to the Bier Garden, it more than holds its own. To put that in perspective for the uninitiated, I was surprised that Sierra Nevada made the cut to be on the list (although props for serving the 24 ounce bottles). What I love most are the snacks: popcorn, pretzels, and beer nuts, aka perfect drinking food. It would be nice to be able to order real food (and I have no idea how they'll be able to meet ABC standards in that respect), but the owners have clearly decided that this is a place for drinking great beer and that's it. Come early as there's not a lot of seating and people aren't leaving once they get a chance to sit down, and bring some money because the tab can grow quickly.. Service was spotty, but I am going to assume it's because the place is new and the staff is still getting settled. Public House will definitely be at a disadvantage when it opens as Birch is sure to develop a loyal following. I know I'm one of them. read more

Money, money, money... For sure, if you want fine craft beer, this is the place in Norfolk. The proprietor, Ben, has done an amazing job of somehow getting his hands on a wide variety of top quality kegs that are diverse, tasty, complex, and often high in alcohol. A true beer lovers dream, and worth a visit for sure when you are Jonesin for some true-brew. But make no mistake about it, this place is about money first, beer second. Sure, I get it--people open businesses to make money; good beer costs money to get here; start up costs have to be recouped; etc. Yes. But be prepared to shed some serious coin, and perhaps even to get no respect as a result. Problem one is the pour. Look at the menu on-line and there are numerous instances of $1 an ounce. The Birch embraces the "correct" glassware rhetoric, but the overly numerous instances of 9 oz. pours out of "sniffers" and slightly more than that out of "tulips"--many at $7-10 a glass, and it adds up quickly. Go to the Bier Garten in Portsmouth if you want good beer AND a real pour that doesn't hide behind this rhetoric of "proper" style as mask for money making. My own experience that suggests the money motif runs deep here is this: on a Saturday night, a large party spends $450 on beer and the few cheese plates and pretzels we can manage to get out of the wait staff (the bill probably would have been $550-600 if the staff were more plentiful or efficient). We are approached at the same time by the owner and waiter and informed that if we don't continue drinking, we'll have to leave. Uh, Norfolk's core of Home Brewing enthusiasts (you know, the people who show up on a slow Tuesday night because they can't live without good beer) just spent $450, are still drinking (and would drink more if we can flag the waiter), and essentially told, well, time to turn over these tables. A one-finger salute if I've ever seen one, and a nice anecdote to demonstrate the ham-handed, mistake prone owners' money instincts at play (not to mention the irony of this instance given the rhetoric of "small proper glassware shaped for "sipping" and "enjoying" your beer"). In short, the Birch has great beer, but be prepared to wrestle with the staff and the costs a bit. Hopefully the young owner will learn from his rookie mistakes and recognize that quality, value, and service is the triad that will make him a successful entrepreneur over the long haul. Until then, for less hassle and more beer, go to the Bier Garten. read more

Great crowd for a Tuesday. Friendly service, great beer, quaint bar, friendly people. This place kicks the crap out of the taphouse.

Great beer. Staff more then welcome to let you sample things and recommend cheese pairings. Our server was mediocre but she still got the job done. I plan go be back because they offer a wonderful atmosphere and a great selection read more

Best beer bar in VA by far! NOT for the bud/miller type people.

The Greatest Bar around!! Fantastic owners who know their customers and the most fantastic and spectacular beer choices out there. Guaranteed to have new and interesting beers available that you never tried. Grilled cheese sandwiches or truffles or other snackables always hit the spot they have great taste in music! Truly a gem of Hampton Roads so get there and try it now!! read more

Best beer bar around. They KNOW beer and have actual craft beer on tap, unlike many places around that say they have "craft" beer. You have to have an expanded beer palate in order to appreciate 75% of the beers they have, but just ask the owners (bartenders) and they will be more than willing to help! read more

I had a deplorable time at the The Birch on September 14. While I was there the owner Ben yelled out to those who were there that they could leave because of their slow service. I have never witnessed a worse example of customer service by a business in my life. I will be encouraging everyone to avoid the Birch because their high prices and despicable customer service. They should be avoided at all costs. read more

Great place to get a beer you can't get anywhere else. The staff are all friendly and knowledgable and will happily recommend anything if you're unsure of what to get. They also have wonderful artisan cheeses available for beer and cheese pairings. I love this place and have found some new favorites. read more

Amazing. Amazing Beer. Great service. Very cool vibe. Just discovered it and couldn't be happier this place is in Norfolk.

Love this place. What more can I say. It's pricey, but the beer selection is outstanding and they've added more ciders and non beer options.

I was excited to take my husband here on our recent trip to VA. I think this is a great spot for beer enthusiasts. They have a fantastic lineup of draft and bottled brews. They have quite a few that are not something that you will find at other microbrew spots too. I enjoyed a Steigel raddler. My husband enjoyed two beers that were new to him. On both of my visits, we have had great service too. Also, I love the neighborhood that the Birch is located in. The Birch has specialty meat and cheese charcuterie platters that we have yet to try. They also allow you to order delicious pizza from the brick oven bakery next door. Yum! If you're a microbrew enthusiast, they are also within walking distance of Smartmouth brewery, a local brewery. Also, Tortilla west is around the corner and they have a nice beer and overall drink selection too. The Birch and its neighborhood are personal favorites of mine. read more

Their selection of beers are great. Love the choices of cheeses and their sandwiches. Set up is cool....service, suuuuucks. The bartenders have absolutely no personality and seem disinterested in their customers. Had to flag down a bartender when I came in and I was one of three that entered when to doors opened at 3pm Saturday so they weren't busy (there were three bartenders behind the bar when I arrived). Took 10 mins to finally get my drink ordered. I never got checked on. Never got asked if I wanted another. Never got asked how did I enjoy the beer or the cheese plate.....and I was sitting at the bar. Actually I felt I was bothering them when I wanted to place an initial order. Lol. I did notice they were more attentive to the male patrons that came into the establishment and made a little more conversation with them and they got their beers and food faster than I did. Such a great location and great selection of beers but the service for me is less to be desired. Too bad. read more

It is funky and the selection awesome. But let's face it, extremely expensive. Flight of three very small beers $15, and unfortunately lacking taste, yet if same beer was purchased separately $12. Wait, what? Good price for small snacks, comfortable bar. read more

This place had potential and they recently hosted a cider event that was unique. A group of friends and myself attended their tasting and sat outside. We ordered a few flights that they were featuring and a couple of beers. Our server (Jon) was nice to begin with but quickly became more irritated with each drink request we made. After we got our checks (and tipped generously) I overheard him complaining about our table to nearby patrons. I'm pregnant, so I was not drinking and can positively say that we weren't "those people". We drank responsibly and were pleasant. It was so distasteful and rude to complain about our party to another party, especially for no apparent reason. This server would have lost his tip had I heard his comments before our checks were signed. We won't be going back. I'm happy to spend my money somewhere else. There's no shortage of local breweries. read more

Getting better... So maybe I'm just cheap but I appreciate the fact that they have added a selection of $5 pints. Some of them are actually really good deals too. Had an IPA the other week for $5 that was $21 a bottle at Tortilla West! Of course the bottle was a 750ml but still $5 was probably only a dollar or two over retail. read more

Wow, can't believe all the good reviews. The beer is way overpriced and the amount they give you is stingy. The place is dank and dark...even the service seems cold. The food is a joke, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are one of the entrees. A few stupid hipsters are all that's keeping it in biz...do yourself a favor and try The Yardhouse. read more

This place is great. There is a wide selection of craft beers - although, you probably have never heard of them so you are taking a wild pick). It's a fun place, but being on the younger side I felt out of place as I was surrounding with people in their 30s and 40s. read more

I was looking forward to this place since reading the article in the paper. Left vowing never to come back. The owner (the husband, I found out later from the wife), told me all they had was Japanese beers on tap to choose from, reluctantly I ordered one, then a different one (both were odd tasting, ginger, etc..not really a beer country). Basically he lied, was rude about it when I found out they had other much better tasting beers, and was trying to hustle me to get rid of the crappy japanese beer that he foolishly ordered. Very disappointed, and yes I have been all over Europe, sampled plenty of great beers, will not go back due to the owner (wife was very pleasant, feel sorry for her). read more

definitely my favorite spot for a beer. this isn't your place if you are looking for a bud or blue moon, you won't find any of that. expect a wide variety of unique beers - half of them you've probably never heard of before. great variety, some high notes in every style. if you love sours (i do!) make sure you get a bon chien or oude tart when it's available. what i love about coming here is that i know i can pretty much blindly order a beer and i will love it because there is such thought that goes into their draft list. andddd what i love, and also hate, is that they are constantly changing things up. there might be a great beer this week, but it'll be gone next and another great on in its place. great for trying something new, heart breaking once you found something you love. always something on nitro, too! the staff is great, ben and his wife are amazing and so friendly. the atmosphere is so relaxed and cozy/intimate. i always find myself relaxed and comfortable here. it's really nice sitting outside when the weather is warm, too. the beers are a little pricey, but again - it's because you are getting something unique and quality. they have different little "events" happening during the week, so keep up with them on facebook. cheese pairings and flight info nights. also. THE GRILLED CHEESE. OH MY GOODNESS. the bon chien grilled cheese. get it. get all of them. read more

I went there twice last week. Great beer bar. Very diverse list. The bartenders Matt and Trevor were very knowledgeable and they would give me a little taste of the beer if asked. The grilled cheese was also very good. These guys are doing the right thing. read more

This was my first time ever at the Birch, a place built up in my head by many a craft beer lover, like myself. At first glance, everything was perfect, the atmosphere, the clientele, even the bartender exceeded expectations on offering suggestions as well as a variety of choices. I did note though, that the owner is very stoic and stand-offish, not a people person in any way, shape, or form. She did not offer suggestions, did not at any point ask how our night was or even if we had ever been there before. As a local, as well as someone who has worked in the bar industry for many years, these are the small annuities that you tend to look for. Part of my job is not only to figure out why people are there, but to ensure they come back.-in essence be the face of the business. If that was the front line selling point, I am sorry, I am not impressed. There are may other places I could go that may not have the selection of craft brew, but completely make up for it in service. If I would like to go somewhere in which someone is completely pompous towards me instead of recognizing my love for their product, this would definitely be the place..considering no one in their right mind would like to feel this way, this is a place to avoid. As much as it pains me to turn you elsewhere..happy beer hunting! read more