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Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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Came on a Saturday night to meet some friends.
Crazy wall paintings adorn the interior. There's a small screened porch, 8-stool bar and some tables. Every so often some one will sush the room (so as to be courteous to the neighbors) and the volume goes down, for a time.
The beer selection is pretty good, the prices are ok, but the pours pissed off at least one foreigner within earshot. The barmaid is much more flirtatious than she is attractive - I felt like she should tip me. Jk, jk, but seriously I kinda wanted to play the gay card if i didn't think it would hurt my already weak pours.
I'll be back if i have to come out this way again, for the less lowest-common-denominator fare and feel. Definitely good fare for the area but not necessarily a destination for me.
It was here at Burp Castle that I realised that I couldn't expect to find the fresh quality and strong selection with which I am accustomed in Portland. But I realised that in NY, it's not about the Cascade hops and local breweries, it's about importing beers like immigrants. And on that front, Burp Castle represents.
Set in a monastery-like space, Graham B. and I stumbled in after hitting up two recommendations from a friend. Ample stools and high-tables flll the fresco-esque lined wooden bar for quiet sipping and savouring (apparently rambunctious visitors are shushed; this didn't happen to our small crowd). The barmonk was more well-informed about beers than the other bars we had patroned, but not a total beer nut. After talking, we found he was from Oregon, also, and had a nice chat with the other only patrons at the bar.
Prices are spendy, but well-worth it if you are just craving something non-domestic, for only slightly less. Apparently they have free pommes frites from Pommes Frites (which is just down the street) on Mondays and Wednesdays between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The mostly-Belgian (with a few English and American) taps are constantly rotating, so it's not a bad place to become a regular if you're looking for a low-key night.
Searching for something other than Stella and Bass, Tatiana M. and I bumped into the Burp Castle on the last leg of our foray into the Village. Approaching the monk-robed barkeep, we ordered a couple of Belgians that came to us in Chimay and Delirium glassware. Classy. It was near closing time, so there were not many patrons left, but the atmosphere was cozy and the conversations were low. Funky frescoes of monks getting drunk adorn the walls. The bartender was knowledgeable about what we were drinking and what we were eyeing, and was happy to talk to us about our choices and the other selections on tap.
It's a little more expensive than I'm used to in Oregon, but I supposed that comes with the territory of both NYC and importing kegs from across the sea. There's no place like home, but this is a castle I'd pay another visit to.
I have always liked this place. When it is not packed, it can be fun. One of the better beer lists in the city. I like the out door patio and the fake Monk costumes. It is kitchy but works for me.
Temple of Beer Worship.
Of course I had to check this out and pay homage to the beer gods.
The selection wasn't as large as I had hoped, but they did have some gems on tap. X-mas ales in July?! Nice.
Th most striking thing about the place was the decor. The murals of all the brewer monks getting wasted were great and really gave the place character. I'd like my living room decorated that way.
The staff was friendly and I enjoyed chatting it up about beer with them and some of the other regulars.
You've gotta check out the murals.
Great little bar that sounds way more gimmicky than what it is--a neighborhood beer bar with a well-curated tap. Tried a Southern Tier Creme Brulee Chocolate Stout--awesome.
Great meeting place for 2 or 3 people (it's small) and they have a happy hour until 7 or so. Very chill.
Small but varied and well put together list of brews. Entertaining medieval murals depicting monks giving one last toast while floating on a piece of their sinking ship, salvaging whats left of water-bound casks of ale. A house basket of chips [fries] and various condiments to go with your drink sits at the counter. Small and intimate, so on a weekday you're likely to end up in a friendly chat with one of the other 4 people there.
any place that has the following deserves four stars
DeKoninck on tap
the bartender dressed in a monks gown
free tasty tasty fries with 9 diff dipping sauces
a mellow cool crowd
we found this place on a Monday evening and I am so glad we did
It was fun and every place we went after it was = if not better
the bartender was from Chico originally and told us how he initially moved to NYC with the hopes of becoming a reality TV star or a B horror film actor
I used to want to be in B horror films so I instantly liked him
ugh why is this place not in SF :-)
Cute place, and good for a drink when you want to have an actual conversation at a bar. It's a bit quirky -- teeny tiny tables and stools in a quaint space with candles and high ceilings. The beer selection is sort of small, and the woman behind the counter the night I went didn't seem to know too much about the beers. She said that one of the beers tasted like it had a lot of spices, but it actually tasted like a Budweiser. Not good.
It's a good place to go to if you want to actually speak and be heard by those you are with and be in a nice space where you can sit, but if you are looking for a diverse selection of beers on tap, look elsewhere. They also have wines, here, but no cocktails.
Arrive early or prepare to be seatless for the rest of the night. The bartenders are very knowledgeable about beer and quick on their feet. This isn't necessarily a go-to place for me, but I'd surely go back.
If it's a nice evening, bring a date or friends and sit outside and people watch through the fence-very good times. But don't get loud or you'll get SHHHHH'D hardcore!
This place is just great! I've been here a few times and they always had free food which we were encouraged to eat which is a big plus. The bar is very small but they have a pretty cool atmosphere with some awesome murals on the wall and a robed bartender who usually plays the part very well. Their beer selection is great, they have quite a few quality brews for you to try. One of my personal favorites is the Arrogant Bastard Ale.
Definitely don't go here if you plan on getting loud as the 'whisper only' rule is strictly enforced. It's a little weird but definitely awesome if you're trying to go somewhere chill to have a quiet conversation.
Very confused by this bar, they have a shtick of keeping it quiet so if you get loud you get shooshed and then they have a monk/monastery theme however they don't go all out on it anymore which in my opinion, if you are gonna do something, do it right and at 100%. SO, I am saying it is A-OK by the selection of ales they have on tap here, I mean these guys running this place know their shit! By far the best, best Belgian beers you can choose from. Visiting the Village, I am gonna say you have to stop by and check this place out and order up one of the best Belgian ales you can buy in NYC.
Very cool bar that feels like an impossibly tiny cathedral, friendly staff, and great beer on tap. This is a theme place where they shush you when the din gets too loud, so it's a good date place (if you don't take it too seriously).
The schtick was totally lost on us. We knew about it beforehand and had heard something about beer monks, but when we got there, it was just another bar with a pricey beer list and lots of shushing. It didn't quite come together. Two of the three $9 beers I tasted were unappealing. On the upside, it wasn't very crowded and there was a tiny open air deck but other than that, nothing remarkable. I don't think I'll go back. SHHHHH!
I love Belgium beers and bars, but not this one. Many reviews praise the bar for not having music so you can "have a conversation." Really? The purpose for music in most bars is to drown out other conversation, not to stop them...when I can hear 8-10 conversation in a very small bar it's weird; and the rude bartender didn't shushh with a smile on her face, she meant it and asked people to leave for talking like a regular human, no one liked her... this goes beyond quirky, it's pretentious and lame.
An interesting bar I've been given recommendations by quite a few people, but never managed to get to until now.
A small, but quant bar with a very good beer selection of assorted beers which are fun to try. Definitely a bar to check out if you want somewhere mellow to hang out and chat with people. The bartender will even occasionally sushes the crowd if it gets too noisy.
The Burp Castle was very interesting. They have an eclectic mix of brews. This isn't your average tavern. As you have probably seen from other posts, talking louder than a whisper is forbidden, but I am not sure that was strictly enforced. I would definitely go back to try some of their other beers. Each beer ranged from 6-8 dollars, but were well worth the price.
A weird place, but I do love its charm. It has strange wall murals of monks and a monastery like decor. Not a place for a roudy bunch because the bartender will keep shushing you. They only allow whispering.
I feel the biggest pull are the free Pommes Frites that they get at around 6PM on certain days. If you don't know Pommes Frites, they're amazing Belgian fries with many different flavorful dippings. However, there's usually a line and they're not the cheapest fries around. I love that it's a great secret that this place gets them fresh from around the corner and they're free.
For the beer snobs out there, they have a "hard to find" selection of beers on tap for under $10.
I really suggest going for a before dinner drink and snack.
One word can sum up this place: EPIC.
The place to get authentic Belgian and German beers in the city. The taps are on rotation monthly, and it's hard to be disappointed by any of the beers.
The mural that runs along the whole place is a sure conversation starter. It is an homage to the Trappist monks.
Perfect place to bring a beer-lover.
Will definitely return for the Belgian fries happy hour!
"Burp Castle?" Is that honestly what you want to name your bar? Burp Castle?! It sounds like a bad children's fairground ride.
Burp Castle... wow...
Anyway, I've only visited ... erm ... this place ... once. I was waiting for a few friends to show but I had to stand awkwardly in the middle of the room because there were no seats available. Fine, whatever, the place was busy. Perfectly understandable.
But the patrons flashed me the oddest "who the hell are you and what do you think you are doing here" looks that I seriously thought I had inadvertantly stumbled into somebody's private party. Reeeally creepy.
Oh, and the place smelled. Oh god did it smell. Like somebody had just peed all over the effing carpet.
I didn't even stay for a drink. Maybe one of these days I'll come back when it's a little more aired out and a little less filled with serial killers. Until then, it's gotta be two stars.
Sorry, um... castle... place...
One of my new favorite beer places in New York City! So many things to love about this place:
- People are shushed if they start talking too loud. No music. You can actually have a conversation with people here! Who would have ever thought you might actually want to have a conversation with someone at a bar?
- Murals on the walls are awesome. There's this great one of Jesus handing down wheat to the monks, presumably so they can make beer. I'm a Christian but I wasn't offended by it!
- They have about 12 beers on tap. Mostly Belgian beers but they had a few craft brewed American beers as well. Supposedly they rotate the selection of beers on tap, which is cool.
- Nice intimate feel; the place is pretty small, lots of wood. They've also got a few tables out front.
Beers are a little pricey (btw $7-9 each) but they're really good Belgian beers, so I think the prices are reasonable. Some of them have really high alcohol content so that helps make up for the higher price. :)
This is the place to go for excellent beer. I love the selections they have. The only thing I don't love, unfortunately, are the prices. Now, granted, for the kinds of beers that they serve here, the prices are of course expected and generally worth it, but what this translates into for me is that I can only come here for one or two drinks and finish off the night somewhere much cheaper.
The bartenders shushing people can either been seen as cute or irritating, depending on the circumstances.
But when I'm in the mood for something delicious and Belgian, I hop on over here.
Overpriced? Definitely. Worth it? Most definitely. Gregarious, knowledgeable bartenders, a (usually) quiet clientele, but most of all... an excellent array of beers and an absolutely charming environment. I almost don't want to tell people to go there, because the beers are so good and they offer free Belgian fries on certain nights.
Very unique Belgian beer bar. It's small, dark, and quiet, and the bartenders wear monk robes.
Excellent belgians on tap included Corsendonk Brown, Kasteel Tripel, and Urthel Hop-It, along with some great German and English beers.
Could this be your local watering hole? Doubtful, but definitely worth checking out on a frequent basis as it seems their taps are constantly changing. You may even be able to find some gems that wouldn't be available anywhere else in the city.
One of the best places to get Belgian beer (although no kitchen for frites or moules like Vol de Nuit). A small space, it's epicenter is the wooden bar with taps of fresh revolving beer. Each time, there's a chance to try something new and fizzy as the tap turns over quickly and selection changes.
The walls are painted of medieval times of convivial and bawdy monastery scenes. When we first discovered the place, the barkeep, Trevor wore a monk's robe, played a Gregorian chant and hushed the crowd. Lately, we haven't seen him (graduated and gone to China?) and the volume isn't maintained - regrettably.
There are a handful of small wooden tables and stools surrounding the bar and even a small patio area. The wobbly sticky wooden tables with the lip to catch liquid add to the charm.
This is a fairly small bar with a very smart tap selection! I went here last night before dinner and had a couple of drinks. The Gouyasse Tripel and Koningshoeven Quadrupel were very impressive selections to see in general, but on tap? I was in heaven! I was very pleased with both of those. Now while the quality of their beers is very impressive, the selection is not. I think there were about 10 beers total on tap with the lineup always changing about every month.
Early on a Tuesday night, the place was pretty quiet with a casual ambience. Everyone was in their late 20s / early 30s. And everyone was carded regardless of how obvious someone's age was, so have your ID handy. Also, no food; it's order in only.
This place is awesome. I totally didn't believe the whole "Shhhhhh" thing that people mentioned in their reviews, but yep, it's no joke. Ahhhh, so refreshing to go to a bar where one can actually carry on a conversation without ending up with a hoarse voice at the end of the night. The beer menu rocks as well. It's a cool place which seems to get packed and empty out just as quick, so not much Shhhhhing when it's empty.
There is also a cool little iron-fenced patio area which is a nice change from the inside decor of drunken monks on the wallpaper.
WTF? The bartender is wearing a dingy cloak, the tables are 1 ft by 1 ft and there's a sign that says "no loud talking permitted"...?
I didn't get it. So I left.
So I've been here twice, and both times have yielded pleasant results. The two bartenders I've met so far were both friendly, interesting people with an impressive knowledge of the beers available. Impressive considering that they rotate in a new beer every time one runs dry.
By declaration of the brewist monks the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing, producing a non-aggressive social environment conducive to meeting new people. This is a great aspect for those of us trying to avoid the whole spring break gone wild, mating ritual, please stop trying to hi-five me, scene.
Monks, murals, and merriment. I'm digging it.
Burp Castle, The name itself appeals to the 7 year old in all of us. However this bar is anything but childish (see what I did there?)
To call this place a "bar" doesn't do it justice, its a mecca for beer. The selection of beer (10 craft beers on tap when I was there) is guaranteed to introduce you to at least a few beers you've never heard of.
Sure, the bartenders dress like Monks, there are naked angels stealing barrels of beer painted on the walls and the tables won't accommodate a group of 12 but that's not the point of the Burp Castle.
When you're getting off work and you just want to enjoy a great beer in a relaxing environment I highly suggest stopping by the Burp Castle.
So this bars "thing" is being quiet and shushing the clientele if they get too loud. While this may be some patrons idea of a good time, it definitely is not mine. Overall the bar is nicely decorated, with cool paintings all over the walls and a good/interesting selection of beers. Unfortunately none of this makes up for the bartender constantly shushing people who were not that loud to begin with. Ultimately I felt the place was a bit pretentious, but if that kinda thing floats your boat then go for it.
monastery theme, dark with lots of wood on the walls and medieval type murals. good beer selection, although the bartender recommended a hefeweizen (which I am not a fan of) to me when I asked for something on the lighter side but not too light. maybe I wasn't describing what I wanted well enough though. another thing I wasn't a fan of is people belching loudly but I guess it is called burp castle. this one is more for guys I think.
I think this place was made for me.
Came here with two buddies, one hates loud music, the other hates beer. Answer: meet at Burp Castle.
Yes, it's true. You're only allowed to whisper, or talk with your indoor voice. If it gets too loud, you'll see the bartender shush the place like it's full of 5 year olds. Perfect place if you want to have a conversation that's not a screaming contest.
The beers are so interesting. I introduced my friend to the St. Louis Framboise, it was the first time I've ever seen her finish her beer. I had the same, it's smells and tastes like raspberries. Absolutely delicious. Never thought a beer could be girly, until now.
Definitely not your typical bar or pub, stop by if you're in the mood for something different.
Had some friends in from out of town who we were initially going to take to McSorley's (they are tourists, you know...). But as it is McSorley's it was packed with a line to get in. Instead my compatriot and I walked down the block to Burp Castle as we had only heard tell. This seems to be the case with a lot of visitors.
Happy surprise. There was room for the two of us and as the night went on and our party grew we still managed to find space to spread out. Beer selection was good, as were the prices. At random intervals the bartender would shush the crowd to keep the noise level down (in homage to the bar's "monastery" past). Said bartender was not, however, in a monk's robe and hood.
Read on the menu that there are free Pomme Frites on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays from 5-8. Was going to go back to Burp Castle regardless, now I've even more incentive.
"The Temple of Beer Worship"
That is what Burp Castle calls itself...and they are not far off. With such great Belgian,German and British beers, Burp is seriously a haven for true beer connoisseurs.
They really play up the monastery gimmick with walls that are murals of monks enjoying some booze, Gregorian chants playing over the speakers and even the bartenders don monk robes which is a nice (odd) touch.
I love a good Belgian beer. Burp Castle not only features a great selection but also a setting that could be right out of a monastery. Monks adorn the walls (in paint, not literally) and people are asked to keep their voices down or else be prepared to hear "Shhhhhh!" Some people might find this policy annoying but I thought it cool - I could actually hear the conversation that I was having with the bartender and other patrons at the bar.
Speaking of which, everyone was so damned friendly here, from said bartender to some of the regulars I met while enjoying my Kwak. I will be back to the Burp Castle but don't worry, I'll keep it down.
Does it get beeter than its name....? YES. This place is a NYC gem. Great selection of beers on draft, and yes, they will be served in a goblet. The bartenders know their beer jargon.
Although the beer is on the pricey side, the quality and strength of the beer you're getting is worth at least two drinks at any other bar.
Wasn't too quiet when we went. Nobody shushed the drunken ladies sitting at the bar.
Good beer but we felt it was time to move on after the first.
Oh and about 12 tourists walked in hoping to get some seats then walked back out. Ain't gonna happen.
Came here directly from McSorley's. Maybe their incessant shushing is an over-the-top response to that frat-hell. Not a valid excuse. I was there for the span of a single beer and heard twenty, count 'em, twenty shushes.
Granted, it does set them apart. No other bar would indulge themselves in this fashion, but get a clue! There are other bars that have a quiet ambiance, yet they somehow avoid christening bartenders middle school paraprofessionals. If I wanted a similar (yet more logical) experience I could smuggle some high-quality beer into a library with my peeps.
Two stars because the beer was good.
Basically I love this place because it has everything a good bar should have.
1. An extensive beer list (12 on tap and many others bottled). They had Delerium Tremens on tap which made my night!
2. Friendly and HELPFUL bartender she was really good at reccomending beer for me to try when I had no idea what to get.
3. Cool vibe, definitely not your typical frat crowd, very chill.
4. The bartender actually shushed people when it got too loud so you never have to worry about screaming to have a good conversation!
5. Hilarious paintings on the wall of sailors etc in various states of drunkness (aka good choice of decor)
I am definitely coming back soon!
Drink Specials:
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Birthday Person Drinks Free!
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Dive Bars
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