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Biercraft Tap and Tapas Bar
Category: Restaurants Belgian Belgian [Edit]
1191 Commercial DrVancouver, BC V5L 3X2
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 254-2437
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
31 reviews for Biercraft Tap and Tapas Bar
Review Highlights
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"Free wifi and a great selection of beer." In 3 reviews -
"Try their "Flight to Belgium" -a sampler of four terrific..." In 5 reviews -
"I love their sesame tuna and baked brie." In 3 reviews
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31 reviews in English
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Review from Brian R.
Vancouver, BC
5/21/2012
I love hanging out for an evening of great beer and good eats. My wife and I went here for the first time after a disappointing theatre experience at Havana, and the Bar tender made us feel at home, commiserated over bad plays, and generally cheered us up. She alone is a great reason to go and sit around the bar for a night!
But the beer! The beer is awesome. A wide and varied selection. They always have the perfect beer to suit your mood. The menu is nice, with some options other than just regular pub food (the baked brie is really good). Overall, it is a great place to meet some friends and have a good time on the Drive. -
Review from Grace C.
Burnaby, BC
2/23/2012
The drink special of the day were Caesars, so that was what I got. Loaded with a lemon, lime and three olives and some pickled beans, this was my veggie serving for the day!
One of us wasn't a meat lover (the rest of us are ) and ordered the Tofu Scrambler. It's a serving of eggs with tofu, corn, red & green peppers and a sprinkling of black beans. Also on the plate are some hash browns and a cup of salsa, along with a lightly dressed salad. In fact, this salad accompanied all four of our entrees. I found this slightly mild and just a touch too "loose" to be considered a scrambler, but maybe that's the nature of cooking with tofu? Flavours were decent but definitely benefited from the addition of the salsa and a splash of Tabasco. They have a chipotle-based version...ask for that!
They have several types of Eggs Benedict on the menu. You can try it with Black Forest Ham, Chorizo Sausage and Tomato & Spinach. As meat lovers, we ordered the first two. I tried the ham version, but we also got the chorizo version too. But instead of the hash that accompanied the rest of the dishes, I asked for fries (and boy, was that a good choice). We had asked for the eggs to be poached "soft", and the waitress said that is how they are made. Unfortunately, when they arrived, they weren't soft at all. But because we were hungry, we decide to take our lumps and just eat them. I guess we'll have to revisit and ask for "ultra soft" next time.
The other version we got was the Chorizo one, but that one was a bit dry, that's to be expected with Chorizo...but I do have to admit, their hollandaise is really good, and I love the fact that it's served on a croissant, and not an English Muffin. The fluffiness of the croissant is surprising an much preferred over the doughiness of a English muffin.
The last dish we tried was the Frittata. Essentially a platter of scrambled eggs, but finished by baking. The one we tried were loaded with Bangers & Mash. Their version of bangers? Andouille sausage...and mash was generous portion of finely diced roasted potatoes. Rounding out the dish were some mushrooms for flavour and cheddar for the gooey factor!
Overall, all the dishes were very filling, tasty and well-balanced. So if you're ever on The Drive and need a place to eat...pop by for the fun and filling Caesars and the delectable brunch! -
Review from Edward L.
Until recently, I had no idea that there was more than 1 Biercraft location. The Cambie location is decent, but we decided to give this one a go as well.
Parking is available all along the park directly S of this location. I'm sure it won't be a problem, but the parking ends at midnight.
Just like the Cambie location, the inside is classy but casual. You can go in wearing a T-shirt, or come straight from work, and you'll fit right in. There are some interesting paintings on the wall. Just a tip: don't sit too close to that green door on the right wall of the restaurant (next to that giant painting). Whenever the staff open that door, you get a cold draft from the outside.
Everyone already knows the selection here is already freaking awesome, but may I suggest some beers:
1664 Kronen Blanc - $5 for a pint of this delicious wheat beer on rainy days. I wish I had known about this promotion years ago!
Liefmans - tastes like the fruit punch you got in your drink box in elementary school, but alcoholic. Always a good time.
Fruli - strawberry dessert beer. Ooh yeah.
Good times. -
Review from Felicity D.
Vancouver, BC
5/23/2012
Having never eaten here, my 5 stars is for beer selection alone. I loves me some belgian beer, especially lambics, and the choices here are awesome.
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Review from Irena L.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
You want a beer? Oh boy, will you get one! The selection is awesome!
We asked the bartender to recommend us some, and she did an amazing job! I wish I remember some of it, but succulent godly drink started hitting pretty fast. Strong, bubbly and crisp and flavourful and just perfect!
This review is solely based on beer and staff, no food involved!
Oh and they also give you complimentary chips. They were not great, but that beer would make a moldy bread great!Listed in: Great finds!, Creme de la creme
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Review from Sarah D.
10/11/2011
Being physically the closest bar to my house, Biercraft and I have a special relationship. It's the place I can most quickly shuffle to on weekend mornings for brunch, and it's the place from which I can most safely stumble home when my appetite for exotic beers has been sated. In fact, I have to walk by smiling, drinking Biercraft patrons pretty much every time I go out to do, well, anything.
Perhaps the very best thing about Biercraft is its menu. No, not the food menu, silly: the beer menu (which is even BIGGER than the food menu, anyway). They've got exotic beers from Belgium, micro-brews from across North America, and even "beer cocktails" for the more adventurous girl-drink-drunks. Don't know where to start? Try their "Flight to Belgium" -a sampler of four terrific Belgian beers.
My love affair with Biercraft ends here, though. As with any specialty item, the specialty beer found here comes with a hefty price tag, and thus it has been brushed aside to the "for special occasions" group of businesses. While their food prices are totally average, you can't exactly go to a Belgian beer place and not imbibe in a Belgian beer, can you?Listed in: Commercial Drive Hot Spots, The Brewsky Hall of Fame
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Review from tinna h.
9/23/2011
Loved their $10 Kronenbourg special during the summer. You get mussels + frites + a beer. This was where I was introduced to the Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc, a refreshing summer beer with a peach nose and crisp taste.
Free wifi and a great selection of beer! :) -
Review from Alicyn C.
10/7/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Biercraft (aka Stella's). We still catch ourselves calling Biercraft, Stella's. This place is a great starter point to an evening of wandering and drinking along Commercial Drive.
The beer selection is fantastic and the tapas are great. This past weekend, myself and the girls came here for tapas. We shared the ever so yummy baked brie, the delicious poutine plus a couple other mmm mmm good tapas and to end the evening we shared the scrumptious sticky toffee pudding.
If you go to Biercraft check out the beer sampler. Mini Beers... Fun! -
Review from Purdy J.
8/30/2011 3 photos
We dined on the lovely, shaded patio on a hot Saturday evening. The service was fast and efficient. Biercraft offers a great selection of beers from around the world, friendly service and delicious food.
Before the meal came, we enjoyed some complimentary kettle like potato chips which were apparently made in house. Very crispy, flavourful and a nice surprise. The food isn't healthly food but it's good food. We ordered the mussels and tacos. Both were tasty. Tacos didn't come with the sour cream on the side like we asked, but they quickly re-made the tacos for us.
We enjoyed the beer taster options. It's a nice way to try some new beers.
A little pricey, but good quality. Dinner: Starters @$8, Mains @$17 and Desserts @$7. They have 2 course options for $24 and 3 course options for $30. Lunch menu is a little more reasonable from $9-$13.
Warning: if you're sitting on the patio, don't be surprised if a person less fortunate off the streets approaches you asking for money. -
Review from David H.
Calgary, AB
12/31/2011
A - List. Highly Recommended. This place is relaxed, refined and just about the best tap and tapas space you will find anywhere. The Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc beer is outstanding and at $5 is worthy. The food is excellent - meat and cheese platter, mussels and brie all very satisfying. I have been told the calamari and seared tuna is awesome as well. The service is hit and miss. 4 drinks + 3 tapas = about $60, outstanding for the quality. This place is a winner. Happy New Year Everyone! Cheers.
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Review from Amy T.
9/4/2011
My friends and I still enjoyed ourselves, but it wasn't anything spectacular.
We ordered the calamari, which was good, but could use a bit more crunch to the batter. I liked the fact that the oil was fresh, - you can tell by the color of how the calamari came out. The fresh oysters were a good price, but it was average. The drunken mussels were OK and needed something extra. The Thai mussels were a bit more tasty, but not worth driving to Commercial Drive for. We also ordered some spicy beans, but they were a little on the sweet side and not spicy enough. And the beer I found a little much at $10 each.
Again, nothing worth mentioning, but was still OK. -
Review from Peter T.
1/3/2012
We just happened to drive past Biercraft on the way back from a walk out at the UBC endowment lands and decided to stop in for a beer and a snack. I have to admit that I was expecting something a little rough and dive-y given the location and the dated exterior, but upon stepping inside we were greeted by a warm, inviting, downright upscale interior. There are two main sections here - the bar, and the restaurant - and they are roughly equal in size. They have a really good selection of beers here. Not huge, but well selected. I had St. Bernadus on tap since you really do have to go out of your way to find it on tap. I then had a La Chouffe Houblon on tap as well. Both excellent. We were feeling a bit hungry after our walk, so my brother and I shared a pound of mussels and frites and they were quite good though I was a litle disappointed that the mussels were quite small. Still, the pot liquor was delicious. My wife and my brother's girlfriend split a caesar salad and a veggie panini, I tried it and it was really nice.
The bill was just over a hundred for four people, but given the amount of Belgian beers and food we had, I felt it was good value for money. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great beer. Nice selection of wine. Service is excellent. So is patio on a warm day.
Food is just "ok." Calamari rings aren't bad; same with fries. Brunch is better.
Better to drink here and eat at Marcello's up the street. Overall, a fine place. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
1/24/2011 3 photos
Belgium is an enigma. Besides making chocolate, breeding ridiculously large horses, and brewing incredible beer, what exactly do they do over there? Whatever those wacky Belgians do, I'm glad it includes exporting.
Unfortunately for me, the only Belgian beers I have ever tasted are the ones that come in the little gift pack from the liquor store, each with it's own matching glass. "Stella is the Budweiser of Belgium," a beer snob once sniffed. Fortunately, Biercraft is there to explode the matchy concept hundredfold, serving a huge array of Belgian beers found nowhere else in Vancouver that I know of, each in their own special glass. (Except for one - the beer my friend ordered came in a bottle with a devil on it, and apparently the matching glasses with the devil motif had all been snatched.)
I tried a Paulaner Hefweissbier first, since I like wheat beers and then a La Caracole Saxo Blond, a citrusy light number. The menu has very good tasting notes, so it's easy to zoom in on something you might like. The beers are fairly expensive at $9+ for the Belgian bottles, but they do have some lower-priced drafts and local microbrews as well.
The food is nothing to write home about (Dear Belgium, please send more beer. And some chocolate. Thanks, me) but the atmosphere at Biercraft is cozy. It's really super small .. three seating areas and one loooong bar - make a reservation if you can if you're coming in with a group.Listed in: Good times and great drinks
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Review from Sarah A.
7/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Incredible selection of beer from all over the world. They also have an interesting selection of cocktails, including a "Beergarita" (I ordered this and it was gooood).
Not a huge cider selection but they do have a lot of fruity beers to make up for it (if you aren't a big beer fan).
Complimentary potato chips when you sit down. I didn't eat here so I can't speak to the food. Prices aren't bad. Excellent service. Very entertaining graffiti in the women's bathroom stalls.
Great place to bring anyone you know who is a beer aficionado (or claims to be). Excellent for groups of friends. Decent patio space. -
Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
European beer Heaven food was so-so but they give free crisps!
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Review from Nat P.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2010
It's dark. It's raining. I'm cold. I've had a rough day. What do i do? I get by with a little help from my friends and head to Stella's. Recently changed to 'Biercraft', i'm still making the adjustment to the new name - i may end up referring it to the "old BT n' TB". I'll figure something out.
I immediately know what i want - the DeKoninck - num nummers. It's served in a glass goblet. Awesome. My friend either gets the hard to come by Friuli (a shockingly balanced strawberry beer - not too sweet), or a nice white.
We always get the same thing, the ginger Edamame, and the Philly Cheese Steaks. The Cheese Steaks are incredible, there are only four to a plate. I wish there were eight. The Edamame is a nice light flavorful experience - the ginger adds. We occasionally get the Frites, if we're feeling extra hunger. They aren't anything to write home about, but maybe worth a mention on a review website.
The staff are attentive (some almost too attentive - yes, i'm fine, chill out and just let me finish the rest of my beer and conversation in peace). All in all though, the staff are good folk. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, classy and comforting.
They get a full extra star for their complementary after dinner fruit candies at the door, and on my way i'm always sure to grab a few extra. mmmm tiny delicious fruit candies...
I usually find Tapas overpriced, because i'm cheep. So I find the old BT n' TB overpriced...but for the comfort, the DeKoninck and the candies, I keep coming back again and again on an almost weekly basis.
Thank you BT n' TB for being there when i need you.
Love, Nat -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
6/2/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I had the fish tacos for dinner, they were pretty good, decent amount of food for the price and very fresh.
I also had beer.
The Belgium Flight was lovely Delirium, DeKoninck, Aigem, Fruli 4 oz for $10 was a great way to start the evening. I then moved on to an IPA and finished with a Black Butte Porter. All in all they have decent prices, good service and a great selection of beer. I'll be back. -
Review from David D.
Vancouver, BC
7/7/2011
A great selection of beer from all over the world coupled with yummy Tapa's good atmosphere and great location. I recommend the Belgian frites, beef carpaccio, and Korean ribs.
Biercraft is always a good time with a group of friends. -
Review from Helen S.
Vancouver, BC
10/31/2010
We've always liked this place. From the drink selection to the food.
It can get busy, but there's usually no more than at 10 minute wait to be seated when it's busy.
The staff are great, they're always pleasant and fun, and they always give us the right about of service.
The food has always been good. The frites are a great snack. Something we both love.
Next up the drinks. What can you say about a place that has a separate menu for beer? Each with it's own unique glass and flavor. Something for everyone. Just last night we managed to try 4 new beers.
One of the best places in Vancouver for a sit down drink. We love it here! And to be honest, we're always going to call it Stella's. -
Review from Matt C.
Vancouver, BC
3/1/2011 2 photos
Looking for a place to meet a visiting realtor from Calgary last week I put the question out to my twitter (follow me @604homesguy) followers and received a number of great suggestions. I decided on Bier Craft Tap and Tapas on Commercial Dr. The location was convinient for both of us and I have drive past the Cambie St location numerous times.
If you haven't heard of Bier Craft this is the new name for Stella's. There was some legal issue (apparently it had nothing to do with Stella Artois) and they had to change their name. Honestly I do not like the new name, but they didn't ask me and probably don't care what I think. This place has an amazing multi page beer list, but they also do darn good food.
After finally making a decision about a beverage we took a look a the lunch menu. There was a fair selection of choices and I settled on the Philly Cheese-steak sandwhich with salad (fried or half fried half salad was also an option, but I am trying to watch the fat intake). My colleague had the Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich and was warned that the meat here is sliced a little thicker than usual.
Our server was very helpful and seemed to know the beer menu well (no judgement here) which was goo because the options were bewildering and most of the beers I had never heard of. They are mostly from Belgium an include many interesting varieties of beer each poured in the appropriate type of glass.
The place was not very busy and our food arrived in good time. I really enjoyed my sandwich and beverage. My colleague though somewhat regretted his choice with the thick cut meat. The taste was good he said but the chewing was a bit challenging.
Overall I enjoyed Bier Craft in Commercial Dr and hope to make it back here, or to the Cambie St location soon. -
Review from Jasmine O.
Vancouver, BC
11/15/2010
Ok, it used to be Stellas and they had to change their name. Nothing else is different. Extensive, expensive beer list. The one I had was ok, a little too fruity I think. The breakfast was mediocre. The service was ok and the busser was really cool and friendly. The other 5 people at my table didn't sound too too impressed with their food and none of us cleaned our plate except for my friend who ordered the waffles.
Maybe they're just not the saturday brunch spot we all hoped it would be. -
Review from Joyce P.
Vancouver, BC
12/29/2010
A-Ok again for this location on Commercial. Gotta admit it's a great place to chill have a drink. Love the beer selection, the servers generally know their stuff depending on who you get and can suggest a few things. I'm not a detailed person, I hate reading the beer list. List what you like and they should be able to suggest something good.
Didn't really order food this time. Just some fries for munching. The aioli was great that it came with, fries were soso.
I'll be back for more beer if I'm in the area. -
Review from Farees K.
2/13/2011
Good location, amazing beer menu, nice atmosphere and average food.
After 5pm they will drive you 30 blocks to prevent drinking and driving. That alone is pretty cool, tie that in with a very nice beer menu and I can forgive the average food because that gets better after partaking in enough beer. -
Review from Daniel L.
So, does a Bier Hause of a different name, still taste the same? The answer is yes. BierCraft is the same great Bier selection & menu (same menu for now) but no longer called Stella's. They simply changed their name to BierCraft which is a statement on its own... they really do specialize in one of the best Belgian Bier line ups in the city, or for that matter on the west coast....
Nothing is more satisfying than reviewing that several page list of on-tap or bottled Bier and having them serve each brand in their house glass which is specially designed to enhance the flavour of that particular brand of Bier.... I love Belgium Bier.... Oh La La does it get any better. Thank you BierCraft -
Review from Sabina B.
Abbotsford, BC
5/10/2011 1 photo
Went here for Mother's Day brunch with my hubby! Loved the food & beer. The atmosphere was great too. Would definitely recommend to anyone heading out to Commercial Drive for a relaxing drink. Our server was uber friendly and knowledgeable.
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Review from Gavin J.
Surrey, BC
9/7/2011
A little pricy but Still raving Fans!!
Went to try something different than the same old pub or bar and grill and this place was so good. Great BEER friendly staff and nice little place to chill out. -
Review from Rick C.
7/11/2011 1 photo
I had the $10 happy hour special that including mussels, fries, and a beer. It really hit the spot. I had the mussels Thai style and the sauce was tangy and rich. We hit the place up well before everyone was off work and enjoyed beers on the nice patio in the sun on the Drive.
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Review from Christine B.
Port Coquitlam, BC
7/16/2011
The beer selection is excellent. There's something for everyone's tastes. I love their sesame tuna and baked brie. Great place to meet friends for drinks. The waiter Han is outstanding!
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Review from Richard W.
Vancouver, BC
7/20/2011
2nd time here and very enjoyable. Great service and knowledgeable staff. The jumbo prawns are a hit along with the trout on a bed of green peas. It was my birthday and the GM while chatting with us and gave me a gift card for a free drink (nice) . Our server Natasha was fantastic. Sticky toffee pudding the dessert to try.
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Review from Janine T.
12/6/2010
Meh. The beer list is super impressive but the food was mediocre at best: the baked brie was fab but the tuna was mostly tasteless, the menu is limited and the mussels were chewy. Not bad for pub food but hardly impressive.
