Tørst

TørstTørst
TørstTørst
Bar, Eatery

615 Manhattan Ave
Brooklyn, New York, 11222-3919
United States

(718) 389-6034 | map
torstnyc.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.53
Reviews:
63
Ratings:
207
pDev:
8.83%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Jacobier10:
Photo of Jacobier10
Reviewed by Jacobier10 from New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
After lunch at nearby Fette Sau, I took a quick stroll through McCarren Park to work off the barbeque and digest at Torst. This place was on my to-do list for years.

Upon arrival, it was smaller than pictures I had seen made it out to be. I can only imagine how mobbed it gets on Friday and Saturday nights, but on a weekday afternoon it was less than half filled. Perfect for pulling up a seat at the bar and relaxing with some quality brews.

The bar is very unique-looking with light gray marble and a glass board with the beer menu written on it by hand. The stools at the bar seat around 15 people, with several other tables to sit at.

Let's get the bad part out of the way... The beers (and food) are expensive, even by NYC standards. If you're looking to drink pint after pint without breaking the bank, there are other options. That being said, I was able to keep my bar tab manageable by ordering 8 oz servings. There are about 20 taps total and the list covers a broad range of styles.

I started with a rauchbier from Suarez Family called Stands to Reason and followed it up with another lager from Suarez, Palatine Pils. Looking to mix it up with my last beer, I asked the bartender for a recommendation and he guided me towards Springdale Art Dekkera, a blueberry sour beer from Jack's Abby's sister brewery. All beers are served in Torst's signature wine-style stemmed glassware and almost all are available in 5/8/14 oz servings.

I had a nice conversation with the bartender and he gave details/recommendations about the beer to me and other people without pretension. A cool bar with a seriously great tap list. I liked that there was almost no focus on selling you Evil Twin beers. I'll be back sometime, but I'll likely opt for small-ish pours again.
Jun 04, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of chrisjws
Reviewed by chrisjws from California

4.53/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4
In the heart of the night, a place beckoned me, oozing that unmistakable bier bar vibe, a vibe that pulses with raw, unfiltered energy. I sauntered in on a moon-drenched Monday, the kind of night where the world feels like it's caught in a dimly lit haze. The bar, the epicenter of this bohemian carnival, welcomed me with open arms. Perched on a stool, I glanced around, my eyes navigating the shadows and the smattering of tables hugging the edges. Ah, the scene was set: fedora-clad gents, in a futile dance, attempting to woo the fairer sex, who, in their wisdom, resisted the charms of these desperate Don Juans. Yes, my friends, this was the peculiar rhythm of my Monday nights, a dance with the eccentric and the absurd.

But it wasn’t just the surreal spectacle that drew me in; it was the siren song of the beer menu, a digital oracle I had consulted beforehand. The names whispered promises of adventure - Hill Farmstead beers, the mystique of New York's local legends, and a myriad of North East breweries that existed in the unexplored corners of my awareness. The specifics blurred into insignificance; it was the collective symphony of unheard flavors that called out to me. I crowned this escapade with a 10+ year old 50/50 Eclipse Cuvee, a nectar of the gods that punctuated the night with an emphatic exclamation mark.

As for sustenance, the fare was passable, nothing to compose sonnets about. If you seek haute cuisine, dear reader, cast your net wider; there are culinary treasures elsewhere. But if your heart yearns for the comfort of bar food, a humble companion to your Hill Farmstead Abner, fear not, for they have you covered.

In summation, this establishment is a hidden gem, tucked away in the labyrinthine alleys of Queens or Brooklyn, waiting to be discovered. It’s not just a bar; it’s a portal to another dimension, where the beers flow like liquid poetry, and the characters you encounter could populate a novel. So, my fellow seekers of the extraordinary, if you find yourself within reasonable distance, heed my words: venture forth, let the night embrace you, and revel in the splendid concoctions of a bygone era and a region waiting to be explored.
Oct 01, 2023
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.43/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4
Smaller place on a busy Brooklyn Street.

Smaller tables up front and the L shaped bar towards the middle and towards the kitchen in the rear.

Helpful, professional and friendly ladies behind the bar.

Full on boutique and not cheap beer options mostly on tap, with some cans and bottles also available.

Small plates, tasty treats….good for a bite, but not really a place for a full meal.

Great place for a treat of a beer experience
Jun 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.58 by cambabeer from New York

Feb 19, 2023
Photo of jhavs
Reviewed by jhavs from New York

4.24/5  rDev -6.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4
Modern, European, loud, dark.

Great beer selection. Crowded, hip. Fits in well with the Williamsburg crowd.

Finely curated, small food menu. Excellent cheese and charcuterie options.
Feb 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.48 by EMH73 from New York

Jun 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.26 by MaximumYuks from Oregon

Jan 06, 2020
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4.58/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
Clean interior space which comes off as well thoughtout from the front door vestibule all the way to the bathroom (opposite end of the bar). Interior space is a mix of shades of white and black, with natural wood. A long 'L' bar features mirrors behind it with the 21 beer tap list written out across it. Large text makes it easy to read even from the tables adjacent. Staff bustles behind the bar, keeping beer glasses full, all the way doing it with a smile and courtesy. Love to see it. Tap list itself is well curated, starting from lightest on the left (with a natural pine tap handle) to darkest (with the darkest stained wood tap handle), with every beer getting progressively darker across the list.

Food is great as well. Chicken sandwich had a crispy fried shell with juicy and tender meat underneath. Olives were oiled and not pitted, but were a nice mixture for variety.

Top notch beer spot.
Sep 13, 2019
Photo of npolachek
Reviewed by npolachek from New York

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Very solid bar, close to the G train in NY and about 25 minutes from midtown Manhattan. Great tap selection of beers usually with a Hill Farmstead, Prarie, and Suarez Family. Bar tenders are solid and have good beer IQ. Pleasant place to hang out with a happy hour discount on bottles. One of the top beer bars in NY with a great selection and solid vibe of people that know there beers. Good place to meet others that care about beer.
Jan 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.75 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

Aug 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.65 by TheCrowsEye from California

Apr 27, 2018
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Rated by thekevinwang from New York

4.71/5  rDev +4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
Cozy. So good. Can get loud and crowded.

Note: pronounced "turst", like "thirst".
Mar 28, 2018
Photo of MagicNic
Rated by MagicNic from Canada (QC)

4.1/5  rDev -9.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.75
Great selection of beer on tap and the best burger I've had in a long time !
Mar 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.72 by alexsergio from New York

Feb 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.39 by RMW66 from Australia

Feb 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.64 by hoponit from New York

Feb 10, 2018
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.44/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
I expected to hate this place but ended up loving it. We went in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday, which apparently is when all the aforementioned pretentious beer hipsters are still asleep, because it wasn't crowded and we had amazing service at the bar. Zero pretension, condescension, none. We ended up chatting with the bartender and beer manager the whole time about all kinds of stuff.

Nondescript from the street, fairly low key inside. Lots of wood and low light, which gives it a warm feeling. From the photos it looked like a stark modern conceptual art project, but it was far from that in person. The marble bar and salon mirror lighting is a little odd, but easily ignored.

Selection is top notch, upper echelon in the city from my experience. Finally got to try Rothaus Pils, side by side with Suarez Family Palatine pils, which were both fantastic. They do 5 oz. pours, so you can try a lot of stuff, and it's not overly expensive with that approach. Other highlights were Hudson Valley Observance, and a barrel-aged Scrumpy cider that tasted a lot like funky Basque sidra. The hefty bottle list had many gems depending how much you want to spend, but you don't have to spend a lot here. It's also much broader than simply being an Evil Twin/Mikkeller showcase, which I didn't really care about. Noticed Spring Tonic on the list, Scratch is an exceptional brewery doing great things in southern Illinois, which is a world away from Brooklyn.

Overall it was a great experience, and i'd recommend going at off hours for maximum enjoyment.
Jan 29, 2018
Photo of cosmicevan
Reviewed by cosmicevan from New York

4.65/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4
What can one say about Tørst that hasn't already been said? As a suburban NY'er, I consider this a must stop anytime I can make it work and I often make the trek out for special events (and always for new glasses). I sadly missed the madness that happened when the bar first opened (and shame on me for thinking that would last forever), but I do still feel extremely fortunate to have this world class bar as an option.

The beer list is always impressive enough to have at least a few beers that I want to try and as a native NY'er, the price is no sticker shock for me. The vibe is cool and I enjoy most of the bar tenders...but the place can certainly come off as a bit hipstery and at times the crowd can get pretentious, but hey, this is beer and its serious business...right? I always enjoy going there and try to bring something to share with the bartenders and other folks hanging. Luskus has since closed and the food menu has changed to a bit more comfort food, but to me this place is about the beer and that's it. Even the neighborhood isn't the best for eats (according to my palate) but for locals and especially travelers, it is a must stop destination if not a regular spot.
Jan 27, 2018
Photo of Brianh427
Rated by Brianh427 from New York

4.66/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.75
A neat experience-not cheap but as well executed a beer bar as I have found.
Jan 04, 2018
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Reviewed by West_Chester_Ale_Tester from Ohio

4.31/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
I was able to make my way here, after having entirely too much fun at Other Half. I was still able to enjoy some of the killer beers they had on and the simple, but sleek decorations. I had some food, which was pretty good, but the beer is why you're here. Stuff I hadn't seen before and haven't since. Evil Twin and Mikkeller, but also some local stuff that I'm sure is hard to come by. I'd try hitting this place earlier in the day, to truly enjoy it.
Dec 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.45 by jaydoc from Kansas

Nov 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.97 by Dizzy242 from Massachusetts

Sep 05, 2017
 
Rated: 4.88 by blisscent from Rhode Island

Aug 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4.45 by mig100 from Texas

Jul 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4.83 by SpinSamzo from New York

Apr 27, 2017
 
Rated: 5 by CreightonSM from New York

Apr 19, 2017
Photo of nickfl
Reviewed by nickfl from Florida

4.23/5  rDev -6.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25
Smaller than I expected, but it's about the same size as everything else in the neighborhood, so I don't know why I would have expected any different. Dimly lit and Scandinavian minimalism inside, a bar of pink marble and medium colored wood walls. The beer selection isn't epically huge, but it is very good. Quite a few interesting evil twin beers and a significant selection of excellent guest taps. Definitely a must visit.
Mar 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.38 by Gkruszewski from New York

Mar 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Feb 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.9 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Dec 03, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by Alphakitty from New York

Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by 22Blue from Kansas

Oct 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.06 by Brian29 from Ohio

Sep 28, 2016
Photo of c_tails
Reviewed by c_tails from New York

4.59/5  rDev +1.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5
go at off hours when you can sit at the bar and chat, and take time with the menu and work your way through it. i particularly like how the tap handles are colorized according to roast. you can have 3% and 12%+ beers here, in 3 different pours for the most part. yes the beer is expensive. a lot of griping about that in the reviews here. if you're going to a beer bar to find good stuff, it won't be surprising to you and is the same as the other bars of its ilk in NYC.

rotating selection of harder to find European stuff each time I've gone that the bartender has kindly educated me on. i've never had an issue with the bartenders. They celebrate good beer (Evil Twin and far beyond), and that's what you're going to get if you order something.
Sep 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by PVMT from New York

Sep 13, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by psoriasaurus from Thailand

Jun 30, 2016
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Reviewed by FBGordon from Oregon

4.86/5  rDev +7.3%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
One of the absolute coolest bars I've ever been to, with a great vibe, great clientele and fantastic beer selection. I completely dug the Stanley Kubrick vibe going on and had an amazing time meeting people from all of the globe and drinking some of the best beers I've ever had. If you're in the Five Boroughs you absolutely must make a stop into this bar.
Jun 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.86 by BubbleBobble from New York

May 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4.69 by bylerteck from Canada (ON)

Apr 29, 2016
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Reviewed by ONovoMexicano from New Mexico

4.08/5  rDev -9.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
The selection here is always phenomenal. Can't go wrong there. Nice vibe to the place and it does feel very European.

Where Torst loses me a bit is on price. This place is so damn expensive. Even in an expensive city, the price for the pours is ridiculous, especially when some of these pours are like $12 for four ounces.

Having said that, this is a good place to visit about once a year and splurge. One day I might really splurge and eat at the Michelin-starred restaurant in the back.
Apr 18, 2016
Tørst in Brooklyn, NY
Place rating: 4.53 out of 5 with 207 ratings