The Trappe Door

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

This place was on my "must-stop" list when the family and I were in town for the holiday. Went for a late dinner with some friends. First this I noticed was the crazy amount of noise from this place spilling out into the street. Very boisterous place. Though the friends that we went with said they had never seen it that crazy before. Must have been the holiday crowd like me. I loved the atmosphere otherwise though. Designed like you're in an old cellar. Nice wood beams, lots of brick, and the lighting is dim. I dig it. The menu is excellent with plenty of options. I got the "Belgian" stew and loved it. My wife got a burger and that was great as well. Their extensive list of mayos is one of their trademarks. All sorts of flavors. I especially enjoyed their hot chili mayo. Of course the beer list is nothing short of amazing. My only disappointment was that there were no Quads on draft at the time. Plenty of Tripels, Wits, and BPAs though. I opted for a bottle of St. Bernardus 12. The service was excellent and they really know the beers and menu well. I will definitely be back to this place again and again.

[Note: My friend said they do an awesome lunch special that *includes* a beer for like $7 or $8. Can't beat that!]

12-03-2012 15:59:09 | More by Onenote81

Habib

4.1/5  rDev -8.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$$

Visited May 2012

My wife and I checked this place out this past weekend after reading about it on BA. I must have walked by this place a hundred times and never noticed it.

First impression: You walk downstairs (note: this place is not for people with physical handicaps) to a really cool basement restaurant and bar. Lots of exposed timbers and wooden casks - they really played the basement theme for all its worth here. The lighting was dim and the vibe was really relaxing, except for the music selection - which sounded like eastern european metal, and what was really a distraction from the otherwise superb ambiance. There is a comfortable looking lounge area with sofas and lounge chairs in the corner with a tv for watching the game.

The hostess that greeted us was rather put off that we didn't have a reservation. This didn't make much sense to me as the place was not even a third full and not even half full when we left. Other than the snotty hostess, our waiter was very good. He knew the beer selections quite well and was able to offer advice.

This place's forte is Belgian style craft beers and wines, and they hit a home run. The list is extensive and the quality of the beer is phenomenal. This is a niche beer place that you would never have thought would exist in the po-dunk Greenville area. Prices for most drafts run between $7 and $9 a pop the same for bottles, which is a little pricey for me, but I understand the expense.

The menu is a little limited, with only one chicken dish offered (my wife hates red meat and fish). The food presentation was very good. I had a braised rib that was excellent, and while the side of potatoes and veggies were filling, the portions were pretty small, so I felt that I didn't get much for the money that I spent.

There are better places to eat in town, but the place is worth checking out for the ambiance and the excellent Belgian beer selection.

05-13-2012 19:38:03 | More by Habib

aasher

Indiana

4.88/5  rDev +9.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I visited this Belgian style eatery this past weekend while visiting SC and went with my fiance and a fellow BA.

When you walk in you go directly down a flight of stairs into a basment with wood beams across the ceilings and wine barrels (some real and some fake) lining the walls. They even had a lounging area which included couches, chairs, and a big screen TV. GREAT atmosphere! It was very relaxed and inviting. They have a very nice and extensive selection of Belgians. We split a Cantillon 100% Kriek 375ml and it was superb. The food was very, very good as well. I got a steak sandwhich which frites and my fiance got a Chimay burger. The quality was top notch and you could tell the ingredients were fresh. The prices were very reasonable as well. My fiance and I together only cost $22. I'd say that this place is a must stop for beer geeks and a top notch establishment. I'm glad we were able to try it!.

09-26-2011 18:55:22 | More by aasher

scottyshades

Florida

4.55/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

Walked in here on a Sunday evening to find that it was actually pretty crowded

The Atmosphere is really awesome - low ceilings, dim tavern-style lighting, pretty wood bar and tables. The crowd is (from what I could tell) younger, lots of beer drinkers. It really induces conversation

The beer menu is impressive, it is organized by style (Saisons, sours, browns, quads, dubbels, etc.), and includes Cantillon offerings, Rocheforts, some crazy Allagash stuff, and much much more. I really liked how different styles were showcased on their taps, adds some variety

The food menu is ambitious, I have tried the lamburger sliders topped with mint beets and goat cheese (awesome), the mussels, and the steak sandwich. More like a gastropub

The service and bartenders were super friendly and knowledgeable about their offerings - they want you to find a beer that you love which is really awesome. We ended up meeting the Australian owner (also owns Barley's Taproom upstairs), and he is a straight up beer geek and extremely friendly. We ended up talking beer for about 30 minutes before he had to go take care of business

The prices were a little expensive, but you get your money's worth. Definitely recommended for dinner

07-06-2011 17:54:35 | More by scottyshades

PhillyStyle

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Visited May 2011

Visited for dinner on a Thursday evening and after visiting many of the places Greenville has to offer, this is the place that you want to stop at if you are in the area.

I will skip the description, as the other reviewers have done a very good job of describing the place. The place had a really nice vibe to it, until about 8:30 pm 9 o'clock, as it seemed that most of patrons were leaving by then. Upon being seated, a waiter comes over and asks a series of questions and lets us know what is on tap. When he left, one of the guys turned to me and said that if there was a line-up and he had to choose the guys that knew the most about beer, he would pick out our waiter every time. Turns out, our waiter was perhaps one of the most knowledgeable waiters that I have ever met. Could describe the beers in such detail that it was almost uncanny. I tried the Ommegang Rare Vos and Foret Saison, both excellent, served in the proper glassware. I also had a bowl of mussels and they were excellent, as were the three appetizers that we had ordered. The establishment seemed to be reasonably priced.

Overall, like I said, this is the place that you want to go. Very good all the way around.

06-09-2011 20:55:42 | More by PhillyStyle

msnow34

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -4.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 3 | $$$

Visited here for lunch, on the advice of the guys at the GBX. The name is great, as its a play off trappist, but also it's located in a basement and has a basement type feel, dark, with lots of wood, never been to europe, but its what i would think it would be like.
We sat at the bar, and our server was very attentative, although she wouldn't pour beer. She had a decent knowledge of the belgian beers, although she said they didn't serve any american brewed beers, however they did have ommengang and allagash. The menu was very mussels heavy which i found odd for a bar four hours from the ocean(maybe this is a begian thing)
My only knock on this bar, was the menu was a little sparse, it was lunch, but would've liked a few more options, and it was expensive. Two sandwich's and two beers cost more than what I paid for four drinks and dinner, the previous night.

06-08-2011 03:44:35 | More by msnow34

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

Just what Greenville needed!!! I stopped in here Friday night for their grand opening to the public. I was impressed enough that I went back Saturday night too by the way... Located just below Barley's the entrance is two large wooden doors with The Trappe Door logo above them. Upon walking in you will walk down a wooden staircase that leads you directly to the hostess station. Along this wall there are all sorts of Belgian beer schwag in a display cabinet. When you get to the bottom of the stairs everything is on your right. Place is quite dark, but it is in a basement afterall, but is lighted enough to see other people there and see where you are going. I took a seat at the bar both times that I went. The bartender that I had both nights was really good at remembering people's names as she knew mine the second time I came in (and actually pronounced it correctly!). The selection of CONSTANTLY rotating 10 taps are poured from the ceiling over larger wooden barrels with copper funnels to hold spillover. There is plenty of seating for dining patrons, with numerous tables, boothes, and table/bench combos all throughout. There is also a small 'lounge' with a large television and leather seats to watch a sporting event or two. Masters highlights were on Friday and NCAA Hockey was on Saturday. If you are familiar with Barley's you will recognize A LOT of the wait staff at this location. The highlight for me... The beer AND the food! The beer selection was excellent with quite a few sours on and all brews were of Belgian origin or style. As Dan said in his review, the food is the standout though. I had the Grilled Chicken Breast with Flemish Sour sauce. Blew me away on flavor... This is a definite must stop for any BA in the area or that is passing through. With Barley's directly above and GBX just around the corner, this one is a no-brainer.

04-12-2011 12:14:37 | More by thagr81us

goindownsouth

South Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

Visited on Sunday, 04/10/11 - what is believed to be their opening weekend.

I was nearly shocked to the point of disbelief when I heard that The Trappe Door was [finally] open. This place was about to take on the thing of legend with the years of discussion about the theme and the space below Barley's Taproom, not to mention when it would actually open. Well, it's open...

A gorgeous space awaits you as you walk down a winding wooden staircase. You know you are somewhere different. We were quickly greeted by the hostess and seated. The bar, just to your right upon entering, shows off ten (10) beer taps, all fed from the kegs held upstairs. Behind the bar is the Mother load of all Belgian beer fridges.

Wooden and antique in feel and sense, but in no way in a faux manner, this place just screams cozy. I started off with the Terrapin Black Saison and was rather impressed. The beers were fresh and poured with care. My only knock - if you can call it that - is that with how frequently they kick their kegs, the online beer menu may not be indicative of what is currently on hand. Worth bearing in mind.

The food menu, despite the delicious Belgian beer offerings, is the star of the show. I was a part of a table of three and we shared everything we had. For starters, the blackened crab and blue cheese fondue... stellar. While I did not get any, the Moules Frites (mussels) are available several ways - all of which sounded sublime. One at our table went with the Steak Frites, a grilled ribeye, cooked to perfection with well-crafted Belgian frites that are accompanied by three - THREE flavors of mayonnaise - your choice. Another person has the braised short ribs served over leek mashed potatoes and snappy green beans. I had the Angus Burger and Frites with my three mayos being roasted garlic, sweet chili and truffle. Outstanding. Dessert ended the evening with Belgian waffles, simple and yet so damn well made.

Service was solid, understanding full well that there are still some kinks that need to get worked out of the systems.

The entire experience was, without a doubt, one of the best since having moved to Greenville. The food menu when combined with the Belgian beer arsenal will make The Trappe Door difficult to beat in terms of culinary star power, in my eyes, for some time. Even removing the Belgian beer from the equation, the menus is such that it would satisfy even the most staunch critics of what has slowly but surely turned in to mundane Greenville fare.

Not cheap, by any stretch, but still not unreasonable for a damn righteous meal.

04-11-2011 13:22:07 | More by goindownsouth