The Cannibal Beer & Butcher

The Cannibal Beer & ButcherThe Cannibal Beer & Butcher
The Cannibal Beer & ButcherThe Cannibal Beer & Butcher
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

113 E 29th St
New York, New York, 10016-8027
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.35
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
34
pDev:
9.66%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of Act25
Rated by Act25 from New Jersey

4.74/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
My new go-to pub in midtown. 300 beers great paleo menu, feels like a cannabis bar. Great place to work.
Beers expensive, food not.
Aug 02, 2018
 
Rated: 4.31 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Mar 04, 2017
Photo of Redrover
Reviewed by Redrover from Wisconsin

4.26/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
I was glad I was able to stop in for some food and beers during my most recent visit to NYC.

As you enter, you will see walls of coolers on each side of you. It makes the hall kind of narrow, but does get you in the mood for beers.

We sat at the bar in the first room. There is more bar type seating near the deli counter and there is a larger dining room off to the side. The beer garden is very nice and they cover it in the winter so they can use it year around. The beer garden has the same type of tables you would see in a Munich bier garten.

Service was very friendly and was great about recommending beers. It was a little slow when we were there as they had a large group in the beer garden which seemed to suck-up a lot the bandwidth.

They had a couple of TVs showing “classic” early 1990s movies and the tunes they had on were very good.

8 tap beers and tons of bottles and cans to choose from. Tap beers were all $8 per glass with the exception of BA TenFiddy which was $12.

The food menu is limited but what they offer is really good. Great pork rinds and extraordinary beef jerky was the start, then our group had chicken sandwiches, Cubans and kielbasas. All were tasty.

If you are ever in this neighborhood, I would recommend you stop by. I look forward to returning.
Feb 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.86 by SiegeSpitfire from New York

Mar 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.44 by bgold86 from New York

Jan 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4.28 by Zekenyce from New Jersey

Dec 09, 2015
Photo of MtnSoup
Reviewed by MtnSoup from Colorado

4.09/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4.25
Vibe: Despite others' reviews, I like the vibe (a lot) at The Cannibal. Yeah, it's not roomy, but it makes up for it in a homey, dive-y feel. The entrance is awesome, basically a tunnel of beers in coolers upon arrival. I sat the bar both nights I was there, and felt very welcome.

Quality: A fine establishment.

Service: This is where they shine. The bartender was awesome - others have complained about price, but I came in twice in a week (during a biz trip) and he hooked me up with a deal on my second bottle (Westbrook) because I "had been in twice in a week." He knew a good deal about beers, and had great recommendations.

Selection: The selection was okay. Like most places in NYC, you have to check in often to get the really great beers. Tuesday and Wednesday are evidently deliver days, so those are likely the best bets.

Food: Great. Outshines most other beer-focused bars/gastropubs. Definitely a spot most people frequent because of the food over the beer is my feeling, but the beer keeps me coming back.
Nov 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.09 by markgugs from New Jersey

Jul 18, 2015
Photo of thundersnow
Rated by thundersnow from North Carolina

4.12/5  rDev -5.3%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
Eddie Merkx and beer...say no more. They should be televising the tour.
Jul 15, 2015
Photo of rev_jimmy
Reviewed by rev_jimmy from New York

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
The clientele is a bit douchey, but the food is great. Cannibal has a great craft beer selectio, but be prepared to pay stupid prices for canned beers.
Apr 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.41 by Jlabs from New York

Mar 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by SkiBum22 from New York

Dec 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Srkolodn from New York

Oct 04, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by abrodsky from Massachusetts

Aug 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by rozzom from New York

Jul 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by SimcoeKid from California

Jul 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Ant4711 from South Carolina

Jul 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by mk_ultra from New Jersey

Jun 20, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Comparison_Ford from New York

Jun 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by NJBeer265 from New Jersey

Jun 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by RMoeNay from Connecticut

May 12, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by tainohawk from New York

May 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by CHickman from New York

Apr 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Kurmaraja from California

Mar 16, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by bbrown12 from New Jersey

Nov 24, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by sfr26 from Pennsylvania

Oct 30, 2013
Photo of Buller38
Reviewed by Buller38 from Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +11.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.75
This is the place to go to if you want to try some great meat based products as well as experience what NYC is all about. The bottle and tap list are great, you are sure to find something that will make you appreciate how meat and beer go together.

I LOVE THIS PLACE, please visit. To me, it's another hidden gem that I found on Untappd that I was glad to have randomly came across.

This place gets packed, get there early or at the right time.
Oct 28, 2013
Photo of beenitty
Reviewed by beenitty from New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -6.2%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
So if you've read any of the reviews before this one. I'd have to say that the ones giving this place an A for effort but a B- on exection are very accurate.

I ended up checking this place out on my birthday. Im only interested in the beer but a few others with me seemed annoyed to be surrounded by so many hipsters.

Very cool stuff on tap like Against the Grain Bo/Luke, Westbrook White Thai, Alvinne Cuvee Freddy Zymatore, few others. Definitely the type of place you go to and will see something on tap that you wont or haven't seen other places. I got the Bo/Luke for $12 but it was a full pour so I think thats fair.

The bottle selection is very nice, but I didnt scrutinize the prices of those because we didnt have much time. The ones I did gloss over are just as crazy as most of the places in the city where you can get the same shelf beer for 3X less money.

I will say that the food menu is definitely feast or famine because they have a bunch of small plates for less than 25$ then they have pigs head for 75 and gigantic steak for two for over 100$. Its like going out to eat and having the option between peanut butter/jelly or a 50 oz steak. There wasn't anything in the middle.

Im a meat and potatoes kinda guy so we ended up just getting drink and bounced. One huge plus (for me) was the playlist they had on which was rocking. I'll definitely be back to drink but not to eat.
Jun 06, 2013
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -26.4%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
A friend of mine who works as a bartender at a beer bar was telling me about her visit to The Cannibal and how she felt raped. And it hurt. We were laughing! $15 pints?? Seriously?

Well, as it turns out, the next day another friend of mine suggests we check out The Cannibal. Oh, why not.

This place reminds me of Good Beer in the East Village, only smaller and darker. You go in and there are coolers full of beer around you, then comes the bar (with barely any room to walk by), the kitchen right there and a patio that looked mighty enticing.

Unless you are a skinny hipster, you may feel (like me) slightly claustrophobic here. The joint was crowded on a Wednesday evening at 7pm, and hot enough too to make me sweat. My friend and I sat at the bar, in some weird-uncomfortable stools and rubbing elbows with the folks around us because there is literally no room.

They have 8 drafts and a long-ass bottle menu that will scare you with the prices (1000% markup anyone?). On tap: Founders Centennial, Allagash Black, Avery Out of Bounds, Carton Brunch, De Ranke XX, Dogfish 90. How do you feel about paying nine dollars for a pint of Centennial? And eleven bucks for eight ounces of Dogfish 90 plus more foam than an Alinea recipe?

The food menu is short but sweet. Tartares, terrines, meat and more meat! We had the whipped lardo and a terrine, both really nice. But again the prices: $11 for a tiny slice of terrine? Shit, I think Per Se is a better bang for your buck!

Service was not great, mostly because of the bar setup. Guy has to walk out to the coolers upfront whenever somebody orders a bottle. This is like trying to run in Times Square during the New Year's Eve Ball Drop. Fail. The guy looked a bit hurried and nervous and, when we asked for the check, he literally slapped it with a bang on the bar.

I'm glad I tried you, Cannibal, but I don't like you.
Apr 19, 2012
Photo of toneloc
Reviewed by toneloc from New York

4.95/5  rDev +13.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
This place is fantastic. First, the beer. There were only five or so tap lines, but they were five solid choices. For instance, I had the Cuvee des Jacobins. The only other place where I've seen this on tap is the Publick House. But the draw here is not what is on tap, it's the ridiculous bottle list. Again, operating on Publick House levels even if more expensive. I didn't read the whole list over, but I saw no soft spots at all, no fillers, just beer ranging from high quality to outstanding.

In addition to the beer, they had a small, but high quality menu. We got a salad, the steak tartare (which was delicious), the hot dogs, and ended with a cheese plate. Everything was great, and clearly high quality, even the hot dogs (rated best in NY by New York Mag FWIW).

Our waiter was very friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. Though I picked my own beer, he offered to pair the beer with what we were eating, and I noticed he was able to help others make their selections throughout the night.

You can see I've rated everything a 5 except the vibe. I took off a half point because this place is very small. There is a counter in back, and one long table that doubles as the bar in front, but turns into seating on both sides at the back. So don't be surprised if you have to coordinate plate and glass placement with a stranger across from or next to you. But this is Cannibal's only real flaw. It can be more than a touch expensive here, but it should be noted that not all the beer is outrageously priced, nor are all the food options. So you don't have to break the bank here.
Mar 23, 2012
Photo of JordonHoltzman
Reviewed by JordonHoltzman from New York

4.63/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
This place has a phenomenal Selection. when seated at the bar, you have an amazing short menu of snacks, small plates, and bartenders that are very knowledgeable, friendly, and happy to help pair your beers with food or your food with beers. They have a great selection of belgians and domestics, but in any style under the sun. The atmosphere is cool, dark lighting, have two TV's playing 90s action movies like Tango & Cash. Bar seating, and you can get beers to go as well. the beer fridges are in the front, the first thing u see as you walk in. Been there twice, although the prices are expensive and some prices are ridiculous, i'll definitely return again for a nice occasion. too expensive to go all the time though.
Mar 11, 2012
Photo of david18
Reviewed by david18 from New York

4.14/5  rDev -4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I agree with most of what's been said in previous reviews but did not find the prices any worse than like places in the same neighborhood. All of the bartenders seemed very knowledgable about the beers and had great suggestions.

The food looked and sounded great but they weren't serving until after 4:00 and I dropped in about 3:00.

The selection of beer is not huge but it's all interesting. It's somewhat like a pricey Spuyten Duyvil.

The bar stools were a little uncomfortable, no backs.

Everyone should try it.
Feb 01, 2012
Photo of tobelerone
Reviewed by tobelerone from New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
As the other reviewer mentioned, this place is on the pricy side, which is no surprise considering the town and the neighborhood. However, it's really nice in here, with a bar that has lots to choose from, 6 taps which are all interesting, and growler fills. Lots of oddball bottles you can drink in the store or take out for a much lower price. Didn't eat but the food looked very nice, top quality stuff.

I got very nice service here from a young and very attractive woman who all smiles and had a good knowledge of the beer so points for that. As far as the selection goes there was a lot of beer here I haven't seen elsewhere...lots of odd european bottles, haandbryggeriet, haansens, drie fonteinen guezes, plus alesmith and some other harder to find americans, etc. I will stop by here whenever I am close...once every month or two, I suppose, just to grab some of these. Check it out but be prepared to drop some coin and also to find SOMETHING you likely haven't seen anywhere else.
Nov 02, 2011
Photo of t8000shx
Reviewed by t8000shx from New York

4.09/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
There are a lot of positive things to say about this place, however, let me start with making this one criticism perfectly clear:

Prices are LUDICROUS. 10 oz pour of De Struise = $15 before tip. 750ml Cantillon Classic and 375ml Cantillon Kriek to go = $43 combined. 750ml of Bruery Mischief to stay = $40.

To be fair, they do price differently depending if you are eating there or taking beer to go, but in either case the prices are extraordinarily high. In a city full of expensive but quality beer joints, Cannibal far and away takes the cake as the priciest.

To avoid confusion, I should make clear exactly what this place is - a combo beer bar/bottle shop/small plates restaurant/butcher's shop/gourmet food store. With a back yard. Oh, and they sell bicycle parts. Seriously.

The pricing criticism aside, if you have the spare cash, I recommend checking this place out. While the beers I listed were expensive, they're generally hard to find, so I have to give them credit for even having them available. Their selection as a whole is rather impressive, and the 8 tap lines were filled with unique beers. The two massive coolers in front were similarly stocked with all kinds of fun stuff, including the aforementioned Cantillons and a huge line of Liefmanns and Hanssens.

The food, which I didn't have a chance to try, is likewise impressive looking. Small tapas-style plates as well as some larger entrees, gourmet sandwiches, and a full-service butcher's counter filled with (of course) locally sourced/organic/hormone free meat. My memory isn't perfect, but some of the better looking items included steak tartare, some sort of plated steak dish, half a pigs head (!), and a whole slew of cheese and charcuterie options. The food prices aren't cheap, but they are more reasonable than the beer prices (in line with the usual NYC pricing).

Loved the atmosphere. If you, like me, are a sucker for the rustic, Edison bulb, reclaimed wood look that's all the rage in NYC these days, then you'll be a fan. This is enhanced by the variety of jars of oils/vinegars and cured/smoked/preserved meats/vegetables/miscellany lining the shelves (and all for sale).

I didn't catch the name of the guy behind the counter who I was chatting with, but he was friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to offer tastes of the tap beers. No complaints here at all.

So all in all I strongly recommend going here if you have the available funds. And definitely make sure to ask for prices before ordering!
Aug 28, 2011
The Cannibal Beer & Butcher in New York, NY
Place rating: 4.35 out of 5 with 34 ratings