Just a short report from our week-long jaunt to Bucharest. Not a lot to see there tourist-wise (unless you like large unmaintained ex-Soviet buildings), so I’ve just done a concise beer report on the various bars visited.
The map shows the locations of the places we sampled. There were more to-do’s on my list, but due to opening hours and travel distances they got missed so I haven’t included them on the map.
Our stay was bang in the middle of the city, courtesy of AirBnB. Although the location could be fairly noisy throughout the night, it never bothered us, thanks to efficient double-glazing. The place was clean, conveniently situated and spectacular value for money!
Date: 09/07/25
Venue – Beer(s) Sampled – Notes:
Zăganu Beerhall Calea Victoriei 91, 93, București 010091
- Zăganu – New England IPA 6.0% (bottle) [3.75]
- Hop Hooligans – Shock Therapy V59 6.5% (can) NEIPA [4.0]
A typical-looking industrial style bar, serving as a taproom for Zăganu beers, but also offering a decent if uninspiring range of other brewery beers. Reasonably priced tapas-style bar snacks available. Very good service.
Ground Zero Taproom Piata Universitatii, Strada Toma Caragiu 3, București 030042
- Ground Zero – Imperial Fuck 9.0% DIPA [3.75]
- Ground Zero – Split the Pot 7.0% NIPA [3.5]
Another built-by-numbers establishment, again serving as a taproom for their out-of-town brewery and selling their own beers exclusively. The place was a bit spartan, to say the least, and the boss had a tendency to ‘hover’ constantly trying to tell us how good his beers were!
Delta Beer Splaiul Independenței 2J, București 030167
- Delta – Hops Symphony 5.3% NEIPA [3.75]
- Mad Lads – Mad Workaholic 6.8% WCIPA [3.75]
- Clandestin X Voodoo (Slovakia) – Non Perignon 7.7% DNEIPA (can) [3.75]
This place had only been open for a few months on my visit. I was the only one in early-evening and had the barkeep’s full attention until an attractive Dutch dollybird came in on her own and I was was abandoned. Ah, well! Great addition the Bucharest craft scene, offering a decent selection on tap and from the fridge, including some hard-to-find Mad Lads beers. I hope they can build their audience up, or I fear this one won’t survive. Visit it while you can!
Date: 10/07/25
Venue – Beer(s) Sampled – Notes:
Zeppelin Pub Strada Marin Serghiescu 7, București 030167
- Wicked Barrel X Blackout – √2 6.0% NEIPA (can) [4.0]
- Wicked Barrel – Jaw Drop 6.3% NEIPA 9can) [3.75]
We walked for miles around backstreets in high 30’s heat to find this one, but it was worth the hike. The bar and indoor area resembled a Belgian bar and it had a nice (mostly) shaded outdoor drinking area. Drinks could either be ordered at the bar conventionally or through an app and delivered to your table. A modest but quality selection of craft beer available.
Hop Hooligans Taproom Str. Jean Louis Calderon 49, București 030167
- Yria Cervezas – Nintai Hazy 6.0% IPA [3.75]
- Firstep – Tuqan 7.2% NEIPA [3.75]
- Hop Hooligans – Progressive Overload: Kveik TDH 8.0% DIPA [3.75]
Another establishment serving as a taproom for their out of town brewery. This time housed in a magnificent old building with real character. Limited drinking space outside and a resident food truck selling reasonably priced but quality burgers and such. Apparently it’s pot luck whether your get surly or friendly staff. Guess which we got?
Date: 11/07/25
Venue – Beer(s) Sampled – Notes:
Ironic Taproom (Brewery) Strada Domnița Anastasia 4, București 075100
- Ironic – Don’t Feed the Cat 5.5% NEIPA [3.5]
We popped into this place to kill time before the bar next door opened – and for respite from the baking afternoon sun. A somewhat run-down, faceless industrial-looking bar with honestly little to commend. The beer was passable. The only place we visited that brewed on-site.
NoRoom Taproom Strada Ion Brezoianu 9, București 030167
- Maktoob – Plat Du Jour : Motueka, Simcoe, Citra 6.7% NEIPA [4.0]
- Firstep – Tuqan 7.2% NEIPA (can) [3.75]
- Hop Hooligans X Maktoob – Bear Minimum 5.0% Garlic Gose (can) [2.75]
- OneTwo – Juicyfruit 6.0% NEIPA [3.75]
I’d been told by several people what a gem this was, and it didn’t disappoint! A true micropub, jointly run by One Two and Maktoob breweries, this place would comfortably hold, maybe, eight or ten customers. The very friendly and chatty barmaid told us she had fit thirty in there. Very intimate! Draft choices were, as to be expected, mainly from One Two and Maktoob, but a small selection of other brewery beers (including the ubiquitous Hop Hooligans) could be selected from the fridge. Don’t forget to do the ‘toilet tour’. An experience you won’t forget!
Date: 12/07/25
Venue – Beer(s) Sampled – Notes:
Beer Station Lipscani Strada Băcani 1, București 030167
- Anagram – Can Can 6.0% NEIPA (can) [3.5]
- Lepton (Contract brewery) – Photon Fog 6.0% NEIPA (can) [3.75]
- Hop Hooligans – Earth Is Not Flat 6.5% NEIPA (can) [3.75]
I enjoyed this place. It’s not in the most salubrious of locations, but a nicely laid out pub inside. The whole side of the pub opens up to the outside if you can’t get one of the pavement tables. A fairly comprehensive tap menu plus an extensive choice from the fridge. Great music and attentive staff. A winner in my books!
Beer o’Clock Strada Gabroveni 4, București 030088
- Maktoob – Sometimes You Have To Bite the Hand That Feeds You 6.3% NEIPA (can) [3.75]
- Blackout – Double the Stupid Questions 8.0% DNEIPA (can) [3.75]
Beer o’Clock is situated a couple of corners away from Beer Station and right next door to Tap, so this area is Bucharest’s Craft Beer Central. A modern, well laid out bar with a great selection of craft beers as well as Belgian and other traditional fayre.
Date: 13/07/25
Venue – Beer(s) Sampled – Notes:
BOB George (Coffee Bar) Strada Lipscani 20, București 030036
- Mikkeller (Denmark) – Burst 5.5% AIPA (can) [3.25]
We just dived in here to kill time until the pub opened and they sold Mikkeller beer in cans. Result. Report ends!
Beer Station Lipscani Strada Băcani 1, București 030167
- Hop Hooligans – Matcha Mochi Tamagotchi 6.0% Sour Smoothie (can) [4.25]
- Hop Hooligans – Gelato Sourpuss: Strawberry Mojito 6.0% Sour Smoothie (can) [4.0]
Our second visit here, mainly to get the two Hop Hooligan cans that we had been told were being delivered that day. Both crazy, stupendous beers!
NoRoom Taproom Strada Ion Brezoianu 9, București 030167
- Maktoob – Azulejos 5.0% NEIPA (can) [3.75]
- Maktoob – Emotional Baggage Included 4.4% Sour Smoothie (can) [4.25]
Also second visit here, purely because the place was so enjoyable. Not entirely sure about the wild garlic gose I had though…
Date: 14/07/25
Venue – Beer(s) Sampled – Notes:
Tap Craft Beer Strada Gabroveni 4, București 030167
- Ultima – I See Dead Bunnies 5.0% NZIPA (can) [3.75]
- Blackout – Aberații Standard 5.0% NEIPA (can) [3.75]
- Hop Hooligans – Catleidoscope 6 8.0% DNEIPA (can) [4.0]
We had walked past this place several times and it had never been open. Recently reopened fter a period of closure, it is joined to Beer o’Clock next door. In fact, you can walk between the two bars inside. Very knowledgeable barkeep talked me through the extensive menu. Wish I could’ve spent more time in here. Well recommended.
Bucharest is a fairly attractive and busy enough city, but if you want to do ‘touristy’ stuff, a two or three day stay will suffice. The bar and craft beer scene seems to be thriving, but in line with a lot of countries, Romania seem to be playing ‘catch-up’. That said, if you’re going on a drinking trip give yourself a leisurely four or five days. There were other beery places I would’ve liked to have explored but, taking my ‘tourist obligations’ into account, I didn’t have the time.
The numbers in brackets [ ] are my beer scores (out of 5). Find me on Untappd
Some tinnies wot I have necked.
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