HopCat

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Nestled in downtown Grand Rapids, this bar is on the corner of the street and looks pretty cool from the outside.

Walking in, the place looks awesome. Bottles everywhere, old church pews with big tables, an outdoor patio, paintings hanging from the ceiling, a huge bar, etc. Very cool atmosphere.

My brother-in-law, father, and myself only had a short time here as it was a quick stop on our way up to Traverse City. There was a great tap list (though I will admit nothing was too crazy on it – was hoping for some legit sours or other crazy stouts but most were just run of the mill (though solid).

The food was damn good and I enjoyed my BBQ chicken sandwich thoroughly with a Short’s Huma. A very enjoyable experience and I can’t wait to go back and enjoy some more of their good food and beers.

08-05-2011 13:45:27 | More by SpdKilz

JDizzle

Indiana

4.65/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

What a classy beer bar!

I have had the pleasure of being here around 5 times and I can't say enough. The price is a little on the high side, but the quality of brew is sick. They have a ton of Michigan brews + a wide range of others that make them one of the premier bars on the planet.

The atmosphere is plush with a lot of wood-bar, tables, that make it seam plush without being cold. Great windows in the day time to light up the bar.

The taps go on foreva! Such great selection of beer that ranges to every style, and not the normal ones you usually see. Price is up there, but worth the experience IMO.

Food is solid, especially when you get it on special + one of their own beers they brew(which are solid).

Can't wait to come back!

11-19-2011 04:21:16 | More by JDizzle

avalonct

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

HopCat is obviously a beer lover's paradise, but the food is quickly catching up. My wife and I didn't have the best service last night, but the quality of the food and beer was world class. It was surprisingly not too busy and we were able to get one of the booths that are a half circle and face toward the bar. Also, I asked the waitress about the private room upstairs and she told me that it is $300 minimum on the weekdays and $500 minimum on the weekends to get the room. That might not be a bad idea to get a bunch of friends together and do that sometime. I also go here on Tuesday nights from every once in a while as they have a burger and beer (one of Hopcat's beers) special for 6 bucks. It's great to live in a city with such reasonable prices. The one thing I wish they would work on is update us on their events on twitter more often.

11-26-2012 20:56:07 | More by avalonct

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

4.66/5  rDev +0.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

If you are anywhere near the Grand Rapids area, this is a must stop. Pretty much around the corner from Founders makes it a great piggyback trip.

Hopcat is located inside an old, restored building in the heart of GR. You enter into a skinny room that houses lots of tables and a long bar down the left side. Classic pub decor fills the room. The rear of the building is dedicated to brewing where the equipment can be seen behind glass.

They have a wonderful draft selection which can be found on daily (?) updated menus. They also have a great bottle selection for dine in or take out. I think they have almost everything MI gets...with the locals highlighting the lineup.

The staff seemed to be knowledgeable...I watched many pours and everything seemed to go into correct glassware. My only complaint is that they would not give out a sample (you could PURCHASE a sample). Said it is against MI law...hmmmm

I went in here with high expectations and they were met. Don't miss an opportunity to experience this place!

05-19-2010 16:32:58 | More by mgbickel

Avagadro

New Jersey

4.68/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3 | $$

A: HopCat exemplifies the current gentrification of downtown GR, boasting turn-of-the-century architecture that has been renovated to contemporary style. Bar is as beautiful as it is large. The small batch system at the end of the bar is the icing on the cake, letting you know that this place is 100% about beer.

Q: the design of the bar screams quality. The fact that they pair each offering with an appropriate glass does the same. Quality is definitely one of HopCat's main objectives.

S: servers are quick to spot an empty glass, and have an admirable knowledge of craft beer. I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but the staff is constantly sampling what is on tap to ensure their knowledge of the product.

S: simply listing a number doesn't do them justice. Yes, they have a long beer list, but not a single tap is wasted. redundancies are limited to ensure that as many styles are offered as possible. They also try to offer as many local brews as possible. It is obvious that they are proud to be a part of Michigan's beer scene. On a side note, they also have one of the best whiskey selections I have come across.

F: the food is good, using fresh ingredients and quality craftsmanship. Most of what is offered is pub food, albeit above average pub food.

P: this is a finicky area, depending on how picky you are. Their specials are outstanding, if you are willing to accept their special beer. Their prices on most brews are within the average range, though the belgian offerings are a touch high for draft. This is compensated by the fact that most other places only have these beers in the bottle, and are therefore far more expensive. Overall, I feel that I am getting my money's worth here.

06-07-2010 20:41:36 | More by Avagadro

Stigs

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

Stopped here during a recent MI trip, after spending some time at Founders and New Holland.

Saturday night, busy, crowd seemed on the young (my age or so) side. Got seats at the bar after talking to a friendly local couple who were heading out soon. Thank you!

To the good stuff - though we had just missed the Barrel Aged event, there was still a good amount of stuff from it on the massive list. Didnt even make it to the bottles, but had: Shorts BA Black Sustenance, GI Imperial Goose, Oak- Aged Widdershins, and something else I cant recall. Everything served in appropriate glassware and good temps.

Food - we were just snacking and got some corn dogs and crack fries. CRACK FRIES. loved them, and the horseradish mustard dipping sauce that came with the corn dogs. ohmygod. I will crave these until my next trip to MI.

Service - I dont recall much but we got served rather quickly, everyone was friendly, and accurate. Nothing more to say but thank you!

Long story short, I got pretty tipsy (had a DD). Drank some fantastic beers, talked to many friendly patrons. Hands down one of if not the best beer bar I've ever been to. Will stop again for sure.

11-16-2010 20:10:00 | More by Stigs

enfield249

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

What can I say? This is my watering hole. This is where I go to celebrate, and to welcome back old friends. The atmosphere is fine, if a little loud at times. I would prefer a quite place, but most people don't so that is fine. The quality of the beer has never been an issue, and is always fresh and ever changing. The service is without par in it's beer knowledge. The standard food is fine, mostly your average bar fare, and would have received a more moderate "3", but the beer dinner food is so good that it kicks it up a point. The price is reasonable for downtown GR. HopCat is everything it is reported to be and more. Worth a trip if you are in the midwest.

12-21-2010 01:56:37 | More by enfield249

MarvinTheMarzen

Iowa

4.68/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Hop Cat has to be one of my favorite bars - bar none. The place has a great atmosphere and enough room to accommodate crowds. The beer selection is really good and they rotate brews rapidly - and the write updated to the beer menu on chalkboards.

We've eaten there a few times and the selection and quality is good. Once you try the "Crack Fries" you'll understand how they got their name. The staff is also good - we got to sit at the bar during one visit and had a great time chatting with the staff. The owners even stopped by (they had seen us at another bar earlier) and we compared notes on several brews. Overall a great time and a great place.

08-22-2011 03:02:53 | More by MarvinTheMarzen

fulcrum

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +1.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Clearly lots of people love this place and I am no exception. Been there three times. The last time I sat inside even though it was a beautiful summer night--the bar atmosphere is just that comfortable. Two of the three times our server was a terrific gal from New Zealand (Katie?) who knows her beer and is great at engaging with drinkers on their level to recommend a good choice--from expert to beginner. I really want to try the Founders brewpub but every time I'm in town I gravitate to HopCat. Can't miss.

06-20-2011 19:03:03 | More by fulcrum

monitorpop

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +1.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I just went to there first night "soft opening" and I hope this place doesn't change because I have a new favorite place in town.

BEER: WOW, 48 taps lined up down the bar is a sight to be seen! They had beers on tap that I have hard time finding in the bottle. It was very hard to pick a beer with so many favorites like Hennepin and 90min IPA on tap for the first time and tons more that I had never tried. The menu did a great job of describing the beers, I only wish they listed the BA ratings on the menu.

ATMOSPHERE: They spared no expense on this place, the detail on the custom woodwork and bar is amazing for a place this new. Most new places cut corners on the details, but here you can tell the owner took pride in everything. NO SMOKING in the main area, only in the loft. I didn't stink of smoke when I got home and I love it! I'm not sure what the crowd will be like when its open to the public, but this BA member only night had a nice mix of people.

FOOD: The food was actually the biggest surprise. I didn't expect the food to be very good on the opening night of a beer bar, but It was actually quite good. Some of the best casual dinning fare I've had in Grand Rapids.

MOUTH-FEEL: Nice light carbonation with a smooth finish....

01-11-2008 03:50:09 | More by monitorpop