Very friendly bartenders and a relaxed atmosphere. We had the loaded fries and chicken wings and were very happy with both. They have an interesting sauce they put on their fries thats really good! read more

We visited HopCat as a walk-in on a busy evening around 5:30, and the wait time was a bit over an hour, which was totally understandable with several events happening downtown. Luckily, I was able to snag a reservation for 6:45, so we found a few things to do nearby while we waited. Once we returned, we were seated upstairs, which I actually prefer. It's noticeably less crowded and quieter than the main floor, making for a more relaxed experience. The menu offers a great variety, and their draft list is especially impressive for beer lovers. This time, I ordered one of their meal deals with mac and cheese, along with pretzels and beer cheese. Portion-wise, it did feel a bit small, but for the price of the deal, it made sense. That said, the flavor was a bit underwhelming. The mac and cheese and beer cheese dip both lacked that rich, cheesy taste I was expecting. The mac and cheese also had quite a bit of topping/breading, and the sauce was fairly loose, almost soupy in consistency. Since this was my first time ordering it, I'm not sure if that's typical. Overall, it's still a great downtown spot that offers something for everyone. The service was prompt and helpful, which definitely added to the experience. read more

Cosmik Fries (5/5): This is the reason you go to Hopcat. The fries this time around weren't as good as I've had before, but I still love the seasoning and the cheese dip. Cowboy Burger (3/5): Not nearly as good as a remembered. The patty and the bun were both pretty dry. There also wasn't enough sauce and there was zero spice. RATING SYSTEM 5 - Great (Need to get this again) 4 - Good (Would get this again) 3 - Ok (Might give this another shot) 2 - Not Good (Won't get this again) 1 - Bad (Telling people to avoid this) read more

HopCat - Cowboy Burger (3/5) - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

You get strong Chili's vibes from the menu at first but the service, ambiance, and beer selection saved the day. I shared a French dip laden with batter fried onions and a tasty aju. My son's Nashville chicken sandwich was huge. We had the brussel and curd starters with great success. This is for sure sometimes to whoa good but delicious and plentiful. read more

The Nashville hot chicken sandwich is always great. Service is friendly and quick. This is the perfect spot to grab a bite before a game or a night out. They also do brunch now, the Bloody Mary bar is a fun option. read more

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My friend suggested we stop into this place after we took a tour of downtown Grand Rapids. She had been here years before and really liked it. When we walked in, I was impressed with the entire place. It has a very cool vibe. We decided to sit at the bar and order some beers on tap. We had an amazing young lady as our bartender. She greeted us warmly, provided menus and asked if we would like to try a sample from the beer menu. This menu is quite extensive, and I asked if she had a pilsner that she could recommend. I tasted two different beers and went with the delicious draft Paulaner Pilsner. My friend selected the Founders on Cloud Lime draft after her taste test. We then ordered the Space Curds (fried white cheddar cheese with an excellent sauce) to enjoy along with our drafts. This is a great place to stop in for happy hour or to just enjoy a relaxing drink and appetizer. The place is nicely decorated inside with both booth and table seating. Give this place a try if you are wandering the downtown area. read more

I've heard a bit of commotion for HopCat and finally got the chance to try it out. First off restaurant is so cool! Art and decor fill the walls and even the ceiling. There is so much to look yet the decor all just melds creating a great atmosphere. As for the food, I was unimpressed. The food was average yet the prices were above average. My table got the Turkey Pesto Grilled Cheese, Super Club Wrap, and Ancho Chicken Bowl. They weren't super flavorful, a bit dry. Honestly, the fries were the best part. read more

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Now this review is strictly because of the service! I wouldn't say they were slammed but they were steady. But also had 3 bartenders for a small bar. I sat at the bar had 2 friends join me. It was a struggle to order drinks. They didn't ask if you wanted another you had to flag them down for everything. And they were definitely more attentive to the ones that were coming off the street than the ppl sitting at the bar. Ordered food, it did take a bit. And it was definitely sitting in the back for a bit as the food was cold. But cold and all the food was good. I would go again. Food was good and it's super close to Van Andel arena. read more

HopCat - Madtown Grilled Cheese (VT) - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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We've I've been so bummed since the HopCat in Broad Ripple, IN closed, so stopping by while visiting Grand Rapids was a must! The drink recommendations were spot on, and our server went above and beyond--she even gave us some awesome suggestions for bar hopping in the area. Everything was perfect, from the cocktails to the sampler appetizer we shared. Our server was amazing--super chill, helpful, and even wrote down her recs for us. Thank you for making our HopCat comeback such a great experience! read more

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We went in as a party of about 20. The food was great, the drinks were good. The service was spectacular. It's hard to stay on top of a table that large we're the one server, but she did a fantastic job. It's a nice vibe with a decent menu. I had lobster mac & cheese that was absolutely delicious. read more

HopCat - Lobster Mac - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

HopCat is mid-pack for me. Not fantastic, but certainly not a dud. Went there for lunch at 1pm on a weekday. The place was sparsely populated with patrons....I'd say about 6 tables were occupied with one or more diners. Our server was nice, but thought the whole operation was rather inefficient. There were two servers, one I guess doubled as a bar tender. Probably over 100 beers on tap, if that's your thing. Took longer than usual for our food to arrive considering how uncrowded the place was. The server didn't bring out our food, but someone from the kitchen did. Food was good, price for two sandwich baskets was in the $35 range. read more

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Great drinks and food was amazing. Our server was timely and the atmosphere was very retro hippie vibes.

Food took a while to come out tonight, the server was great! Nice 90s music and chill vibes on a Saturday! They let us stay until 12:15. Would get the wrap again and the strawberry basil marg maybe not the sampler. But great value for money and good time with friends. read more

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Could of had more steak on the hoagie. Left 3 stars because the service was very good and attentive or else I would have left 1 or two stars. The presentation was well done. Probably dirty kitchen hands, old meat, or the cheese sauce for the fries had something in it because I had to make a b-line for the bathroom which is rare when I go out to eat. Love the old downtown feel of the restaurant/bar. read more

HopCat - Kids Mac and fries w/ apple wedges, cheese steak sandwich with fries and cheese sauce and bacon cheeseburger w/ fries. - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Allison was amazing. We had a large group and she was amazing. Food was excellent. We will be back! Chloe called Allison in to work early to take care of our group. Thanks for the great service! read more

HopCat - Hot beverage - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

When we first moved to Grand Rapids, locals told us we had to try HopCat, especially for the Cosmic/Crack fries! We're happy to report they are as good as described (the lobster Mac & Cheese was pretty great too). This location is usually pretty busy, but our food came out within a decent amount of time. It's a popular spot, so it's expected to have to wait to find a seat, but it's definitely a Grand Rapids staple! read more

Pulling for you Hopcat. Always been a staple and a "go to" for me but the last couple trips been a little underwhelming for the food aspect. Let me start with the service though, great young gal that was super friendly and kind to myself and a friend I was catching up with. I ordered the mac and cheese with a protein and it was alright. But I get max and cheese at alot of places and this was at best middle of the road, just needed more of the creamy sauce instead of the cheap shredded add on. Also the portion size was small for the price. No drinking for this trip but they usually have a nice selection... I'm sure I'll be back at some point but there's lots of exciting options downtown so I hope they'll get the quality/value back up to what I remember. Kudos though again to our server I wish I would have gotten her name! read more

HopCat - Buffalo Mac & Cheese - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Amazing atmosphere and fun staff! Great burgers and drinks! Will definitely visit again!! read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Went in for lunch before our concert and got seated quickly. Super helpful waitress getting kids special Christmas drinks for the season. All of our food was really good and the fries too. We had plenty to eat for sure. They are always accommodating and friendly service. read more

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The wait was about 45 minutes but they were able to get us at a table after 20! The staff were great! Our waitress Bella was AMAZING! She had a great energy and even recommended us the hot honey chicken sandwich which turned out to be delicious!! The atmosphere in there was great also! read more

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Food is decent but the bar staff is kind of rude and tend to ignore you for the regulars. The Woods Lounge has a much nicer staff and atmosphere for anyone looking for somewhere else to go. read more

Get on the waitlist before you arrive here our wait was shorter than expected (told 50min, probably waited about a 1/2 hour) I ordered the burger (which came with their special fries) and it hit the spot. Only thing I wished was that it could've been rare - BUT I know that's basically impossible with 2 thin double patties. The bun was great (wasn't crumbly but was squishy enough you could fit a bite in your mouth. Don't get me started in the fries I kept trying to figure out all the ingredients in the mix they put on, because it's definitely one you want to try and replicate at home. My friend ordered the fish and chips and had no complaints there either. Given how busy they were, we didn't wait overly long for the food to come out. Our server was great; she checked in on us just the right amount and was friendly. The desserts - usually we'll split something...but we couldn't agree on 1 My friend got the crème brûlée cheesecake, and said it was very sweet. I got the Reese's chocolate pie (more like mouse/flourless chocolate cake texture) and holy heck was it good! Very rich, but that pb/chocolate combo was spot on. We went to the downtown GR location and I really liked it. There's a decent number of tv's playing games etc but not to an overstimulating point. The playlist they had going was great. And you should take the time to check out the art on the walls... read more

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Can't speak for the food but the beer and cocktail I got were great. The staff were super friendly and helpful in recommending what to get. I liked the vibe and it seemed like a decent place to grab a drink read more

This is by far my favorite location due to it being downtown, but also the vibes inside! I love the bar and the beautiful ceilings. There's always cool art in there as well. In terms of food, it's always solid. The menu (I'm pretty sure) is the same or mostly the same as the other locations. The service is always wonderful as well. Due to its location, though, parking can be difficult as it's all just downtown street or ramp parking. But Hopcat is always a great place to go for a good dinner, snacks or drinks! read more

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Stopped in here for lunch before an event at the arena next door on a Saturday afternoon. Seemed to be understaffed with many open tables and a 30+ minute wait. We looked at the menu when we were waiting for a table to save time and ensure we made our event and placed our orders as soon as we were sat. It still took 40+ minutes to get our food and things were forgotten. The portions were small especially for the price and I was left disappointed after hearing so many great things about this restaurant and specifically this location. read more

Food: good Atmosphere: hipster Service: hot & cold Tornado drill : amazing We were herded to their basement as tornado arms went off due to 95 mph winds Outside. Not kidding read more

Great food great service. Food was immaculate and service was awesome. Alison W is the best waitress I've had here. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

The fried mozzerella is fantastic. Great food and service. Cute atmosphere. Staff very friendly and helpful.

Doordash'd some HopCat and enjoyed a great bedtime snack. The driver sent a text when he arrived at the front door. Enjoyed every bite. read more

HopCat - Small cheeseburger and fries with apples. - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Eclectic spot w/ good food & drinks in Grand Rapids! My husband and I came here for dinner while visiting the area. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather, though the interior is also super cool and worth sitting in to enjoy! Our waitress was super quick and friendly. She served us immediately, getting us drinks - I got the Heyy Margarajito which was really refreshing, and my husband got a beer. For food, my husband got the Chicken Melt sandwich (delish!) and I got the Crunchy Buddha Bowl (yum!). Overall good experience at HopCat! read more

HopCat - Crunchy Buddha Bowl - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Very disappointed - ordered curbside today and they never contacted us and left our food up front. It sat over 10 mins until my husband called It was cold and disappointing !!!! read more

The food was wonderful the service was top notch our waiter was attentive funny and chill. I truly loved the atmosphere . I found it clever almost like an old German Bier Haus . The was a slight incident there where a patron passed out and the staff immediately jumped into action and took care of the person I found them admirable. read more

Chill vibes Beers Fries Cheese! Burgers Sauces Did I mention fries? Cheese! Friendly service The above are the main reasons to go here. It's yummy, albeit not the healthiest, food that you can stuff yourself with. Big portions. Their Mac and cheese was good, their cheese curds were great, their fries with the beer dippy dip were awesome. Nice folks. read more

Absolute garbage. I was actually really excited to try this place, but the Nashville hot chicken sandwich is what happens when people that dont know what they're doing try making fried chicken. It was a brick of carbon with no flavor, no sauce, completely disgusting. There's no pride in the work here. The managers didn't seem to care. read more

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Subjective: Nostalgia (and a craving for crack fries, which have been rebranded?) and proximity brought us back to HopCat wondering if things were as we remembered. Unfortunately, the rose colored glasses broke and we left feeling disappointed. Service was slow and scattered, though we did appreciate the host that remembered to give us a booster seat (which wasn't available until about halfway through our stay). Both our burger patties were dry and the fries, while a good texture, tasted over seasoned. Objective: Date of visit: 1/28/23 Previous visits: Yes, long ago Takes reservations/call aheads? yes Parking: street or garage Perceived capacity: medium Perceived atmosphere: casual Wait time to seating: less than 5 min What I/we got: BYO burger, kid's mac and cheese meal, Bar Zee burger cost: $35.79 Assessment: 3 stars- previously a Grand Rapids favorite and now a Michigan wide force, I was cheering for HopCat but left feeling disappointed in terms of a food experience. Plan: Would return if circumstances led to it, but it wouldn't be my first choice given there's plenty of places to eat downtown. Perhaps the next time we get to go out for a beer we'll give it another shot. read more

HopCat - BYO burger - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I have not been to HopCat in several years. I should not wait so long to come back again! I had a Strawberry Basil Meowgarita and the boneless wings with Cosmik Fries. My drink was very tasty and packed a good punch. The food was delicious! Our server was attentive, especially considering we were there with a large party. We were up in the loft, and it was a little noisy but still had a nice atmosphere. Like many restaurants downtown they don't have private parking, but there are many meters and paid lots nearby. Great local business! read more

HopCat - The Boneless Wings with Side Cosmik Fries - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Back at it. Love this place. Chris our waiter was the best! He was able to give me the secret fast pass to the rollercoaster!! read more

HopCat - BEER, JUST MANICURED, and FUN - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Truffle fries were phenomenal. Huge beer list to choose from. Various food options as well. Staff was very friendly. read more

HopCat - Bar area - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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I really wanted to try this place bc of all the great reviews but to be honest, I left with a different feeling! The service was sub par, at check in they seemed disorganized with to go orders and seating people. The restaurant was busy but not overly packed. Our server wasn't anything to brag about and forgot our drink! The atmosphere was spot on for a bar scene. What did we order: -Nashville chicken Sandwhich (very spicy, we like spicy but this was very spicy) - Fish & Chips (great, relish based tarter sauce) - Light beer (good) - the fries were what everyone was raving about, they were good French fries but didn't understand the hype. I would try elsewhere next time read more

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We enjoyed a very nice dinner at Hopcat. It was a Friday night and the Griffins were playing at the Van Andel so it was very busy. Luckily we had a reservation through OpenTable. We were seated as soon as we arrived. I had the dirty Shirley drink and I didn't care for it as much. It was good, but nothing over the top. For an appetizer we had the elote queso dip. It was outstanding. For my main entree I had the Buffalo Mac and cheese, which was also incredible. I really liked the big noodles. The sauce was so creamy and thick. Of course I had to have some cosmik French fries while we were there too. Those never disappoint and were rated the top 10 best French fries in the USA! They really are that good. My boyfriend had the hangover helper burger and ate it all so fast I didn't get a picture in time. Our waitress was very kind and attentive to our party of 6. She was patient and timely. The restaurant has nice bathrooms and their drink menu is extensive. You do have to pay for parking in the city of GR. We parked at the parking garage attached the the van andel and that was a quick walk to Hopcat. Overall we had a pleasant visit and will be back! read more

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