HopCat

I’ve been here a bunch and there is just something about the place that just makes it very mediocre. Granted I really like the idea/​concept it’s just the execution to date that has been meh from the start.
Beer — the HUGE tap list is amazing, the menu for ordering is organized well most of the time. They typically have a beer to suit almost any beer lovers palette.
Ambiance — The shabby-​chic feel to the place goes with the rest of the vibe of any places in «The Square.»
Food — this is where things start to derail. The food can and has been pretty awful (especially the brunch) at times. There seems to be no consistency in the kitchen and they have certainly had enough time to iron out the kinks. The «Crank Fries» are not that great, the burgers I have had go either way… the last one was so underdone that I sent it back. I then waited 45 minutes to get another one (busy night) and it was the wrong burger. I didn’t eat it as I loathe some of the toppings that were on the replacement. Then when the check came there was TWO burgers on my bill. Both of which were obviously not consumed.
Service — it’s the pits. You’re in for a multi-​hour dining experience for bar food. No one seems to give a flying crap whether you’re happy with your meal or not either.
The place is busy all the time, which is typical for Lexington because it’s new. When something better comes along the way this place will slow way down, it always happens.

Love HopCat. Huge place, biggest craft beer selection in town, reasonable prices, and poutine — what more could you want! The hardest thing is trying to figure out which of the 100+ beers I want to drink, although they thankfully offer samples of most.
They have a number of massive burgers, Vladimir Poutine, upscale pizza rolls, sandwiches, excellent chili, and CRACK fries. These are fries that are sprinkled with crack I think, well at least that’s I think since they are addictive and they were voted to the Ten Best French Fries by Food Network.
The poutine is a must try if you aren’t familiar with the Canadian staple food, they are crack fries topped with potato & cheese pierogi, wisconsin cheddar cheese curds, stout caramelized onions & hickory smoked bacon smothered in sour cream gravy. Not entirely traditional recipe, but amazing all the same.
They have had a number of beer pairing events. I went to a Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium event that had a number of ice cream courses paired with NB beer for around $ 11. It was well worth the price of admission and the stomach ache afterwards!
We have had a couple of work events there and they have been much more fun than the previous places we went to as a group.
Glad we have this place in Lexington!

Why 4 stars? Because my burger was ridiculous.
— — —
They really should name the barnyard burger, the ridiculous burger. Check out what’s on it: Wisconsin Cheese Curds, hickory smoked bacon, ham & fried egg salad, and cheese sauce. Ridiculous, right?
So here’s the good thing: all of those items are awesome. I think the cheese curds especially were what sold me. The only bad thing is that four rights don’t necessarily make a right. That’s how the expression goes, no?
Putting these four really awesome things together, just kind of makes it all stew. It’s overwhelming to the point where you can’t even taste the individual delightfulness of each ingredient. It’s also a struggle to even physically eat the burger, but I’m a professional, and managed to do it.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a great burger. But I do think simplifying the burger would be a welcomed idea. And I never thought I’d say that. I’m a huge fan of gluttony. I love seeing crazy menu concoctions. But in this case, I tasted a very A-​D-​D burger. It was all over the place.
As for the rest of HopCat — it’s an amazing venue. First off, it’s huge! And it looks pretty darn historical with the brick walls and the wood floors and what not. As a Floridian, we don’t have much of that, so I’m always impressed by that look.
And my favorite part of HopCat? I’m pretty sure they have the best beer selection in all of Lexington. I’ll definitely be back!

On my first visit I was all «yeah, yeah, crack fries, sure, whatevs» but I figured I’d try them because, well, french fries. I was advised by our server to get a side of the cheese sauce to dip them in. That girl was not just whistlin’ Dixie. The combo of the tasty fries and that sauce created a whole that was so much tastier than the sum of the parts. The burgers were also tasty and they have some great deals on them at lunch. Of course the craft beer selection is huge, which is nice as it means that they actually have more than one lambic/​cider from which to choose for those of us who don’t like typical beers. I was seated right away when visiting for lunch but I had to wait almost an hour for a dinner table on a Friday night (to be fair, we were a larger party). While we were waiting we sent one in our party to the bar to get a couple of beers. Oddly the bartender insisted each of us come back to the bar to show our IDs (we were a group of mostly 30-​somethings+ so it was a little weird but they get a lot of underage folks perhaps?). The décor is what you’d expect and the place seems generally clean. The servers have been above average — fun and engaging. The old building façade is really interesting. Parking can be difficult. There is a little bit of street parking but the garage just down the street is probably your safer bet on the weekend.

The place is large with three separate dining areas. The BEST happy hour for burgers and beers in Lex. 20 local brews on tap for happy hour.
Large half circle round table tops with lots of seating or tall 4 – 6 person tops too.
The fries and the burger with fried jalapeños…don’t miss either.

The food and beer at HopCat is really good. They have a huge draft selection which is a major plus for me and so far I haven’t eaten anything bad at the restaurant. I don’t quite get what all the hype about crack fries is, but they’re decent fries. The Barnyard Burger, however, is something to get excited about. A burger with cheese curds and ham & fried egg salad on Texas toast? Gluttonous and amazing!
The only thing that hasn’t been great is service. They’re still relatively new, so I’ll chalk it up to growing pains. You can tell that the servers and bartenders are trying, but they’re simply overwhelmed. I wish that HopCat would overstaff while they’re figuring things out because no server should be put in a situation on a regular basis where they have too much to handle.
So visit and eat up, but be prepared to wait a bit if the place is crowded. The food is just that good that the place is always packed!

Good food and expansive beer menu. The atmosphere is fun and the décor has an urban feel. My party and I enjoyed the free samples of beer before settling on our first pint. We shared several appetizers and each was delicious.
I’ll definitely be back for more!

Great spot to watch «the game» whatever it might be.
Get the loaded crack fries. One of the best appetizers ever. Excellent beer selection, which is ever so important and popular right now.
Everything on the menu is delicious and well crafted. Very unique layout with the two stories and veranda that faces inside Victorian square. Really love what they’ve done with the place.
Go check it out, it’s easy to recommend

If you are looking for a place with a quirky but very different atmosphere than your normal sports bar, and a place with a nice size selection of craft beers and really good burgers, this is it. I tried the Bar Zee burger– it comes with a cheese sauce on that made it really tasty. Crack fries were Ok– I don’t see the rave about them but note that I did not load them up. Service was pretty good, and the waitress very knowledgeable of the place and beers they offered which helped. I would definitely come here again and bring more of my friends.

Hopefully one day I can change this review to five stars because I think HopCat has a lot of potential and that these kinds of places are great for Lexington, but as a fledgling chain, it has some pretty big flaws right now… namely, service.
Let’s start with the good though. The beer selection is ON POINT. With 100+ taps that include both regional and national breweries, I was super impressed by the bartenders’ knowledge and willingness to let us sample. I believe there are 20 that they always have, and then the other 80+ rotate throughout the year. As a Kentucky girl I have to suggest you get a local brew while in town, but if you’re a frequent visitor, might as well try them all!
Also very good was the food. Our table got a variety of entrees: two burgers, pizza rolls, mac n cheese, and crack fries, and no one was disappointed. We were all DYING over the mac n cheese served in its own skillet with plenty of mix-​in options (rumor has it it’s the #1 in Michigan) and the crack fries, which are very deserving of its name. The pizza rolls also got a big thumbs up and we agreed they are the perfect adult way to eat like a child.
The bad womp womp: I think because HopCat is new it’s still figuring out its flow, and our poor waiter was just way swamped and overwhelmed, which resulted in less-​than-​stellar service. We only got waters about ¾ of the way through the meal, and a bus boy had to take our drink orders. Our waiter also never stopped by to check on us until the very end of the meal. I felt bad for him because he explained at the beginning that he was very busy, but like, c’mon HopCat… either hire more staff or hire people who can handle stress a little better.
Like I said though, the food, beer selection, and sports-​bar-​ish atmosphere definitely make HopCat a worthwhile visit (and YAY for revitalizing The Square!), I just might give it a few weeks before my next visit so I don’t have to deal with that service again.

This was my first visit to Hopcat. I’d heard a lot of hype about their fries so while I was on a cheat day I figured let’s give it a try. I’d give this a 3.5 star if it was an option.
I ordered the Reuben sandwich and got my loaded crack fries with chili. I had heard that you needed to go all out. Now the chili was good but over heavy with cut up onions. The cheese sauce had a great flavor. However, I wish I had stuck with the plain crack fries it came with. Next time I will keep it simple. Adding all the other just wasn’t my cup of tea. The Reuben had potential to be great except a few things. The cheese sauce from the loaded fries soggied the bread so that was disappointing. The thousand island was almost non existent and half of the sandwich had none on it. The sauerkraut could have been a bit tangier and a little less of it on it. I did try the crack fries on my Husbands plate that were plain and they were delicious. They do have about 20 local crafts but we didn’t partake in those this time.
The ambience was cool. I loved the exposed brick walls. We were in the area to the left of the downstairs bar next to Broadway. The lights over the bar are made out of old liqueur bottles which was cool.

So I’ve been like…4 times now. Opening day, a night with friends and two times for lunch.
Good: Bar staff is awesome. Beer selection is huge and full of stuff you’ve never heard of. A great way to get to try lots of new beers. I’ve overall enjoyed the atmosphere and appreciate that the place is downtown. It also has lunch, so that’s another potential place to grab food when Im working.
Not so good: The food is decent, but nothing to really write home about. The crack fries are good, sure… but I mean, not that amazing. I’ve ordered two burgers and they’ve always come out over-​cooked. The supper club sandwich was decent, but I prefer sandwiches at other places.
I mean, I look at Hopcat as a place if I’m going out with friends, not looking to meet new people to have a few beers and just relax after dinner but before hitting the ‘bars,’ on Limestone. It’s got one niche that I really appreciate; beer selection. The thing is, I can go to several other places within walking distance that do better burgers, sandwiches or pizza and I still have a darn good beer selection.
I see myself coming here for lunch or for beer, and beer only. Which is entirely not a bad thing!

I am pretty sure this is my new favorite restaurant. I want to gush about the Crack fries. Seriously, these things are so amazing and addictive. I can not rave about the fries enough. Seasoned with salt and pepper and something else I can only conclude is crack.
I ordered the poutine. This is not the traditional Canadian poutine. This had fried perogies, onions, cheese curds, bacon and gravy on top of the Crack fries. This might have been a life changing experience for me. This was delicious. This and 3 mini snifters were my lunch.
The husband had the BLT sandwich. It was tasty from the bite he left me have. The bread was nicely toasted with a blue cheese mayo, bacon, tomatoes and lettuce. It must have been pretty good since he only let me steal one bite.
And then there is the beer selection. This places has some amazing beers on tap. I wanted to try like 12, but I settled with 3 mini glasses– it was lunch time on a Tuesday.
I cannot wait for my next visit. I want to try the loaded crack fries and a burger.

I am giving five stars and not one less! Whatttttt! This place is such a nice welcome to Lexington! Cool vibe, cool décor, good music,
Our waiter Spencer was awesome, and the food was so good!!! The loaded crack fries were unbelievable and duuhhhh no wonder they are the talk of the town! We got the chili added and I normally would not get the chili but I will say it was so good! After eating them however I was pretty full so I did get an appetizer as my main dish and still was not able to finish it. Not that my husband had a problem eating a patty melt. I took a nibble of his and it was really tasty! The patty was cooked to perfection! Looking at other food that came out, if all looked delicious. The burgers are huge and they have great flavor combinations! I noticed on the way to bathroom the indoor/​outdoor veranda seating available. Very cool! Great place to bring some peeps for great local beer, delicious food, and our server was awesome! Spencer was great directing us around the beer menu! I like when your waiter is not a dud and interacts and can help with all the options especially with local brews! We will fo sho be back!

I love fries! Yeah, their crack fries are amazing. The first time that we ordered the loaded crack fries, during opening weekend, they were cold and the toppings were a bit much… again, keep in mind that they were cold, so maybe that was the reason that I didn’t like them. I gave them another try the last time. That time, I just ordered the regular order of crack fries. They were perfect temperature, lightly battered, perfectly seasoned. I loved the cheesy dipping sauce that came with it, there was no need for ranch. That says a lot, because I love ranch. I will say this, the crack fries come out quickly, but the entrees were a bit slow coming out, both times.
The Angry Bird chicken sandwich was enough to write home about, but I love blue cheese. If you don’t like blue cheese, just ask for it without it. The buffalo like sauce that comes on it is great. The pickle nuggets were a nice touch… the next time, I’ll ask for extra pickles.
The décor is a bit odd. The seats are red and one of the brick walls is gratified by purple, blue, pink and white colored paints. I guess the color mix is the hip thing though. The next time that I go, I want to sit out in the seating that overlooks The Square. The downstairs bar is busy, but there is an upstairs bar that opens at 4:30, that one has been less crowded, both times that I’ve been.
Happy hour is Monday-​Thursday 2 – 6 p.m., which includes half off burgers, $ 3 Local 30 pints, wells and wines. There is also a late night happy hour Monday-​Wednesday 10-​close, that includes $ 3 Local 20 Pints, Wines & Wells. On Mondays from 6−10pm, the wings are half off and thy offer 30 different local beers for $ 3 per pints. The growler fills are $ 12, but those are only offered with 20 different beers to choose from, everyday.

HopCat is the hot new place in town! All the cool kids are talking about it.
This bar/​restaurant has a hip and modern ambiance to it. Lots of large flat screens and colorful chalk art on the wall. The venue is so spacious that it can accommodate many large parties. My friends and I were seated at a booth with red leather couches. The place can get a bit noisy but we were able hold a conversation without screaming into each other’s ears. I wouldn’t come here for a date but it’s prefect to enjoy a night with friends.
The food is better quality of what you expect of typical bar food — a selection of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads etc. The star dish on the menu is the CRACK FRIES. Named «America’s 10 best French fries» by the Food Network Magazine, it certainly did not disappoint. My friends and I went to the next level and got the LOADED CRACK FRIES — topped with cherry smoked bacon, onions, pickled jalapeño and a cheese sauce. The more toppings the better right?! HMMMHMMM… ADDICTIVE is the word that comes to mind. We couldn’t stop eating it! We scrapped the bottom of the basket of both orders of the fries.
For entrée I ordered a Patty Melt burger, which turned out to be more like a sandwich. There was a generous amount of meat. I could barely taste the Thousand Island dressing. A bit more of it would have enhanced the flavor. The burger came with even more fries — the portion size was huge that I had the leftover for a second meal.
Besides the crack fries, HopCat’s got a über impressive selection of beers on tap and craft beers from local breweries like West Sixth. You’re bound to find something you like. I’m not a beer person but I was happy with my drink.
Our waitress was cool and attentive. She offered suggestions tailored towards each of our taste buds. She took good care of us, and in return we tipped generously.
Next time I might come here just for the beer and fries. Check this place out! You won’t regret it.

I will preface my review by noting that HopCat specializes in beer — and I don’t drink beer. So I went for the food. There was probably 18 – 20 people seated at the large bar. Apparently the bar business is good. I liked the overall décor. If you enter from inside The Square you have to wind your way through the restaurant to find the hostess station which is by the Short Street entrance and somewhat hidden — only to be seated back where you first entered.
I started with their «voted best» wings, described as jumbo. If they in fact were voted best, I am curious as to who was voting. Eight wings were priced at $ 10. They were nowhere near «jumbo.» They were average at best. Nothing special. The celery included consisted of approximately two pieces measuring about 1.5″ each. In my opinion the wings were not worth $ 10. I noticed on the menu that during «Wings and Pints Monday,» they are 50% off. At $ 5, they would have been priced about right.
For my entrée I ordered the «Madtown Grilled Cheese.» (See photo.) A trio of Wisconsin dill havarti, smoked Gouda and Muenster on grilled Italian sourdough bread with ham, apple slices, garlic aioli and honey – served with a cup of apple-​tomato soup topped with ipa-​blue cheese crumbles. (+Add Cherry Smoked Bacon for $ 2 more.)
The sandwich is served with «Crack Fries.» According to the HopCat website, Food Network Magazine named HopCat’s Crack Fries among America’s 10 Best French Fries in its July-​Auggust issue.
If Food Network was so smitten with HopCat’s fries, they would LOVE Rally’s french fries. They were remarkably similar in taste but I would actually have to give the nod to Rally’s fries over HopCat’s. Basically, it’s french fries with a seasoning salt. They tasted slight «old.» Perhaps they were prepared earlier in the day. They weren’t disappointing, they were simply average as opposed to being marketed as «addictive.»
The grilled cheese was MASSIVE. I could only eat one half. The portion of fries was also very generous. The tomato soup was not bad but the apple component gave it an odd flavor. Not bad, just odd. The service was attentive and the manager (?) stopped by twice, once to apologize that the kitchen left the bacon off the sandwich.
Street parking availability is hit or miss downtown, especially where The Square is concerned as they block off parking spaces for Valet service ($ 8) in front of the building and the City recently eliminated other nearby parking spaces on Short Street, replacing them with flower pots. (Certainly not the way to lure people downtown.) You can park nearby in the parking garage but I refuse to pay for parking to patronize any business.
I would definitely try HopCat again if there’s parking available nearby but would not order the wings again.

My sister and I went to Hopcat for a post UK-​game dinner since it is conveniently located near Rupp Arena.
While we were waiting for our table, we went to the upstairs bar for a beer. A lot of people had come to Hopcat to watch the game, which made the space a little chaotic, but we still had great service from the bartender.
One thing that was mildly frustrating while we were waiting half an hour for a table was that there seemed to be plenty of tables open, but no one was being seated.
For dinner I ordered the vegetarian chili and my sister had the BLT with fries (I ended up eating half because they are THAT good). The chili was great, but there a lot of other menu options I’d like to try (one server recommended the «kitchen sink») so I will be back!

We got lucky and happened by the HopCat on the VIP night before the grand opening. Just driving by on North Broadway, you can see the sign on Short Street. Even the sign is interesting. The restaurant is at least two stories and extends into «The Square» market. To say the least, it is visually interesting place. We ate on the first floor near the bar. The front of the restaurant towards Short Street has a sliding windows so it can be left open on nice cool days. The cracked fries with cheese, bacon and jalapeño was outstanding. The classic burger was tasty. Like any craft beer places, their selection of beers was great with a good selection of the local breweries.

This is going to be the hottest place in Lexington. You heard it here first! Great menu, great local beers, great location. Park in the parking deck, enter on Short Street. Take a Growler of your favorite beer home with you. I don’t know who the owners are, but props to them. I had the Mac & Cheese with Barbeque Pork, and it was awesome. Portions are nice sized. I also had the Crack Fries, loaded. They were really great, a different kind of fries. I am going to try the Vladimir Poutines crack fries next time. Lots of seating, sports TV, largest collection of craft beers on tap! I highly recommend you check them out. I will definitely be going back again.