HopCat — Restaurant in East Lansing

Downtown pub (Lansing) with upscale food: My fiancee and I were there to celebrate some good news. This was our first visit to HopCat and I'm sure we'll be back. They had a nice list of shareables to start, but we chose to order the grilled cheese with soup and fries for an appetizer and was pleasantly surprised when our waiter, Ryan.. (a very clean cut friendly fellow) brought us the grilled cheese already split onto two plates with the roasted pepper soup and fries split up as well. The grilled cheese was amazing and you could taste the difference between the smoked gouda and the Havarti dill. It came with a few thin slices of apples that gave it that nice crunch and sweet flavor the complemented the blended cheeses. The roasted pepper soup tasted exactly like that, roasted pepper, and it was a very smooth and creamy. I usually enjoy fries with my ketchup... In this case, the fries were definitely a hit on their own and, with the seasoning, no condiment was needed. After the grilled cheese and soup "appetizer" we ordered a blu cheese burger and mac and cheese with bacon, also to be shared. The blue cheese crumbles could be tasted with every bite and the burger was done very nicely. The mac and cheese was also very tasty. Although we were already feeling quite satisfied, we chose the Reese's pie for a dessert and with the chocolate and caramel drizzle it was pretty incredible. The place was very clean, well kept, seating was much more comfortable than most places, and the decor was very fitting. As with most downtown establishments, parking could be an issue. There is a convenient parking ramp at the back of the building and we used it... And it was well worth it as it was a snowy day and only cost three bucks for the time that we were there. If I could give this place more than five...

I recently dined at HopCat and had the pleasure of trying their Vegan Beyond Burger and Viva La Vegan Tacos. Let me just say, this place truly exceeded my expectations when it comes to vegan cuisine!

The Vegan Beyond Burger was an absolute delight. The patty was incredibly flavorful and had a satisfying texture. But what truly elevated this burger was the vegan jalapeño aioli. Its creamy and tangy combination perfectly complemented the burger, adding a delicious kick that took it to a whole new level. This burger easily ranks among the best I’ve ever had!

Moving on to the Viva La Vegan Tacos, they were a true culinary masterpiece. Packed with vibrant flavors and a perfect blend of spices, these tacos were a feast for the senses. The slight heat from the ingredients added just the right amount of kick, enhancing the overall experience without overwhelming the palate. Each bite was a burst of deliciousness, leaving me wanting more.

However, I must mention that the service fell short of my expectations. While the staff members were friendly, there were some delays in getting our orders taken and receiving the food. It slightly dampened an otherwise outstanding dining experience.

Despite the service hiccups, if you’re a vegan or simply appreciate outstanding plant-based cuisine, I still recommend giving them a try. The Vegan Beyond Burger and Viva La Vegan Tacos alone are worth a visit. This place deserves commendation for their dedication to flavor and quality. I hope they can improve their service to match the excellence...

Food is pretty good, though a little overpriced. But my real complaint is with their management's unwillingness to be helpful or reasonable.

I went in for the $5 off burger special at 5:40, and the deal goes until 6. I was told that it would be 10 minutes for a table, but not wanting to push my luck on time, I was told by the hostess that we could sit at the bar instead and still receive full service. Great, we took the offer and sat at the bar. After waiting a while, the bartender comes over and asks for our IDs. Well my friend wasn't 21, so he says that we're not allowed to sit at the bar and must grab a table. That's fine, though it would've been nice to know. So we go back to get a table, and are told it's going to be 20 minutes now, which was past 6, but since we were here already they'd give us the burger special regardless. Great.

So we wait. Sure enough, we get seated by 6:05, and inform the waitress of the special that we were promised. She said she just had to check with the manager, but it should be fine. Manager comes over and says "Sorry guys, deal ends at 6, and I can't do anything for you." I expressed our situation and that we'd been waiting a half hour, specifically because we'd been promised the food special. He tells us "I don't know what they told you but the deal ends at 6 and it's after 6 now, sorry."

So we told him to give our table to someone else and we left. I can't imagine recommending this place when the management is so...