Hops at 84 East — Restaurant in Holland

Holland is a pretty hip town these days with lots of good food and new shops, all sitting in a downtown that still retains its old town beach-side charm. That atmosphere coupled with an injection of interest from new investors makes standing out pretty difficult.

Hops 84 still manages, though, by sheer force of quality. The food is outstanding, boasting a head chef who clearly knows what they're doing and a bar with killer service and selection. The prices are good, but also varied, meaning there is something for all price ranges here unless you're completely destitute. They have great options on tap, their environment stands on the line between industrial and modern and they keep a great variety of screens going with different sports and channels playing. Add in local live music, daytime music Volume that's not so loud you have to shout over it and a service staff that has always made me feel comfortable and cared for and you have a recipe for a true local hot spot.

I last went to the place with my parents for my birthday. My dad, who is an absolutely awesome guy, can sometimes be a bit difficult in service situations. Our waitress was patient, responsive and kind all while giving me the occasional glance to say "yeah I get it, don't worry about it." She was also extremely helpful, answering my questions about the wagyu beef and kimchi sourcing without making me feel like I was bugging her.

Honestly, this place always makes me wish I lived closer when I stop in. The cast and crew at Hops 84 should all be proud of what they've made there. It's a dining experience I'll always look forward to when...

I walked into Hops on 84 East with one goal: steak. A big, juicy, glorious steak. But then their fancy little tablet menu caught my eye. One innocent tap later, and there it was—the Trumpet Burger—staring back at me like it knew it was about to change my life. Suddenly, steak was a distant memory. I couldn’t get too attached to the burger because I first had to devour the appetizers

My friend and I came in hungry and reckless, which is why we ordered both pretzels with beer cheese and cheese curds. The pretzels? Warm, soft, and practically begging to be drowned in that velvety, tangy beer cheese. The cheese curds were fried to golden perfection—crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside—and so addictive. And the ranch? A classic buttermilk beauty—light, tangy, and runny enough to let you know it wasn’t pretending to be fancy.

The burger came. Every bite deserves a standing ovation. This burger? Unreal. A perfectly cooked medium patty, topped with smoky, pepper-crusted bacon, rich cheddar cheese, and sautéed mushrooms that made me feel vaguely healthy (I was not). Add in Michigan State’s Sweet 16 game playing in the background, and I was living my best life.

The service? Spot-on—attentive without hovering. My drink was never empty, and not once did they judge me for treating the cheese curds like an emotional support snack. By the time I left, I was full, happy, and pretty sure my bloodstream was 40% cheese. Would I come back? Of course. I’d consider moving to Holland just to explore this...

Okay, first of all, yum. It is rated good and busy for a reason. There are many “new american” style restaurants to choose from but we chose this one while in Holland. We wanted to go somewhere a little more upscale and something we’ve never tried before. There was a wait when we got there but that’s okay! Three shops down the block is an awesome bar that has cider on tap. We enjoyed green apple cider and played some pinball while waiting for our table. Then we got the text that the table was ready! So we walked back and got seated in a nice spot tucked away from most people. It felt really romantic in there because it’s dim lighting. (I do prefer this for dinner, who wants to eat in bright lights?) for an appetizer we ordered the pretzels with beer cheese and mustard, delicious. For dinner my boyfriend had fish fry and I had dill pickle pizza. Coming from Wisconsin we love fish fry and have it almost every Friday. Now, we had fish fry at another overpriced restaurant in Holland the night before and it was awful! The fish fry here was better, not perfect but better. 3/5 we would say. The batter does not have enough beer in it which causes it to be thicker and not as tasty. My dill pickle pizza was awesome, it had bacon on it as a bonus. The cider choice was good, expected more options though. My favorite was the pink lemonade cider, so good. We would...