Atmosphere & Service
We arrived around 2pm on a clear Sunday afternoon so the crowd was extremely light. This was the first time visiting this restaurant since it changed names, however the burger and boozy milkshake concept is familiar. You enter through a set of double doors and step in to an open concept dining/kitchen area which no separations or partition. We decided to sit at the bar located next to the entrance. Depending on where you chose to sit, you have a great view of the street and modern black/red patio.
The high polished natural wood interior with black accents provided a clean, modern feel. Light pendants hanging from the ceiling appear to be a metal fenced wrapped around a lightbulb which accentuated the modern esthetic. Aside from the food runner, the bartender, BH, was the only employee we came in contact with and he provided for a pleasant experience as he was extremely attentive and greeted everyone that came in through the front door.
Food & Value
We started by ordering two beers off the draft menu, Athena by Creature Comfort and Allagash White Ale. Both light and refreshing, served in two, large and heavy almost margarita style goblets which was fun. After enjoying half the beer and people watching, we decided on The Classic Burger with cheddar and a side of “sharable” parmesan truffle fries. Fries arrived first in a large metal bowl with a side of parmesan truffle aioli.. To my disappointment, the cheese did not appear to be freshly grated but rather from a Kraft container. Fries however were hot and crispy and once tossed in the sauce, turned out to be appetizing.
The burger came out shortly after. Since we were not asked to specify the temperature of the burger, it came out medium-well to well done. The burger itself was hot, meat tasted fresh but very little flavor. We ended up ordering a side of tomato bacon jam which made all the difference. The jam provided a smoky bacon flavor and was the only reason we enjoyed the burger to be honest.
Overall Experience
If you are looking for excellent bar seating where you can kick back with a beverage and crowd watching, this location is ideal as it provides clean, chic decor and friendly staff to enjoy your visit. If you are looking to overspend on a basic burger and beer, then you are ALSO in luck. The bill came out to $35 before tip. That equates to roughly $20 per person which seams steep considering we are splitting a basic cheeseburger and fries. Overall, Hopbdaddy would not be my first choice when it comes to burgers and I can’t say that I will visit again on purpose. The value does not appear to be there as there are better options in the area.
