It’s not every day one gets to go to the grand opening of the new location of a popular restaurant. However, if there is any day one should be grateful for such a thing, it should be the day one goes to the Hopdoddy Burger Bar.
As someone who is not exactly the biggest burger fan, or at least someone who is very picky about beef as a whole, I was quite worried about trying Hopdoddy. Along with the fact that I had been a pescetarian for six months and had not had anything beef for a while, I was quite curious to see if my first burger in months would be one that would make me happy to be back with the great cow meat. Ultimately, I was not disappointed.
Hopdoddy’s new location on Bay Area Blvd. in the Clear Lake area may be the best new eating spot for Hawks to check. With well-done burgers and good service, Hopdoddy offers wonderful burgers and even some additional impressive meals.
After examining the menu, I found it to be diverse in its offering of burgers, sandwiches and more. In an age where many are trying all sorts of diets and exploring new ways to live a healthy lifestyle, Hopdoddy provides a vast amount of options beyond just the classic cheeseburger.
Doddy also sports more than the usual side of french fries, providing salads and even sweet potato fries, something that has become more popular in recent years among certain health circles. Nevertheless, some may find the regular fries to be a bit too salty, as the fries are served in a bowl with some parts being covered in rather excessive amounts of salt.
Deciding not to go with anything too extreme, I ordered the ‘Classic Burger’ with Angus beef, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles. Oh, and don’t forget the cheese and side of the regular french fries. All of this certainly sounds good on paper, but as someone very selective about their burgers, I kept my expectations low, worrying about whether the burger would be cooked well, have too much fat, have the right texture and an array of other factors that have caused my rough relationship with mother cow’s meat.
While waiting for my order, I was tried what turned out to be a wonderful appetizer of chili cheese fries. Hopdoddy has some of the best chili cheese fries in recent memory, and this may have actually been my first time trying such a thing. It certainly was not a disappointing first time.
Enjoying the fries while waiting for the main course provided the perfect time to sit and observe the newly opened eating facility. Like most restaurants of its kind, Doddy plays the usual obscure but sometimes popular music one hears when eating out.
The restaurant sports some wonderful booth seats and tables, with both being elevated to the level of their bar. While one might have a problem with this, there are platforms underneath the table that allow customers to place their feet on if they would rather not let their feet hang.
Finally, upon the burger arriving, my reunification with beef happened, and it ended up being one that I could not wait to happen again. The burger was perfectly well done with the right amount of everything. Coupled with the wonderful classic french fries, I found this to be a meal I wanted a second helping of.
After finishing my meal, I treated myself to a wonderful dessert in the form of Hopdoddy’s chocolate milkshake. As I sipped from the grand sized straw the drink comes with, I found myself wishing I could have more Hopdoddy chocolate milkshakes in my life.
While Hopdoddy is definitely a great burger bar with wonderful fries, drinks and milkshakes, anything else seems to come second fiddle to those things. To be more specific, the chicken sandwich called the “Thunderbird” certainly did not compare to the burgers, even bordering on the line of mediocre. Doddy’s tuna sandwich may satisfy some tuna lovers, but the sandwich is likely to be one of the restaurant’s more polarizing dishes.
Nevertheless, Hopdoddy’s Burger Bar does not disappoint with its selection of burgers and is one that all those in the Clear Lake area should check out. With meals to both meat and vegetarian eaters alike, Hopdoddy has something for everyone and enough to satisfy those looking for a good burger or sandwich.
