I organized a group from work of about 24 people to gather at the Hopyard AAG to get better acquainted. When I signed us up for the appetizer buffet it sounded good, with sausage, slider, wings and chicken on a stick at $12/person. My expectations were NOT set appropriately for what I experienced.
The fare was unimpressive, a small pile of wings, skinny brown chicken tenders on toothpicks and buns with about .2 oz of "meat" as sliders all in over sized warming trays. There was a boat load of tortilla chips with two ramekins of salsa. Â
When I read buffet at $12, I expected the buffet to be the typical kind where the supply of food is replaced. People were hungry and finished off the  sorry piles rather quickly. After chasing down the waitress that was supposed to be serving the room to tell her of the lack of food, she then told me that none would be coming. Apparently the management has scrutinized the portion control down to the exact amount each person would consume, which isn't very much something like one slider, two wings, a chicken tender and two pieces of zucchini. She did bring out menus for us which was considerate, but in the future I am just going to have people order what they want off the menu in the first place, and most liked not at the AAG.
I would recommend to management to change their marketing of the buffet to represent what is provided and not be so stingy when a largish group of drinking patrons is unhappy.
This place has tons of great beers. Â Great micro brews! Â The food was awesome. Â I got the Chipotle Salmon with mashed potatoes and brocolini. Â It was amazing. Â The salmon was so good with a hint of spice, the mashed potatoes didn't taste like microwaveable potato flakes they were delicious and the brocolini was some sort of broccoli and green beans and it was awesome. Â My girlfriend had the Sierra Madre burger. Â She is very picky and she loved it. Â Of course the Russian River Pliny the Elder I had was awesome. Â I will definitely go back. Â The service however was slow but worth it. Â Bathroom was clean, and the interior was nice. Â But I did eat outside in some fantasic weather.
Review Source:Meh. Pretty much sums up my meal.
Maybe I just didn't order the right thing, but I was not satisfied with my Chicken Apple Salad. I don't know what the apples are caramelized in but it tasted odd to me...
I also ordered a cup of chicken tortilla-that was good.
I am willing to try something else-maybe a sandwich or burger...prob not another salad. So much for trying to be healthy...
I would like to "Thank" the man tending the bar on the 12th of May "Mother's Day"
when I did not know that I dropped my American Express outside the restaurant.
Honest and kind people gave it to the Manager.  I knew I had lost it but to my surprise the Manager in charge recognized me and gave  my American Express back to me.
We have been going to The Hopyard for 18 plus years......Thank you!
It was just ok. Â Very loud inside, and the service was inconsistent. Â We were helped quickly, the people next to us waited quite some time. Â My husband had oily fish and chips and cold fries, but liked the beer. Â I had a chicken caprese sandwich, it tasted weird. Â Husband said it tasted like smoke. Â It's ok for families, nobody seems to mind noise or chaos there, so that's a plus. Â Food wasn't great, so I don't think I'll be back.
Review Source:The Hopyard is a decent place to swing by if you just want a beer and a bite, but beware, they can and do run out of the more popular selections when they get busy.
Stopped by in the late afternoon to grab some after-work drinks and pub fare with coworkers, only to find out they were already out of Pliny the Elder, Russian River IPA, and a couple other beers that they normally have on tap.
No problem, we're all flexible people, and we pick alternates and move on to the bites menu. Garlic Fries, Boneless Wings, Chicken Nachos - again, nothing too out of the ordinary but the wait may have you ordering at least one more round. Decent quality when it came out, and the grilled chicken was a nice touch on top of the nachos, but those garlic fries.. There's garlic, and there's definitely too much of a good thing; clumps of diced garlic cling onto the cheesy fries for dear life until they hit your lips, and expand outwards in a mushroom cloud of flavor. You are forewarned.
Digression / Pro tip: If you're trying to push two tables together when the weather is nice, take the umbrella out of one table and place it against the wall, as these umbrellas don't change angles.
Weird, I'm a beer guy and I'm giving a beer place 3 stars...seems wrong. Â Well, I'd actually give it 3.5 if I could. Â Here's why: Â Hopyard San Ramon has a great selection of beers and if you go there regularly, you will find the bartenders friendly and efficient. Â The space itself is fairly outdated, dark and grungy and the food is pretty inconsistent. Â For me, I don't mind so-so bar food (especially after I've tipped a few brews), but understandably, for someone looking for decent (semi-healthy) grub - The Hopyard gets a thumbs down. Â I know, I'm probably out of my mind thinking a beer house should be nice looking inside with good food, but I've experienced these things at other beer establishments. Â A message to The Hopyard: time to do some clean-up work and overhaul the menu...but, keep the great beers flowing - you do that well!
Review Source:SHOULD READ 3.5 STARS
I've been to Hopyard a bunch of times and it's always just been okay. Â They have a good selection of beers, the service is generally decent and the food is okay, but not knock-your-socks-off fantastic. Â However, I think I've figured out how to "up" the experience. Â Here is Robin's guide for how to be a semi-fan of Hopyard American Alehouse and Grill:
#1: Pick a gorgeous day and then sit outside: The restaurant is dated inside so when there is some good weather, go on down and get a table on the Hopyard patio. Â There is nothing like sipping a cool kraft draft outside on a sunshiney day....speaking of which, that's #2:
#2: Order a frosty draft: Hopyard has some great beer, so pick a day when you can indulge. Â And if you can't indulge, ask for the non-alcoholic beer. Â The other day, my friend talked me into sitting outside while she had a drink right before I was supposed to go to yoga. Â For $2.50 I poured their non-alcoholic amber into a cold glass and got to feel like I was still having a drink in the sunshine without actually having any alcohol (it's not ideal, but it works:)
#3: Order the deviled eggs: This appetizer is pretty brilliant. $4 gets you six hard-boiled egg halves filled with a pesto-ey filling. Â They are truly special and mm-mmm delicious.
Couple of notes for Hopyard Newbies: This place doesn't allow dogs on the patio, so if you bring yours, be prepared to hold the leash over the outside barrier. Â Also, this place has a pretty cool beer club which if I wasn't already on the wall at Pete's Brass Rail, I would totally join. Â If you're into trying different beer, into free stuff, and into getting your name on a plaque for posterity, you should totally check it out!
Yelp 100 Challenge: 33/100, pictures #34-35/100
Firehouse looked empty so i dropped in Hopyard. perused the eat list, nothing interested me so passed.
flatscreen: golf
sat at the bar, checked bar list of drafts (over 30)
pour: pliny the Elder (6.5)
-smooth, hoppy, filling,
-not surprised this brew is the no. 1 sought after beer.
on draught:
-rustic, homey decor
-friendly staff, patrons.
-pliny the Elder is in da house!
-many good draughts on tap.
Our last visit was in the summer time (first week of august), and all 6 of us who used to go there a lot before had to admit the food has gone south..and we all used to like the food there before....so unless someone tells me they changed Chefs...we may not be back for anything but beers...
Review Source:I have been coming to The Hopyard for 10-years. Â If you are looking for an awesome beer list, a casual and friendly atmosphere, fun crowd, and a good menu, then you found the right place! Â
This is San Ramon, a nice suburb where families, singles, professionals, techies, younger/ older/ middle age crowd are all here at The Hopyard. Â Variety is the spice of life! Â The shopping center is far from being considered downtown (I believe someone mistakenly assumed we consider this downtown), at least not by any of the locals, but does house the place with the best wings around. Â Wing Stop has NOTHING on Hopyard wings. Â If you are a wings fan they are a 'Must Try'. Â Everyone that tries the wings love them!
Because the crowd is mixed, so is the menu. The menu has a wide variety of options which also include dishes that go beyond the "pub food" category. Â The Peruvian Chicken and Salmon BLT rock the flavor category!
Not a beer drinker? They have a wine list too. :)
The Staff here at The Hopyard is AWESOME! Â They are consistently on the ball. Once you get to know these people you will continue coming back.
You can leave your stress at the door and enjoy a place where you can kick back, talk, laugh, eat, drink, relax and enjoy the company you are with. Â No attitude here. Â
Everyone I have introduced to this place keeps coming back. Â It's a good spot for what it's meant to be, an Alehouse and Grill. Â They rock it!
would actually give this place zero stars if I could. How do you screw up flautas and soup? Frozen appetizers and my husband's sandwich was inedible. Â Awful. Â I can't get over how the East Bay has the worst food ever. Â Most feed out here is mediocre, but inedible? I've had better food in a mall food court.
Never again.
And the decor? If you like cheap, 80s dining room chic, this is the place for you.
UGH!
Hidden away in a shopping center in what passes for Downtown San Ramon is this bar & grille. Â If you miss it, it's not like you missed anything. Â Several people I work with like to go here. Â I've been twice on work-related functions.
Feels like a place where sports nuts and blue-collar types would go to chug a few beers, and Bishop Ranch workers feel at home here too. Â Their food is pretty good: Â burgers, chicken sandwiches and salads, fish & chips. Â Normal quality and quantity, normal prices. Â Occasionally takes a while for the food to get to your table.
Not a destination place, but something you can fall back on if needed. Â (Can you tell I'd rather go next door to Round Table Pizza, or to the other side of town and eat at Wing Stop?)
The beer and service is excellent here. The waitresses are always making sure your glasses are never empty unless you intend to call it quits. They have a variety of beers on tap that will guarantee everyone in your party will have at least one favorite to satisfy their thirst. The food is also great here, but I feel it's an area they should consider improving. It is a great after work get away with co-workers and friends to have a good time and to also a place to enjoy football with a few cold ones.
Review Source:Very cool place to come and enjoy after a long day of work. Ambiance is cool enough to bring a date, hang with the girls or even just bring the family for a low key night. Â We ordered some appetizers, beer and was good to go. Must get the boneless wings, which comes with Ranch, Blue Cheese and spicy buffalo wing sauce. All for the low price of $8, plenty enough to share between 3 people. Order some sweet potato fries, nachos and you are good to go.
Review Source:Standard pub grub. I'm a big fan of the chilli. One time I couldn't decide between the chilli and the clam chowder, so I got both! I've also tried a few of their salads. Pretty good. My pops likes the beer selection and samplers. He usually gets the fish and chips. You can come here on game day and it's a packed house. They'll be showing the game on the big screen and bar tv's.
Review Source:ONE WORD: EWWWW. I remember trying this place years ago and not being very impressed, but thought I would give it another try thinking maybe they had improved the quality... UM NO. We ordered: Philly cheesesteak, garlic-parm fries, 2 chicken sandwiches. The fries were cold and bla, the chicken sandwiches had a spring mix in them that was filled with wilted old leaves that made the sandwich taste like feet. I could've made a better sandwich and fries at home. The key to great food is FRESH QUALITY INGREDIENTS which this place seriously lags!
Review Source:A pleasant surprise! This place was better than I had expected. I had a very fresh chicken southwest salad, my companion had wings, and we both thoroughly enjoyed put meals.
The server was very friendly and attentive.
2 small issues- in a sports bar mid week during the Olympics, only golf and a non local baseball tram was on the tv. And it was too quiet, the need some sort of music or tv with sound on.
Good overall, and near work for me, so I'll return.
This place is hit or miss, 100% due to the service. The food is always good, when the waitress remembers to put it in or remembers what you ordered. Latest example was 20 minutes for chips and salsa. Seriously? 20 minutes? Why? Oh you forgot my complex order of chips and salsa. Sorry, but at least you remembered my Pyramid. Oh wait, no you forgot that too.
Again, sometimes it's great service with a good time and sometimes it's horrible brain dead service. Hit or Miss!!
I go hear for the Spicy BBQ Chicken Salad...it's more Spicy BBQ Chicken with a little lettuce on the side but it's soo good and inexpensive.
It's a pretty local crowd and I'm bound to see someone I know every time I go but I love the casualness of it and the closeness of it to my home.
I dunno if it really matters that I go to different breweries or alehouses cuz whichever it maybe, I always order Guinness anyways unless it's unavailable.
My man and I planned of cooking dinner together yesterday. I wanted to make chicken mascapone in marsala sauce on bed of fettuccine. We changed plan and ended up having dinner here instead cuz we had to meet his friend that just came from Europe for beer.
Chicken mascapone in marsala sauce may sound like it would have been a really good dinner but the sauteed shrimp in Asian spice is a great trade off. It came with cucumber salad, actually looked like a carrot salad cuz there was more carrots to it than the cucumber. I didn't mind, tasted just as good. A bit on a tangy side for it's dressing. For a $10 salad with 6 medium sized sauteed shrimp, I think it's worth it.
Nice beer! Â
Ale
Cider!
Did I say they had good beer? Â No it was great beer!
Decent appetizers. Â But needs mix and match appetizer plate!
Good service ( and cute). Â More good beer!
Mmm,, Beer! Â Go here, get beers! Â All of them! Â I'm only three beers into their line up but look forward to they rest.
Nice large place to sit outside in the summer. Â (on my next visit)
Best best best place ever!
I love the environment, people here are so lovely, customers are more like a large family. Food is so delicious. Great service. The only thing I would suggest to improve is the furniture inside. (it is old and unconformable)
other than this, I would highly recommend this place.
The food good, the staff...amazing. so why not 5 stars?
I came here with several friends to watch a game and grab a beer. The have one large projector, and several small TVs. Problem was ONE person was watching hockey and the staff refused to ask him to watch on one of the TVs instead of the projector.
So for games not again...but beer and food, absolutely. PS more of a family place so keep that in mind
People definitely come here for the beer. I have been here three or four times simply because my mother lives up the street. Problem-- I dont drink, which means just okay food. They do have a blackbean burger and a veggie sandwiches as well as a garden salad- so they are veggie friendly which is a plus.
I have had the same server 3 of the 4 times and she was great. Last night I didnt see her working and the service was terrible.
The first time i came here was exactly a week ago. I went for an early dinner with some friends. My friend and i shared the grilled crab sandwich and fish and chips. The crab sandwich was AMAZING, probably the best ive had so far.
I decided to take my boyfriend this time around. He ordered a burger with a side of onion rings. It was really juicy and very flavorful. The onion rings were super crispy and not too oily. Since the crab sandwich was so good i decided to get it again, with a side of garlic fries this time. The sandwich was not fully cooked and the fries were not crispy at all. It was like they took some recycled fries and threw some raw garlic on top of it. Both the fries and sandwich were cold and we didnt even wait that long before we received our meal. Pretty disappointing.
The first time i went, it was a pretty slow day. Today, it was super busy in there. My meal was half ass cooked. Sucks cause i was really craving for it and it did not satisfy my craving what so ever. Dont come here when their busy, your meal might end up just like mine. Cold and not very tasteful.
I came here on Friday night for a birthday get together (mine!). Â It was great to see some old friends, drink some beer, eat good food, & socialize.
They have a really good beer selection. Â I love trying new beers so this was the place for me. Â Our server was so great, unfortunately I did not get her name but she did an awesome job with our large table. Â Kudos to the waitstaff! Â
It's a casual place & gets pretty crowded on Friday nights. Â I felt a little bit bad that we basically took up this huge space for the entire night while other folks came in hoping for a table. Â But hell, it was my birthday & I wasn't about to hurry it up for anyone! Â Again the waitstaff was great & we didn't feel rushed at all, even when it took us like an hour to order dinner.
I had the build your own turkey burger with pepper jack, bacon, avo, & some sort of spicy (chipotle?) sauce on the side. Â Also sweet potato fries. Â Yum! Â The burger was nicely spiced & flavorful. Â I wasn't too hungry after a dim sum lunch that day & a few beers, so I ate half & took the rest home. Â It was still yummy the next day!
My good friend Sandy made me a delicious cake & we cut into it after dinner. Â Mmmm, chocolate cake with beer! Â Our server had no problem bringing us plates, forks, & napkins. Â I was sufficiently stuffed after that, but managed one more beer. Â The Snowshoe Grizzly Brown Ale was my choice for the night.
Great night, great friends, great food & service.
I wish I could add to the numerous reviews complaining about the food here, but the truth is, I walked out after only minutes in this dump.
Today was my mom's 56th birthday, and after a day well spent at the De Young museum in Sf, she really wanted fish and chips. Weird I know, but hey it was HER birthday. The only place near my house that came to mind was here.
Patio was crowded and it looked like there was only one server working out there so we opted to sit inside. A hostess came up and told us just to sit anywhere we liked which normally doesn't bother me, but literally every open table was unbused and covered in food remains of customers past. Gross, call me crazy but I don;t really feel like dipping my elbows in someone else's Ranch dressing runoff.
We sat at what was the cleanest option only to see that three female servers were just sitting around the table in front of us, gossiping away like The Real Housewives of San Ramon. After a good 5 minutes of waiting for at least a "hello" or a "can I get you something to drink" or even a "we don't like you so we're not going to serve you anytime soon", at least that would have been some form of acknowledgment, I looked at one of the seated servers and said "you fucking suck" and off we went.
Terrible and not worth anyone's money. In a horrible economy with restaurants going out of business left and right, you best step your game up if you want to compete for the few dollars people still have to spend on going out.
I guess when you ask the GPS where's a good place for dinner, you end up with pretty mainstream options. Â And sometimes you're so hungry, that will do just fine. Â
I had the veggie burger, which was OK, and the cole slaw, which was bland. Â My dining companion's fries were spicier than expected. Â I was most impressed with the beer list and the server's knowledge of them. Â She recommended a Jamaican red ale that was really good. Â Who knew?
YUCK!!!! Will not be back....not even if you buy me my meal!
I came here today with my Mom for lunch and thought we would try it out. I had a few friends in the area tell me they come here often with friends.
When we walked in the place, first of all, doesn't smell very good. I am usually a fan of bar food and grill type places but this one didn't do it for me at all. Â I had this filmy taste of grease in my mouth the rest of the day....yeah I know...appetizing huh?
We were quickly seated and our service was very nice. My Mom and I ordered and shared the BBQ Pork sandwich with fries and the French dip sandwich with their Parmesan Garlic fries (that cost 75 cents more).
The BBQ pork sandwich came with a tiny side of coleslaw that was bland and had no flavor. What was the point? The BBQ pork sandwich was okay....the only good thing about the meal. The French dip was super dry and flavorless. I have had better roast beef sandwiches at Arbys for half the price. Both fries soggy and were hardly touched.
I feel bad because our server asked us if we wanted to take our food to go because we had so much leftover and I laughed so hard at him that he probably thought I was a nut. He probably knows the food sucks there anyways. Maybe the beer is good.....
This place has a great beer selection, I had the Hef, but wished I tried something new because their tap seemed to hold at least 30 different kinds of beer, some with very interesting names!
The CUSTOMER SERVICE IS GREAT! Â our waiter was very friendly and always checking in to see if you have everything you need. Â
The only thing that I was not impressed with was their food. Â I came here for Fish n Chips ($8.99).. and received a plate of preformed fried frozen fish, you know , the kind you can buy from the grocery store. Â I received 3 oily small pieces of those fish bricks.. unimpressed by it, as i could have fried some Norton's frozen breaded fish at home myself... Â The kids had the macaroni and cheese kids meals ($5.99 each came with drink only) and that too looked like Kraft Mac n cheese.
I'll come here again only for the beer, and maybe some apps..
Boo. Â I didn't like this place at all. Â
I can see why it's a fun place for lunch, (I think everyone there had a work badge on) although, last time I checked, beer during the lunch hour is a no-no. Food must be good right?
I was disappointed because when I checked out the menu online, they had a good variety of items. Â Maybe I ordered the wrong thing?
For appetizers we had the chips and salsa. Â Can't really mess this up right? Wrong again. Â Chips were great (hot too) but the salsa was bitter and bland. Â
I ordered the flat-iron steak sandwich and it was literally a small slab of meat between a sourdough roll. Â I can make a better sandwich at home without even trying. Â Then they charge $11 bucks for the thing. Â
Not worth it. Â Unless you're a beer drinker, in which case, have at it.
It's a laid back, more "local" scene with the standard setting. Â 15 beers or so on tap, decent sized menu, and large outdoor seating. Â Mostly clean and friendly. Â It's not technically a "Sports Bar" even though they show sports non-stop. Â I frequent the place very often.
Pros: 1) Beer selection varies often 2) Cute waitresses. Â
Cons: 1) The beer and food is over-priced. Â 2) No music. 3) Â The food is a little bland, although they do have some tasty fish n' chips.
Check it out if you're in the area, but I wouldn't go too far out of the way.
I've been the Pleasanton location a handful of times, but now that we're living in Danville (high rollers, yes, I know) we decided to check out the San Ramon location in the Marketplace center. Â It was a Saturday night about 8:30 when the four of us arrived ... there were a decent number of people outside and only a couple full tables (+1 person at the bar) inside. Â But it was getting a little chilly out so we sat inside. Â But later we wished we had been outside because it just seemed so dead for a Saturday night. Â Half the people there were families with kids. Â It just wasn't quite the fun, weekend-night-out we were hoping for. Â Service was kinda slow and sparse ... there were plenty of people serving, but they kept sitting at the bar to watch the game instead of checking on the table. Â But they were nice enough when they did come by.
We shared a pitcher of beer for $18. Â I ordered a crab melt for the first time ever not knowing what to expect, but it was good. Â I may or may not get it again, but that's just because I'm still learning to like crab. Â My boyfriend thought it was really good. Â The parmesan garlic fries are a sure bet, though. Â Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meals: two orders of tuna melts and some kinda fancy burger. Â The side salad my friend got seemed a bit lacking, though. Â Anyway, I would come back here, but probably would lower my expectations for a rousing Saturday night.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
