Good place in small shopping complex. Â Outdoor seating and great view of the Tucson mountain range. Â Had the starter plate and I was full, so didn't order the meal. Â Good bartender, very attentive and keen to each customer at the bar. Â
However, Grandpa showed up with Grandma and had 2 grandchildren at the bar with them taking up spots. . .UNSAT. Â Place is small and cozy, however, kids at the bar is a big no-no for me, not to the restaurant, but to parenting or grandparenting in this case. Â
Good date place though, sort of Scottish/English/Americanize food fare. Â They had quite a selection of brews on tap as well. Â I was tempted for a Guinness, but decided on my usual.
Awesome atmosphere and great food! Â The patio is inviting and pet friendly with lovely mountain views. Â The staff is great and the owners are accessible and care about their customer experiences, not to mention the beer is delicious! Nice selection in the humidor and they also offer the hookah if you would like to partake. I'll be back!
Review Source:I enjoy coming here even though I do feel that the beers are overpriced. They have some nice craft beer options, and they are happy to let you sample something before you order it, which is nice. Many of the beers are local, which is great.
Another reviewer said this is a place for teenagers and that it is 'seedy' and a 'hole-in the wall.' This place is anything but hole in the wall! They have obviously never been to the dive bars in the Tucson area! This place is clean and set up nicely-very trendy and whoever decorated had a unique vision in mind. There are no other bars in the Oro Valley area like this.
As for teenagers, well, I just don't see it- each of the times I have been here I've seen people of all ages- but mostly those over 40. They also have cigars, which I know many people enjoy. They patio area is amazing and they have a great view and heaters set up for the cold weather.
I would not make this my regular bar due to the prices, but I am happy to stop in from time to time for a drink.
We met friends here the other night for Happy Hour - it was too hot to sit outside so we opted for a table in the back near the door - BIG mistake! Â There was a group of people who all lit up cigars at the table just outside that door and the wait staff continually left that door open! Â Needless to say we were overcome by cigar smoke - several times asking the staff to shut the door or getting up ourselves and closing it. Â
Hmmm, food and drinks - ordered margaritas which were supposed to be Happy Hour margaritas. Â I watched the bar tender pour the drinks, put them on the counter for the server and then run over with a small can of orange juice which she splashed on top of our drinks! Â Needless to say these were poor excuses for margaritas. Â My husband ordered a beer the next round and it was fine. Â We ordered the pub pretzels to snack on - over cooked and tasted burnt. Â We figured out later that the 'dipping sauce' was the 'cheddar soup' served later to one of our friends......did not make a good soup!
I ordered the hummus plate, being vegetarian and was sorely disappointed. Â The 'board' it was served on was presented well but the hummus was terribly salty, too much pita bread, 4 olives (yes, 4) with some pieces of roasted red pepper and arugula....I didn't eat but 1 or 2 bites. Â My husband and a friend both had burgers which they couldn't finish. Â The sweet potato fries were nice but nothing special, the regular fries looked like something they bought in the freezer at Fry's. Â Our other friend had the spicy tuna tower which he seemed to enjoy and this is when we discovered that the dipping sauce for the pretzels was his cheddar soup!!!
Overall - not impressed and not going back any time soon.
Lovely short menu with lots of variety and lots of quality. Beer menu is obviously the more impressive thing: huge range of local craft brews SERVED AT PROPER TEMPERATURE. A lot of reviews correctly claim that the beer is not ice cold because good beer is not meant to be 32F. NobleHops understands this and your experience is all the better for it.
Place gets very busy around dinner time, so make sure you're there a little early. Also note that most of the seating is outdoors.
Have been here twice - once about a year ago and then again last night. All I can say is that while the beer selection is fantastic, the food and ambiance are only OK. The first time I visited, we ordered the meat and cheese board and several other small plates which I remember being very good. For an entree I ordered the braised oxtail on suggestion from another friend of mine who had been here before. It was good but I don't remember it being amazing and recall that the sauce/juices were a bit much. I also did not see it on the menu when I visited last night.
On our second visit we again ordered the meat and cheese board which was good, though pretty hard to screw up. My friends both ordered burgers which looked really good, and from other comments here this place definitely knows how to cook a good burger. I on the other hand ordered the lamb pasty which was absolutely terrible. First, it was undercooked and the dough inside was still raw. The white truffle brown gravy it came with looked and tasted more like gravy made from a powder and water and there was absolutely too much of it on the plate. Finally the sauteed vegetables that were on the side were extremely salty and I could only maybe eat half of them.
Unlike some other reviews, the service I've had both times has been great. And while the outside patio is nice, I particularly noticed on this second visit that the clientele is somewhat sketchy. There were a lot of middle aged people just hanging around the bar and our table drinking bottles of Bud Light which is not necessarily a bad thing except they were pretty loud and obnoxious and this is a place to expand your beer horizon. I also felt kind of awkward with a couple of creepy older guys trying to hit on the two younger girls sitting at the table next to us. They just sort of hovered around their table when it was obvious the girls wanted to be left alone and I particularly laughed when the one girl did try to have a few words with one of the guys and she blurted out that this guy knew her grandmother.
Noble Hops is an OK place if you're looking for something different but wouldn't say its worth a particular effort to go to for those of us who don't live in Oro Valley. And if you do go, I suggest sticking to the small plates and burgers.
I work up in Oro Valley, so I figured I had to give Noble Hops a try.  A friend and I went for happy hour the other day.  The happy hour deals aren't remarkable, with discounts on their beers and small plates.  Their beer list is impressive, and I was able to have two beers that I enjoyed.  We were ordering food, but passed on the discounted small plates as none of them sounded very good.  We ended up ordering a salad and an artisan flat.  The salad was pretty standard with some cheese, and roasted red peppers.  The dressing was good, but I also thought it was a little expensive for basically being a green salad.  The flatbread's description was described as "Savory thyme créme sauce, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, artisan olives, braised mushrooms, lavender and French Morbier cheese, finished with truffle oil." It was tasty, but it basically just tasted like a mushroom pizza with a hint of truffle.  The menu descriptions were a little too frou frou for me.  I definitely don't think I would make the drive to Oro Valley just to eat here, but if I'm coming from work and want a beer, I won't rule it out.
Review Source:Great place for casual dinner. Â Very fine view. Â Choose carefully on the menu. I enjoyed what I ordered - but my dinner friends ordered a vegetarian dish which turned out to be mostly tomato sauce. Â The servers sincerely cared and I do think that they will be better next time. Â Great beer selections. Â But eat outside if you can for the view of the Catalinas. Â You'll have to get there early. Â This is a good restaurant which has the potential to be great.
Review Source:They have good beer selections, you can find several Arizona brews. My friend was especially impressed with the Choco with hint of pepper beer.
Their happy hour menu was okay, $2 off selected "small plates."
I tried the grilled calamari, was not very impressed by the lack of flavor and also feels with all the excessive oil on the "grilled" calamari, I might had better flavor/ luck on a fried one.
My friend shared her Bacon Jam Burger, I like the smokiness of the burger, but too impressed other than that.
The decor is trendy and the place is a comfortable for a small outting/ gathering. Will probably go again but not for the food.
I was lured into the gastropub by their menu...burgers with bacon jam, beer cheese soup with bacon compote...it sounded pig-a-licious and porktastic. Â I love me some beer cheese soup and was intrigued by the addition of bacon compote. Â However, I did not taste any hoppy flavor and the taste was heavy on flour, as if the flour did not cook out of the rue. Â I was expecting the compote to be floating on top. Â However, it was a nice surprise as it was folded nicely into the soup, creating a bacon pocket. Â I came for the Wisconsin beer cheese bisque, but it failed to wow me. Â
I ordered my salad with the wasabi ranch, which I was jazzed about...but it lacked any punch. Â It pretty much tasted like straight up ranch...which unlike most Americans I do not want to have a side of ranch with every flipping thing.
What was the real surprise to me, which was way out of comfort zone, was the mushroom royal artisan flat. Â The escargot soaked up the Gorgonzola sauce, the mushroom were nicely braised and the lemon zest was a very nice touch. Â Who knew that snails are delicious...they really take on the flavor of what they are cooked in...fear not and order. Â
The drunken flat was flavor packed with  walnut pesto as it's base, andouile sausage, fire roasted peppers and Irish porter infused cheese all worked well together.  It was a solid option...but the mushroom royal has my heart.
The restrooms are single stall, so there may be a wait.
They sell stogies, so if you want a cigar, you are in luck.
Craft beer dinners are offered and I would not mind checking one out.
The patio is nice and offers a nice view of the mountains. Â The beer selection is decent and a few cocktail offerings as well. Â Surprised they are not hopping on the craft beer cocktail wagon, it's the next big trend...mark my word.
This wasn't the best night --way too salty hummus; just shy of burnt pretzel ; no ketchup for fries and warm Chardonnay ---and my husbands bank account was drained after he used his check card there ( not necessarily their fault but the last place used) but my daughter and her husband have had many good meals there and they love the different beers.
Review Source:I have been to Noble Hops several times with coworkers for happy hour and always have a good experience. Â I went again recently, for the first time since going gluten free, and was pleasantly surprised to find they have a gf menu! Â Compared to the other gastropub that told me they had gf options, but really didn't, this was much appreciated. Â I had a vegetarian portabella sandwich on a tasty, gf bun. Â Yum! Â
The service is good, the atmosphere is nice, and the menu is broad enough for various dietary needs. Â The outside seating is particularly lovely if you go when the weather is nice.
Just do yourself a favor and go here! Plan and simple, awesome awesome beer selection and spectacular views!! Great food and really vegan/vegetarian friendly! Highly recommend "the Gourd" spaghetti squash noodles! The grilled tofu ratatouille was a little on the oily/heavy side, but still good. It was raining when we were there but I'd really love to go back when it's nice so we can sit at the outside bar!
Review Source:The community seems to be somewhat polarized on this restaurant. It has a lot of potential, and I hate assigning an Eek! after just one visit, so I've waited until after one bad and one Meh.
The first time I ate here I dined with a friend on the patio on a weeknight. We were seated and greeted by a friendly server who was smiling and cheery. Then after witnessing a low debate between staff behind us, we suddenly had a different waiter. And he wasn't happy about being our waiter. He was frowny. He didn't to help guide us through the extensive menu or give recommendations even though we asked about the menu since it was our first time. He disappeared for long periods of time and seemed to be avoiding us. The previous server who we thought was going to be our server actually filled our drinks and got us things we needed after our food was delivered. I spent most of the night starring at him longingly wishing he had been our server because all the other patrons seemed to be enjoying their dining experience except us.
Now to the food. After a lot of deliberation over all the tasty sounding things on the menu, I picked the Frito Fish which is STILL described on their menu as "Crispy beer battered cod served with a cilantro-vegetable slaw atop grilled flat bread, accompanied by spicy aioli and citrus garlic aioli." This is not what it comes out as. No cilantro vegetable slaw, no spicy aioli, and not on grilled flat bread. The fried fish was wrapped in a flour tortilla with coleslaw in it and garlic aioli on the side. When I flagged down a completely different server, she told us that the menu was going through some changes and that this is how it is served now. Even though I told her it wasn't what I was expecting, she just stared at me. Needless to say, it was tasteless and disappointing, and I ended up eating a lot of my friends Zucchini and Mushroom Frit appetizer. I don't remember what she ordered, but I think she ate it.
The second time I came here with the same friend for lunch, unfortunately a half hour before happy hour, sat at the bar, and ordered a Reuben with fries and she ordered the Portabella Mushroom Burger. Our service was fine, although the bartender was busy cleaning and stocking more than she was being a server. My Reuben sandwich was ok, it lacked flavor and was not very hot on the inside, but the fries were delicious. My friend loved her Mushroom Burger and said it was one of the best she'd ever had.
They do have a huge beer selection and as others have said, there isn't a lot else to choose from in this area. This place could be way better if they improved their wait staff and quality and consistency of food. I would be willing to make this my favorite go to place since the NW lacks anything else with this kind of atmosphere, but alas, I don't see that happening.
FAST Review
Food: 4/5
We tried the small plates. Hummus and pita (OK), Bavarian pretzel (good as advertised), Shrimp Satay (very good), banger kabobs (one of the sausages was very spicy, but tasty). A few of the small plates for 4 people will fill you up. They have a good craft beer selection too (including some southern AZ selections).
Ambiance: 3/5
Not too big on the inside. Not sure if they could accommodate a large group. Not a fan of how you can see into the bathroom if you are sitting near the back of the restaurant. It was too cold when we went, but they seem to have a nice patio.
Service: 5/5
Server was friendly and took care of us. They even brought more pita bread when we asked.
Total Impression: 4/5
Nothing to write home about, but it overall left a good impression on me.
It's too far for me to drive all they way out from my side of town to the far NE, so I probably won't be coming here again. But it's a good spot with a decently large patio to chill at when the weather is nice.
Against my better judgment and that of my fellow yelpers I decided to make the 20+ mile trip on a Friday evening to try Noble Hops. Â It was around 7pm and there was no line. Â So we had our choice of seating, inside (the small dining room with approx 6-7 tables) or outside on the large patio with comfy seats or along the bar with an abundance of seating. Â We chose the rocking seats next to the fire pit.
The ambiance offered with the outside seating was great! Really the only reason it received two stars instead of one. Â The seating was comfortable (nicely cushioned patio furniture) next to a propane fire pit. Â The downside was there was SO MUCH SMOKING! I mean there were people smoking cigarettes and Hookas all over the patio. Apparently the entire patio is smoker friendly. So much for not smelling like smoke when we left.
Now onto the food. We ordered the french dip, regular fries, sweet potato fries and a burger with blue cheese. Â The french dip was cold by the time it was served, as was the au jous. Â The meat was nearly almost all fat. Â Being served on a ciabatta roll made it interesting but didn't nothing for the flavor the food was already lacking. Â The regular fries were great, it was really all we finished. Â The sweet potato fries were not crispy, but so soggy and loaded with oil they stuck to the plate. Next the burger....oh the burger. I ordered my burger well, well, I won't lie, I said extra well. I like to chew on leather and really enjoy the charcoally (it's an official term) bits. I am an examiner. I always check my food before I bite into it to ensure it cooked properly. When I cut this burger in half, with the assistance of my handy mini flashlight (a-la nancy drew) (the patio is a little dark). I found my burger to be uncooked. Not just pink, but raw on the inside and slightly cool in the middle. I wanted to puke. Â I asked to send it back with no replacement and the server was bother. Â
I get places have off nights, but some things are just unforgivable, i.e. you ask for leather and get the cow still mooing on your plate. Not. Nice.
The place was mildy busy, the patio more so than the dining room, and the was an abundance of servers. Â However, the table I was at and the two next to us, had next to no service. Â We all had different servers as well.
I was disappointed, especially after making the trip out there and hoping that the three star reviews were just a preference thing. Would I go back? No. If I had a gift card, maybe, but more than likely I would just give it away.
I have been told this place was good by my mother so while visiting from Chicago I gave it a shot. My initial thoughts were nice open ambiance, friendly staff, and simple menu with beautiful mountain views. I ordered the Wisconsin bacon jam cheeseburger which was pretty good but could use minor improvements. I would rate the burger a 76/100. The burger patty was definitely hand formed and well seasoned. Hand formed burgers in my opinion are the only way to go. I ordered medium but it seemed to come out medium well which was one of the only reasons this burger lost points. The bun was an amazing buttery challah roll. I appreciate veggies on the side and I loved the bacon jam flavors and the burger was very juicy. The fries were very good and have a delicious seasoning.
Overall I think Noble Hops is an excellent addition to the Foothill/Oro Valley community of restaurants and I would definitely return.
I almost forgot to mention, they have 28 beers on tap :) and feature locally brewed Arizona beers.
What a great place to unwind and enjoy a few microbrews. Â I'm a fan of IPA's and American Pale Ales and their list does not dissapoint! Â Haven't tried the grub just the beer. Â Friendly service, great views, and happy hour prices last from 2-6pm. Â What more could a beer connoisseur want?
Review Source:Beggars can't be choosers, they say, and that is why Noble Hops is packed on weekends. Â
Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Noble Hops rises with a call to people in their 30's, "Come, drink, flirt!" Â And wow does it work!
On the plus side, Noble Hops has an excellent selection of beers. Â They also have a pretty good meal (starting with the spicy tuna tower and ending with the strip steak). Â They also have a nice patio (but there are scorpions, and not the kind that sing "Winds of Change").
On the downside, if you're newly single, this place will depress you to the core. Â A lot of "single" men with white strips across their ring fingers and a lot more duds. Â Also, since this is the only watering hole for miles around, the prices reflect that they, indeed, have you by the cojones.
Come here to share a small plate and a couple of brewskis. Â Sit on the deck, but not near the planters (where said scorpions reside).
If you're under 30, what the heck are you doing out in Oro Valley? Â Get thee to civilization!
Tried it again and strike two, they're out. Â I cannot take this place. Â Had my beer served in a hot, mind you, not warm, a hot glass. Â When I requested a chilled glass, the bartender obliged (not very cheerfully I might add). Â AND THEN, I get the beer in a chilled glass and the freakin' beer is warm. Â I suppose the previous hot glass might have warmed the beer up, but it wasn't sitting there that long. Â Same results as my first trip, different day. Â No more.
Review Source:Noble Hops, where have you been hiding!? I can't believe I just went here for the first time recently, despite my undying love for local gastropubs. Needless to say, their beer selection is superb. They have a wide spectrum of types (dark to light, hoppy to non-hoppy, etc.) and did an excellent job of recommending certain beers matched to our descriptions.
Their food was mostly pub-based dishes, but much higher quality. We had the pretzels with stone ground mustard and cheese, and my, was that tasty! My boyfriend cannot eat red meat or fish which typically significantly limits his options at gastropubs, but there were actually a few great options for him. We choose the Sober Hen and the Gourd, both of which were delicious in their own ways. The Gourd was their obvious vegetarian option, but it was extremely hearty and full of flavor. While I thought it was more of a fall/winter dish, I didn't complain after my first bite! Â
Something unique about Noble Hops is that they have a cigar and hookah bar, and while I didn't partake, I think I just might have to bring my cigar-loving dad to this place and make the whole famn damily happy! Oh did I mention (as many other reviews have already) that their patio makes up more than half the restaurant?
Noble Hops, I'll be seeing you soon!!
I've heard very mixed things about this place, mainly that the menu was interesting but food inconsistent and that the staff was sorely lacking in training. Â I was running some errands and thought I would stop in and check it out. Â I walk in and the hostess is on the phone. Â She took three or four minutes to finish her phone call, then did something else, then finally asked me, "What do you want?" Â I thought that was a pretty weird question to ask, given the situation, so I said, "Well, do you have food and drink here?" Â She said, "Yeah, we're a restaurant" as if I was stupid. Â I replied, "Exactly. Â What I want is something to eat and drink which is why I came to this restaurant." Â She seemed to accept that and seated me at the bar.
The bar seat was sticky. Â The bar was sticky. Â I was not feeling positive about things at this point. Â The bar tender asked me if I wanted a beer. Â I said I was feeling more like a wine. Â She said, "Well, we have white and reds, which do you prefer?" Â Oh boy. Â I told her I felt like a red and was expecting she might hand me a wine list. Â She rattled off, "Well, I have a Cab, I have a Zin, I have a Pinot Gris (did not bother telling her that's a white), I have a merlot..." Â I had troubles not laughing.
I was looking at the menu and what looked interesting was raw (ahi, cevichi) so I looked over my shoulder at the kitchen. Â Just then someone in the kitchen was working prep and wiped their nose without a break in work.
I decided to just leave.
Great location, views, and beer selection! Food inconsistent, nothing to get to excited about...servers sort of attentive.
But!!!! Â be prepared to be greeted by hostesses who are not attentive at all! You need to ask a lot of questions like, how long is the wait time, can we sit somewhere while we wait, we even had to suggest to her if we can sit at the 3 sits available at the bar. This all happens with lots of awkward silent moments between questions. This happened on not one, but 3 occasions.
I suggest management to train your hostesses and servers on customer service.
This place has a lot of potential.
Beer was great! Â Love the location! Â Good views and cool bar!
Food.... eh. Â A friend and I shared a charcuterie plate and a hummus plate. Â Both were OK... Just a note, I don't think it still counts as hummus if it is only chickpeas. Â There should be some tahini and lemon juice... just sayin'! Â
Service was fine, but the patio was a bit crowded. Â This place has such potential! Â Anyway, the beer was really good and the selection was great - lots of varieties but not completely overwhelming. Â This is going on the happy hour list!
I'm not sure I should write a review for this place considering I was there all of 30 mins. after a round of golf at El Conquistador. I asked for something like a Guinness and got a stout served in some prissy little cocktail glass that was probably about 8 ounces - RIP OFF! A buddy ordered the cheese plate sampler and each cheese was excellent and paired well with my beer.
I don't know if I'll ever get back to NHG, since it's about an hour away from my house, but if I am on that side of town again, I would like to try one of their meals and more beer!
Or.... NHG open one on the east side!
I love the selection of beers at Noble Hops. If you are a connoisseur of beers you will really appreciate the ever rotating selection and how knowledgeable the bartenders are regarding the seasonal drafts. This is one of the only bars in town where I can find my wonderful Lambic beers as well! Noble Hops is definitely one of the best restaurants in Oro Valley. With that being said my favorite menu item is the Ahi Burger.... sadly I have had this done incredibly well (rare in the middle- just seared on the outside, moist and delicious) and at other times I have had it flat out over cooked. I wish the entrees were more consistent, the inconsistency subtracts a star in my book.
The appetizers do seem to be consistently good, so if you're jonesing for one of the most delicious Bavarian pretzels and some beer this is the joint for you. I will always give Noble Hops more tries, due to proximity and friendly bartenders, and I hope to see the food consistency improve.
Went in after a golf outing for a late lunch/happy hour experience. Â The happy hour deals were still above the quality of the product and service they have going on. Â Food was better than last time but I was very causious about what I ordered. Â The beer program was a lot better than previous visit. Â
Still no direction coming from server/bartender on helping me out or up-selling me but whatever. Â They were clearly more focused about the changing over of shifts and getting what they need to get done as priorty one... that was clearly evident.
I mean it this time... last time.
Six of us and five different meals so we got to sample a good slice of the menu. Great selection of beers and every one of us was very happy with the food. We had an attentive server (but not too attentive) the food came  in a timely fashion and I was very impressed with the flavor and presentation of every one of the meals. Four items off the entree list one burger and one item off the small plate portion of the menu. Glad there are some places like this so close to where we live. We will definitely be going back to give this place another try.
It was very crowded (they were featured with a two page spread in the food section of the Thursday paper) but we still got seated and served in a reasonable time. If everyone else in the place got as good as we did they will have no problem keeping the doors open.
2 strikes you're OUT! Noble Hops management, take note...something needs to change. I tried you again because some people rave about you but I've experienced nothing but pure disappointment.
This last visit we went with a larger group of people on a Tuesday night and boy did we ever inconvenience the staff. Our waitress acted like we were just a big pain in her side and she couldn't wait for us to leave so that she could as well. And then when we told her there was no toilet paper in the women's restroom she actually rolled her eyes at us!!
The second problem was my crappy deflated beer. When I took it back to get something else, I let the bartender know that something was wrong with it. The server that overheard me actually told me it's just sh#$y beer!! What an endorsement!
Third. I couldn't tell who was the employee and who was headed out for a high school football game in their black hoodie. The employees were beyond unprofessional looking.
On a good note, I'm giving them 1 star because when I went to the men's restroom to pee since there was still no toilet paper in the women's restroom, it didn't smell foul like most men's rooms!! Score
The only reason this place is still surviving is because there is nothing else like it in Oro Valley.
EEK! Me thinks not!
Amazing beer collection for Tucson. Â Pub offers beer and food worthy of a Portland, OR brew pub (that is a real compliment from a Northwesterner). Â The menu is limited, but the starters could provide great and not ordinary fare for a group of friends. Â The Burgers are excellent and the 'bacon jam (really) on the cheeseburger is excellent. Â Great view of the Catalina Mts and a nice outside area for warm days.
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I visited my sister in Tucson last week and asked her if there was anywhere cute to grab a drink and some food where we could eat outside. Â I was so glad that she took me here. Â
The patio is great. Â The seating is comfy and there is ample space. Â The beer selection is phenomenal and I didn't expect so much from the South West (yes I think cowboys and Natural Lite) via of real beer. Â It would have been better if the waitress was a little more informed on the beer selection, but I was told that the place is new so the waitstaff is still trying to get on top of everything.
I was there with five other people and we managed to mix and share appetizers and meals and I have to say everything that I had was great. Â The gnocchi was fantastic, as was the ahi tuna. Â I was so glad that it wasn't just a hodge podge of tex-mex and there were some really great items to chose from.
Overall I think it is a really cute spot and I wish that we had something similar in Boston. (hint hint)
So, 3 stars for now.
I reckon this place deserves a few more visits, but considering the commute, it's highly unlikely. Serioiusly, BFE.
You walk in knowing if all else fails, you could at very least, get hammered off of some really good beer. Their beer list is extensive. (Nitro)
I should note (in considering the decor) the place has a large chalkboard as a wall. I'd like to point out that this was not the best decision. Chalkboard + Chalk + Narrow Passage + Dodging Waitress = Chalk......on my shirt.... I'd say their style is similar to that of HUB's. It's modern, clean, and sort of hip, I suppose.
So let's get to the goods. I came here for one reason and one reason, only. That's the motha fuckin' braised oxtail. Oxtail is pretty cheap so I imagine the $18 price tag had something to do with labor (braising is a cinch btw) ,but most likely paying for the surroundings. Either way, it was d-e-licious. Shame on me! I almost neglected to mention that it was served in it's own liquids, swimming around with gnocchi.
Was it amazing-tasting? Yes. Would I drive approximately 25 minutes to go there on a regular basis? No. However, If you happen to live in the area, by all means, consider making a visit.
PS. @ Wisconsin Burger with Bacon Jam.
I'm coming for you next.
My wife and I were visiting my dad in Oro Valley this weekend and we noticed this place was within walking distance from his apartment, and on his recommendation, we decided to give it a try. The interior is very simple and very comfortable, with limited seating inside and a very large patio with tables looking out toward the Catalina foothills! We opted to sit inside because it was way too hot to be outdoors. We were seated at a table directly under the thermostat, and we quickly noticed that it wasn't much cooler inside as it was set to 83 degrees... Apparently these guys own a few restaurants around town... I think they could probably afford to keep it a little cooler!! This is my only gripe about Noble Hops.
The beer list was very impressive, boasting plenty of local microbrews, many sporting a pretty high alcohol content! Two to three is my limit here!
We started off with the Ahi Tower and the steamed mussels in white wine sauce, both of which were AMAZING (okay I lied, i have another gripe: they don't give enough bread to soak up the delicious sauce prepared with the mussels!). For our entrees we both ordered the Lamb and Beef Burgers, medium rare... they were cooked perfectly, with just a slight hint of gaminess and served with thin sliced sweet potato fries! MMMMM MMMMM!
The servers were very friendly and the owners came around occasionally to ensure customer satisfaction! Although I should have asked him to crank the AC.....
Okay this place is very new so there are some things that I will not affect the rating.
We have been there about 6 times now. Â When they first opened, the service and the beer selecction sucked. Â The staff was horribly trained and knew nothing about beer or the food menu besides the bartender. Â It seemed like I had to go with my 3rd or 4th choice beer because they were always out.
Since then, the selection and the service has greatly improved. Â This place is always packed and I can hear the patrons having a great time all night. (I live 400 yards away). Â It seems that they have taken some advice from Yelp reviews or others and improved. Â The waitresses seem to know a lot more about the beer and there are a lot less, "I'm sorry we are out of that beer"
The food is slightly expensive for bar food, however, it is not just nachos or hot wings. Â The food is upscale and that is what they are going for. Â The motto is " A pub for foodies". Â Everything is very delicious but small in size. Â It seems we have the best experience when we go for just drinks and to enjoy the patio.
The beer changes every day and is decently priced. Â No Happy Hour or daily specials so far. Â My wife wont drink beer so she orders mixed drinks. Â They are strong and very well priced. Â $5 for a Crown & Coke. Not bad for a place that has $35 bottles of beer. Â
I think this place will continue to get better and maybe they will change thier food menu a little bit to cater to those who are used to typical bar food for a cheap snack.
We went to Noble Hops last night..
In a nutshell: We don't need to go back unless a new and improved menu and preparation is offered.
The place was fairly busy. We got seated at a two-top in the front room. That area has all the personality of the waiting room at San Quentin.
We shared a house salad ($9). My wife had the Lobster Cigars ($7), I had Sweet Swine ($17).
The salad was okay, nothing exceptional and overpriced.
The Cigars seemed as though they were prepared off-site - SYSCO perhaps. And, did they contain man-made lobsta?
My pork cutlet was cooked to a well-done state but was still tasty. The spiced parsnip mash was inedible and the other sides were just meh.
My Chocolate Stout ($5) was fine.
Our waitperson  was well meaning but untrained.
We went elsewhere for dessert.
I really wanted to like this place as we need more restaurants in Oro Valley. Â I'm not a beer drinker and was pleased they had a full bar! The patio is awesome and that is the only reason for this 2 star rating.
The service was so awful and our waitress was high. Â Literally. She was so awful we complained to another server and any other worker who came near until a manager finally came over to take over. Â This waitress was fired on the spot as she should have - couldn't believe they would let her work in that condition. Â We had to wait 20 minutes to get our first drink but service improved a bit once the high waitress was fired.
The menu is limited and most items have some sort of pork in them. We ordered the gnocchi and it was yummy and I would have that again. We also ordered the lobster cigars, blue cheese & onion ring burger and a portabello mushroom burger. Â The burger was ordered well done and came out medium rare. Â The portabello burger was not edible. Â Beer battered "fries" came with each burger and they were so strange and not good. Â They were thin slabs of potatoes that were battered and deep fried - no salt or seasoning was on them and there was no ketchup. Â I don't think anything could have helped these "fries" but seasoning and/or ketchup would have made them at least palatable. Â
We will give it another try because it's close, but not expecting too much.
Only beer could bring a southside girl out to Oro Valley because it is seriously a half hour drive not knowing where the F you are going, but I am glad I did. It is Craft Beer Week so my bff and I decided this was the perfect place to end it all - Noble Hops.
Noble Hops is in a strip mall and has a very interesting space. It is small inside with an outside patio that opens up into the bar. We arrived around 8:30 PM and it was busy. We wanted to sit at the bar. The seats were full. We put our name in for a table and we were told " I don't know how long the wait is." Fortunately, we got a seat at the bar. The beer list is long. Now, I am a beer snob but my bff is worse. The white chocolate beer I wanted was tapped out. Apparently, their first week was off the charts. We settled in and I have to say our experience got better and better.
We finally were settled and able to relax and look over the beer and food menu. We were seated next to an awesome couple who we struck up conversation with all night. I was happy to say they were awesome people. Anyway, we started with the ahi tower for an appetizer. I got the Wisconsin cheddar burger with bacon jam and house chips and my bff got the drunken chicken.
The Ahi was strange but good. It seemed to be pureed but still had ahi chunks. The hot sauce was a mix of schirracha and a smokey chile. I liked it but I am not sure I would order it every time. My burger was awesome! It was juicy and tasty. Damn right delicious. My bff's chicken was bomb. It was cooked to perfection, juicy and all around yummy. It came with root vegetables. They were so good he couldn't recognize what they were. I say carrots. Angel Fabian, head chef, knows his stuff. He was formerly of Raz and Miguels. We were also told he was a chef in Vegas for a short while. The menu is different but good at the same time. They have sheppard's pie and a lamb and beef burger as well. I am excited to try the rest of their food!
The beer selection is ok but better than most. I see what they are trying to do and I think that it is not all their fault that it is not completely awesome. They have Barrio's Blonde on draft and they had asked for their Regan's Red but Barrio wouldn't give it to them! I think Tucson should be sharing the wealth. This includes Barrio. Give them the damn Regans Red! It is a win win! I am totally off the subject but I believe it is important.
The bottom line is 1 - they are new but the food is great! 2 - they want an awesome beer selection but they are slowly introducing it to people. 3 - They are new. Kinks are there. They will be worked out. 4 - If you are up in Oro Valley (valley of the gold) GO!
We will be back and I think it is an amazing venture Noble Hops is trying to accomplish!
This is the best place in Oro Valley! For Noble Hops to be in its opening week it is FANTASTIC!!
I've gone three times so far and each time the service and the food has been better than it was the time before. This is totally going to be THE place to be in Tucson for the summer. Â They have the best beer list, the most amazing burgers ever and the overall look and feel of the place makes it worth coming back to. Natalie who works there makes everyone feel welcome and is amazingly friendly.
My only complaint: More choices for dessert!! Other than that, it's 99 out of 100%!!
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