On Friday, my family and I went to HopCat on state street. I have walked past it a plethora of times, but this was my first time eating there, and I was neither impressed or unimpressed. I have had much better food and much better ambiance, but I have also had the other end of the spectrum.

I ordered the stuffed cowboy burger for my first time. I was told it was their most popular menu item, or one of the most popular. It had good not great cheese, jalapeños that I think were deep fried, onion rings and bacon. All things considered, it wasn’t a bad burger by any means. I eat a lot of burgers, so it takes a lot to blow me away. I have my preferences when it comes to my burgers, and I prefer sweeter sauces with onion straws, or a Jack Daniels sauce. I am sure there are plenty of people who prefer this typer of burger, but I was not now of them. The fries were very good, and the sauce that went with them were very good, so I would definitely recommend the fries to anyone. Being that HopCat is most known for being a brewery, or having an assortment of 130 ales and other beers, and I am under 21, I couldn’t try any of the beer legally. But that didn’t apply to my parents, so they tried a few brews, and they seemed to like many of them, so I guess I’ll take their word for it.

As far as the ambiance, I’ve been in so many places that have a much better identity. I have a vague idea of what that establishment looks like. It didn’t have a different identity, it didn’t have a vibe or feel to it. It wasn’t bad, just not memorable. But in Madison, where theres the third most restaurants per capita, I feel like restaurants need to stand out They need to pop, but this one doesn’t. To say it was underwhelming would be the most accurate statement you could make. If the restaurant wasn’t on state street, I’m not too sure it would get too much traffic. They had wood tables with some monitors and TVs showing some sports channels. I could go back to my hometown of 20,000 people and get the same experience. The thing that makes HopCat different is the beer. The abundance of beer makes a difference. Its what brings people in the doors, and what is used to wash down some mediocre food. Its clearly a successful business that I have no right to judge, but this is just my opinion.

The final verdict: its alright. Theres nothing special to this place. If I had a friend visiting and they asked me where they should eat, there would be a long list of restaurants I would say before HopCat. But, it is a typical Wisconsin experience, and thats worth a lot. When I think of midwestern dining, HopCat style is what I think of.