After finishing classes for the day, my friends and I decided it was time to go get some lunch. Having been recently reminded that I hadn’t been to Hops Burger Bar in a while, I suggested it to the group. After a unanimous approval, we piled into the car and began the quick 15 minute drive to Hops via New Garden Road and Joseph M. Bryan Boulevard.

In my experience, Hops is always packed, even at odd hours of the day when other restaurants have slowed down. This was a Thursday afternoon and even still it was full of customers. Fortunately, Hops is located on a lovely line of shops that includes the likes of Acme Comics, Art and Soul, Juice Shop and other great ways to pass the time. Hops has taken advantage of this and allows you to walk around freely and receive a convenient text message to let you know when your table is ready.

After about 15 minutes of browsing at the nearby stores, our table was finally ready. Entering the restaurant, you are immediately struck by its very rustic atmosphere, accentuated by the thick wooden tables, dark stained hardwood floors and understated decor.

Choosing what to order at Hops is never easy. The good news is they have such a large selection of interesting burgers and sides that you can’t make a bad choice. Add on to that the fact that they allow you to create custom burgers, sandwiches and salads and it becomes truly impossible to pick a favorite. This time, I decided to go with the tried and true Hops Classic with a perfectly sized eight ounce patty. It’s a great amount of food for the price, especially considering all orders come with a side, a pickled banana pepper and a pickle.

Although some may call it boring, I personally think the Hops Classic is the best burger on the menu. It goes back to the basics with American cheese, crispy applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion. The toppings come together extremely well to create what I can say quite confidently is the best burger I have ever had. The fries that came with my burger are much thicker and crunchier than those you may find at a fast food joint and are, as a result, extremely tasty. Hops also offers you the choice of chips, onion rings, veggies or a side salad to go along with its entrees, but I think the fries are the way to go.

While I didn’t try it this time, I know from experience that the mint chocolate cheesecake is extremely good. I haven’t had a chance to try any of the other desserts yet, but if they are anything like the cheesecake, I’m sure they are tasty.

We left feeling satisfied with our choice of lunch spot, having spent a little under $15 each, including tip. The affordability of the place is a huge plus for a student budget. If you get the chance, I would highly recommend Hops Burger Bar for quality food at a reasonable price.