Restaurant Review – Hopleaf

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Last night I had the pleasure of going to one of my favorite restaurants in the city. This is a bold statement, considering the wealth of great food our city has to offer. But, I stand by it. Hopleaf (5148 N Clark) is a fantastic restaurant/bar in Andersonville. They have an extensive draft menu, including craft beers, ciders, as well as wine on tap. They also have a giant list of bottled beers and a sizable wine list. The restaurant is very large, with two full-sized bars. There are a generous number of tables and booths in each bar, as well as a number of tables available for dinner service. When the weather is nice, they also have a back patio available for outdoor dining. The food is fantastic. I have tried a number of things on the menu. Last night, I had my favorite dish: the CB&J sandwich. Two pieces of sourdough toast sandwich house-made cashew butter, fig jam, and raclette cheese. The whole thing is pan-fried and served with Stilton mac and cheese and potato chips. Their Pommes Frites (or French fries) are delicious, so I asked to sub those for the potato chips. The sandwich is heaven. It’s a grown up peanut butter and jelly sandwich, what more could you want?! The mac and cheese is very tasty with the Stilton, but unfortunately last night, it was overcooked. It lost a little bit of that gooiness I love in a mac, but it was still flavorful. The French fries were crispy, salty, and perfect. They come with an incredible aioli that I would probably take a bath in, if offered. I’ve also had the Duck Reuben sandwich: served on marble rye, piled high with Pekin duck breast, cranberry cream cheese spread, and house-made sauerkraut. This is a very rich meal, so  I would recommend sharing, but it is also an incredible sandwich.

Dinner hours at Hopleaf are Mondays through Thursdays from 5 to 11 pm, Fridays from 5 pm to 12 am, Saturdays from 4 pm to 12 am, and Sundays from 4 pm to 10 pm. The bar is open Sundays through Fridays from 12 pm to 2 am and Saturdays from 12 pm to 3 am. Lunch hours are Mondays through Fridays from 12 pm to 5 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 pm to 4 pm. Hopleaf also hosts private parties, with a private room upstairs that can accommodate up to 40 guests. Find more information about this Andersonville gem on their website!