Hoptinger has been a staple of Jacksonville's nightlife since it first opened. They have a great menu, awesome drink specials and perfect locations (Jax Beach, Little 5 Points and St. Augustine). And to top it off, their happy hour is, yes I'm going to say this, ON POINT. Each location has a different drink selection, but the most iconic are the 3 dollar beer specials and Hoptinger's 3 dollar bar bites.
Now, as much as I'd love to actively drink and rate their entire beer selection, I'd go broke from both paying that bill and the hospital bill after the alcohol poisoning.
So we'll just stick to the bar bites. My friend, Ashley, and I went to Hoptinger on three separate occasions and ordered two bar snacks each time with a couple beers. Here are the competitors for Hoptinger's 3 dollar bar bites.
1. The Veggie Flatbread
I was skeptical ordering this because when it comes to bar food, the unhealthier, the better. This flatbread consists of tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, spinach, basil and cheese with a honey balsamic glaze drizzled on top. Ashley was more excited about it than I was at first, but, oh, did the tables turn.
We loved the presentation and the balsamic glaze added just the right amount flavor. As soon as I took a bite, all my negativity went away. It was delicious. The flatbread was crispy, there was a good balance between all the veggies, and the size was perfect for two.
Ashley however, didn't feel the same. In her words, "I really had high hopes for this. It wasn't bad, but they overloaded it with onions. Way too much onion."
2. Spinach Dip with Pita Chips
Before I give our reviews on this bar bite, I need to say that during our visits, Ashley and I visited two Hoptinger locations a total of three times — the one in Jax Beach and the one in Little 5 Points.
Two of the three visits were in Jax Beach, but we went to Little 5 Points for the spinach dip and, sadly, we were disappointed. The pita chips were extremely chewy, almost stale. It may have been because of the amount of oil used on them.
The spinach dip for us both tasted more like sautéed spinach with a little cheese on top, not a dip. Maybe it was an unfortunate mistake, maybe it was the location, all we know is we probably won't order it again.
3. Cheeseheads
I've got three words: BOMB DOT COM. These addicting little curds are made out of beer-battered Wisconsin cheddar cheese with a side of Hoptinger's lager yellow mustard. A good crunch on the outside with a gooey, center — we were thoroughly impressed.
We also love cheese, so this was an instant success. The menu said it itself, so good, we almost became Packers fans.
(JUST KIDDING, GO JAGS.)
3. Bacon and Blue Cheese Hand-Cut Potato Chips
Okay, I know I just said we love cheese.
That being said, I normally hate blue cheese, but this was a pretty sweet combination. Ashley loves blue cheese and she agrees. These hand-cut chips had the perfect amount of homemade blue cheese, scallions, bacon and honey balsamic glaze.
The blue cheese was creamy and evenly spread, so it was nice to not have any drenched, droopy chips on our plate. All-in-all, it was a good dish.
5. Hummus with Pita Chips
I made the disclaimer for the spinach dip because for our final visit, we went back to the Jax Beach location and ordered the hummus with the same style pita chips.
Boy, was there a hell of a difference.
The chips were toasted perfectly, crisp and crunchy with tasty seasoning on top and a lot less oil, I'm guessing. Hopefully our visit to Little 5 Points was just a fluke and their chips are normally as good as the ones in Jax Beach (I'll have to go back again for their redemption). The hummus was delicious with the same seasoning on top. It added a spicy kick that meshed very well with the hummus.
6. Beer-Battered Onion Rings
I'm a big fan of onion rings, so I got pretty excited to see this presentation come to my table. The server brought it to us with our second beer, so it was double the excitement. These onion rings were delicious. The outside coating was crispy, but without the entire onion sliding out at first bite, which is a great accomplishment, in my opinion.
One disappointment: this bar bite does not come with a dipping sauce. At first, we tried to power through and do without, but the onion rings on their own were way too dry. They definitely needed something more.
We eventually asked for a side of the mustard that came with the cheeseheads, but it wasn't the ideal sauce for these bites.
If you like onion rings, I highly suggest you try these as a snack. They were made extremely well and are a great choice, but I suggest you ask about their sauce selections or bring your own.
Final Ratings
Overall, Hoptinger is a great place to wine (or beer) and dine. They have such a wide variety of both food and drink, that it's definitely worth a try and the staff has always been helpful and friendly. Hoptinger's 3 dollar bar bites are just a bonus and it was fun trying them all.
Although there were some mishaps that we found, nobody's perfect and, overall, we had a great experience. We hope our list helps you make your decision when it comes to ordering time.
Ashley's Final Countdown (Best to Worst)
1. Cheeseheads
2. Hummus with Pita Chips
3. Bacon & Blue Cheese Hand-Cut Potato Chips
4. Beer-Battered Onion Rings
5. Veggie Flatbread
6. Spinach Dip with Pita Chips
Daniela's Final Countdown (Best to Worst)
1. Cheeseheads
2. Hummus with Pita Chips
3. Veggie Flatbread
4. Beer-Battered Onion Rings
5. Bacon & Blue Cheese Hand-Cut Potato Chips
6. Spinach Dip with Pita Chips