Hopmonk Tavern Awards

Hopmonk Tavern Restaurant Review:

A stylized dining room and bar with half-circle red booths, zebra striped wood tables and plank floors hint that this isn’t your average watering hole. Then there’s the bang-up biergärten off the back deck, replete with fountain, couches and picnic benches, securely tented during winter months to accommodate the crowds. The draw: 20-ish carefully chosen draft beers, including locally brewed and small batch gems (look for Russian River's popular but elusive Pliny the Elder Double IPA). Dean Biersch, founder of Gordon Biersch beer and restaurant brands, created this neighborhood haven for sampling intriguing, artisan, well-crafted beers, but also for food that’s a worthy match. Local purveyors get celebrated space on a menu of small plates (a misnomer --- they’re ample), salads, sandwiches and a handful of mains. Order a favorite cold brew and pair it with the pulled pork sliders adorned with Hopmonk's sweet and tangy barbecue sauce or the taco four-pack with two smoky Korean beef and two fish and house-slaw tacos. Tasty, heartier mains include tavern-style jambalaya or the chili verde served with corn tortillas. In addition to beer, local wines and classic cocktails are available.