Hops House 99 (Hollywood Casino Bangor)


Restaurant Review


We went up to Bangor to see the Pentatonix Concert in Bangor and stayed at the Hollywood Casino Hotel, which is just up the street a few blocks from Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion where the concert was held.  We thought, it is close and casinos typically have great buffets, so why not?

Arrival

Upon check-in, we learned that the Epic Buffet only operates Friday and Saturday nights plus a Sunday morning Brunch.  We were spending Thursday night there, so we had to go to their “Hops House 99,” which has “Pub Food” cuisine.
    


Seating
Seating was open and seat yourself when we arrived in the late afternoon. There were plenty of tables to choose from.

Pre-ordering

The waiter quickly brought us waters with lemon while we reviewed the menu.

Ordering

I asked the waiter between the Fried Fish Tacos and the California Burger, which would he recommend. He made sure I like spicy and then recommended the Fried Fish Tacos. “Sam Adams Beer Battered Fresh Haddock Served Open-faced on Tortillas with Chipotle Ranch, Shaved Lettuce. House-made salsa & Red Onions.” My wife decided on the Grilled Steak, “Grilled Flat Iron Steak served on a Toasted Baguette with Chopped Caramelized Onions & Peppers, Provolone Cheese & Horseradish Mayonnaise.” She asked for medium rare with tater tots.  She also asked for a dinner salad, to use Romaine lettuce rather than iceberg lettuce.
  
My wife ordered a martini, Bombay Sapphire, extra dry, with a twist.  They didn’t carry Corona Premier, which has become my latest favorite beer, so I decided to skip a drink for now. When her martini arrived, it was extra dry, however, it came with a lemon wedge rather than a twist. It is amazing how much some lemon juice affects the taste of a martini where the oil of a lemon twist is an entirely different flavor.

My wife’s salad arrived and was perfect. It came on a chilled plate and with a chilled fork. A very nice touch you don’t see many places.  

Food

I could see the fish on the fish tacos from across the room when he came with the food. Amazing. There were big beautiful pieces of fish that smothered the tortillas, salsa, and lettuce. The haddock was thick and cooked perfectly. I think it was better tasking and considerably larger than the dinner portion I had the night before (at another restaurant). I was a bit disappointed that the tater tots looked like plain-old Or-Ida. I was hoping for something “made in-house.” They were good though.

My wife’s sandwich was beautiful. The steak was cooked to perfection, a nicely done medium-rare steak. Receiving overcooked steak tips and steak slices are common at restaurants, but not here.  The steak was cooked to perfection and the tater tots were beautifully golden brown. The horseradish mayonnaise was tangy and not overpowering.

The service was excellent throughout the meal; water glasses were replaced with fresh glasses (and lemon) when appropriate.  The server, Samuel, was friendly and attentive.

Ratings

Ambiance: 4 (Clean and open, good for conversations.)
Food: 5 (Every item was cooked perfectly.) 
Service: 5 (Server was friendly and attentive.)
Price: 3 (Lunch was over $15 each, not including drinks)
Value: 4 (Excellent service, very good food.)

Conclusion

I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to visit Hops House 99, however, I was happy with the food and service. If I ever stay at the Hollywood Casino and Hotel again, I would happily eat there again.

Location:

Hops House 99
Hollywood Casino, Bangor
500 Main St.
Bangor, ME 04401


Location: 500 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401, USA

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