HopCat

What HopCat does

HopCat is a regional craft kitchen and bar chain founded in 2008, operating 13 locations across Michigan (12 sites) and Nebraska (1 site in Lincoln). The concept centers on pairing 40+ rotating taps of local and regional craft beer with scratch-made comfort food in a casual, neighborhood-bar atmosphere. Core menu items include signature burgers, Cosmik Fries, and a broader comfort food menu with prices ranging from $5.50 to $21.95, supplemented by craft cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic options. Each location is differentiated through unique interior design and dog-friendly patios, with the chain employing roughly 13 venue-level General Managers across the footprint.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: dine-in restaurant sales (the dominant transaction-fee stream), online ordering via order.hopcat.com and ToastTab for pickup and delivery, private events on a minimum-spend basis, off-site catering distributed through the ezCater platform, merchandise sales through hopcatmerch.com, and gift cards. A mobile-based rewards program (HopCat Rewards, available on iOS and Android) layers a points-based loyalty mechanic onto the core restaurant experience, awarding 1 point per food dollar spent and redeemable for $10 discounts. Distribution is primarily direct through owned retail storefronts, augmented by channel partnerships with ToastTab (ordering), ezCater (catering), BeerMenus (beer menu display), and Perfect Venue (private event booking).

The business operates under the legal entity Project BarFly LLC, which was acquired in October 2025 by Chicago-based private investment firm Uncommon Equity LLC, with senior debt financing provided by OakNorth Bank PLC. The acquisition included the 13 HopCat locations plus Stella's Lounge in Grand Rapids, with the stated strategic intent of supporting expansion and enhanced brand investment. HopCat has no proprietary technology stack; the underlying technology consists of standard restaurant POS and online ordering integrations.

Name

HopCat

Legal name

Project BarFly LLC

Website

https://hopcat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

HopCat is a regional craft kitchen and bar chain operating 13 locations across Michigan and Nebraska, serving craft beer enthusiasts and casual diners with 40+ rotating taps, scratch-made comfort food, and a points-based rewards program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer bar
• Casual dining
• Restaurant chain
• Craft kitchen
• Private events catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: Revenue from dine-in customers ordering from food and beverage menus at 13 HopCat locations across Michigan and Nebraska.
2. Online Ordering & Takeout: Revenue from online orders placed through order.hopcat.com and ToastTab platform for takeout and delivery.
3. Private Events & Catering: Revenue from private party bookings and catering services, operating on minimum spend basis with no room rental fees. Catering available through ezCater platform.
4. Rewards Program: Points-based loyalty program where customers earn 1 point per dollar spent on food purchases, redeemable for discounts and free items. Birthday rewards and exclusive offers for app members.
5. Merchandise: Sale of HopCat branded merchandise through hopcatmerch.com.
6. Gift Cards: Revenue from sale of gift cards, which create float and encourage repeat visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HopCat is a regional craft kitchen & bar restaurant chain operating 13 locations across Michigan and Nebraska. The company serves scratch-made comfort food alongside 40+ rotating taps of local and regional craft beer, plus craft cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. It supplements the dine-in experience with online ordering for takeout/delivery, a points-based rewards program, private event hosting, off-site catering through ezCater, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

HopCat is a regional casual dining restaurant chain operating as a craft kitchen and bar, featuring 40+ taps of local and regional craft beer, scratch-made comfort food, craft cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic options. The company operates 13 locations across Michigan and Nebraska. The core product is the dining experience, supplemented by a mobile rewards program (HopCat Rewards), online ordering platform (order.hopcat.com), private event venue rental, and catering services through ezCater. The company also maintains a GROW sustainability initiative focusing on environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HopCat Restaurant Experience Casual dining restaurant offering 40+ taps of local and regional craft beer, scratch-made comfort food, craft cocktails, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and dog-friendly patios. Served at 13 locations across Michigan and Nebraska to general consumers.
• HopCat Rewards Program Points-based loyalty program allowing customers to earn 1 point per dollar spent on food purchases, redeemable for discounts and free items. Includes birthday dinner rewards and exclusive offers for app members.
• Online Ordering Digital ordering platform enabling customers to place takeout and delivery orders from HopCat's food and beverage menus across all 13 locations.
• Private Events Private party venue rental service offering event spaces at multiple HopCat locations accommodating 20-100 guests, with customized event menus, full bar, PA system, and catering options for corporate events, celebrations, and gatherings.
• Catering Off-site catering service offered through ezCater, providing customized event menus including shareable appetizers, buffet-style options, and full meal service for office and home events.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase, usable at all HopCat locations for food, beverages, and merchandise purchases.
• HopCat Merchandise Branded HopCat merchandise including apparel and promotional items available for purchase through hopcatmerch.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% of waste recycled or composted
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Stella's LoungeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Included in the acquisition deal along with HopCat locations. Stella's Lounge is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
• ezCaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party catering platform partner providing catering ordering capabilities across all HopCat locations.
• GROW ProgramminorOthersEmployee-led sustainability and community engagement program supporting local communities, environmental sustainability, and employee well-being.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Applebee's: Applebee's is a national casual dining chain competing for the same value-oriented casual dining occasion as HopCat, particularly via happy hour and combo deals. It is far larger but overlaps on customer demographic and use case.
• TGI Fridays: TGI Fridays is a national casual dining bar and grill chain with a significant bar program. It overlaps with HopCat on casual dining + full bar positioning, though with broader menu and national scale.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: Buffalo Wild Wings is a national casual dining and sports bar chain with significant beer offerings. It competes for the same casual dining + bar occasion as HopCat, but with national scale and a wings-centric menu rather than craft beer focus.

Direct peers

• World of Beer: World of Beer is a craft beer bar and tavern chain offering dozens of rotating taps alongside food. It is a direct competitor to HopCat's craft-beer bar concept, though with a more tavern-forward (less dining-heavy) format.
• Yard House: Yard House is a casual dining chain centered on an extensive draft beer selection (typically 100+ taps) combined with a full American menu. It is one of the closest direct comps to HopCat's craft-beer-forward casual dining model.
• Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant: Gordon Biersch is a brewpub-style restaurant chain pairing in-house brewing with a full casual dining menu. It overlaps with HopCat's craft kitchen & bar positioning, though with an owned-brewing component.
• Granite City Food & Brewery: Granite City is a brewpub-style casual dining chain combining in-house brewing with a full restaurant menu. It overlaps with HopCat on the craft beer + scratch-made casual dining positioning, though it operates its own brewhouse.
• Bar Louie: Bar Louie is a casual dining bar and restaurant chain offering craft cocktails, a strong beer selection, and American shareables in an upscale-casual atmosphere. It competes with HopCat for the craft beer + casual dining occasion.
• The Brass Tap: The Brass Tap is a craft beer bar franchise with a large rotating tap selection and a curated food menu. It is comparable to HopCat's beer-bar-with-food concept, though it typically operates at a smaller per-unit scale.
• BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse: BJ's combines brewhouse-style operations with a deep beer menu, pizza, and casual American fare. Like HopCat, it emphasizes a large rotating beer list alongside scratch-made food in a full-service casual dining setting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HopCat
• Facebookfacebook.com/HopCat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barfly-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/hopcatbeerbar/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@hopcatbeerbar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HopCat