Hops & Vines

Good food, great drinks, and decent prices. Ryan is our favorite server and Gordon makes great drinks. Hops side and vines side create two different and comfortable atmospheres. Upscale pub food and fine dining in one.

This newly renovated Log on Spring Street is catered and operated by Hops and Vines.
The atmosphere is calm, jazzy, warm and lit with a cozy candle dinner feeling. The service is efficient enough with waitresses mostly present to get the job done. But don’t let the composed atmosphere deceive you– suspend judgement until that first bite hits your mouth.
While they did end up compensating my meal, after speaking to a couple staff, the fried chicken and waffles was very overcooked and very flavor less. Others reviews have said differently.
The Log burger seems more dependable and actually appetizing. Disappointing visit to an over rated new joint.
But! The homemade cookies are of the best I’ve had.

Apparently, Saturday lunchtime, the weekend before Christmas, is not a hopping time for Hops and Vines. There was only one party of two when we arrived around 30 minutes passed noon.
Entry is interesting in that you feel like you might be entering some private hide-​a-​way as you enter through the door. There is a heavy, semi-​circular, black, felt-​like curtain hanging from the ceiling upon entry. I’m sure this is a Winter accoutrement to protect from the normally freezing cold drafts every time the door is opened.
As you slip through the slit in the curtain, a small foyer is revealed that separates one dining area to the left from another to the right. (Hops from Vines?) This foyer also has two modern chairs, with an equally modern coffee table, and a gas fireplace built into a wall. It would be interesting to see who chooses to relax there on a hopping night.
We were seated at a table in the rose and brick wall room with modern paintings hanging. The one-​page menu was brief and looked like it might be only for lunch and updated regularly. Offerings were grouped by For The Table, Sandwiches, Salads, and Entrées. We were not imbibing this afternoon so we each requested Coffee ($ 3.50/ single serving French press). This was REALLY good robust, rich, flavorful coffee. It was almost worth returning just for the coffee.
We started by sharing their Spring Rolls ($ 6) which were filled with stir fried vegetables. The deep fried wonton wrappers were crispy like we had never experienced before. The two rolls had each been sliced in half by the kitchen, allowing any excess oil to drain to the bottom of the dish. This also aided us in biting into extremely hot food. The wrappers crinkled of crispiness with each bite. A dipping sauce of honey and soy had been provided, but the rolls almost didn’t need it. In fact, the balance of flavors were best when just a very minimal amount of the sauce was used.
My wife was attracted by the description of the House Cured Salmon and Avocado B.L.T. sandwich ($ 10). Along with the salmon and avocado, it included smoked bacon, tomato, and greens, on a baguette with herbed vinaigrette. A somewhat standard, but good, pasta salad was also served with her sandwich. The baguette seemed to display some of that crispiness again to its outer upper crust, but it was overall, fresh and soft with a good flavor. The only negative we observed was a lack of flavor in the avocado. Possibly it was not yet ripe enough.
I had decided to try the Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza ($ 9). In addition to the diced squash, the pizza was topped with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and arugula. This personal sized, hand formed crust had sufficient heft to the base to support the toppings, and had a nice flavor to the dough. Once again, that crispiness character could be found in the very outer edges of the crust to the point of almost being cracker like. This was a very delicious combination of flavors and there is no doubt I’d order it again.
Our service was friendly and very efficient. Hannah would repeatedly check with us to see that everything was to our liking. We actually enjoyed the laid back feeling of having the place all to ourselves. Although, seeing all the beer tap handles being displayed in the other dining room, I’m sure it would be fun to return when we were ready to partake on a more hopping evening.

A little pricey for a college town, but it’s worth it! The food was delectable, and our waiter, Matt, recommended us a great Spanish wine. He was really friendly and made the experience even more enjoyable.
Will definitely be back!

Had lunch today. Simply wonderful. Food was creative, fresh, and beautifully presented. Service was prompt and attentive. While menu is small, there is still something for everybody.

Visiting Williamstown last week, had dinner there two days ago. Modern and friendly. Food delicious. We had oysters and smoked salmon for appetizer then sea scalops and a delicious roasted caulifower eith herbs & nuts as main course. Dessert simply perfect!
Worth to go back next tine visiting the area.

Really nice locally sourced dinner menu, FABULOUS $ 5 margarita and great local craft beers. Outside seating is beautiful.

We were told several times about how good Hops and Vines was, and sadly, we were very disappointed. I called ahead to be sure that they would be able to accommodate us at 4:15 — 5:00, even though it said online that dinner started at 5:00. The woman on the phone assured us that this would not be an issue. However, when we got there, they refused to serve us off of their lunch menu, despite the fact that the woman on the phone had said this would be okay. They also refused to serve their dinner menu a second before 5. Overall, they were inflexible and unhelpful, and insisted that we order from the (4 item!) bar menu with our family of six.
We ended up ordering from the bar menu, since we were already there and had a show to go to later in the evening. We then asked whether they had gluten free buns for their burgers, and they looked at us like we each had two heads. This is unfortunate and surprising, given the ubiquity of gluten free dining, and the fact that several smaller restaurants in North Adams had been extremely accommodating earlier that day and the day before. They then informed us that the burgers themselves had Panko crumbs in them, which was a huge disappointment, given that three out of the six of us are gluten free.
The food then took a very long time to get to us, which seemed strange because there were very few other people in the restaurant at the time. We ended up with a mix of chicken wings, steak frites on greens, spring rolls, and burgers (for the non-​GF), and the food was okay… the steak frites were actually above average, but certainly not worth the service, price, etc. For what we got, it was very expensive, and not sensational tasting.
We left disappointed, but the final insult would come later. For whatever reason, one of us ended up having some pretty nasty GI distress that night. Though we cannot say for sure that this has anything to do with the food at Hops and Vines (only one of us was affected, but only that person had the spring rolls), it certainly did not leave us with a positive impression of our experience.
All of this being said, I can see how this restaurant might appeal to a certain, very different type of diner, specifically, one who is interested in an artisanal beer experience. For us, it was a definite no-​go, and we will certainly not be returning. We caution families to think twice before dining here, if they are looking for a slightly flexible experience.

Had dinner there last night with a large group, nice place, decent food, so-​so drinks. The service was slow at the beginning but it did improve. Our waiter was snarky though and was especially rude to one of the people in our group. A real turn off.
If I came back to town, I would look elsewhere before coming back.

Cute atmosphere but slow service and mediocre food. My fiancé and I wanted to stop for a quick lunch in the garden and were encouraged by the good reviews but the food was nothing special. I got fish and chips and the fish seriously had no flavor. I joked that the best part of my meal was the garlic aioli. Fiancé got a Cobb salad and it was again nothing special. The prices are much too high for the quality of the food.

This place was tasty! First time in Williamstown and this was our first stop. We ate on the more casual «Hops» side of the restaurant. We had two great beers (Jack’s Abby Smoke & Dagger — ⁴⁄₅
White Birch Raspberry Berliner Weisse — ⁴⁄₅) and delicious food. Started with the pretzel spears (⁵⁄₅), vegetable spring rolls (⁴⁄₅), and peanut-​bacon brittle (⁴⁄₅). The spears were soft, doughy, and accompanied by two great spicy mustards; the spring rolls were all cabbage and carrots, delicious combo but the sauce was a little too salty; the p-​bb was perfectly smoky but the bacon tended to cluster together so few bites had it all. Unfortunately the main dishes were very hit or miss. Our burger had great potential but, despite ordering a medium-​rare, received something closer to well-​done. Eh. Not great. We also ordered the children’s chicken fingers, A+! Finally, fries and bacon mac and cheese. Both worth seconds!

First time diner-​lunch. I get what some people say about the service. Our waitress had an odd attitude. Couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Not cheery at all. A little annoyed. Whatever…
Food is excellent. Grass fed burger and lobster roll were big hits at the table.
Nice beer selection. Bartender made killer vodka martinis. I’d go back in a heartbeat.

Venue is sleek with some cool art work on the walls. Our server, Anna, was excellent! We marched our way through the appetizer menu and were amply rewarded. The lobster roll appetizer was very good. The tempura soft shell crab was divine. The wine list was fun with many wines I didn’t recognize. Well worth a return visit.

Pro tip: they have $ 2.50 PBR tall boys and a dart board. And their tasty margarita is only $ 5. I’ve had their lunch menu, which is tasty, but dinner prices me out. There’s a $ 17 burger on the menu! Bonkers.
I adore the wait staff here. They are super nice!

I have been going to H&V consistently for the past year to catch an occasional light fare or a full meal and they have not disappointed. I tend to go more often to the Hops side (more casual ambience), which has a great array of beers on tap, with an ever-​changing weekly selection.
On the pub menu I enjoy the teriyaki chicken wings and from time to time indulge in their burger and fries, which is made with local ingredients. When a bigger appetite calls I recommend the mac and cheese (to die for!) the veggie sides, the pork braised shoulder entrée (the presentation and flavors are magnificent) and their desserts are among my favorites. In addition, I highly enjoy their $ 1 tacos night on Thursdays (just make sure to be mindful and respectful when you come with big groups to plan ahead — I highly dislike when customers feel entitled in big groups to demand split bills and give the waitstaff a hard time — grow up!)
On the staff side, I have always felt welcomed and treated with great respect, courtesy, and professionalism by all the staff: Matt, Kelsey, Josh, Anna, and Michelle (the manager). They are always aware and provide top-​notch service. This also includes the great bartender on the Vines side that makes some amazing cocktails (recommend their mojitos and a cocktail called Pepito). They are always on their toes and I am humbled to say that the staff handles the highs and lows of the business with a grace that shows success.
A final note, for those that come in large groups during peak times, make sure you are mindful of the dynamics of splitting checks and your sense of time. I’ve observed groups that do not come prepared and make it difficult when it’s time to pay the bill and become disgruntled towards the staff. This is unwarranted in any location. So check your attitude at the door and come prepared to have a good time with good food, service, and ambience.

UPDATE:
While the food is still very good, the service upon my next couple of visits here slipped steeply downhill. If I don’t feel welcome, I am unlikely to enjoy my meal as was the case. It is no wonder that the server was disgrunteld as the place has been completely dead (on the «vines side» as opposed to the «hops side» which is usually, well… hopping) every time I have gone. I may be disgruntled too, if I was working in a place where I was only serving one couple and not making much for my time. However, whether the server rationale for being unpleasant is justified or not, I simply do not like going anymore and will be making future visits seldom, if at all. Too bad, because the food is great and the place is very well decorated and classy. It’s just that the ambiance and service have been disappointing lately.

Compared to Mezze this place is very average. The food was mediocre at best and for the price it should be somewhat «good.»
I’m updating this review with more in-​depth information regarding my last two visits:
1. I came here for a birthday dinner for a friend who reserved tables for a party of 15. The Hostess and waiter’s were completely incompetent in organizing this as the party was split into two tables because of a exit problem. This problem could have easily been solved had the restaurant reorganized how the other open tables in the restaurant could have been situated. Further, the hostess, when told that the party of guests was reduced to 13…(and thus the tables could be pushed together) did not tell the waiters to help us put them together but rather told us that this would negatively affect the restaurant because of the space we were taking up. In all seriousness, I’m sure this restaurant and many others have learnt to deal with cancellations and reduced party sizes…
2. I ordered takeout to be picked up at 5:50pm and was informed upon arrival that it would take 2 mins as the chefs were cooking the food. 2 minutes turned into 15 minutes… with passing waiters and the hostess again giving absolutely no updates other than a «it be ready in a minute.» I understand complications can arise and that mistakes can be made… however, a customer should be aware on what issues had happened.
Overall, very disappointing (albeit the calamari is solid).

This place is absolutely one of my favorite eateries around town. The choice between the Hops (Beer, Sports-​Bar, Pong Table, Quirky) and the Vines (Wine, Restaurant, Classy) sides is great and really fun. The food is a little expensive, but you basically can’t miss with the kind of service they provide and how singularly tasty it is, not to mention the exceptional drinks from the bar that your meal can be paired with.
My usual order includes the burger and the bacon mac and cheese, all of which is modern, trendy, and best of all, tasty. However, if you do order one of the specials or take a risk with some of the menu items, be warned that not all gambles always pay off 100%. Once, I ordered a lamb and bacon entrée. The lamb and bacon was delicious, but the potatoes it came with were overcooked and the flavor kind of off. That was definitely the exception to the experience though, not the rule.
Overall, a great dining option at Williamstown, especially for the younger crowd. Happy Eating!

Only posting about drinks, service, and ambiance because we didn’t eat. Walked into a private party — oops but the other section was open to the public. The people at the party seemed to be having nice time during our very short stay. Second bar open to the public is very nice.
Great beer selection — I’m a beer snob. Happy hour included a $ 5 5 beer sampler. Just enough beer to know if you really like it. They had some decently priced appetizers as well but we didn’t have enough time to eat. The bartender was excellent– very attentive. Will definitely make this a post-​Clark stop.

Went here before a show at Williams College. The food is definitely a bit pricey but it was literally one of the best restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. The food was wonderful, the wait staff was top notch (very informed about the menu, which is important because my wife has some dietary restrictions) and the atmosphere was wonderful.
All in all this place is absolutely top notch. Everything was so delicious. Next time I’m in the area I will absolutely be back.