The Hopper Pub & Pizzeria

My first time there because we went for the music. It's a very small Pub a block off Hwy 528 on the North side of Rio Rancho. We tried 3-4 different types of craft and bottle beers. We both liked the Scottish "Kilt Lifter."We ordered a large Hawaiian Ham and Pineapple pizza. It was ok but not great. The pizza crust is thin which I like. It really could have had more ham and pineapple on top. The ham was cut in cubes like sugar cube size which I thought was odd. There's a great selection of many types of beers listed on the board. The service was good and very attentive. The place was full when the music of the Fabulous "Martini Tones" began. They're a really awesome 4 man band that plays epic classic tunes. No vocals - just good music including Saxophone. They played a 3 hr gig and we enjoyed every bit of it!!! We'll be going back and try other food and if we get another pizza - it'll be different and hopefully better. And also, hopefully the Martini Tones will be there performing also.

Pizzas are delicious and great live music. Wait staff are very friendly and it has an atmosphere of a neighborhood hang out. Outdoor patio is great when the weather permits and plenty of parking.

Ordered ahead for a pick up at 5:30pm. Got there at that time and the pizzas and garlic bread (which ended up being some cheese and jalapeños thing) had been sitting in the styrofoam containers for at least 30min.My daughter doesn't eat spicy food so she couldn't enjoy what should've been garlic bread.Not coming back again.

Sunday, March 12, 2023. Dinner.This pub used to be called the Blue Grasshopper and a great place to see live music. We hadn't visited since they re-opened and changed the name. They had live music, a two-man band that sang some covers and sounded quite good. They had the lead singer for Coalesce Blue join them for some songs and he has a great voice. They sometimes play the Hopper, so peek at the schedule and check out Coalesce Blue. Look at their website for upcoming band dates: https://www.thehoppernm.com/?fbclid=IwAR2wcFjJ_e-Qcy20fTsWr8qVRCZh9UxXkf-VpQLH9ij4Rp53O8UCW8ia_-cWe ordered the 13" Greg's Special Pizza, which came with spicy sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, Hatch green chile, pizza sauce, green and black olives and mozzarella/provolone cheese for $18. This pizza happened to be a perfect size for two people to polish off. The wood fired oven created a perfect crust. My wife said she liked it more than Village Pizza. I disagreed with that bold statement, but it was a really good pizza pie. They are generous with their toppings. We paired the pie with some pints. I had the Rio Grande Outlaw lager ($5) and two pints of the Marble Cerveza ($5 each) with lime wedges. My wife drank the Kiltlifter ($5) and De La Vega Pecan beer ($6). All of our beers were on tap, and I'm sorry to say, just a bit under-carbonated. If they could increase the carbonation to the beers these pub would be 5 stars. If you want a place to spend a relaxing afternoon or evening, listening to live music, enjoying some pints and eating good pizza than this should be your spot!

We tried the Hopper because we wanted simply to try a new place near our house. Great atmosphere, friendly people! Would go there to get a drink. The food...subpar bar food. I had a pizza they was okay. The rest of our order was not good. Over cooked, under cooked. I was disappointed but willing to try again

Drink selection is decent I think, but the pizza is not my favorite type. Thin crust brick oven style; good for keeping the meal on the light side. Appreciated the atmosphere with plenty of TVs and decoration. I like the size of the bar. No complaints about the service.

When on the west side, it's definitely a place to go pizza and drinks. They have live music often and it's one of those neighborhood places that you feel comfortable in.

I am so glad this place opened back up. New owners, same great pizza. All of the food is always good. The service is friendly. They do not have too many servers so it can get kind of slow. They have great bands on Friday evenings. Lots of local beer options. Definitely give this little place a try!

This was my first visit to Hopper Pub in Rio Rancho. I was interested in hearing the live music by the Martini tones, and ended up really enjoying the pub and restaurant experience. It is a small and intimate venue, with relaxed dress code. There was a wide age range in the crowd, with some people choosing to have their small children along. Personally, I like it when a pub has a family type atmosphere. The menu choices are salads, various pizzas, beer, and cocktails. Their servers were friendly and attentive, I was waited on and served fast, and the pizza was delicious. The Martini Tones specialize in surf music and play instrumentals. In a word, they are excellent. Certainly a nostalgic wave hit me as they played Green Onions, apache, Endless Summer, and other songs from a bygone era. It was particularly refreshing to me that the audience applauded after every song. These find musicians deserve that attention and recognition, and they got it! I absolutely recommend this place if you're looking for an evening of absolutely pure fun.

The Hopper is small, but mighty. The pizza is my go to favorite. Another favorite thing about The Hopper is live music!!