New Argosy bar and restaurant bets on hops

99 Hops House Kansas City will be targeting beer fans — from its 99 different bottles and draft beers to some beer-infused dishes.

Three casino locations have already opened in other cities. Now Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa in Riverside is setting a July 21 grand opening for its new 99 Hops House. It could have a soft opening a few days before that.

99 Hops House will specialize in craft beers from local to national, as well as some popular mainstream selections.

The kitchen will serve some items with craft beer as an ingredient. Those menu items include barbecue pork nachos topped with cheese sauce made with Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Tank 7, Krizman’s bratwurst and sausage boiled in KC Bier Co.’s Dunkel, and grilled cheese with stout-braised beef, fontina cheese, caramelized onion, roasted tomato, arugula, and horseradish on grilled sourdough.

Argosy’s restaurant chef, Joseph Cizek, who developed the menu for the casino’s Pip’s Burgers food truck, is overseeing the 99 Hops House’s menu, which will include Pip’s Burgers.

99 Hops House took a space located between the main casino entrance and the casino floor, a space that was formerly for player services. It will have a decor described as refined rustic with “urban glass chandeliers” and polished concrete floors, leather booths offering views into the casino, table seating, and a large oval bar holding center court. The bar top is composite made with recycled beer bottles. 99 Hops House will seat about 112 people.

The first 99 Hops House opened in the Penn National Gaming Inc.’s Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg, Ind., a couple of years ago, and locations later opened in the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in St. Louis and at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Ill.

Aaron Rosenthal, general manager at Argosy in Riverside, said the restaurant offerings help set the casino apart.

“It’s our first new restaurant in almost 10 years and our customers were asking for something new and exciting,” Rosenthal said.

99 Hops House, at 777 Argosy Casino Parkway, will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 11:37 AM with the headline "New Argosy bar and restaurant bets on hops."