10 replies to this topic

[christy]

I have had so much disappointing happy hour food lately. I realize a restaurant might not put forth it's best effort at happy hour but I've had some really subpar food at places that either used to be good, or are highly regarded, recently. Recent disaapointments: Taste, Maximilien (the deck made up for it though), Troiani (just plain bad), Zig Zag (I know they aren't known for their food, but still, burned pizza?), the Brooklyn...Union and Boka have been the only places I've had good HH food all year.

So. Had any good HH food lately?

[tighe]

Have yoiu tried Taberna del Alabardero? I was really happy with the food though the sangria was watery. Sorry to hear you didn't like Taste, still my go-to happy hour place (partly because I work in the building).

[christy]

Thanks, I'll check it out. My neighbors from Madrid have been there for dinner 20+ times and rave about it.
My husband used to work in that building...

[tsquare]

Check my very happy hour review at Poppy. I don't get out to HH enough to have much to offer.

[tighe]

My husband used to work in that building...

True for a lot of people and as of Dec 1, I will join them....

[tsquare]

My husband used to work in that building...

True for a lot of people and as of Dec 1, I will join them....

Gulp. Take it that's not by choice. Sorry. Is that the Austin Bell Building?

[tighe]

In my case at least, its the building fka the WaMu Center...no, not voluntary, but I'm much luckier than most.

[Lauren]

I rarely go to HH but I met a friend for drinks at BOKA last night. I'm not sure what time it starts but they've just changed the end time from 6:30 to 6:00 PM.

There are no cocktail specials but they've got quite a list of food options. The choices are grouped by $4, $5 and $9 options. We had roasted shishito peppers ($4), pretzel rolls and the fries with truffle aioli (both $6). Normally the food is pretty good but each of the apps had something wrong. The peppers were not roasted enough - they were almost slimy in texture, the pretzel rolls were rubbery, like they had been microwaved and the fries were anemic. The drinks were good.

We got there around 5:15 and the place was packed - we had to wait for a table in the bar. It didn't take long to realize there was a soccer game last night!

[Really Nice!]

My 2¢...

Il Bistro 1st and Post Alley
Good $3, $4, and $5 appetizers, $3 glasses of wine. *

The Alibi Room 1st and Post Alley
Friday HH Noon to 6PM, yeah baby! $5 HH menu with a pretty good spicy mac and cheese.

The Fisherman's (Pier 57)
Don't know about HH but you can't beat the view in the summer. We like to go here on June 21; we go to the end of the pier and down a few beers with some appetizers and watch the sunset. The sun sets at 9:11 for the last 12 days of June so any of those days is good to watch a late sunset, but when I was growing up the longest day of the year was June 21 and; therefore, this day has the latest sunset. We didn't have all that science stuff to prove otherwise so June 21 is the day we go to the pier. Now that they're putting in a ferris wheel I don't know how outdoor dining will work out.

J and M Cafe 1st Ave S and Washington
Haven't been here yet but on non-game days it has a 99¢ beer and food HH menu. The HH is early (3-5?) so if you happen to be in Pioneer Square early in the afternoon stop in and report back.

Sazerac 4th and Spring
Not bad for a bar connected to a hotel. Their sliders have slid a bit in quality. I may be wrong but the meat appears to be processed and preshaped. It's like the 10-pack hamburgers you buy from a freezer; there's no texture due to over handling. The pulled pork slider is good. Their charcuterie is good and generous. The french fries are cut too thin IMHO.

The 5 Point Café 5th and Cedar
HH burger and fries for $2.50 and it's unbad. The hamburger appears to be handshaped. The definitive dive bar.

Palace Kitchen 5th and Lenora
Still one of the better burgers downtown, but the BOMC can chime in their results. *

Dragonfish Café 8th and Pine
Deep fried tempura peppered bacon! *

* Has a happy hour after 10PM

[Rail Paul]

Zig-Zag Cafe made the Men's Fitness list of 25 Best Bars in the USA (yeah, I know)...

Though famed bartender Murray Stenson, who attracted patrons (and bartenders!) from around the world to The Zig Zag Café, may have departed, the Seattle spot continues strong in its tradition of whipping up award-winning cocktails. With a large selection of whiskeys, brandies, tequilas, rums, and a number of unusual or difficult-to-find spirits, this is still the go-to for those looking for top-notch cocktails in Seattle. As an added bonus the bartenders – many of whom worked alongside Stenson – often let patrons sample liquors they're unfamiliar with.

There's no evidence that the reporter actually visited the 25 places mentioned. but it sounds like an interesting place to drink.

Men's Fitness

[Lauren]

We checked out the HH at Marché last night.

From their menu: Happy Hour (l’heure verte) Every Day 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. During the latter half of the 19th century absinthe grew into its role as France’s most fashionable drink. In French cafes, 5 p.m. became known as l’heure verte, or “the green hour,” signaling the onward flow of absinthe. By 1910, absinthe was the drink of choice in France. Along with our great Happy Hour options, Marché is also excited to offer you a few unique absinthe cocktails.

The absinthe cocktails are $9 so I don't consider that particularly happy hour pricing, but well drinks are $5. I had a decent Sazerac and a couple others had a Corpse Reviver #2 that they seemed to like. But the thing that you must all go and try at HH is the fried duck gizzards. They confit them first and then bread them lightly and fry them. They are perfectly salted and go great with the cocktails. The oysters are $2 each and quite tasty according to those who had them. We also tried the frites which were disappointingly limp. From the post HH menu we tried the pork hock terrine which was pretty good. And the chicken liver mousse which was not.

I don't know if they were busier than expected but there was only one bartender and no servers. Which was fine up until 6:00 or so when it got busier.