Hooray for Happy Hour

HH4H Has MOVED!

2010-04-30T11:11:00.002-06:00

Thanks for following my search for fun Happy Hours on this blog! I have found a new home for my posts, still at hoorayforhappyhour.com, but on a different server with a new look called "Lets Get Drunk"! Hope you'll join me there -- merrymary

5 Star HH at Bistro Al Vino

2010-03-31T14:09:00.000-06:00

Bistro Al Vino
Centennial, CO

Most recent date visited: 31 March 2010
Happy Hour: Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.
Drink Specials: $2 off wines by the glass and wine flights, $3 beers, $3 cocktails, and $5 martini menu
Food Specials: 1/2 price bar appetizers
Merry's Rating: 5 stars
Merry's Comments: Bistro Al Vino is a great find, tucked in the middle of a strip of shops near Orchard and Parker Rd. Al, the proprietor, is a world class wine sommelier and the wine list reflects that, including some great wines at reasonable prices. Al made us feel very welcome and we enjoyed trying different wine flights like Pinot Envy, Zin City, and Like Buttah Chards. For food we tried the baked calamari, white bean hummus, and fish tacos, all were generous portions and very tasty. The only thing that would make this a better HH would be additional hours on the weekends, but we can't have everything!

Great Location in Parker - Carino's

2010-03-29T11:25:00.004-06:00

Carino's Italian
Parker CO

Most recent date visited: 10 March 2010
Happy Hour: M-F, 4-7 p.m.
Drink Specials: $2 house wines by the glass, $2/2.50 beers, 1/2 price speciality drinks
Food Specials: 1/2 pizzas in the bar
Merry's Rating: 4.5 stars
Merry's Comments: Even though the food specials for HH are not great, the regular menu at Carino's offers a variety of appetizers and they don't mind if meals are shared. The service is very good. Also if you happen to be at HH on Wednesday's, the special is 1/2 price bottles of wine. If you can't finish the bottle, they will re-cork it for you to take home.

5 Star HH at La Dolce Vita - Castle Pines

2010-03-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

La Dolce Vita
Castle Pines North

Most recent date visited: 1 March 2010
Happy Hour: Sunday - Thursday 4 p.m. to close, Friday & Saturday 4-6:30 p.m. in the bar only
Drink Specials: 1/2 beer, mixed drinks, and wine by the glass
Food Specials: $5, $6, and $7 appetizers that are very generous
Merry's Rating: 5 stars
Merry's Comments: The bar area is a little bit small, but the wait staff was very accommodating about putting a couple of tables together to fit our group of six and the Italian garden atmosphere is olde world and wonderful. The selection of appetizers at each price point was great, our table enjoyed scampi caprese ($7), baked artichoke ($6), asparagus wrapped in proscutto ($7) and scallops ($7). These came with complimentary bread. The food was delicious and the service was excellent, altogether making this the first 5 star HH close to home! Enjoy!

Castle Rock HH - Sienna

2010-01-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Sienna at the Courtyard
Castle Rock, CO

Most recent date visited: 27 January 2010
Happy Hour: daily 4-6:30 p.m.
Drink Specials: $5 wines by the glass and martinis, $2.50 bottled beers and Coors Light on draft, Tuesdays all bottles of wine are 1/2 price
Food Specials: $3-7 appetizers
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: We finally got to HH at Sienna after enjoying dinner there. Each wine category had at least two brands to chose from by the glass and the list of martinis was impressive. The food was deliciously prepared but a bit on the small side portion-wise. The atmosphere is great and the location in downtown Castle Rock is nice. In good weather, the patio is the place to be!

2010-01-12T09:53:00.002-07:00

The Perfect Landing
Centennial Airport, Englewood, CO

Most recent date visited: 6 January 2010
Happy Hour: Tuesday - Saturday, 5 -7 p.m., bar/piano bar area only
Drink Specials: Half price on all call liquors, house wines and beers (although when we visited it was 1/2 price on all drinks)
Food Specials: $5 appetizers like Ahi Tuna, Virginia Beach Crab Cake, Shrimp Cocktail, Grilled Pizza, etc.
Merry's Rating: 4.5 stars
Merry's Comments: The service is excellent, the view is excellent, the food is excellent. HH does get crowded though with lots of regulars and the only reason it's rated at 4.5 stars is that it's not a larger seating area and it's not every day! But it is great.

Taste of Mexico HH at the Village of Castle Pines

2009-12-17T17:22:00.003-07:00

Taste of Mexico
The Village of Castle Pines
Castle Rock, CO

Most recent date visited: 16 December 2009
Happy Hour: Daily from 4-6 p.m. (bar only)
Drink Specials: $3 house wines, house margaritas (yummy!) and drafts
Food Specials: $1 off appetizers
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: The food was delicious but a bit on the expensive side ($10 for and appetizer portion of scallops), the atmosphere was nice and the service was prompt, except when we wanted the bill, both to review and to have picked up with the $$$ for signature/change. The waiter forgot to take the $1 off the appetizers, but for $2 we decided not to question it.

Everyday HH at the Dusty Boot

2009-12-06T08:31:00.005-07:00

The Dusty Boot
16270 East Arapahoe Rd
Aurora, CO

Most recent date visited: 4 December 2009
Happy Hour: Everyday 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. - close
Drink Specials: $3 house wine, draft pints $2-3, single shot well drinks $3, house margarita's starting at $4/pint
Food Specials: 1/2 price appetizers
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: Happy hour is available throughout the establishment not just at the bar. The appetizer menu is pretty extensive and the drink prices were exceptional. It was a little noisy though, but it was a busy night and the wait staff was hustling! Service was quick as was the food delivery, but don't get your hopes up on the food -- it was just average in taste/quality.

Great HH Food at McCormick & Schmick's

2009-11-14T17:12:00.002-07:00

McCormick & Schmick's
8100 East Union Ave
Denver CO

Most recent date visited: 13 November 2009
Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 3-6:30 pm, Saturday 4-6:30 pm, Sunday 4-9 pm, and Friday and Saturday 9-10 pm -- in the bar only
Drink Specials: Daily drink specials, but not at great prices, i.e. Saturday - $3.95 Sam Adams, Tuesday $5.95 Apple Mojitos. Daily, the house wines are $5 for Canyon Road chardonay and cabernet and Miller Lite is $3.75
Food Specials: GREAT! Prices range from $1.95 for chicken satay (3 skewers) and sweet potato fries to $4.95 for black mussels and fried calamari. The food we tried from the whole range was excellent!
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: The happy hours/days are great, the bar area is large and additional bar seating is available in an adjacent room. The atmosphere and service were superior. The only drawback is that drinks were not too discounted, but the food prices made up for it. The food specials change by location so be sure to check out the HH menu online before you go to get your tastebuds ready!

Daily HH at Armando's

2009-08-19T14:11:00.000-06:00

Armando's Ristorante Italiano
Parker, CO

Most Recent Date Visited: 17 August 2009
Happy Hour: Bar & Patio Only. Monday-Friday, 2:30-6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sunday
Drink Specials: 1/2 price wine by the glass, draft beer, & $5 martini special
Food Specials: select appetizers from $3-6
Merry's Rating: 4.5 stars
Merry's Comments: This is one of the few locations in the area that have a daily HH! The wine included in HH is "any wine offered by the glass". The appetizers are a nice variety with at least one salad option, there's always a ravioli special that's been very tasty. The bar area is small and seating is limited, so it's better for small groups (2-4). Haven't tried the patio ... yet! The service is excellent, so I upped the rating after this most recent visit.

HH at The Old Stone Church

2009-08-08T09:44:00.000-06:00

The Old Stone Church
Castle Rock, CO

Most recent date visited: 7 August 2009
Happy Hour: Tuesday - Saturday, 3-6 p.m. Bar only.
Drink Specials: 1/2 price Miller Lite & Killian's, house wine ($3), and mixed well drinks and margarita specials.
Food Specials: Great selection of $5 appetizers
Merry's Rating: 4.5 stars
Merry's Comments: Wonderful atmosphere, great service, very tasty appetizers at a good price. The bar area is small so recommend getting there around 4 p.m. if you have more than 2 in your party. Visited again and although the service was a bit slow, it was very friendly and the food was excellent, especially the oyster shooters and blackened tuna.

Seafood HH at the Fresh Fish Co.

2009-08-04T12:16:00.004-06:00

The Fresh Fish Company
Denver, CO

Most recent date visited: 3 August 2009
Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 4-6 p.m., Saturday 3-5 p.m., bar only
Drink Specials: $3 House Wine, $3.50 Beer on Tap, $3.25 Well Drinks plus other specials
Food Specials: $.50 oysters and a list of several appetizers at less than 1/2 the regular price
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: Since moving to Colorado from Maryland, one thing we really missed is fresh seafood, this restaurant is one of the best we've found when we need a fish fix. The bar area is medium-size but gets very busy during HH. The service is excellent and the food is very tasty, though many of the appetizers available are deep fried, you can't go wrong with the cup of clam chowder for $2!

HH at Maggiano's

2009-07-31T11:56:00.000-06:00

Maggiano's Little Italy
Englewood, CO

Most Recent Visit: 31 July 2009
Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 3 - 7 p.m., bar only
Drink Specials: house wines, draft beer, and well drinks at reduced price most wines starting at $5.
Food Specials: Special pricing on appetizers from $5-8.
Merry's Rating: 3.5 stars (lowered from 4.5)
Merry's Comments: Great tasting food, the bar menu items are just the right size for a light meal or for sampling a variety of the kitchen's offerings. The atmosphere is very nice with lots of old world charm and the service is very good. It can get quite crowded as diners for the restaurant wait in the bar, but they move through pretty quickly. The rating was lowered a point from 4.5 to 3.5 because the cost increased quite a bit for food, the tier pricing where the most expensive appetizer was $3.95 changed to the cheapest appetizer priced at $5. Not such a good value but still the taste, atmosphere, and service were very good.

HH at the Union Bistro

2009-07-22T13:04:00.000-06:00

Union An American Bistro
Castle Rock, CO

Most recent date visited: 21 July 2009
Happy Hour: Tuesday - Friday, 2 - 6 p.m., in the bar and upstairs patio only
Drink Specials: $2.50 well drinks, house wines, select beers and margaritas
Food Specials: discount appetizers ranging from $2.25 to $9
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: Great location in downtown Castle Rock, nice atmosphere in the bar with a lots of seating. The service was very attentive, even reminding us of last call for HH prices. The appetizers were very tasty, nicely presented, and a good portion.

New Parker HH Location - Gaspare's

2009-07-16T23:03:00.004-06:00

Gaspare's Bistro
11020 S Pikes Peak Dr
Parker, CO 80138-7413
(303) 805-9200

Most recent date visited: 16 July 2009
Happy Hour: Daily 4-6
Drink Specials: $4 house red/white, $4.50 martinis/mohitos, $4 well, and $2 domestic beers
Food Specials: None
Merry's Rating: 3.5 stars
Merry's Comments: Small bar area (5 seats), but very pleasant atmosphere and excellent service from Vee, who made very tasty martinis.

Excellent HH in Steamboat Springs

2009-07-14T17:14:00.006-06:00

Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill
Steamboat Springs, CO

Most recent date visited: July 11 & 13, 2009
Happy Hour: Daily, 4-6 p.m.
Drink Specials: 1/2 price on all drinks
Food Specials: $1 tapas
Merry's Rating: 5 stars
Merry's Comments: We recently visited Steamboat Springs and happened upon this gem of a place. We sat in the bar on both occasions, the first evening was too late for HH so we tried the dinner menu, the items we had were very tasty. They specialize in fresh hand-crafted beers and they have a dipping menu, with over a dozen sauces to go with various meat, fish and vegetarian items. We liked dinner so much we went back to experience HH and it was fantastic! The $1 tapas plates were small servings (i.e. two coconut shrimp, 2 egg rolls, 1/2 cup hummus, etc.) but so tasty. And to top it off (and give it my highest rating) the service was impeccable: speedy, friendly, and the waitstaff remembered exactly what we had and what we were drinking. If you are passing through Steamboat Springs, make a point of stopping at the Mahogany Ridge!

Where's Your Favorite HH ?

2009-07-01T12:38:00.000-06:00

Please share your favorite Happy Hour places with us, particularly if it's in the greater Denver area so we can check it out :)
Along with your comments about why it's your favorite place, please include the HH days/hours and drink/food specials if you know them.

HH at Trapper's

2009-06-13T09:31:00.001-06:00

Trapper's Chop House
Parker, CO

Most recent date visited: 9 July 2009
Happy Hour: Monday-Friday, 4:30- 7 p.m., Bar Only
Drink Specials: $4 well cocktails, $3 glasses of house wine, $2.50 domestic drafts, $5 selected martinis
Food Specials: Fridays only - complimentary HH buffet, other days - bar menu
Merry's Rating: 4 stars
Merry's Comments: The restaurant is located on the top (4th) floor of the Holiday Inn at Parker Rd. and E470, accessible by it's own elevator. Window tables offer a birds eye view of the area and the atmosphere is comfortable but elegant. I definitely recommend the steak bites appetizer! You cook these tender, tasty, tidbits yourself on a hot stone at your table. Other appetizers are generous in size and the Friday complimentary food is also very good! Trapper's recently changed from daily HH to only Mon-Fri. The service in the bar area can be spotty at peak dining hours.

Food-only HH at Brio

2009-06-06T14:02:00.002-06:00

Brio Tuscan Grille
Lone Tree, CO

Most recent date visited: 6 June 2009
Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, bar only
Drink Specials: none
Food Specials: Tuscan Tasters for $2.95
Merry's Rating: 3 stars
Merry's Comments: The location, service, food, and ambiance of this restaurant is great! however, there are no drink specials :( A nice selection of wines by the glass range from $6.25 to $7.95 with select wines slightly higher. Wine is also available by the bottle.

HH at Gabriel's

2009-05-06T19:28:00.005-06:00

Gabriel's
Sedalia, CO

Most recent date visited: 6 May 2009
Happy Hour: Tuesday-Friday, 4-6 p.m.
Drink Specials: House wines by the glass $3-$4 (Beringer/Benvolio/Black Opal), Cocktails (Manhatten/Martini/Margarita) $5, Well drinks $3, Beers on Tap (Bud Lite/Stella/Sam Adams/seasonal) $2.25-$3
Food Specials: Appetizers from $1.50 (cup of soup)-$10.50 (pan seared ahi tuna) The chicken picatta @ $5.75 is excellent!
Merry's Rating: 4.5 stars
Merry's Comments: Gabriel's is a wonderful Northern Italian restaurant located off the beaten track in Sedalia that's well worth the travel time. The service is 5 star, particularly Jackson. The bar area is a bit dark and can get crowded. The food is delicious. The patio wasn't open yet, but would be great for summertime HH's. Check the web site for specials, and ask the waitstaff about HH specials, you never know!

HH at the Emerald Isle

2009-05-02T08:53:00.005-06:00

The Emerald Isle
Aurora, CO

Most recent date visited: 1 May 2009
Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 3-6 p.m.
Drink Specials: Well liquor $3, Emerald Isle margaritas $3, domestic draft beers $1.75, domestic draft beer pitcher $6.25, domestic bottled beer $2.75
Food Specials: Any of the following items are just $1! nachos, chips & salsa basket, Mexican pizza and 2 beef tacos
Merry's Rating: 3 stars
Merry's Comments: The service is good, the HH food is extremely reasonable at $1 and other appetizers from the main menu are also reasonably priced. The downside for me is that no wines were include in the HH drink specials, though I managed to get through a few margaritas! Though the main bar area is on the dreary and noisy side, there is a nice back room and great patio area with views of Denver and Cherry Creek Park. It was a cloudy, rainy evening when we visited so we didn't sit on the patio, but when we have been there on a fine evening it's usually crowded with everyone enjoying the sunset.

HH at Vines

2009-05-01T15:16:00.004-06:00

Vines Wine Bar
Parker, CO

Happy Hour: Daily 4-6 p.m. (closed on Monday's), there are often specials during the week so it's worth checking Vines website and looking under the Events tab.
Drink Specials: 1/2 price on all beers, wells, and wine by the glass
Food Specials: 10% off any tapas over $10.00
Merry's Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Merry's Comments: The atmostphere at Vines is great, it's right on Mainstreet in Parker and has comfortable lounge seating in the main bar area. There are 100+ wines to choose from and they are all available for 1/2 price during HH. On the down side, there's not much of a discount on food.

Welcome to the H4HH Blog!

2009-04-30T18:53:00.000-06:00

Greetings from Parker CO!

Since I have retired, my husband and I and a group of good friends have started a search for the best happy hours in our area. We look for the time slot, food and beverage offerings, and the general ambiance of the establishment.

When we tell folks about our search everyone says we should document our results, so that's the purpose of this blog. We plan to post places we've been for happy hour (HH), provide a summary of the days/hours HH is offered and rate the HH against our personal likes and dislikes.

We find eating smaller meals with alcoholic libation and good friends is a great way to spend the afternoon/dinner hours.

Welcome to our blog! We're currently putting together some postings for our favorite HH's in the area, but just want to get our facts right before we publish. We also suggest checking out the establishments before you visit them, in these economic times, some of our favorite places for HH, like BB's Bistro in Parker, have sadly closed their doors.

Cheers!
MerryMary