By Jessica Bursi
This is a special repost from my lovely pal Jess of The Happy Hour Tour, who offers her expertise on what makes for a happy hour that is not only decent in price but includes the elements for an awesome time.
With the tagline “Our wallets are light, but our drinks don’t have to be,” THHT is an awesome blog with a mission to scout out the best happy hour spots in town. Having recently relocated from Los Angeles to the Midwest, co-conspirators Jessica and Jennie now cover Milwaukee and Chicago respectively. You can also follow their adventures in Happy Hour-hunting via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@HappyHourTour). These ladies are keeping it frugal and classy.
Since I’ve last written for HHT, I’ve moved into a wonderful duplex in an old suburb of Milwaukee, I’ve worked at the Milwaukee Film Festival where I’ve met a wide variety of interesting, funny, and thoughtful filmmakers, a comedy legend, a brass-playing band of brothers, and best of all – some awesome colleagues who I will now force to join me on Happy Hour Tours :). JG has also been busy traveling with a Chicago based production company, but somehow we’ve both found the time to meet up for the kick off of Milwaukee Cocktail Week.
Before I start back up with my regular reviewing routine, I think this transition and fresh perspective provides a great opportunity to write about what makes a Happy Hour truly happy! I’ve outlined below the elements that I personally look for in any great Happy Hour:
First and foremost, Happy Hour is about the booze! I love a Happy Hour that features options, many options. You’ve got the standard beer and wine deals, most joints will also feature well/rail cocktails on special. My personal favorite is when a bar offers specialty drinks or signature cocktails at a bargain price! What better way to sample a bar’s best offerings?
Good Eatin’!
If a bar serves food, they should offer at least several Happy Hour priced options during these hours of happiness. One of my Brass band friends told me (well, I overheard him, when I was ear hustlin’ – lolzzz) that to keep a woman happy – just make sure she’s well fed and gets plenty of sleep. And we all know the same goes for dudes!
So by that logic – keeping male and female Happy Hour patrons well fed leads to happy and contented customers. Simple!! And consider that cheaper tasty bites during Happy Hour just might lead us to come back for full scale dinners!
Shootin’ the Happy Hour Sh*t (Part 1)
A personable and funny bartender can turn a just-ok Happy Hour into the flyest one in town. JG and I always loved our friends at The Woods and Bodega Wine Bar (Bodega Hollywood, we reminisce over you) and we’re always on the look-out for bartenders who have funny stories and who like to hear our funny stories; who are helpful with the menu when we’re feeling adventurous; and who can read our minds and just keep filling up our red wine glasses when we’re keeping it old school. For real, for real.
Shootin’ the Happy Hour Sh*t (Part 2)
We also dig Happy Hours frequented by cool customers who love to shoot the sh*t as much as our bartenders. You never know if these peeps will turn out to be lasting pals or just good ole drinking buddies for several happy hours of your life.
Either way, you get to meet someone new; hear a good joke; maybe learn something(?); get a shot bought for you (good Happy Hour etiquette dictates you buy one back, umkay?!); and just share in the communal experience of being alive and needing a good drank! Suffice to say, if a bar plays host to less than desirable company, well… I just wouldn’t enjoy myself as much.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It!
You really want us to write home to Mom and Dad? Well… if they’re not already with us at Happy Hour :), we will certainly get our pens and postcards ready to write home about Happy Hours that feature any of the following:
• Kick-ass jukebox – nothing says Cool Cat like spinning your own mix of Dr. Dre, The Rolling Stones, Blondie, and the ever popular jukebox hit “Crimson & Clover” by Joan Jett.
• Photobooth – need a good way to remember the night? Take a picture, it’ll last longer! And I kinda want to marry those photobooths that email gifs of the photobooth pics, evidence A below:
• Games – for those times you just want to play Connect4 at Happy Hour! Seriously, we dig bars that offer arcade games, board games; just not too serious of mindgames (outside of trivia!)… those just get weird.
And now that I’ve written about what makes a good Happy Hour, I am jonesing to get my bum back to one!!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on the next stops of the Happy Hour Tour! And tell us – what makes a Happy Hour happy for you?!
All aboard The Happy Hour Tour!!
–JB
