Have you been a little down lately? Did the holidays leave you feeling just a touch under the weather? If so, you aren’t the only one- there are plenty of people who have been feeling a little out of sorts these days, and with good reason. Times are stressful, hard, and slightly upsetting. Don’t worry too much, though, because we still have one thing that has the ability to pull us all together.
Drinking. Yep, you guessed it. There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned happy hour session to make you forget all about the woes of the world, or just your personal woes of the day. Whatever your problems may be, some half-priced cocktails and bar snacks are sure to at least take the edge off. Luckily, Manhattan has some of the best hot spots and happy hours you can find. The ones I am about to mention are only a small glimpse at what this city has to offer. Be gloomy no more! It’s time for Happy Hour!
The first place on the liquored-up list is a small spot known as Leave Rochelle Out Of It (205 Christie Street). The name is a mouthful, but so are the generous pours of the free shots every guest gets upon purchasing a Miller High Life. You heard that right. Part of this bar’s Happy Hour includes a free shot of the “whiskey of the week” with a bottle of beer all for the extremely reasonable price of $5. It doesn’t get too much better than that. The happy hour begins at 5pm and goes late into the night, with well drinks for $8, glasses of wine for $7, and select draft beers for $5. The bar itself is technically a whiskey bar so the shelves are filled with the best and most unique whiskeys in the country. The bartenders are not only friendly, but also incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the different types of whiskeys. It’s easy to tell they love their job, and that somehow makes the experience of drinking there so much more enjoyable and fun. Once you get hungry, there are a number of delicious snacks on the menu, including wings (both whiskey and buffalo style), Parmesan fries, and tacos. My personal favorite dish is the mini meatball subs, made with cheese and red sauce, topped with even more cheese. Be careful, though, they definitely have a spicy kick to them!
The next place to head to is Bounce Sporting Club (55 West 21st Street). This is the place to be on a Wednesday night, for their signature “Wednesday Game Night.” And no, I’m not talking about watching recaps of the Packers or the Seahawks, I’m talking about actual hands-on games. They offer Jenga, Dominoes, Uno, and many more to their guests as a part of their Wednesday Night Happy Hour specials. Along with this, all house wines and flatbreads are half off! Nothing says, “I’m having a better Wednesday than you” like a nice glass of Cabernet and a heated game of Connect Four, followed by Buffalo chicken and mushroom flatbread.
Another bar that makes Hump Day easier to get through is Shadow Boxers Bar (215 West 40th Street). Every Wednesday, all ladies are able to get $6 glasses of Prosecco and Sangria! Calm down, men, there are deals for you, too. From 4-7pm Shadow Boxers offers well drinks and domestic draft beers for $5 each. This includes specials on food, too, especially reduced prices on chicken wings, something you absolutely do not want to miss out on. If you’re not really in the mood for wings, or if you’re like me and simply eat that particular appetizer far too often, the bar has nachos, guacamole, buffalo Thai shrimp, and…wait for it…Philly cheese steak lollipops. This world really is a beautiful place.
On the following night, if you’re ready to go out again (which you will be, of course) make your way over to Petaluma (1356 1st Avenue), which hosts Bella Donna Thursdays, a Happy Hour dedicated to all of the lovely ladies out there. Every Thursday is for the girls- all women get half priced specialty cocktails and select complimentary (yes, FREE!) appetizers. The chef decides on the appetizers so every week it’s different, but always delicious. A few of the menu items include crispy calamari, wood fired pizza, and fried pasta (FRIED pasta!). These go down nicely with Petaluma’s extensive list of specialty cocktails. There are a few to choose from, but my personal pick would be “Charlotte’s Web” –a blend of Knob Creek, Bonded Apple Jack, maple syrup, and orange bitters. Out of this world.
No longer will you have to worry about the winter blues or the holiday slump, not with all these amazing Happy Hour spots to help you make it through the week. Just relax, sing “Frosty the Snowman” to yourself, and enjoy some reduced-price alcoholic beverages. Happy hour really is the best hour of all.
Twisted Talk: Where in the city do you go for happy hour? Have you been to any of these hot spots before? Discuss below!
