D.C. is 100% a Happy Hour town. It has been for years! And why not? It’s the perfect way to give yourself permission to get out of the office (even your home office) a touch early, meet up with colleagues and friends, and have some catharsis in your life. How do you decide where to go?
I bet it’s the place just down the street from the office that everyone has been going to for years. It’s perfect. Familiar, convenient, and the chicken wings are cheap.
But does that make it the best deal in the neighborhood much less the city as a whole? Or are there places to explore that might just have a truly fantastic deal. After all "cheap" is a relative statement, a good deal is based on the normal price of the food the restaurant serves. I worked for a well-established seafood restaurant in the Palisades that had a killer Happy Hour, but it wasn't the cheapest one. I will always stand behind the deals provided at BlackSalt, because I know what a deal it provides.
There are a couple of ways a restaurant is going to provide that deal. The first option is a straight out drop the price of the item, such as Happy Hour wine going from say $9 per glass normally, to $6 per glass. The second option is to drop the price and reduce the portion of the offering. So, while those Happy Hour Chicken Wings go from say $12 regular price to $6 (high perceived value)….the portion size goes from 10 wings and 4 pieces each of celery & carrot to 4 wings and no celery & carrot. At that point can you really say it's a good deal? I think not!
To find a truly good deal at Happy Hour, look for the places that are doing the price drop and limited reductions in what is included in that price drop. How can you tell? Ask the Server/Bartender about the portions on a regular order verses the Happy Hour order. You may find that the regularly priced item is in fact the better deal. Ordering the higher priced item in these instances makes the Server happier, and you walk away happier as well.
As for beverage deals…after all Happy Hour is all about the drinking, yes? Beer Happy Hour prices always seem to be the best bet. Wine Happy Hour prices tend to not be great. I’ve been a Sommelier for years now, and most restaurants really have terrible Happy Hour wine and depend on the consumer only caring about price point and not about how it tastes. If you find a restaurant that actually provides a palatable Happy Hour wine, stay with them. Why? Because they truly care about the guest experience as a whole. I always paid close attention to the Happy Hour wine because when you win with that wine, you provide the guest with a truly unexpected bonus.
Let’s not forget the spirits side either. Restaurants strictly use their rail liquor for Happy Hour. Some restaurants have far superior rail booze than others. To find a truly fantastic Happy Hour deal, find the places with the better booze.
How can you tell? Either become super familiar with all the potential options. Or, just use your taste buds. Ask for a Dry Martini, no Vermouth with a twist and you’ll be able to tell from the either the Gin or the Vodka used in that beverage. After all, it’s straight liquor shaken with ice and a lemon zest twist. The lemon helps it go down easier when the options are truly awful...also, asking for a bit of olive juice to make it dirty will help too.
If though, the place has been set by someone else, and you are stuck in a spot where you don’t have the freedom to choose, how do you find the best deal on the menu? You can always ask your Server/Bartender. They should 100% know…and the smart ones do. They will also know what the tastiest option is. So many times, during Happy Hour, guests under utilize their serving staff. Happy Hour is one of their golden geese, so they know that menu beyond well. Use their knowledge to your advantage.
Happy Hour is one of the mainstays of our work culture in the nation's Capital. It gets our high functioning, driven professionals out from behind their desks into the restaurants and bars around town. This city is full of some of the brightest people in our country with restaurants to match. Prove your smarts by making the most of the time and money you spend at your next one. I wish that it is happiest of Happy Hours. Cheers!
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