Happy Hours

Happy Hour at Mermaid Inn, Chelsea, NYC + AIA Architecture Boat Tour

A group of us took another AIANY (American Institute of Architects New York) Boat Tour on the Classic Harbor Line from Pier 62 at Chelsea Piers around Manhattan Island, which is always an excellent and informative experience. After the tour, one couple suggested we go to the Mermaid Inn in Chelsea, as they had just started their happy hour. It's a casual seafood bistro with outdoor seating. Some of us started with the happy hour $10 cocktails ($10, Hugo Spritz, Margarita, Old Fashioned), and one indulged in the zero-proof Mojito ($12). Some indulged in most of the happy hour offerings, including their mini clam chowder ($3.75), oysters (minimum 6, at [...]

By |2025-07-18T17:30:27-04:00August 13th, 2025|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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***Happy Hour Creatures Rooftop, Chelsea, NYC

The entrance to Creatures Rooftop inside the Hotel Almeda High Line is far west on 27th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenue. We were invited to sample their Happy Hour fare. The first thing I noticed as we exited the elevator was the spectacular views, including the Empire State Building to the East, the Hudson River to the West, and the Edge, the Hudson Yards observation deck. (The perspective is off in this panorama!) Next, their hospitable team, including our attentive hostess, Jemis, took care of us. They're well-trained in service, meeting our needs and those of other guests. I always admire that. I started with my summer drink, a [...]

By |2025-08-02T06:47:44-04:00August 2nd, 2025|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at Mermaid Inn, Times Square, NYC + John Proctor, The Villain

We grabbed a bite during The Mermaid Inn's Times Square happy hour, as my theatre-going friends are oyster lovers. That and it was close to the theatre where we were heading to the Tony-winning play, John Proctor the Villain, which I would recommend.  During happy hour, the restaurant offers the chef's choice of oysters for $2 each, with a minimum of six.  In addition to the oysters, we tried the fried calamari ($11), which was almost entirely composed of fried coating. I'd skip the lobster roll ($26), as it the crustacean wasn't very fresh. What I'd recommend is the country-fried free-range chicken, served with jalapeño cheddar cornbread and braised collard greens, [...]

By |2025-06-28T10:39:29-04:00July 7th, 2025|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at Aqua, Flatiron-Gramercy, NYC

A group of us met for happy hour at Aqua, a relatively new restaurant located in the former WeWork space on Broadway, which serves Italian and Japanese cuisine in a cavernous space. The one-star rating is not due to quality but rather because of the limited options. The sushi is good, with two options, attractively presented. I sampled their espresso martini ($12 for happy hour). One person had their cocktail special, a spicy passion fruit margarita, while others sipped the happy hour wines ($10). Like many websites, Aqua is not up-to-date with pricing. As of today, June 1, the cocktails are listed at $12; they're now $16. Happy Hour details [...]

By |2025-07-05T08:01:32-04:00July 1st, 2025|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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***Happy Hour Tao Uptown, Midtown, NYC

Our ex.expat New York group New York group began hosting happy hour gatherings on the first Wednesday of every month. This time, we chose the stylish Pan-Asian eatery, Tao Uptown. What we loved about this happy hour was the spacious lounge with comfortable seating, which made chatting much easier than sitting on bar stools. The highlight was their martini flights presented on a carousel, allowing you to choose three mini martinis for $15. The options included lemon drop, dirty martini, cosmopolitan, lychee martini and appletini. The only downside: the restaurant didn’t have enough holders or glasses, and servers would take them away as soon as one was finished. I would [...]

By |2025-06-01T06:58:01-04:00June 13th, 2025|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour, Irregulars, Upper East Side, NYC

Arriving early to meet my friends for an evening of trivia at the Irregulars on the Upper East Side, I grabbed an espresso martini before the gals arrived. I connected with Mike Eagan, the owner, who highly recommended their housemade meatballs from the happy hour menu ($13).  Mike mentioned that recently, his mom had come into the kitchen and made 500 of them. I had to sample them. He is right! Don't miss these three pickleball-sized meatballs. I sopped up every drop of the sauce using the herbed garlic bread in the bowl. I recommend Irregulars's happy hour with each HH offerings that could make a meal, at least for [...]

By |2025-05-11T07:05:16-04:00May 12th, 2025|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at Café D’Alsace, Upper East Side, NYC

Most everyone loves traditions. That's what we were hoping to start when we met at Café D'Alsace on the first Wednesday on the month. A few of us showed up enjoyed their discounted cocktails during happy hour. I sampled their refreshing Hugo Spritz made with St. Germain, fresh mint and sparkling wine ($12) and with that I indulged in their housemade truffle fries ($6). I'd recommend a stop in for their happy hour. **Happy Hour details as of 02.05.2025 Hours: 5 to 7 pm, daily What’s happy? $12 specific cocktails, $7 beer, $10 wine & bubbly, plus 3 small plates.  Charcuterie, $14, Cheese selections $6 for one chunk, [...]

By |2025-06-11T11:31:52-04:00March 10th, 2025|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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***Happy Hour at The Standard Grill + City Winery

Before heading to City Winery for the Joel Chasnoff show, we stopped in at The Standard for their incredible happy hour offerings. We nibbled popcorn ($5) and fries ($5) along with our drinks of French Seventy-Five ($9) of vodka (replacing the classic gin) citrus oleo, lemon and topped with champagne and a spiced plum spritz ($9) with honeysuckle vodka, plum liqueur, hibiscus tea lemon vermouth, wormwood and bubbles. After our snacks, we sampled their hearty portions of sliced steak with fries ($25), king salmon with vegetables and grilled chicken paillard ($15). We three concluded that upon return, we'd each order the chicken. Off we went for lots of laughs at [...]

By |2025-02-08T13:54:11-05:00February 8th, 2025|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at Sagaponack, Flatiron, NYC

We were interviewing a potential new New York Ex-Expats group member who was meeting a friend at Sagaponack for $1 oysters and bubbly during their happy hour. I was unfamiliar with the restaurant, even though it was in my hood. I had to try it. You might recognize the name as an affluent town in the Hamptons, a fact that came up while playing a trivia game about the Big Apple. I recently met friends there to sample their fare. Love that their I-495 happy hour runs from 11:30 am until 6:30 with a  tagline, "Drink, but don't drive through the I-495!" From those offerings, I partook in a $5 [...]

By |2024-12-27T16:53:01-05:00January 31st, 2025|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at Haven Rooftop, Theatre District, NYC + Left on Tenth

I had a crazy day, with a funeral uptown to picking up a friend after their medical procedure on First Avenue, so instead of heading downtown to my home, I stopped in Haven Rooftop for a glass of wine before meeting my friend at "Left on Tenth."  Julianna Margulies is on stage in Delia Ephron’s memoir about reconnection and love. I recommend. Lucky me, it was happy hour from 4 to 6 pm. I sipped a glass of their cabernet ($9) and enjoyed the slider ($6) and the cauliflower bites ($12), both of which I would recommend. Skip the bready spring rolls ($12) Happy Hour details as of 11.26.2024 Hours:  [...]

By |2025-07-18T12:14:48-04:00January 5th, 2025|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at LS Social NYC, Chelsea, NYC

LS Social is a fairly new neighborhood cozy and casual cocktail bar on 17th Street near Union Square. I chose it to meet a new friend for a drink because it was close to home, as I had an upcoming Zoom board meeting to attend. I was early, the first customer that day, so I began chatting with Ron, the owner, who opened this—his first restaurant about two years ago—and Michael, the bartender. I liked their flavorful white Negroni made with gin, Lillet blanc and vermouth blanc, as the New Amsterdam gin was not juniper-forward, giving a smooth taste to the cocktail.  My friend first sampled their Sturm Collio Pinot [...]

By |2024-11-29T09:36:41-05:00November 22nd, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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***Happy Hour Springs Tavern and Grill, East Hampton, New York

On an overcast weekend in East Hampton late summer, we visited Springs Tavern and Grill for their delightful happy hour menu. On our first round of margaritas, three of us had the regular; one tried the frozen refreshing blood orange one, although the sweetness made it more like a dessert. With that, we shared their delectable steamed mussels ($14) with garlic, herb butter, white wine and a soupçon of cream, then topped with fries; plus the mouthwatering Mediterranean platter ($15) that included housemade hummus — a regular and herbaceous green version with basil, a little mint and garlic — plus marinated olives, pita points and grana padano. I loved that [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:00:27-04:00November 5th, 2024|Happy Hours, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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*Happy Hour Mediterranean ZIZI, Chelsea, NYC

One temperate night, I met a neighbor at ZIZI (formerly Zizi Limona), a modern Mediterranean restaurant on Eighth Avenue. Emmit, our server, mentioned that it was still happy hour and explained the offerings that included a martini selection from their few varieties and $6 off the small z's "3Z's" appetizer selection. I chose an espresso martini that included Spring 44 vodka, Luxardo espresso liqueur and espresso. We then selected their roasted head of cauliflower, the four falafel balls and the crazy baba (a blend of charred eggplant, feta and basil) with four large, warm pita ($23). We did order an entree but had no room for it, as we were [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:00:41-04:00October 8th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hourat Rick Bayless’s Tortazo, Times Square, NYC + Doubt

I've meant to try Rick Bayless's Tortazo since it opened near Times Square about a year ago. I learned to love this Chicago restaurateur's food at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo. Tortazo is a modified version of Rick’s popular airport outlets. One opened in NoMad in 2021. Times Square area is his second NYC location. This Michelin-starred chef features antojitos — Mexican bites—at Tortazo. Some are available during happy hour when I slipped in before heading to Roundabout Theatre to see Liev Schreiber in Doubt, the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning 2004 play. The drama teaches the potentially destructive consequences of being too certain about anything.  I recognized the fabulous flavors [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:01:13-04:00April 5th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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*Happy Hour Rangoon, Chelsea, NYC + Philadanco! Intangible at The Joyce

After my Zumba class, I grabbed a nibble at Rangoon, a Burmese restaurant close to The Joyce Theatre, where I saw Philadanco!, the Philadelphia Dance Company, presenting Intangible. I selected the Keema Paratha, one of their signature dishes: Indian-style flatbread stuffed with spicy ground beef ($12). It's a spicy snack I'd recommend, but watch out for the very hot red pepper strips. The tasty happy hour Pegu Club cocktail of vodka, orange curacao and lime was $5 off from noon until 6 ($12). Satiated, off I went to meet my friend at The Joyce to see the amazing dance company. Happy Hour details as of 2.10.2024 Hours: 12 to 6 [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:01:39-04:00March 19th, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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20th Anniversary of Momofuku Noodle Bar, East Village, NYC

In honor of Momofuku’s 20th Anniversary, the restaurant is bringing back some iconic dishes for each dish a month at a time. The restaurant has received numerous James Beard Awards, including “Outstanding Restaurant,” for three consecutive years. It is also honored with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, an honor for good quality, good value cooking. We had ordered their daikon and jalapeño salad ($6). We were told the daikons weren't looking good, so they didn't serve the dish; they gave us a bowl of kimchi ($7) gratis instead. To start, we had their unusual Brussels sprouts with candied toasted almonds, smoked paprika and a foam made from vegetable broth. Unusually delish! [...]

By |2024-02-16T11:55:27-05:00March 17th, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Key West Dining: Roostica, Sloppy Joe’s, Santiago’s Bodega, Blue Heaven, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, Latitudes and La Chapina

Thanks to all the Facebook friends who responded when I requested restaurant recommendations in Key West. What follows is a sampling of the places where we did eat and dishes that I'd recommend. Across from where we stayed on Stock Island is Roostica, a friendly place filled with a crowd and a great vibe at 4 pm when we went for Happy Hour. Don't miss the hearty meatball sliders, 2 for $8. We would have returned if we had had enough time. Drinks good, too. Roostica 5620 McDonald Avenue Stock Island 305.296.4999   Walking on Duval Street, Key West's main drag, we stopped at Sloppy Joe’s Bar — Ernest Hemingway's watering [...]

By |2024-03-15T09:24:16-04:00March 15th, 2024|Bites from the Road, Happy Hours, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour and More at Chez Messy, Washington Heights, NYC

Chez Messy, a spirited tapas lounge in Washington Heights that opened last summer, offers tapas, craft cocktails and flamenco dancing. I headed north with a friend to sample their happy hour, the regular menu and their flamenco dancers. We got off the 1-train at the 157th Street subway stop, across the street from this whimsical tapas lounge. As we perused the menu, our waitress served us an amuse of a mini cast iron skillet filled with warm, pitted olives with serrano ham and an adorable 3-inch carafe of their specialty sangria. A real treat. We arrived in time for their happy hour. I'd recommend our cocktails: my Old Forester smoky [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:02:00-04:00February 9th, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at Jane, NoHo, NYC

We had come to Jane's for their "NYC Happy Meal" or a Ketel One Martini and Rosemary French fries ($22) that we saw on their website. When the bartender handed me the smaller menu without it, I mentioned that to the manager, who did honor the online offering. We were happy, sipping our Ketel One martinis and nibbling their large portion of fries; we both added the tasty, filling mini-burger with cheddar, bacon, caramelized onions, tomato, pickled green tomato, lettuce and jalapeño marmalade while my dining partner had their version of pigs in a blanket ($5) with sesame dusted puff pastry and kimchi aioli. Happy Hour details as of 11.30.2023 [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:02:30-04:00January 5th, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Happy Hour*** Michael’s, Midtown, NYC + Rockettes

After taking my grandnieces to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes, we headed to Michaels for their happy hour, where Basdeo Balchan, their manager, welcomed us. We sampled many of their well-blended cocktails, including the Southside of 5th Brokers (gin, lemon juice, mint), Last Blast (bourbon, citrus, prosecco), Lil Pumpkin (vodka, pumpkin spiced Kahlua, espresso) and the Tranquilo (tequila, cranberry juice and fresh jalepeño) along with their appetizers, some of which have a Korean accent from their new chef. The sweet and spicy Korean fried shrimp ($18) comes in three pieces, also available as chicken; the vegetarian summer rolls come with a carrot ginger sauce and the duck-confit [...]

By |2023-12-31T20:17:42-05:00December 19th, 2023|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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