Side Door (CDM)

Danielle

I went to Side Door a long time ago when I was waiting for my reservation at Five Crowns. I instantly fell in love with the ambiance and just the fact that there was a charcuturie station! I was reminded of the place recently by a co-worker who had gone on a Saturday night and said that the crowd was young and the bar was bustling. I knew we had to investigate. For purposes of time and scheduling, we wound up going on a Friday to see what it looks like for after work/early evening as dinner approached since the crowd usually changes around that transition. 

I got there first to get the best seat in the house…the booth along the wall across from the bar. I was immediately greeted by the server who was very friendly and attentive. I love the menu here as it spans from typical bar food to healthier options. It also offers heavier food to lighter options like cheese/meat options. Oh, and with that charcuterie station nearby, one must try a meat and cheese plate right?!?! There are several beers to choose from and one cool option is to build your own flight. With this flight, you can get them all at once (as Candice and our friend Heather did) or separately when you are ready, which  I did. The server knew what type of beer I liked so I had her surprise me with different kinds that she thought I may like. I love trying new things and being surprised with suggestions. The food was delicious. I had the meat/cheese tray which was fabulous.

I love the ambiance here. The bar is small with limited seating but there are booths in the open, booths that are tucked away to provide utmost privacy, and a dimly-lit backroom with a variety of seating. 

I would not say that we saw the best sample of single men. Many were accompanied by women but I’d like to stick around longer next time and see who comes in as the couples head off to their dinner dates. As the night evening progressed, the dresses got shorter and boobs larger in true Cougar style, which for me, provided the best entertainment and chuckles. The sad part (and what seems to be the norm)? They got picked up by men. What is it with you, Orange County? Why is this? I’ll always shake my head and will never understand. 

I also think this spot would be good for a quick drink/dinner after work, solo or with friends, on a week night. It may provide better opportunity for chatting with other patrons at the bar who are also passing through. Because it’s a gastropub with a constant flow of Old Speckled Hen, maybe you’ll even find yourself chatting with a Brit. Aah, the thought of that accent makes my mind drift elsewhere….

Food: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambience: ★★★★★

SFactor: ★★☆☆☆

Overall: ★★★★☆

Candice

Side Door in Corona Del Mar is a cozy, English style gastropub that was surprisingly quite distinct from the Five Crowns Restaurant that shares its entryway. Although there is no happy hour at this pub, Danielle and I nevertheless thought we would pay a visit to this place and be witness to what kind of evening might typically unfold.  We arrived early enough for a great viewing spot (those of you readers who do follow us – are we not yet predictable in finding the best seats in the house to do our research?!?), and settled in when there was hardly a crowd gathered.  We had an additional friend as our guest (welcome Heather!) and started the evening with some drinks and small plates.  The place is nicely lit in the pub sort of way and there were multiple high tables and chairs behind the counter of the bar area.  There was also additional room for seating in the more private section of the pub restaurant, but I was not compelled to explore the area beyond simply looking.  Laura our sever, was very attentive especially in the beginning but understandably as the evening wore on and the crowd grew we saw her less and less.  On the menu, there was a nice option for a beer flight sampler and it was enjoyable to try a variety of four ounce flavors.  If anyone enjoys light beer but with an unusually powerful “grapey” flavor (peculiar, I am aware), then I highly recommend the Anchor California Lager, which is now on my list of favorites of beers I have tried.  The food was also quite appetizing and I ordered one of their signature bites, The Side Door Avocado Mash and was not the least bit disappointed.  I also partook in consuming some Sugar Snap Peas which, although I am not a particular fan of snap peas, I would say was also gently, but well flavored, and perfectly cooked to enhance the crisp of the vegetable.  

As for the crowd, it certainly picked up within a matter of time.  By 8pm it was standing room only and a rush to claim seats as people departed and more people arrived.  Overall, I always seem to enjoy the patrons of Corona Del Mar because there is always a nice mixture of age ranges with most guests in likely their 30’s.  There were of course some interesting individuals that I am certain raised a few eyebrows, but we were still mingling amongst the early crowd so it remained drama free.  We left shortly thereafter to walk around the area and check out other places, but I would certainly return to Side Door based on this experience, and maybe next time linger just awhile longer to see what kind of late entertainment would fetch in at this kind of establishment. 

Food: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambience: ★★★★☆

SFactor: ★★☆☆☆

Overall: ★★★★☆

 

Newport Brew Co

Danielle

I’m always leery going into Newport because for me, it is hit or miss with the crowd and "scene." However, since it was the play-offs/Final Four, I suggested Newport Brew Co in hopes of finding a lively crowd and bar food. 

We got there right about the time that one game was ending so options for seats were limited but we did find a seat in a great location inside for “people watching.” [There is a patio in the front which seems perfect for a nice afternoon.] The crowd was great—a mixture of all sorts of people of different ages. I love the camaraderie of sports fans during play-off games. We brainstormed a way to meet more new people and find out more for our single readers—a mini interview for men! It gives us a way to break into sausage fests crowds of men and get the scoop. We get to meet new people and find out the “scoop” from a variety of guys. Win-win! We tried it out on our first subject—thanks Mike for obliging us inaugural interview!

As for as food goes, it was as expected in terms of "bar food." The nachos with chicken were great. I’m a wings critic and was unfortunately left unimpressed with the wings at this spot. The service was fabulous and we were well taken care of by Dave. 

My experience was a bit skewed. I left annoyed as one male patron wouldn’t quite depart from my side quickly enough at all. I was offended by him from the get-go. First of all, he bought me a drink which was very nice. I appreciate this gesture and have done it once myself (perfect way to hint and put out “feelers”), but there are unwritten rules that accompany this gesture (in my opinion). When you buy a drink for someone, there are no expectations. The guy came over and chatted. I thanked him for such a nice gesture. He asked a few questions to which I answered. I wasn’t interested but I love chatting with new people. Then, the offense happened. For some reason he said “you sound like you don’t know what you want out of life.” What?!?! For those who know me well, I know EXACTLY what I’m doing –far more than most people. I don’t remember all the details of the convo because at that moment I shut off mentally and was bored with this individual. I’m not sure how he “profiled” me from a few minimal answers to his superficial inappropriate questions. Men, don’t make blanket statements to people you don’t know. What ever happened to normal convo? How could that assumption be made 5 minutes into a conversation? I’m sorry, I’m not your average blond perched up on a barstool in Newport Beach so proceed with intellect please. Later, I was getting ready to leave and he looked irritated that I was leaving a full beer. Apparently, he bought me another (without my permission) while I was in the bathroom. Based on this experience, I’m reminded of what I feel the “rules” are with this:

• Send over the drink with no expectations. Allow the other person to come thank you when he or she is ready. If he/she doesn’t, forget this rude person.
• You may even ask the bartender to send what SHE (or the person of interest) is drinking—not your drink of choice.
• Before buying a 2^nd one, ask permission. Don’t get disgruntled if the person does not want another drink or isn’t in the mood to drive home drunk. It may not have anything to do with you, but you don’t want the person feeling obligated to drink it just because it’s there. Maybe don’t buy a 2^nd one—you also don’t want to be someone’s drink caddy and be used. 

All in all, it was a fun experience and I’d go back again on a sunny afternoon and sit on the patio. 

Food: ★★★☆☆

Service: ★★★★★

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

SFactor: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

Candice

Okay, so this was not our traditional Thursday or Friday night happy hour excursion, but Danielle and I considered the type of patrons that would attend the Final Four NCAA Basketball game- and additionally I wanted to be amongst those rooting for my Buckeyes (sorry Buckeyes, it was close!)- so we opted for a blog research makeup on a Saturday afternoon during the games.  Brace yourselves my fellow readers, this may be one of the juiciest I have to offer you yet…

For starters, as I walked in just past the entrance of the door from the parking lot, the scene did not disappoint from the get-go.  Sure, there were men and women of varying age ranges, but more importantly, plenty of testosterone seeping among the crowd.  Fortunately, we found a nice little bar area to seat ourselves and view the incoming and outgoing crowd for the remainder of our lengthy evening ahead.  We settled in during the transition between games and watched as one crowd rolled out and the other rolled in.  Just a quick interjection of the food…well, we are at a sports bar so my expectations were not all that high.  The food did its job to fill my stomach and coat it well as I took in plentiful rounds of cider.  We ordered the Brewery Nachos with chicken and I gambled on the Original Chocolate Calzone.  Admittedly, I would likely choose alternative starters and specialties should I return.  Anyway, back to the more entertaining portion of the evening.  I would say that based on our history of happy hour blog “research,” sporting event times at a sports bar or similar bar seems to consistently provide the best viewing opportunities.  This was a particularly enjoyable evening for me as I seemed to be captivated by a particular few.  The room was full of energy, the crowd was lively, our service was wonderful (thanks Dave!), and I was enjoying keeping my eye on the game. 

As the night wore on, Danielle and I decided it was time to develop a mini-interview for men so as to assist with our ability to better serve our blog readers.  I was sitting at the end of the bar and Danielle was fortunate enough to sit next to a very polite and mellow guy who was willing to be our first interviewee (thanks for the help Mike!).  We managed to obtain our necessary answers and the evening wore on with further developments of conversation amongst patrons, including a pleasant conversation that I held with our first interviewee.  Needless to say, maybe I was biased that he was an Ohioan, but I was also struck by his sincere character, mellow demeanor, down-to earth sense of humor, and of course striking appearance, but… I have been “trained” since moving out to California to not hold my breath especially when something may be too good of a thing.  (And for those of you who are interested how this story progresses, given that I am writing this blog well in hindsight, it is with disappointment that I say that it was a good thing I was trained well…).  It did get a little juicy for me a bit in between my state of awe and wonder and then to disappointment, but I am currently back to delving into the single scene of happy hours.  Overall though, it was a good night to be out and about and it did something to both spark my soul and re-energize my spirit in hopes that someday, somewhere, I will be fortunate to finally meet that genuine individual who simply won’t let me hold my breath anymore…

Food: ★★★☆☆

Service: ★★★★★

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambience: ★★★★☆

SFactor: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★☆

Crow Bar (CDM)

Danielle

Well, it never takes much convincing to get me into the Crow Bar for a burger and a beer. I love the burgers here, and I am a burger critic. We went on a whim on a Tuesday even though it wasn’t “happy hour.” At Crow Bar, though, most every hour is happy.

As usual, there was a nice crowd with a constant in-flow of people (later: mostly couples). We picked the high top tables in the middle---a perfect spot for perusing the room and possibly having some good company share the table with you. We did have a group of guys share the table, but of course, most were married; however, with our luck at having happy hours with NO men present, I was pleased just to have nearby testosterone which later provided its own entertainment. Throughout our time there, there was a decent flow of young suitable men.

I tried the appetizer of meatballs. Blech. How could I not love these when I love the burger so much? I got the burger with sweet potato fries. I love this burger. It is my favorite (depending on the day, it runs neck & neck with Umami). For dessert, I had the “not just a ding dong.” Why not? Isn’t that name fabulous and fitting with our happy hour? Well, as our happy hour jaunts usually are, it WAS just another ding dong—nothing spectacular, only entertaining. Note to self: skip the 'balls and ding dong and just stick to the basics.

I still vote that this may be hit-or-miss depending on the day but usually a great spot for potential “good guy” spottings.

Food: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: ★★★★☆

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

S-Factor: ★★★☆☆

Overall:  ★★★★☆

Candice

It always amazes me how there is a finite ebb and flow of how “happy hour” times operate.  Danielle and I always arrive just before the onset in order to get a good viewing spot, watch as the happy hour crowd rolls through, and then just as fast as they arrive, the masses dissipate and on comes the dinner and date crowd.  Although this blog research event occurred on a Tuesday and there is no happy hour at Crow Bar, the unfolding of events was still rather predictable.  

Danielle and I have been to this restaurant on multiple occasions simply because of our craving for their absolutely divine burgers.  We typically sit at their long tables in the center of the room, which provides opportunities to sit close to some potential prospects.  Regardless of the crowd for the evenings we are present, the burger always makes up for any loss and I would certainly return just to satisfy my craving.  Although we dined on a Tuesday, there was still a substantial crowd that arrived with a very appealing mix of age ranges.  There was a small group of men that sat nearby however three of five were taken as evidenced by their wedding rings.  Although I would not consider the other two potentially available men as my “type” to smile politely and act flirtatious as I was overhearing a portion of their conversation about women, I was so amused I could not resist but lean in a little closer to hear what they had to say.  I guess I was surprised – I do not know why really – to hear the married men offer advice to the single ones and talk about how to meet women, how they met their wives, and what they would and would not change about their romantic interludes.  I mean obviously it is not just women who struggle to find a compatible mate but I guess I just did not consider that some men may as well be equally frustrated.  I do not understand why finding the right guy has to be so difficult…is it so that when you finally do, perhaps it allows you to be ever more appreciative and grateful for how fortunate you are to finally have met that special someone?

Food: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: ★★★★☆

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

S-Factor: ★★★☆☆

Overall:  ★★★★☆

McCormick & Schmick's (Irvine)

Danielle

We just HAD to go somewhere to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Eve so we chose McCormick &  Schmick's since we had them on the list of places to visit for a while. The bar was somewhat occupied when we arrived, but it quickly dispersed soon after as people seemingly finished up “post work drinks” and headed out. The food was okay. We got corned beef sliders. I LOVE corned beef. I was disappointed with the meat being too tough to really eat it as a sandwich since it would string out and be hard to bite. 

 

We loved the sweet potato fries (really, how can you go wrong with this one?) and artichoke dip. For some reason, the picture of the fries with the one plunging in first makes me chuckle. Easily amused? Usually.

 

There weren’t really any young single men on this night at this location. Since it was a bust for single men, we decided to head over to a spot that would for sure provide entertainment…..Durty Nelly’s. Sorry, what happens at Durty Nelly's stays at Durty Nelly's.

Food: ★★☆☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

Candice

Ahhh. What a better way to kick start the pre-St. Patricks’s Day weekend than happy hour fun at McCormick & Schmick's.  This was my first time at the Irvine location and I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious bar area.  The place was nicely decorated with holiday paraphernalia which added to the festive ambiance.  I was slightly disappointed by the numbers of the crowd given that it was Friday and a pre-holiday weekend but a few of the male patrons were of noteworthy observation and worthy of conversation among our table.  Danielle, myself, and an additional friend (serving as our wing woman) sat at a bar table at a bit of distance from the bar itself.  In hindsight, I think as great as a view that provides for the overall area and for the evening that lies ahead, it does not help with opening up opportunities for small talk with “neighbors”.  Regardless, we set ourselves up for some St. Patrick Day sliders, sweet potato fries, and spinach dip.  I partook in drinking my black velvet and our pre-celebratory evening began.  The food was typical bar food – really, what did you expect? and our server was attentive and friendly.  Nothing all that exciting to share this time…so we moved our party elsewhere and onward to Durty Nelly’s.

Food: ★★★☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

S Factor: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆ 

Wine Lab

Danielle

Wine Lab

I have been waiting for this place to open for some time as I figured it would be an even better location for drawing in the 20s-30s crowd than it's sister spot in Newport Beach since we had gone to that location about 6 months ago and were moderately impressed. Based upon a recommendation from a friend, we went on a Thursday night when Bootlegger Brewery was there in hopes of the place drawing more men. The place is small and was “filled” when we arrived. We got a couple spots in the perfect location at the bar. We got the beer tasting which had 5 tastings and came paired with 3 cheeses (Humboldt fog, Pecorino Toscano, and Barely Buzzed). The portions for cheese were a bit skimpy but delicious. Even with nibbling, my cheese was gone all too quickly. I wish we'd had a different cheese for every beer, especially considering the cost of the tasting. I’ll definitely be back here. It doesn’t yet seem like a man-magnet but more so a spot to catch up with the gals before hitting Mesa or dinner nearby but who knows?! Maybe since its small, it’d set the right situation for mingling and rubbing elbows in a standing crowd (or whatever else you like to rub on Friday night). 

Oh, and when you go, keep an eye out for Melissa. She'll wine you and treat you well. Be sure to say hi to her and leave a gracious tip. She is fantastic!  [Sorry men, she's taken]

Food: ★★☆☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆

Find out more info about the Wine Lab.

Taco Asylum

After wine tasting, we stopped by Taco Asylum for tacos. I love this place! I’m a sucker for the taco with ghost chili. I like my food spicy, as in “on fire” leaving your nose running. I adore this eclectic little taco spot for the variety of tacos, ambiance, and service. I love how the staff treats you like you are the only one in the restaurant and walks you through your decision-making. I tried a beer from Northern California which is hard to find down here, so I was told (or sold). I love experimenting with new beers and wines so I always appreciate the input from the guys working here. This place seems to provide a likely opportunity for eyeing some men at any time of day, particularly in the afternoon.

Mesa

We decided to drop in Mesa to see what the crowd is like on a Thursday night. I’m always hesitant as the last few Fridays I’ve been, it seemed to draw a specific crowd, and I prefer a mixed crowd. I’m not a fan of all White, all Asian, or “all” anything. The crowd seemed to be late 20s/early 30s and mixed. We had a drink and app at the bar. The service was fabulous as usual. We headed out as the crowd, primarily consisting of small groups of mixed groups (girls/guys, ethnicity), began to roll in. Mesa seemed to be the most promising spot for a singles crowd on Thursday, but perhaps for those without a 7:30am start time at work the next day.

P.S. I later heard that Tuesday night is good too, but again, there’s that work issue…..

Candice

Wine Lab

Although I was not highly impressed with the Wine Lab located in Newport, I was hoping that the Costa Mesa site—being located among other hip, trendy eateries and stores—would be able to offer more than its counterpart in terms of ambiance, service, and patronage. We partook in a beer tasting event on a Thursday evening, sponsored by Bootleggers Brewery in Fullerton. The parking lot was packed as usual at The Camp but luckily I found a spot quickly. The location was indeed a great spot and nestled between other appealing dining spots. The ambiance was open and warm and the servers were very pleasant. The Wine Lab offered several good options on the wine list and the prices listed were on the average to high side (especially since this is the type of place that doesn’t seem to pour generously and/or repeatedly). The beer sampler consisted of five beers, and unfortunately the last two for me were non-consumable. I like my beers on the lighter side and the unsavory flavors began to erupt at sample four. Sample five (Black Phoeniz 6.7 abv ) left the impression of mixing coffee with flat soda and I would give a double thumbs-down to their last selection. The sampler also offered paired cheese included in the $20 fee and to be quite frank, the cheeses (and three crackers) were consumed by the end of my second sample (and not to mention, I am not a big cheese eater so you can only imagine how small the plate was). That was most certainly a disappointment and a similar one to that of the Wine Lab in Newport. I enjoyed the overall atmosphere and appreciated the mixed crowd of customers. This may be a nice quick stop for a glass of wine with some friends prior to dining and drinking well elsewhere.

Food: ★★☆☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★☆☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆

Fortunately, Danielle and I were ambitious in our quest that evening and continued on to The Taco Asylum. Being naïve to “taco foods,” I was very pleased with my selection of the short rib taco. I enjoy tacos but never seek them out as a highly preferred food, but this place may just have changed my outlook. My taco was bursting with flavor and it was a respectable size given the price. I enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and having the ability to sit outdoors. The servers were extremely pleasant and polite and I would undoubtedly return to try other tacos at this eatery.

As I mentioned earlier, we were determined and continued at our final stop for the evening at Mesa. Although Danielle and I have been at this lounge/restaurant establishment a couple other times, the experience for me remains uniform. I was not all that intrigued by the surroundings including the other patrons, however, this environment consistently draws a varied crowd (aside from Friday night Asian night) and the bartenders are typically attentive. I did enjoy my selection of sweet potato and yam frites and would not hesitate to order that small plate should I return. I would recommend it as another establishment that would be more entertaining with a group of friends.

Scott's Seafood/Cocktails for a Cause

Danielle:

My friend who works for Segerstrom Center for the Arts informed me that OC Weekly would be doing a “Cocktails for a Cause” to benefit them so Candice and I figured this may be a fantastic way of seeing a different side of happy hour all the while support a local organization. Scott’s had a nice set-up. We were welcomed in the side boor with an open area, bar and fireplace. For $10, we had unlimited cocktails and appetizers from 7-9pm.

I will say the most exciting thing that happened to me that night was the waiter floating by with the brie and walnut on toast, but….the ambiance and crowd are worth mentioning. Finally of all the happy hours we’ve attended, we got to witness a mixed crowd with almost-equal amounts of men and women of various backgrounds and ethnicities. There wasn’t much “mingling” going on however. The S-factor? Well, there were a few who demanded a second glance at least but that is about it. We did chat with a few guys who wound up heading over to our second stop of the night—one of which reached up my skirt while waiting for the crosswalk. Seriously? Whatever popped up in your mind right now about him is probably accurate and does not deserve further mentioning. His friend, however, was nice and allowed to sit at our table while the other waited off to the side.  

Food: N/A

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: N/A

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆

Candice:

We thought we would shake things up a bit this time and try a different approach by attending a happy hour benefit – “Cocktails for a Cause” – at Scott’s Seafood Restaurant in Costa Mesa this past Thursday evening.  Proceeds went toward Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the suggested donation fee included a small selection of complimentary beer and martinis as well as appetizer foods.  Although the drinks were either too weak or too strong and the food left little impression, our mission was set more on assessing the crowd in anticipation for the Sfactor to prevail.  To cut to the chase, although that did not happen, it was quite nice to see a larger mix of people in one setting of varying age ranges, ethnicities, and socio-economic status (based on the superficial appearance alone) and there were at least one or two men who were worthy of repeated glances.  It was also satisfying knowing that there were perhaps some individuals among the crowd who were genuinely attending the event in support of a good cause.  Most people appeared to keep to themselves but overall the ambiance remained lively, energetic, and entertaining enough that even I eventually succumbed to side effects of the overly concentrated martinis.  Additionally, although there was some “entertainment” to be had with observing and/or interacting with men at this event, allow me to succinctly describe the events that passed with providing you an image of me nodding my head with my brows furrowed and a repulsed look on my face… yep, I can undoubtedly recognize why some men remain single…

As the benefit came to a close, our dear friends Celeste and Armin then accompanied us and two new young companions from the benefit to hit the late night happy hour at Charlie Palmers.  If you have been following our blog (thanks by the way!), we recently posted a happy hour review of this place that revealed our less than enthusiastic last visit.  At Charlie Palmers there was a nice mix of a 30’s to 50’s crowd and one or two attractive men.  Thanks to Armin and his sociable nature, I struck up a conversation with two very amiable gentlemen, Cameron and Bill—although one engaged and one married—but who were quite likable and were able to maintain conversation with ease.  They were open to conversing with strangers and willing to be forthcoming when I picked their brains on men and dating.  Danielle and I remained with our new acquaintances past midnight, where we eventually bid farewell and were thankful for finally having some form of intelligent and natural conversation albeit with unavailable men.  As for our young comrades from earlier, pleasant as one was, the other’s immaturity was too much to manage and we sent them on their way early on in the evening.  All in all, it was an entertaining occasion…

Lastly, we are still open to comments and hearing from all our amazing followers (as well as occasional visitors!) from our blog.  We are willing and ready to be your guinea pigs and check out happy hour places in the OC you might want feedback, and of course, we always welcome you to join us in our quest! Thanks for reading!

Food: N/A

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: N/A

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆

 

Candice, Celeste + Danielle

 

Charlie Palmer

Danielle

I’ve been to Charlie Palmer several times in the past and it has always busy so we put it on the agenda. I got there early to get a seat as I’ve been too many times and stood waiting for a table like a vulture over a carcass. Overall, we had a great time but for me, this time was more disappointing than previous visits. The service was excellent. The server worked very hard and seemed to have the whole bar area at one time to herself before another server came. She was excellent and attentive despite the growing crowd. We ordered the kobe beef sliders, herb french fries, blue cheese stuffed/bacon-wrapped dates and pulled pork lettuce wraps. All will be pictured below. As the picture of the wraps suggest, they were not appetizing. We actually sent them back, and the server was kind enough to take them off the bill. The sliders were okay, very average. The dates were delish as usual despite being overcooked. I’m a Southern girl and like my bacon crispy so it worked out for me. You can’t go wrong with fries. I’m always disappointed that they don’t include food on their happy hour menu. The atmosphere was fantastic as usual with a constantly changing crowd in the bustling lounge area. As for as the S-factor, CP left much to be desired on this day. I only saw couples or 1-2 men within a crowd. Maybe next time….

Food: ★★☆☆☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Price: ★★★☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ☆☆☆☆☆

Candice

Okay, so we are off to a bit of a slow start in the New Year in search for eventful happy hours and well, our second adventure—although better than the first—continued the path of disappointment.  I originally thought Charlie Palmer would be a good place for a Friday evening happy hour since it always seems to be lively late at night on the weekends.  When I arrived at the restaurant, Danielle was ready and waiting with a good seat and viewing spot of the crowd.  As the evening continued on, there were people coming and going but nobody worth much a second look or worth the effort to start a conversation.  Unfortunately, the food equaled the ambiance this time and was especially disappointing given that there was no food on the happy hour menu and therefore certainly not worth the cost.  Like Danielle, I have also spent time at this establishment before and although it never seems to necessarily be a noteworthy “must-return” kind of place, I enjoy the fact that there are typically always a varied group of people, mostly in the 30’s and upward and usually dressed fairly nice as if arriving after work.  I enjoyed the energy of the crowd and it made for a relaxing, Friday evening.  Although there was no outstanding visible eye candy to be seen, I imagine this place could continue to hold potential.

Food: ★★☆☆☆

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: ★★☆☆☆

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Overall: ★★★☆☆

S Factor: ★★☆☆☆

kobe style beef sliders

herb french fries

pulled pork lettuce wraps

blue cheese stuffed dates

To visit Charlie Palmer's website, visit here.