a capital idea

Great food?  A great beer selection?  Head into Capitol Pub …

We only caught the hind end of happy hour, which, as it turns out, wasn’t much of a loss.  Drink “specials” wouldn’t really describe what they offer during happy hour.  I can pay $4.50 a lot of places and get a stronger well than they serve.  I guess yesterday I actually drank 2 of the 8 required glasses of water because water is about all that my cocktail consisted of.

The food at Capitol Pub is what one would expect from one of the people responsible for Old Monk, Idle Rich, and the like, Peter Kenny.  All have great food and know how to serve it hot (mine was piping!).  The pizza is pretty darn good, as is most of the menu - and all of the selections come in hearty portions.  See their delightful food selections here.

There was a good number of people happy houring - most were on the enclosed porch enjoying the nice heaters and fireplace (which is always nice to gather around).  The location is fantastic - we enjoyed dinner and a couple of drinks and then strolled into Veritas for a glass of vino.

I’ve always enjoyed this place because it doesn’t get too crowded on the weekends and I’ve never been disappointed with the amount of people during the week.  They have darts and TVs … something for everyone.  My only hangup is their meager happy hour specials.  But, as I said before, head into Capitol Pub … but only if you have the capital.  (not a bad pun if I do say so myself!)

Drink strength: 2.5 
Overall: 4

Capitol Pub
www.capitolpubdallas.com
2401 North Henderson Avenue | (214) 887-9330

Specials:
Monday - Friday | 4-7 p.m. | $1 off all drafts, domestic bottles, and wells

not a lemon!

Thanks to a reader’s urging, I finally got my butt into Lemon Bar.  Walking in, I was delighted to see how many people were happy houring at the newest watering hole in West Village.  A few restaurants have tried this spot but none have succeeded as Lemon Bar already has seemed to do after only a few months being open.

While the specials are somewhat limited, the drinks are pretty darn great … and not too overwhelming.  I had to cut happy hour short to get to dinner and I wish I didn’t have to have done so … and I would have given my left ear lobe to have whatever food’s smell was wafting from the kitchen.

The crowd is very “West Village” - in a good way - and seemed to be a fun place to meet a new friend or two.  However, returning to Lemon Bar at night is a different story.  People begin to trickle in for the night shift around 8:30 and bring the party.  Friday and Saturday nights it’s almost impossible to move let alone get a drink.

Thanks for getting me into Lemon Bar, @tgospel!

Drink strength: 3.5 
Overall: 4

Lemon Bar
www.thelemonbar.com
3699 McKinney Avenue Dallas, TX 75204 | (214) 443-6043

Specials:
Monday & Wednesday | all day | $2 domestic drafts
Tuesday & Thursday | all day | $3 wells
Friday | til 8 p.m. | $3 wells
Saturday & Sunday | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | $8 bottomless mimosas and bellinis

My heart breaks for Trader Vic's :(

another one down.  what a pity - my Tuesdays will be empty without the promise of $3 mai tais.

another one bites the dust ...

this is all that is on their website.  not very encouraging…

get stone-d with an elephant

For months on the way to my gym, I saw the promise of a new sports bar.  The large sign that stated Stone Elephant would soon open was exciting beyond belief … and I hate to say that it was mostly because I loved the name.  So I ventured in.

The food is pretty darn good and the drinks were alright.  I’d made the decision to give up fried food but seeing the goodies on the menu, I couldn’t pass trying some of the dee fried goodness up.  Definitely try the chips; they are made in-house and delicious.  Sadly, we didn’t venture into any drinks other than wells because … well, it’s a sports bar.  Make sure you specify what drink had when you reorder because, while the waitresses are incredibly nice and efficient, they are spread thin.

There were quite a few happy hour-goers of all types and ages (some are pretty darn attractive at that).  To tell the truth, I wouldn’t have minded meeting a few of my fellow drinkers at Stone Elephant - it seems a whole different group than I have seen around; some were older, some were younger, some had tattoos, some had suits, and some were suited up and bald.

The decor was simple and quirky; there were spots in the walls, ceiling, and bar where we were told the stone elephant ran amuck.  There is a stage for live music, plenty of televisions, and a pool table in the back.  Overall, a typical sports bar with an atypical location and plenty of fun to be had.

Drink strength: 2.86 (sometimes a girl can’t go with a multiple of .5!)
Overall: 4

Stone Elephant
www.stoneelephant.com | @Stone_Elephant
6750 Abrams Rd. #105 | Dallas, TX 75231 
(214)342-9200

Specials:
Happy Hour | Monday-Friday | 4-7 p.m. | $2.50 wells, domestic drafts, and domestic bottles, $4 house wine
Thursday | ladies night | $3 cosmos and appletinis, karaoke
Sunday | all day | $2.50 wells, domestic drafts, and domestic bottles, $4 house wine