McCormick and Schmick’s

My favorite thing about writing these reviews is that I get recommendations for places I never would have thought had a good happy hour.  Case and point:  McCormick and Schmick’s.  My brilliant friend Matt told me about their killer happy hour specials and they really are incredible.  Where else could you get an entire meal at a nice seafood restaurant including drinks for $22?

Here’s how it goes:  cheap food, daily drink specials, and a crowded bar.  I tried the following:  a “marvelous” mojito (which it was!), red sangria, a ZiegenBock fish taco, sweet potato fries (delic.), a beef dumpling, and the McCormick’s half pound cheeseburger.  Everything was wonderful except for the burger which needed a little more spice - but for $2.95 I can reach for the pepper shaker.

The people in the bar area are varied, our waitress was nice, drinks were decently strong, and the music was incredible.  This place was quite the nice happy hour, a definite recommendation for a more chill evening.

McCormick and Schmick’s
msnorthpark.com
307 NorthPark Center (on the south side beside P.F. Chang)
(214) 891-0100

Specials:
Monday-Friday (4-6:30, 9-10 p.m.) and Sunday (4-9 p.m.) | food specials, sangria $5 
Monday | peach margaritas $6 
Tuesday | Captain Morgan punch $5 
Wednesday | mojitos $6 
Thursday | martinis $5.95 
Friday | Simi Rose wine $6 
Saturday | Franconia $4 
Sunday | bloody marys $4

Food specials
$1.95: ZiegenBock fish tacos, tempura vegetables, sweet potato fries, hummus
$2.95: McCormick’s half pound cheeseburger and fries
$3.95: buffalo chicken wings, beef dumplings, grill bratwurst, chile con queso
$4.95: buffalo shrimp, PEI steamed mussels, shucked oysters, BBQ ribs

Gloria’s … glorious.

After a long day of swimming at J Pepe’s, I needed something with fruit, ice, and more fruit.  My pool buddy, Matt, and I walked over to Gloria’s and sidled up to the bar.  The attactive bartender snappily brought our drinks, sangria for me and the usual Crown and soda for my friend.  The drinks were strong enough to make it worth dragging our tired bones across the street.

Gloria’s is perfect for a few drinks before a concert at the Granada, date night, or a chill drink at the end of a long summer day.  The sangria has fresh fruit chopped small enough to suck through the straw and avoid awkwardly fishing out the fruit with a spoon.

The best thing about Gloria’s????  Not having to remember when or what day has what special with what purchase.  It’s as simple as this:  Sunday - Thursday, all day, same price.  Another reason Gloria’s is … glorious.

Gloria’s Greenville Ave
3715 Greenville Ave. | Dallas, TX 75206 
www.gloriasrestaurants.com
(214) 874-0088

Specials:  ALL DAY SUNDAY-THURSDAY
House Margaritas $3.00 
House Wines  $5.00 
Domestic Beers  $3.00 
Imported Beer  $3.50 
Mango Margaritas  $5.00 
Swirls  $4.00 
Strawberry Margaritas  $5.00 
Meltdowns  $5.00 
Mojitos  $3.00 
Sangria  $3.00

Sangria

The drink sangria comes in many forms: blended, straight up, sparkling, white, red, loaded with fruit, dry … but whomever decided that Sangria the tapas restaurant should exsist is straight up a genius. The drinks are strong enough to make the night worth the somewhat expensive bill that is sure to come from too many orders of mushroom croquettes and pitchers upon pitchers of white, red, or sparkling sangria (all of which are amazing, but the sparkling takes the cake).

Late night inexpensive martinis and cosmopolitains are a little-known feature of this personable restaurant. Your exotic, curly-mopped waiter will hop-to-it and get your drinks to you quickly leaving your with another glass of heaven and a suggestive smile. You can find all types here; there are the young SMU kids out for their splurge dinner of the week sitting next to a table of young professionals next to a cute couple on a date.

Sangria Tapas Y Bar
www.sangriatapasybar.com
4524 Cole Ave Dallas, TX 75205-4129 
(214) 520-4863

SPECIALS:
Monday - Friday 4 p.m.-7 p.m. | $3.00 Happy Hour on Selected Tapas & Drinks (Well drinks, House Wine, Sangrias, Martini of the Day)
Monday - Thursdsay 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & Friday - Saturday 10 p.m.-12 a.m. | $3.00 Happy Hour on Selected Tapas & Drinks (Well drinks, House Wine, Sangrias, Martini of the Day)
Monday | ½ Price Sangria Night (Pitchers Only)
Tuesday | ½ Price Bottle Wine Night
Wednesday | International Night with DJ Tony starting at 8:30pm with Tapas & Drink Specials
Thursday | Tour of Spain: Different Regional Tapas & Wine Specials of Spain Each Week
Friday Late Night | DJ Tony 10:00 pm with Reverse Happy Hour
Saturday Late Night: DJ Tony starting at 10:00 pm with Reverse Happy Hour
Saturday & Sunday Brunch $6.00 Bottomless Sangrias & Agua Valenciana (Spanish Mimosa)