My New Favorite Happy Hour

When I first got word of Elettaria's happy hour my initial excitement faded when I realized it ended at 7pm, a time I could barely accommodate due to my job. Well, one lucky Friday I managed to get to West 8th Street at 6:45, jumped on a stool and ordered up a cocktail. In talking with the bartender I was informed that the happy hour had been extended to 8pm and I promptly informed some friends. Three of us ended sitting at the bar for nearly 2 hours, enjoying a wide array of half-price cocktails and creative bar snacks. The official name of the happy hour is "Violet Hour" and the menu is sometimes available online (also here on Eater). With cocktails at only $6, and the off the menu Zombie Punch with a trio of Rum's, fresh lime uice and Absinte is $7, this is one of the better deals in Manhattan.

The food offerings are not as extensive as the cocktails, but they are definitely worthy of your after work visit. Homemade beef and pork hotdogs come in two sizes, small ($2.50) and large ($4.50), alongside homemade mustard and tomato jam (little video here on The Feedbag). The small dog is plenty for one person so we ordered a few and also the crab rangoon and meatballs from the bar menu. The crab rangoon was more of an empanada than your typical Chinese restaurant appetizer and had plenty of crab flavor. The meatballs were tender and meaty, but there were only three little guys per skewer, a small portion when compared with the other bar menu dishes. Overall a great experience and a happy hour like no other. Between the ridiculously priced cocktails and creative, well-priced small bites I look forward to my next stop here. Word has it that more bar menu options are on the way, but if you are still hungry I recommend the fried quail, one of my favorite appetizers in the city.