C’mon, get Happy (Hour): It’s time to gather with friends and celebrate

There are a number of reasons to be happy about Happy Hour. The workday is over. It’s time to gather with friends. Why not over food and drinks that are discounted in price? And, most of the time, Happy Hour extends beyond only an hour. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right?

Starting next Friday, we’re launching Happy Hour of the Week in the weekly pages of Seven in The Spokesman-Review. I’ve been on the job as the new food editor, then the new features editor, for exactly four months as of Thursday, and I’ve gotten around … to Happy Hours, that is, in this short amount of time.

Steelhead Bar & Grille (218 N. Howard St.; (509) 747-1303; steelheadbarandgrille.com) is among my favorites. Happy Hour is 3-6 p.m. daily and 9 p.m.-close Mondays-Thursdays – reverse Happy Hour rocks – and is a must when downtown.

Specials include pints at $3.50 and schooners for $6 (splurge on that ice-cold Blue Moon schooner that weighs about 500 pounds); featured wines for $6 a glass; and signature cocktails for $6.50. Appetizers are a substantial discount at $7 each, and standouts include Steak Bites, plus Kickin’ Shrimp and Smoked Steelhead Artichoke Dip both served in bread bowls.

I’ve made my way to Downriver Grill in north central Spokane, Craft & Gather in Spokane Valley and Luna in the South Hill and will write about Downriver Grill and Craft & Gather later. I’ll say for now that all-day Happy Hour at Downriver on Wednesdays is wonderful and includes a featured decadent burger served with truffle parmesan fries.

The drive deep east in Spokane Valley is worth it upon arriving at the former golf course clubhouse that now houses C&G, as it offers a country ambience that is perfect for a relaxing afternoon. And keep reading, as one of my co-workers chose Luna as his Happy Hour hotspot.

If there’s a profession that knows good drinks and eats, it’s journalists. To kick off Happy Hour of the Week, here are some favorite Happy Hours in Spokane and the surrounding areas as chosen by employees of The Spokesman-Review (hours and specials are subject to change at any time).

(And please email your HHOTW ideas to yours truly at donc@spokesman.com, as well as check back each Friday for the featured location. Salud!)

The Happy Hour at the Safari Room at the Davenport Tower (111 S. Post St.; (509) 789-6800; davenporthotelcollection.com) is 4-6 p.m. daily and features 50% off all alcoholic drinks and flatbreads such as Tomato Pesto, Spicy Shrimp Tomato Pesto, Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Mozzarella and Green Onion, Mushroom and Fontina with Truffle Oil and Pepperoni/Italian Sausage and Mushroom.

All in a fun, safari animal-print environment. There also is complimentary valet parking with purchases of $25 and more! – Alyson Ryan-Gilbertson, human resources corporate benefits manager

The Happy Hour at Remedy Kitchen and Tavern (3809 S. Grand Blvd.; (509) 443-3730; remedycrc.com) is weekdays from 2-5 p.m. with $3 rotating draft beer and $4 off all appetizers. The Mediterranean plate and crimini street tacos are the perfect summery snack. House wines are $6 and Moscow Mules are $6.50. The entire page of specialty cocktails is $7. The Beets by Dre is a creative beet juice and gin cocktail perfect for the sunshine in one of Remedy’s outdoor spaces. – Emma Epperly, newsroom intern

Unfortunately, not a lot of breweries do traditional Happy Hours, but I’ve been a fan of the Happy Hour at Austin’s Live Fire Barbecue (421 W. Main Ave.; (509) 290-5851; facebook.com/austinsspokane). From 3-4:30 p.m., it’s $3 pints, with a solid tap list, and excellent $1.50 tacos. Can’t go wrong. – Greg Wildermuth, beer columnist

The Logan Tavern (1305 N. Hamilton St.; (509) 474-0584; logantavernspokane.com) – the latest bar since 2011 to fill the space of the Bulldog near Gonzaga University – has its Happy Hour from 3-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and all day Sundays. Well drinks and microbrews are $1 off, and shareable appetizers are $2 off. Around a dozen taps are always rotating between local and regional beers.

The Pint O’Donuts are well worth the calories. For a savory option, get the Logan Fries – house fries covered in beer cheese and pulled pork. Stick around to hang with the 20-somethings and play shuffle board, pool or board games at power hour from 8-9 p.m. seven days a week. Grab 8 oz. cans of Coors Light for $1 and $3 bartender’s choice shots. – Jared Brown, newsroom intern

I’m afraid I don’t drink and have never tried a Happy Hour. But my friends recommend 315 Martinis and Tapas (315 E. Wallace Ave.; (208) 667-9660; 315martinisandtapas.com) in Coeur d’Alene. It’s part of the Greenbriar Inn, a longtime B&B/restaurant/caterer where they make a wonderful huckleberry martini. – Jesse Tinsley, photographer

At Luna Restaurant & Catering (5620 S. Perry St.; (509) 448-2383; lunaspokane.com) on a warm summer afternoon, you can’t beat sipping an Herbin Martini (gin, lillet blanc, basil, sage and house sour) on the back patio. You can barely hear the traffic on 57th, and the summer Happy Hour lasts from 3 to 6 p.m.! – Jim Allen, education reporter

This one is a bit of a cheat for me since I’m vegan, but for my money you can’t beat the Happiest Hours at Cascadia Public House (6314 N. Ash St.; (509) 321-7051; cascadiapublichouse.com). For one, it’s from 3-6 p.m. every day (which gives you just enough time to race over there after work), then from 10 p.m. to close and all day Sunday. For drinks, that means $5 microbrews and $2.50 for domestic drafts. House liquor is $3.50, and the delicious house margarita sets you back just $5.

And, of course, there’s the food. A $6 pretzel with mustard and homemade beer cheese, hummus and bread for the same price and $3 chips and salsa (add guacamole for 50 cents more). And who could forget the $6 herb and parmesan fries. Living that plant-based lifestyle, Cascadia has become a regular spot to chill out, drink and eat some vegan grub – either inside watching the many TVs or outside enjoying the patio and fireplaces. – Jonathan Glover, features reporter

Garageland (230 W. Riverside Ave.; (509) 315-8324), the east downtown dive named for a Clash B-side, has gone through several transformations since 2015, including replacing the LPs and antiques for arcade cabinets and pool tables. The Happy Hour, from 4-7 p.m. weekdays (except Mondays, when it’s closed) fits the vibe, offering $2 canned microbrews and deals on cocktails mixed in Mason jars.

You’ll want to take advantage of those $6 totchos while you’re waiting in line for a round of pinball or “The Simpsons” beat-’em-up game: Cheesy, melt-y tater tots smothered with avocado, black beans, jalapenos and other fixins are exactly what you need to soak up those libations. – Kip Hill, general assignment reporter

If you find yourself with a few spare minutes on a weekday between 5-7 p.m. and don’t mind a laid-back punk atmosphere, Baby Bar (827 W. 1st Ave.; (509) 847-1234; facebook.com/Baby-Bar-Spokane) has a vinyl booth seat for you. Microbrews and well drinks alike are $4, and any drink with fresh-squeezed juice is $2 off.

The peak of the Baby Bar experience occurs every Wednesday when pints of Olympia Beer and 16 oz. Pabst Blue Ribbon and gooey, generously portioned grilled cheese sandwiches are just $1 during slam poetry night in the Neato Burrito side of the building. – Libby Kamrowski, photographer and newsroom archivist

Cascadia Public House has a great late-night “social hour” for those who work later shifts (10 to close). House wine is $4, and the delicious house margaritas are $5. – Lindsey Treffry, assistant managing editor/news

All of the bars and restaurants operated by Davenport Hotels offer the same Happy Hour discount, but it’s the food specials that set the Safari Room at the Davenport Tower apart from the rest. From 4-6 p.m. daily, all drinks and signature flatbreads are 50% off. The drinks also are served as doubles, meaning you get twice the fun for half the price.

After a Blanton’s bourbon Old Fashioned or two, order up a spicy shrimp flatbread. The only thing more pleasant than the service and atmosphere – the lounge is jungle-themed – will be the number at the bottom of your final bill. Other must-try drinks: the gin-based St. Safari and the Ultimate Bloody Mary, which includes a jumbo prawn. If shrimp isn’t your style, the Thai chicken or mushroom flatbread also are top-notch. – Madison McCord, sports copy editor and page designer

Other than my place, I would say – from the looks of the Happy Hour details and direct knowledge of its mixology and food offerings – Wandering Table (1242 W. Summit Parkway; (509) 443-4410; thewanderingtable.com) would be my pick. The specials from 3-5 p.m. daily: All Tastes & Bites, $4; House Cocktails, $3 off; Well Drinks, $5; Daily Red or White Glass, $6; and Bottle Beer, $4 (a dollar off) – Paul Smith, business editor

My favorite Happy Hour is the Gilded Unicorn (110 S. N. Monroe St.; (509) 309-3698; gildedunicorn.com). It’s super cheap and has several good options for drinks and snacks. It’s the only place you can spend $8 on a Friday night for a snack and a drink (if you go to the 10 p.m.-to-close Happy Hour.) My go-to’s on the Happy Hour menu are the Deviled Eggs and Button Nose. – Rebecca White, Spokane County and Spokane Valley reporter

At Gamers Arcade Bar (321 W. Sprague Ave.; (509) 381-5131; gamersarcadebar.com), Happy Hour is 4-6 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays. Beers are $1 off; well drinks are $3; and the arcade bar’s specialty drinks are $2 off (cocktails include butter beer, the Yoda, the Captain America and the Deadpool).

But the best time to visit this establishment adjacent to Pinot’s Palette and Spokane Comedy Club is Saturday from noon-4 p.m., as “the early bird gets the buzz” with half off all beverages. – Riordan Zentler, editorial assistant

A sister business to White House Grill, Oval Office Bistro & Martini Bar (620 N. Spokane St., Post Falls; (208) 777-2102; whitehousegrill.com) runs Happy Hour 3-6 p.m. and 9 -11 p.m. daily. Appetizers are $5.50-$7.50, but Happy Hour drinks actually are at an all-day price of $6 or $7.50 and include a wide assortment of generously sized martinis.

The drinks are named after political figures while poking fun at all political parties. Favorite appetizers are more like a meal and include the Oval Office Quesadilla, Petite Gorgonzola Lamb Burgers and Indian Pizza (naan bread topped with curry sauce, chopped walnuts, parmesan cheese and grilled chicken all drizzled with spicy honey sauce). – Treva Lind, aging and family issues reporter