Scott & Co.

Interior of Scott & Co. It started to fill up soon after.

There is really something special going on at Scott & Co.  The bar is attached to 47 Scott and is certainly doing its part in the revival of Downtown Tucson.  Happy hour doesn't happen everyday.  In fact, it doesn't even happen every week.  They're doing "flash happy hours,"  basically they announce the time on facebook the day of.  In some ways, this is obviously annoying, but the drinks here are worth checking their facebook page on a daily basis.  During happy hour, drinks are half price.  Most are regularly 8 or 10, so 4 or 5 dollars a piece.  And the happy hour runs for at least two hours, but I've seen up to four. 

 After seeing the announcement, I arrived promptly at 6 with friends in tow.  We were the first ones there, but there's no shame when there are deals involved.  The inside is dim and has a speakeasy-feel.  It was a definite difference from the heat and blinding sun outside.  The room is small, mainly composed of a bar and a few seats around the perimeter.  We were able to grab corner seats and watch the action unfold.

Drink menu.  Grouped by spirit.

The drink menu changes seasonally and is almost overwhelming.  They make most of their bitters and infusions in house and for this drinker, everything looked good.  I started with the Backhanded Julep, as I'll always be a whiskey girl.  As soon as it arrived, I was taken aback by the sheer amount of mint garnishing the drink.  They definitely know how to make a statement. The drink was really good, the peach vinegar giving it the perfect amount of tang.

Backhanded Julep- white whiskey, dry vermouth, peach vinegar, honey

My friends ordered the Grillo Cancion and Lolita's Cup.  One of them is mainly a wine drinker, but this is not a bar you go to when you're in the mood for wine, the cocktails are too good for that.   Their drinks were sweet, but balanced.  You could taste the cumin in the Grillo Cancion providing a touch of spice.  While, the cucumber in the Lolita's Cup gave it added freshness.

Grillo Cancion- Pisco, cumin syrup, fresh lime, fresh lime, celery bitters, lengthened with selzer

Lolita's Cup- Vodka, red wine, cucumber syrup, fresh lemon, lengthened with tonic

Of course, we didn't stop after a first round.  So, for your viewing pleasure....

Moonage Daydream- Gin, cocchi american, pisco, elderflower liqueur, orange bitters, dash of absinthe, wild tea vodka rinse

Broken Column- Blanco tequila, rosato vermouth, cynar artichoke aperitif, orange bitters, orange blossom rinse

The Moonage Daydream was a little too bitter for my taste, though that might be because it was drank after something so sweet.  The Broken Column was great though.  One other thing you can do at Scott & Co. is "Bartender's Choice."  My friend asked for a semi-sweet Vodka drink and was given exactly what she desired. 

Bartender's choice

The drinks here are pretty spectacular and show that all the Bartenders really know what they're doing.  But, this is not the happy hour to come to if you want to get dinner out of it as well.  They don't serve food at Scott & Co., only providing complimentary roasted nuts to each table (though, not until about an hour after we got there.) They were good, but we were all hungry for real food when we walked out of there.  All in all, come here if you want to pay half-price for some expertly mixed drinks, but if you're looking for more than that... this happy hour is not for you.

Bar nuts...not considered part of a balanced diet.

Overview:  
Time: Flash Happy Hour announced the day of.  Day of the week and time vary.
UPDATE:  Summe happy hours just announced.  Wednesday-Saturday, 6-8 pm.!!!
Specials:  Half price classic and menu cocktails.

Rating: 4/5 shots

Scott & Co.
47 N Scott Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85701

La Salsa

You know you're a poor student when you go to happy hour at La Salsa.  But, they've seriously got some great deals going on. Margaritas, buckets of beer, and appetizers, oh my! And a nice patio to enjoy them on.  Happy hour runs Monday-Friday from 4-7 giving you plenty of opportunities to check it out.

The margarita isn't high class.  It comes out of a slushy machine and is slightly neon.  But, it gets the job done for only 3 dollars.  Normally about halfway through drinking, you've sucked out all the tequilla goodness and are left with some form of shaved ice.  But, that's when you move onto the beer!

Sorry for the lone beer in the bucket, the other two were already being consumed.

A bucket of three beers runs for 5 dollars.  They have a nice selection of Mexican beers and of course the prerequisite, bud light.  And let's not forget how cool you feel with a bucket of beer sitting in front of you.  Honestly though, the bucket is really useful by keeping your beer cold in the heat.

Nachos pre-being devoured

We ordered two appetizers, the Nachos (3.50) and the Mexican Pizza (3.95).  They also have tacos, taquitos, and quesadillas all for under 5 dollars during happy hour.   The Nachos were really good and in all honesty, enough for dinner.  They're covered in beans, cheese, and enchilada sauce and topped off with a small scoop of guacamole.  I'm slightly biased because nachos may be my favorite food, but they were pretty darn good.

Mexican Pizza

The Mexican Pizza was gigantic and we took home leftovers.  I think our eyes were a little bigger than our stomachs.  The pizza is a large tortilla with enchilada sauce and cheese topped with onions, peppers, and tomatoes.  I can't say that this was even close to the best thing I've ever had, but for the price and the portion, I could see myself ordering  it again.

My friend and I walked away stuffed to the brim and a little tipsy.  All in all, a successful happy hour that I'm sure will be repeated.

 Overview: 
TIme: Monday-Friday, 4-7 pm.
Specials:  Specials on appetizers, 3 dollar margaritas and 5 dollar buckets of beer.

Rating: 3/5 shots

La Salsa
825 East University Blvd # 181
Tucson, AZ 85719-5063

Zinburger

Do you ever find yourself sitting at home on a rainy Saturday wishing there was a cozy place to cheaply booze your sorrows away?  Well, I'm here to tell you- there is!  Zinburger's happy hour is daily from 4-6 pm with half off all alcohol and sides.  You have to pay full price for the burgers if you want a full meal, but for the food and atmosphere it tends to be worth it.

Wine list

If you're going for wine, it's more economical to buy a bottle.  We went by the glass and with the amount we drank, the bottle would have been a much better choice.  I tried three different kinds, my preferred being the red malbec/syrah for 3 dollars a glass with happy hour pricing.

Ravenswood "Zen of Zin"

The sides menu is mainly just fries.  We ordered the zucchini fries and they were pretty delicious.  Covered in breadcrumbs and parmesan and served with a side of ranch.  And zucchini is a vegetable, so obviously you're being healthy.  I saw a few tables getting a split order of two different fries.  Our server didn't tell us about this, but it's probably the smart choice if you want some variety.

Zucchini Fries

Sides menu.  I didn't see anyone getting half-off cottage cheese, but I guess it's possible.

I prefer to sit out on the patio.  I went on a rainy night and the fireplace and heat lamps got rid of the chill entirely.  In fact it was so comfortable, we ordered another glass of wine after the meal just to stay and enjoy the atmosphere.  I can only imagine how nice it would be on a sunny day.

We ordered dinner on this trip, both meals being tasty and priced around ten dollars.  We both left happy and with leftovers! (my favorite part of a good meal.)  If you stick to the sides and wine, you'll walk away feeling very thrifty.  And I definitely want to go back and try their shakes.  They're not on special during happy hour, but I'll gladly pay full price for a strawberry cheesecake or creme brulee milkshake.  On second thought, Zinburger- put your shakes on your happy hour menu!

Clint's "Almost Famous" Vegetable Burger- smoked mozzarella, tomato marmalade & mayo

Zinburger- manchego cheese, zinfandel braised onions & mayo

Overview:
Time: Daily, 4-6 pm
Specials: Half off glasses and bottles of wine, beer, cocktails, and side dishes.  

Rating: 4/5 shots

Zinburger
1865 East River Road #101
Tucson, AZ 85718

Sunsets at Sapphire

A few weeks ago I attended Sunsets at Sapphire, put on every Friday from 5-9 by 92.9 "The Mountain."  It was a beautiful Tucson day and the rooftop was a great place to spend some time.

 A few bands performed short sets, long enough to enjoy the music without taking away from conversation.  One of the bands encouraged everyone to sing-along, creating a campfire mentality once the sun went down.

The bar area

Onto the drinks!  The only special is two for one vodka drinks. If you're vodka-averse, this might not be the happy hour for you.  A drink runs for about 6 dollars, so it's a pretty good deal. We happened to be a group of three, so we had one extra drink each round to share between us.  There are waitresses around to bring cocktails, but we preferred to order them ourselves at the bar.  Sapphire doesn't have a kitchen, but they had a makeshift "all you can eat" taco bar set up for 5 dollars.  I decided not to partake, but others seemed to be enjoying them.

Fairly strong vodka-pineapples. 

This happy hour was a pretty fun experience and I can definitely see doing it again, especially in the summer heat.

Kind of ironic, but the buildings blocked the sunset

Overview:  
Time:  Every Friday from 5-8 pm, music starts at 6.   
Specials:  2 for 1 vodka drinks, 5 dollar glasses of wine, and 3 dollar all-you-can-eat taco bar.

Rating: 3.5/5 shots

Sunsets at Sapphire Lounge
125 East Congress Street
Tucson, AZ 85701-1707