It's Monday, start of a new week. Time to bring home the bacon, climb ladders and all that good stuff. Thinking about it just makes us plot when and where we'll be able to decompress. Here are a few new(ish) places to add to your regular rotation. Or if you need a rotation, here's a good place to start.
The new Il Cane Rosso near White Rock Lake is open, and the patio is a looker. Have Burns pour you a house-made cocktail. Who even cares about the pizza anymore? That was so 2012. This patio needs breaking in.
The People's Last Stand at Mockingbird Station is a fantastic spot for post-work decompression. On Mondays it has half-price food and happy hour all day. On Tuesdays happy hour lasts until 8 p.m. Wednesdays, it's $6 classic cocktails. For more information, just go.
Peak and Elm: Have you been yet? Whasa'matta? Did you know that in addition to being BYOB, it also offers free margaritas every Friday? Yep. Do you need more convin ... no? OK.
The Gin Mill has hit its happy hour groove. With its front patio, bar, speakeasy space and barn-type things in the back, you could move around and feel like you're four different places while not moving the car once. They have half-price appetizers and flatbreads every day for happy hour (3 to 7 p.m.) and dollar-off drinks.
Boulevardier: Just the name makes it sound expensive, right? Well, it can be, but it's certainly worth it if you're a high roller (and we know you are). If you just happen to know someone who is pinching pennies, though, this might pique their interest. In addition to half-price food for service industry workers on Sunday evenings, Boulevardier offers nightly raw bar specials; on Wednesdays, that means $6 house cocktails and 50-cent Gulf oysters. Then, from 4:30 to 6:30 on Fridays, it pours half-price bottles of Champagne (normally $49 and up) and serves more 50-cent Gulf oysters.
NYLO has an amazing rooftop, like no other in the city. Who cares what the specials are with a view like that? But since we're here, happy hour runs 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday with $2.50 Bud Light, $3 imports, $4 drafts and $8 specialty cocktails.
Full Circle Tavern is a new spot on South Lamar next to Bill's Records. This spot opened last week and has a huge patio (pet-friendly) with $2 Trashy Tuesday till 7 p.m., which includes select cans, fried pickles and fried pickled okra. Daily happy hour specials include $3 wells and $4 drafts.
Watch Four Corners Brewing's Facebook page for interesting weekday events. A couple of weeks ago, it had a four-mile jog along the Trinity River followed by four samples of beer. This Tuesday it will open up the beautiful, spacious brewery in North Oak Cliff at 6 p.m. for the premier of its new brew, El Super Bee de Saison. Not technically a "happy hour," but those will be happy hours.
Ten Bells Tavern has two great options in terms of ambiance. Inside it's sort of dark and sulky, while the outside patio was made for days like today. Happy hour specials include Wing Wednesdays and Happy Burger Tuesday. From their Facebook page just a couple of hours ago:
"Happy Monday! We've got good things this week like our Roast Beef au Jus being back on the menu and our first shipment of beer from Ft.Worth's Martin House Brewing Company on Wednesday. Come try them both, heck try them both together and carpe diem!"
