Meet Me After Work
by Tina M. Farmer

“Grab your coat, and get your hat,
Leave your worries on the doorstep,
Just direct your feet,
To the sunny side of the street.”
- Dorothy Fields

The warm weather is here, and now is the perfect time to get out and do some friendly networking or just catch up with a few close friends. There’s more light in the evenings and most restaurant and bar patios are open on weekends, if not all week long. If you’ve been hibernating too long, plan to stop by one of the following Happy Hour spots after work in the coming months.

Harry’s (Downtown)
421-6969 • 2144 Market St.
Harry’s downtown location features Happy Hour from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. throughout the year, but when the nights get warm, the patio really heats up. The view east from the patio is strikingly singular, offering a unique perspective of the cityscape. On warm nights there’s liable to be a crowd, as this is one of the city’s favorite places to “see and be seen.”

Harry’s is decidedly upscale and draws professionals from all the leading St. Louis companies; during baseball season it’s a popular spot for season ticket holders to meet before and after the games. There’s a buffet nightly, including a grand buffet on Fridays, and the specialty martinis are the featured cocktail. The interior bar is separated from the main dining area and is sophisticated, yet comfortable, on chilly evenings or when the weather refuses to cooperate.

Cardwell’s (Clayton)
726-5055 • 8100 Maryland Ave.
Cardwell’s, located in the Clayton business district, is one of the area’s most popular networking happy hours. This upscale restaurant and bar features Anheuser-Busch beer bucket specials from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. all week long and hors d’oeuvres on Wednesdays and Fridays.

During seasonable weather, the front patio features live entertainment and is a very popular spot for young, single professionals to meet. The Clayton location ensures that you’ll see plenty of lawyers and stockbrokers, but the typical crowd represents all area professions. From April through September, Cardwell’s also sponsors Parties in the Park, held in Shaw Park on the second Wednesday of the month.

J. Buck’s (Clayton)
725-4700 101 • South Hanley Road
If you’re still talking business at 5:30, bring your meeting over to J. Buck’s, where you’ll find a more intimate atmosphere and a remarkable martini.And, since you might want to wait until the meeting’s done to enjoy that martini, J. Buck’s offers post- Happy Hour martini specials, beginning at 8:00 p.m., on Thursdays.

Last year, J. Buck’s opened its new patio; it conveys the same cozy warmth as the main area, but with ample room for networking or gossip. J. Buck’s plans to bring live music performances to the patio on an occasional basis again this summer. The staff is friendly and eager to make J. Buck’s a preferred destination if you enjoy the music — be sure to let them know.

Jimmy’s Cafe on the Park (DeMun)
725-8585 • 706 DeMun Ave.
Are you one of the many St. Louisans who miss Carrie, Miranda, Kristen and Samantha? Then you need to make a date with your best friends at Jimmy’s. This sophisticated, upscale spot is a favorite for professional females. The appeal includes the comfortable 20-foot bar and attentive staff as well as the adjoining off-street, lit parking lot.

Monday nights after 5:00 p.m., Jimmy’s hosts Martini Mondays with special pricing on all martinis and there’s live music on Friday nights. Jimmy’s offers a variety of signature appetizers including smoked trout, grilled veggie, tenderloin or chicken pizzas and flash fried spinach.And, in a welcome break from St. Louis custom, Jimmy’s keeps its outdoor cafe open year-round, weather permitting.

SqWires (Lafayette Square)
865-3522 • 1415 S. 18th St.
Whether you’re heading for home, traveling to the city for a game, concert or show, or a local Lafayette Square resident, SqWires welcomes you with wonderful happy hour specials Monday through Friday. Premium wines, draft and bottled beer and an extensive martini menu are offered and delicious, homemade chips are just $1 a bucket all evening.

During the warmer months the patio is open, and on Friday evenings SqWires features an oyster bar and live music. This converted warehouse is spectacular to view inside and out. You’re likely to enjoy the eclectic mix of artists, professionals and hip tourists as much as the handcrafted hanging lamps, crafted by Bud Lewen, and engaging artwork from Mary Sprague.

Bahama Breeze (Chesterfield)
636-536-2862 • 550 Chesterfield Center Parkway
At Bahama Breeze, “Every hour is Happy Hour.” The friendly staff and management at this Caribbean flavored restaurant and bar focus on ensuring their customers have a relaxing experience whenever they walk through the doors. They offer a 20- ounce Aruba Red beer for $2.75 all day long. It’s their house beer and its brewed by Anheuser-Busch exclusively for Bahama Breeze. Additionally, well drinks are just $3.50 and the well is stocked with premium liquor only. It’s not just the drink specials that distinguish Bahama Breeze – all its dishes are made from scratch, with seafood flown in fresh daily.

So, when it’s happy hour, every hour, how do you appeal to the afterwork crowd? Bahama Breeze features call-ahead table seating for parties of five or less, making this the ideal spot to meet a few close friends before heading home – or out for the night. During cooler weather, the outdoor gazebo features Salsa, Calypso and other Caribbean-influenced music after 6:00 p.m.; during warmer weather the music is a popular, nightly feature.

C.J.Mugg’s (Webster)
963-1976 • 101 West Lockwood
Located on a busy intersection in the heart of Webster Groves, C.J. Mugg’s is a major hotspot in what appears to be a quaint suburban neighborhood. Just inside its front door, facing the corner of Gore and Lockwood avenues, sits one of the restaurant’s best features, the horseshoe bar.With cocktail and cafe seating to your right, the bar creates a natural break from the fine dining area and provides an inviting setting for table-to-table conversation. During warm weather, the wood windows open to the sidewalk area, providing additional seating.

The area has received a facelift in the past few years, with new buildings, restaurants and businesses populating the landscape; but after work, C.J.Mugg’s is still the place to meet if you’re heading southwest of downtown. Happy Hours are from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and in addition to daily drink and menu specials, patrons can enjoy complimentary chicken wings. C.J. Mugg’s draws a lot of young professionals and older students, perhaps due to its proximity to Webster University. The atmosphere is welcoming and friendly to all, with a business casual sensibility.

BACK TO NETWORK HOME

Meeting friends at happy hour is a fun way to wind down after work.

Sometimes the afternoon meeting goes into extra innings at the local watering hole.