Everybody loves Happy Hour–me included. The eclectic town of Venice has so much to offer, none of which I’ve actually seen, so it was the best time to do so. Tonight, I celebrated a wonderful Thursday evening with food and drinks. A friend and I made the turn onto Pacific Avenue and battled the Cali rain and befuddled Cali drivers for a parking spot. I caught a glimpse of the joint on the corner of Venice and Pacific, but something made me second guess that this was our destination of choice. It could’ve been the tacky neon sign glowing in the falling rain, or maybe it was the wood-colored paneling that made the location look like a boarded up beach shanty–characteristics of none of my typical destinations of choice. Nonetheless we were not deterred. If you want to know more, check it out after the jump…

After being fooled into attempting to open what looked like the front door, we walked along the side and made our way into what turned out to be quite a classy spot. To our left were cozy booths for coupled dining, right in the middle was the roomy sushi bar and to our right was the area for large groups to enjoy a sit-down meal. We chose the best seats in the house–those right in front of the bar.

The Happy Hour menu was quite substantial and rather extensive. (Keep in mind this menu is available on Friday and Saturday nights as well from 11 pm to 1 am.) For just $2.95 each, edamame, chicken satay with peanut sauce, sunset rolls, brie & grape quesadillas, chips & salsa and shrimp empanadas were at your beckon call. If you’re feeling generous, drop an extra dollar for California rolls, red chili chicken wings, and spring rolls amongst other things. And then the drinks. For $5 each, take your pick of tart margaritas, minty mojitos, Ginger martinis, and of course select beers. I thought I’d be able to try a larger variety of foods, but two plates of sushi and a half a plate of edamame (plus 2 mojitos!) had me full beyond reason!

The atmosphere was definitely very…Venice. The work of local artists lines the walls, and the clientele ranges from 9 to 5′ers all the way to habitual surfers. The service was great! Our waiter was quick and friendly, and he made the drinks as strong as possible, either by accident or on purpose. The food came out quickly, and everything was fresh. Even the sushi chef brandished his knife excitedly for us! Six plates and 4 drinks later, the bill was only $40. Doesn’t that make for a happy Happy Hour? Take a ride down to Canal Club if you’re looking for an after-work bar that’s outside the Los Angeles box.