Onesies and Happy Hour Don't Mix

 

Phillips Restaurant & Bar 

Review 5-1-2012 

  http://www.phillipsbar.com/ 

733 Cherokee St. 

Happy Hour: Open (approx. 5:00 p.m.) - 8:00 p.m. M-F
$8 Mojito Pint (Choice of Berry, Peach, Watermelon flavors), $25 Mojito Pitcher

We got to Phillips at around 5:30 on a Tuesday. Caveat: We've spent many the Happy Hour at Phillips. Originally drawn in by their fabulous 4.00 martini special, we hadn't been in about a year. When we arrived there were four customers in the bar, a couple and their two young boys who were running through the bar area shooting one another with nerf guns. Shortly thereafter a couple arrived with a onesied baby in tow. We are all about babies -- even babies in bars -- but it was not exactly the same scene we were accustomed to from the weekends when the bar is packed with gay men and tricked-out ladies.  

We sat at the bar and asked the bartender about the Happy Hour specials and how long their Happy Hour was and she said she thought it went until 8:00, so that's approximate.  We were disappointed that the (in)famous day-glo colored fruity martinis had been replaced with mojitos, but dove right in by ordering a pitcher of the berry which arrived in an enormous pitcher accompanied by two glasses with bubble tea straws. I guess that is for when you want to suck a blackberry up through a straw.

Famished, we surveyed the bar menu. Lots of tasty fried things + flatbread pizzas. T ordered the southwest rolls and were told they were out of them. She changed to ravioli, then the bartender came back and said the cook had looked in the wrong box and they did have the rolls. T stuck with ravioli. J got hummus in an attempt to be healthy. Both were tasty -- the hummus came with toasted flatbread sticks, and had a good spiciness to it. The ravioli was crispy with a creamy center, and came with a marinara sauce. Not earth-shattering by any means but definitely edible. 

We finished the mojito pitcher in one hour with no trace of the faintest buzz. Granted, years of living in New Orleans have strengthened our livers, but we we couldn't identify any alcoholic content in the mojitos. Probably for the best as it was a Tuesday. C' est la vie.

Second caveat: When I checked my account this morning I see I was charged a total of 97.48 for our 48.00 bartab --  a 30.00 opener, plus the total 48.00 tab, plus my 19.00 half. Here's to hoping all the extra charges drop off. This has somewhat colored my review from last night.  -- J Added: All extra charges did drop off later in the week. -- J

 

Pitcher of Berry Mojitos = 25$ during Happy Hour

 Food Specials: 

Full menu of food available -- no special happy hour pricing. 

Small apps range from $5.95 - 7.95

 Flatbread pizzas $11.95

Hummus

Fried Ravioli

 Ambiance:

Sexy. Pink wallpaper in the back with black velvet flocked designs. Lots of candles. --J
Cute, but dead! Wanted to leave immediately.  --T

 People:

Tuesday: Onesie-wearing babies 

Normally: Not sure what the industry parlance would be, but the sort of gay men who wear cargo shorts and drink bud light.  Also ladies. In spite of the largely gay clientele, the waitresses wear very tight/short sexy black outfits.-- J
Although I am currently having baby envy, seeing them during my happy hour was not ideal.  --T

Bathrooms: Nice, but difficult to get to when the bar is busy as they are located behind the bar where people usually line up. Hand dryers instead of hand towels :(. -- J
I. ABSOLUTELY.HATE. HAND DRYERS! But it was a slow night, so I let it slide.  --T

Rating:


Drinks: 2

Food: 3.5

Ambiance: 4

People: -1 for onesie baby  

Bathroom 2

= Total of 2.1

Not a great showing for one of our favorite Happy Hour spots -- hope it's better next time!