Week 1: One Man's Search for the Perfect Happy Hour
Join Chef John in his quest. He begins his search for the best downtown happy hour with insight into the criteria that will go into his final assessment.
You find yourself at the same barstool each week. Sure, you've thought about checking out another happy hour, but when it comes down to it, your gut wrenches with the feeling that it'd be the ultimate act of betrayal against your surrogate bar family. Besides, what if the new bar was a let down?
Chef John Lewis made it his personal quest to be your resource happy hour in downtown Dunedin. He's comparing hours, pricing, and the four main components of a good Happy Hour experience: bartender, ambience, friendly atmosphere and social network. Join Chef John's Happy Hour Club here each week and journey with him through the downtown bars in search of the perfect happy hour.
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After an exhaustive survey of almost 20 bars in the downtown area of Dunedin, I found that not all “Happy Hours” are the same.
There are differences in price, amenities and food or snack offerings as well as different hours for Happy Hour depending upon the business.
Most of us frequent a particular bar for one or more of the following four reasons: the bartender, ambience, a friendly atmosphere and it's where our friends hang out.
People usually describe a great bartender as having an infectious personality, remembers what we like to drink and attentive to our needs (like when we need refills!). Ambience covers such things as decor, cleanliness, comfortable seating and views. Friendly atmosphere covers whether or not the place has a “happy vibe.” We also like to go where our friends gather and enjoy good conversations, or in other words, the socializing aspect.
However, when it comes to Happy Hour, price is also important! Regular patrons of Happy Hour and especially our winter visitors are very aware of prices for mixed drinks, wine and beer. Let’s call them value conscious.
Some of these frequent customers are also aware of the amount of the pour for beer and wine. Bar owners should not underestimate the sensitivity of their customers to pricing issues. Regular patrons of Happy Hour have big mouths and tell all their friends what they think!
The hours for Happy Hour in Dunedin vary greatly also. Many are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days per week, but others have all-day specials on certain days of the week. I'll take a closer look at those times, too.
Join me here each week for a closer look at a different happy hour! At the end of our journey, I'll share my favorites in each category.
Next Thursday, Chef John visits Bauser's. Check out the bar before next week's column and you can share your assessment with "The Happy Hour Club."
Jared Leone
7:43 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Awesome! Thanks Chef John!
Ruiop777
12:40 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Always an angle with this guy don't be fooled
DunedinLocal76
1:58 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
I know, Why would anyone pay him?
Dantheman612
12:48 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Does wearing funny pants qualify you as a chef? I have funny pants...I am going to wear them!
Dunedinite
3:42 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
HA!!! apparently it does.
Ryan dumas
1:59 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Wow....that's all I can say....
Dunedinite
2:05 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
A man that waits for free food for hours only to complain and drink rotgut vodka is not a person I will be "following" to find out where to go.
Ryan dumas
2:08 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
He's an expert? Really?
RK1980
1:56 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Do you have any insight on the bar scene you'd like to add or just be critical to others?
DunedinLocal76
3:31 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Did they really erase everyone's comments? You shouldn't hire someone and then erase people's comments when they tell you what kind of person he really is,.....
Emily Seawell
3:49 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
We had to remove some comments that violated the Patch terms of use (there's a link to them at the bottom of the page, and we email a copy to each user at signup). And just to clarify, this is a guest column, which means John is writing for free. Thanks for raising the question so we could clear that up!
Emily Seawell
3:45 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Looks like this column has sparked some strong opinions! Thanks for joining in the discussion, everyone.
When it comes to happy hours, we welcome everyone's perspective (as always), so in addition to having John start things off each week, we're excited to hear what everyone else has to say about which local happy hours are the best and what you look for in a bar or restaurant.
It looks like so far, "welcoming atmosphere" is the most important factor to our readers, and we welcome everyone to join us here to keep the discussion going over the next few weeks. Cheers!
Dunedinite
4:01 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
If you welcome everyone's opinion than why delete posts. The deleted posts were not vulgar or obscene and did not include any profanity. Let all opinions be represented equally.
Emily Seawell
4:06 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Hi Dunedinite, we removed posts from false accounts or which made unfounded, anonymous accusations, which is prohibited in our terms of use. There's not much that isn't fair game on Patch, but we don't let people anonymously make accusations against others or set up dummy accounts. Thanks for asking!
Dave Harvell
4:08 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Patch knows zero about Dunedin culture. It is obvious in the selection of this character. Time to re-think your decision.
RK1980
1:56 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Stop reading the patch then....really?!? Who are you to know the culture? Would you like to put out your own periodical? Come up with something better than the patch, I won't hold my breath
Joanna D'Ordine
5:39 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Dunedin Smokehouse has an awesome Happy Hour! Enjoy 2-4-1 drinks and $1 off domestic drafts! Plus you can come down and chat with some fun bartenders!
Debbie McGiffin
8:22 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Love the smokehouse and its fabulous bartenders!! What a great spot!!
Keith S
5:40 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
If "Chef" John is not being paid to write the column, patch is still paying him too much.
Debbie McGiffin
8:27 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
I am committed to my happy hour favorite. Looking forward to seeing who else I should check out! Thanks Dunedin Patch and Chef John!! Cheers!! And geez guys be nice......This is all in good fun :)
Ryan dumas
6:50 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
The living room has happy hour 11am till 7pm 2 4 1 wells, calls, house wine and select drafts....can that be beat? And the best food!!!
misspatsydine
12:08 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Sounds like a good idea for a column. I like Happy Hours! Which restaurant does Chef John work at? Do they have a Happy Hour? Is it in Dunedin, too?
Katie Dolac
3:33 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Mr. Lewis is the self-employed owner/chef of Chef John's Creative Culinary Services, which specializes in catering, private parties, cooking classes and such. He is based in Dunedin.
Robert Moore
2:10 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Hey be nice they might let Traila parks out to review your happy hour. Good prices aren't only happy hour anymore visit Drag Queen BINGO every Tuesday night at Blur doors open at 8 pm. $2 Coronas Heinekens and $ Sailor Jerry cocktails
Robert Moore
2:10 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
$3 Sailor Jerry
Ashley Davis
1:56 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Great!!! Looking forward to hearing what Chef John has to say!!! What fun!
RK1980
1:56 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Thanks Chef John for bringing this up as a topic of interest. I always go to the same places for happy hour and would like to venture out and try new places. I look forward to your upcoming columns. Cheers!
Tom G
4:00 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Don't forget a few key non-downtown areas - like Cricketers and the Island Outpost. Very popular! And Eddies too.