The Spot: Bourbon Steak 7575 East Princess Drive, Scottsdale 480-513-6002 www.scottsdaleprincess.com/dining/bourbon-steak
See Also: Duck Fat Fries from Bourbon Steak: 100 Favorite Dishes
The Hours: Happy Hour is offered daily from 5 until 6 p.m.
The Interior: There are plenty of beautiful, swanky resort bars to hit up in town if you're looking for a break from the ordinary. While BLT Steak, Lon's, and Jade Bar are all great options, North Scottsdale's Bourbon Steak offers a bold, contemporary setting for their pared down happy hour offerings. The lounge and bar area are quiet and a little more casual than the neighboring upscale steakhouse with the same name.
The Food: With just four food options to choose from with happy hour pricing, the selection certainly isn't as generous as other spots in town. However, $5 for Kobe beef belly with a fried egg or the crushed Haas avocado appetizer (read: guacamole) is a pretty smokin' deal. The impossibly tender, fatty Kobe beef got an extra dose of richness from the egg yolk, though the meat was definitely too salty even with the egg and accompanying sauce.
Blue cheese sauce filled potato skins are also on the discount list, though definitely not the most impressive option on the menu in terms of quality, quantity or flavor. The best, however, was the Korean Fried Chicken wings, which were spicy, sweet, and just a little messy with a perfectly crispy skin. While we're accustomed to dipped sauce with wings, it wasn't necessary for Bourbon Steak's, though the option would've been nice. Overall, the portions for all of the happy hour items were definitely small, but the upscale ingredients and execution made up for the small size.
The Drink: The $5 during happy hour theme continues glasses of wine, beer, and craft cocktails. House red or white and a handful of brews are up for grabs, but we went with the cocktail of the day, which was a Gin Collins. While we typically like our cocktails more on the tart or bitter side, this Collins could've definitely used a little more sugar or an Old Tom gin as the base, as it tasted like a cup of gin and lemon juice.
The Conclusion: With just one hour per day at the bar for happy hour, enjoying Bourbon Steak's deals can feel kind of rushed, though they do offer a "fireside" alternative which lasts from 5 p.m. until close. While the food options are slim, the dishes are all well worth the $5 price in terms of quality. The drink prices are also reasonable, especially for resort pricing. All in all, with just a few minor seasoning and flavor issues, Bourbon Steak's happy hour is worth checking out if you can be sure to make it there from 5 until 6 p.m.
Grade: B+
