The Spot: Welcome Diner 924 E. Roosevelt St. 602-495-1111 www.marthaandmary.net/welcomediner
See also: 10 Best Burgers in Metro Phoenix
The Hours: Happy Hour is offered Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. and reverse happy hour from 10 p.m. until midnight.
The Interior: Welcome Diner is the kind of small, independent restaurant that Phoenix needs more of. The vintage trailer diner inside and picnic patio outside offer two separate experiences -- one more interactive and exciting, while the other is laid back and relaxed. No matter where you sit, you're sure to get the kind of friendly service that should be the norm at neighborhood joints.
The Food: Regular happy hour offers $1 off burgers on the menu, while reverse happy hour is $1 off shared fries. While that still places burgers at $10 to $12 and fries at $7, the quality and quantity justify the cost. While you can get the classic Welcome burger or a bacon blue burger, it's hard to not order the PB+B burger once you've tried it. The melty, crunchy peanut butter, bacon, spiced bread and butter pickles, and sharp cheddar work together atop a perfectly cooked patty and soft but sturdy bun. The burger certainly is a mess, but it's the kind of mess you're happy to find yourself in time and time again.
If you're there for reverse happy hour, you can choose from poutine with country sausage gravy, cheddar bacon fries, or Kiltlifter-braised pulled pork fries with a housemade Carolina BBQ sauce.
The Drink: $1 off drafts during regular happy hour gets you a pint for $4, which is great when they have Papago Brewing Co.'s Orange Blossom Ale on tap. The creamy, fruity, and floral ale won this year's Best Local Beer for a reason -- it's delicious and available year-round. You also can get $1 off wells for reverse happy hour and occasionally $1 off hurricanes if you keep up with the diner's Facebook page, but it's worth the splurge to try Welcome Diner's seasonal cocktails, like the basil gimlet or the Halloween candy-themed concoctions available right now.
The Conclusion: Southern hospitality is the name of the game at Welcome Diner. Though prices are knocked down by only a dollar on select items, it's a dollar less on items like the delicious hot mess PB+B burger that we would've bought anyway. This happy hour isn't a deal hunter's dream, but the food, drinks, ambiance, and staff are sure to make you feel, well, welcome.
Grade: A-