The Spot: Bliss/reBAR
905 N 4th St, Phoenix
The Hours: Happy hour at Bliss runs Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with reverse happy hour Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to close, according to the restaurant's website.
Perfect for: Simple well drinks or beers on a pleasant patio.
The Interior: Bliss offers a relatively basic interior that's anchored by a long, wooden bar. The inside of the restaurant isn't massive, which gives the place a neighborhood feel. The patio, meanwhile, mimics a cozy front porch, complete with a bar that surrounds a giant tree. We came early in the afternoon, flipped open our laptop to enjoy the bar's free WiFi, and enjoyed the low hum of cars on nearby Roosevelt Street.
The Food: Glancing at the $6 starters offered on Bliss's happy hour menu, we noticed there's not a lot of choice, though the menu does include wings, hummus, and sliders. We were sort of intrigued by the coconut chicken tenders, which came out warm and extra crispy over a sprinkle of cabbage. We ended up asking for a side of ranch instead of the provided "citrus ginger honey sauce," which just tasted like honey. The tenders also ended up being a disappointment, with no detectable coconut element and stringy chicken meat.
For our next appetizer, we went a little simpler with chips and salsa. The salty, thin chips came in a giant pile, but in comparison, the container of salsa was just too small. We ran out of salsa, which had very little flavor, save for a hint of roasted tomato, by the time we were not even halfway through our chips.
The Drink: To its credit, Bliss' happy hour has a lot to offer when it comes to drinks. Well drinks, draft beers, and import beers are $4, and Smirnoff martinis are $5. On tap, there's a good mix of brews including Kiltlifter, Blue Moon, and a Vanilla Dulce Porter. We were a little disappointed that none of Bliss's crafted cocktails are included in happy hour, which we've tried and enjoyed on previous occasions.
Bliss's Smirnoff martinis range from a basic dirty martini to any reasonable twist on a martini you can imagine. On the advice of our attentive bartender, we went for a raspberry martini ($5). Unfortunately, the concoction didn't live up to our expectations. It tasted syrupy and was served at a tepid temperature.
Conclusion: We want to like Bliss and its excellent patio. Unfortunately, it's probably best to make uncomplicated choices at this happy hour: stick with beer and don't come with high expectations about the food.
Don't Miss: Bliss's patio — before it gets too hot.
Skip This: Any kind of fruity martini.
Grade: C+