The Spot: The Parlor Pizzeria 1916 East Camelback Road 602-248-2480 www.theparlor.us
See Also: - 11 Best Pizza Spots in Metro Phoenix - Brass Monkey at The Parlor - Otro Café in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card
The Hours: Happy Hour is offered daily from 3 until 6 p.m.
The Interior: Phoenix pizzerias definitely bring their A-game -- from The Parlor to La Piazza al Forno and, of course, Pizzeria Bianco. Midtown's The Parlor quickly gained a name for itself with unique pizzas cooked perfectly and oodles more variety than the competition. The rustic décor is somehow both modern and hip, making it a great spot to bring pretty much anyone for a drink and some pizza. Happy hour deals can be taken advantage of in either the bar or dining room areas.
The Food: One reason we can't get enough of The Parlor's happy hour is the $7 8-inch pizzas. With 14 different pizzas to choose from, you're sure to find something you love. One of our favorites is the Smokey with speck (a smoked prosciutto), ricotta, and olive tapenade and finished with a healthy dose of arugula once it's cooked. The combination of smoky, briny, peppery, salty, creamy and sweet flavors is pretty much all you could ask for in one pizza.
Appetizers also are half-off during happy hour, which means you can get the fresh and light halibut crudo for only $6.25. Another must-have app is the insanely comforting cauliflower gratinata ($4.25), which is a creamy combo of roasted cauliflower in an aged white cheddar sauce, topped with bread crumbs. The one dish that really didn't impress us this time around was the risotto arancine ($4.50). The saffron in the risotto just didn't play well with the strong pomodoro sauce, leaving an odd taste in our mouths after each bite.
The Drink: Sometimes we begin to feel like a broken record when constantly begging restaurants to include specialty cocktails in their happy hour offerings, but it's especially disappointing to not get a discount on the absolutely delicious drinks at The Parlor. $5 wells won't make us feel any better, and while we love the combo of pizza and wine, $2 off glasses of wine isn't that great of a deal either. We stuck to the $3 draft pints, which was a nice selection of local and national craft beers.
The Conclusion: Give us discounted specialty cocktails and rework the arancini, maybe get some more comfortable chairs, and we'll give this happy hour an A+. Until then, you should still definitely drop in with a 10-spot for a pizza and a pint, because that's a great deal.
Grade: B
