The Spot: The Vig Fillmore 606 N. 4th Ave. 602-254-2242 http://www.thevig.us/
See also: Arizona Wilderness Picacho Pecan Pie Brown Ale: Whole Pecan Pies, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Beans, Love
The Hours: Happy hour is offered Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.
The Interior: The Vig has locataions in Arcadia, Uptown and Fillmore. With long tables and open areas, The Vig Fillmore has a friendly vibe. It's November in Arizona, which means perfect patio weather. It's why we all live here, right? The Vig Fillmore has a spacious patio complete with tables, lounge chairs, a fire pit, and an outdoor bar. With old school tunes like "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones playing, we could stay here all night, or at least until happy hour ends.
The Food: During happy hour, the select half-price appetizers are big enough to fill you up. Edamame, guacamole, hummus, hot wings, sliders, a daily flatbread, and grilled fish tacos are on the menu.
We decided on the the Double Down, roasted red pepper and roasted garlic hummus. It's served with fresh chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and warm pita bread for $4. The Vig sprinkles chili powder on garlic hummus to give it a kick. The Hot "Vings" were the other dish we couldn't resist. They come in a traditional, Thai sweet chili, or honey BBQ sauce. We went with the traditional, which is a very mild buffalo. The wings were crispy and juicy with just the right amount of sauce on them for $4.50.
Plus, the waitress played along when my boyfriend kept repeating "hot vings" when I would only say "hot wings."
The Drinks: Cocktails are $2 off during happy hour, which makes them $7. Wine is $2 off, draft and premium beer is $1.50 off, domestic beer is $1 off and well cocktails are $1 off. Although the cocktails are still $7, they are well worth the price. The Willo Wisp tastes like a slice of key lime pie complete with whipped vodka and a graham cracker around the rim. The Coronado Cup is exactly what is needed when there's a case of the Mondays: a mix of Absolut Citron, elderflower liqueur, strawberries, and lemon, topped with champagne.
The Conclusion: Complete with drinks that go down easily, food that satisfies, a relaxing patio and great service, The Vig left us content and full. We only wish cocktails were a little cheaper, then we wouldn't feel guilty for wanting more than a couple . . .
Grade: A-
