Time: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Lou’s Little Corner Bar, 4924 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield
Drink: Blue Moon Belgian White, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, Colo.
Ambiance: A classic yinzer dive with a back porch that feels like it’s in your own yard. The service is incredibly friendly, and so are the regulars.
Who to bring: Your closest friends.
Happy Hour: 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, domestic beers are $2.50 and 16-ounce PBRs are $2.
Weirdest thing overheard by the bartender: “Picture me with my ass in the air smeared in Vaseline.”
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Place: Blue Moon, 5115 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Drink: Whiskey and soda
Type of bar: “It’s for everyone, no matter who you are,” says bartender Rob Dunham. The decor ranges from multi-colored lights and a back bar donated from a previous owner’s castle to a caged, life-size demon dummy with a giant penis.
Specialty drinks: The Strong Island, Blue Moon’s version of Long Island Ice Tea
Happy Hour: Everyday 7 to 9 p.m., it’s $1 off all drinks.
Entertainment: Friday karaoke, Saturday drag shows, Tuesday show-tune night and Wednesdays are open stage. Best of all? No cover charge.
Time: 6:45 p.m.
Place: The Allegheny Wine Mixer, 5326 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Drink: A bottle of Gurrieri Vini La Favola “Fravolato,” a dry medium-bodied red wine from Sicily
Ambiance: This is a wine bar that defies pretension by making you feel classy and welcome from the moment you walk in the door. Silly art adorns the walls, while delicious wine and cocktails fill the menu.
Who to bring: Your cool parents.
Special features: AWM changes its regional wine focus with the seasons. Last winter was all about Portuguese wine, and spring has moved on to Sicily. It’s an excellent way to see what a country has to offer.
Snacks: High-quality cheese, charcuterie and chocolates galore
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Kelly’s Bar & Lounge, 6012 Centre Ave., East Liberty
Drink: A Rusty Nail, the daily special cocktail
Who’s here: Industry professionals, couples and larger groups ranging in age from mid-20s to mid-50s. There are plenty of regulars.
Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 5-7 p.m., with a rotating $4 daily cocktail special
Special features: An Art Deco ambiance that’s comforting and familial, and a back patio perfect for summer drinking
Snacks: The mac-and-cheese is famous and there’s also other slightly refined, but not frilly, pub grub.
Smoking: Only outside
Time: 8:45 p.m.
Place: Hidden Harbor, 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill.
Drink: Milk Punch, a rum-based cocktail
Type of bar: Tiki!
Who’s here: People who want to have a drinking experience instead of just a drink. Anyone seeking novelty.
Noise level: Conversation-level noise with a reggae background
Special features: Weird Science Wednesdays that see the bartenders whip up “weird molecular and science-forward takes on tiki cocktails.”
Weirdest thing overheard by the bartender: “I’m a part time apiarist and a full-time chiropractor.”
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Place: Brew Gentlemen Beer Company, 512 Braddock Ave., Braddock.
Drink: Loose Seal Spring Saison, Brew Gentlemen Beer Company, Braddock
Ambiance: Clean, functional, modern, low key
Who to bring: Anyone who is a Pittsburgh-beer enthusiast. Your dog.
Happy Hour: Nope, but they are always releasing new beers.
Special features: The bar hosts food-truck round-ups and yoga classes. Food trucks often stop by to provide the snacks for the evening. Franktuary was serving up dogs on the night we visited.
Weirdest thing overheard by the bartender? “So this drunk girl from the City Paper asked me what the weirdest thing I’d ever overheard was.”
