Happy hour is a staple of American work culture. There are entire sitcoms dedicated to people going to the bar after work when the drinks and appetizers are at a discounted price. It typically begins at 4:00 PM in most happy hour restaurants and bars like ours and runs until dinner, which is 6:00 PM for Bank+Vine. We have a special menu of happy hour food and drinks that are perfect to have while you’re unwinding from work and chatting with your friends and co-workers.
But first, do you know where the term ‘happy hour’ came from? What brave soul paved the way for us to enjoy happy hour cocktails and delicious chicken wings after a day of reports, presentations, and meetings? Let’s find out!
The History of Happy Hour and Happy Hour Cocktails
These days, happy hour is all about enjoying drinks without burning too big of a hole in your pocket. But the term dates back to the 19th century when it was used as U.S Naval slang for the entertainment period in which activities like boxing and wrestling matches were held on board.
However, the term wasn’t associated with drinking up until the Prohibition era. While the government cracked down on the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol, some flocked to speakeasy clubs, where they used the term ‘happy hour’ to describe drinking sessions held ahead of dinner.
Once the Prohibition was officially repealed, the term stuck around. As per speculation, it was officially adopted by civilians following a 1959 article on military life in The Saturday Evening Post. Around this time, bars and lounges began serving discounted drinks after the standard workday to lure tired office personnel on their way home.
But where do cocktails come into the equation? As such, cocktails have always been at the heart of happy hour. After all, it was called ‘cocktail hour’ during the Prohibition. A few popular happy hour cocktails include:
- Manhattan
- Tom Collins
- Greyhound
- Moscow Mule
- White Russian
- Tequila Sunrise
- Cosmopolitan
- Daiquiri
- Old Fashioned
- Negroni
- Whiskey Sour
- Margarita
- Martini
At Bank + Vine, we have a trained sommelier and mixologist manning the bar, so you’ll never go without a drink. Besides the classics, you can also try one of our own innovations, like the Bonnie + Clyde cocktail.
Sample Bank+Vine’s Happy Hour Cuisine
When you Google ‘happy hour near me’, you’re probably thinking of the food as much as the drink. It’s hard to imagine cocktails without food on the side.
The best happy hour food is all about being easy to eat, quick to eat, and affordable. Some of them are even shareable. That’s what we had in mind when we came up with the food for our happy hour menu.
Interested to check out what we have in store for you? Need a fresh, happening place to kick off a happy hour in Wilkes Barre, PA? Visit Bank+Vine today! Here’s a quick glimpse at the most popular contenders in our happy hour cuisine.
Charcoal Grilled Carrots, Lemon Yogurt, Sicilian Pistachio
You’ve had a long day at work, so maybe it’s best to get something both energizing, full of potassium and vitamin A. Not everyone likes vegetables, but carrots have always been one many people make an exception for. After potatoes, they’re considered the second most popular vegetable.
To improve on something so popular, we charcoal-grilled the carrots, cooking them at a higher temperature and giving them a smoky taste, adding something extra. The lemon yogurt and Sicilian pistachio are two sweet-tasting sides that will add to the dish with their soft feeling, aromatic scent, and fruity flavor. They’ll go great with your happy hour cocktails!
Burrata, Grilled Lancaster Corn, Lemon Oil
Cheese and happy hour cocktails are a match made in heaven. There are many different types of cheese in the world that most people have tried, but Burrata is one of the few kinds of cheese that people may not have heard of. It’s an Italian cow milk cheese, which means it has an outer casing of solid cheese with a soft cream in the middle. This is what has led to its soft texture.
This is perfect to eat by itself or with another item like a salad, bread, tomatoes or even pasta. It has a difficult taste to describe, which only makes this cheese stand out more. It’s sweet like a delicacy, yet milky like a rich cream. It’s closest to mozzarella, which is traditionally made from the milk of a water buffalo. In fact, both have their origins in Southern Italy!
However, while mozzarella has a subtle taste and elastic texture, burrata is softer and more flavorful. It also has a higher cream content than mozzarella.
We’ve added some delicious grilled Lancaster corn to the mix to elevate the flavor palate up a notch. The entire dish is topped with a generous drizzle of lemon oil for a delightful flavor punch. Happy hour in Wilkes Barre, PA doesn’t get better than this!
Charcoal Grilled Whole Chicken Wings, House Wing Sauce
Not everyone wants to try something new and that’s alright! Chicken wings are a classic appetizer to have anywhere, and they’re a happy hour cuisine staple. It makes for great happy hour food because it’s something familiar, something you can enjoy at your leisure, and you can easily share them with your friends and co-workers.
But because chicken wings are such a classic, and we don’t do anything like everyone else at our happy hour restaurant, we charcoal grill them. We add a similar smoky flavoring to the chicken that we do to the carrots. Match that with our house wing sauce and you have the perfect meal.
B+V Burger, 6oz Hereford Beef, Cheddar, Bacon
There’s nothing more appetizing than the ideal American burger. And, with the B+V burger, we offer our guests a classic meal. It’s perfect for anyone looking for something comfortable, something just for them, that they can eat and know they’ll enjoy.
When we do a classic happy hour food like this, we go all out, using Hereford beef for the meat. It’s a premium brand that follows our belief and tradition of using farm products. The cheese and bacon complement the meat. It’s filling, delicious, and a great pair for your cocktails.
Find the Best Happy Hour Food at Bank+Vine
Happy hour can’t live up to its name if the food isn’t as top-notch as the drink selection, but with Bank+Vine, you don’t have to worry about that. You can come right after work to enjoy our happy hour/pub menu and prices, from 4 PM to 6 PM, Tuesday through Friday. We have an esteemed selection of food and drinks to choose from.
For indoor dining, we have a different selection of food you can choose from if you want more choices. Make a reservation online for your next visit.
