• HOURS: Mon-Fri 3-6
• PRICES: $4 wells. wines, beers, and cocktails
$4 bar food menu

I’m kind of reluctant to share this one, as the Bookstore Bar is teeny and tables are often taken up by half-in-the-bag business travelers staying at the adjoining Alexis Hotel. (Like eavesdropping? Prepare to fall in love.)

But I have to let you in on their happy hour (3-6 weekdays) because it’s just too good: four full plates—none of these tapas jobbies that seem like a deal until you’re presented with ten french fries on a saucer—for four dollars. The choices are a hamburger with fries (decent), a large salad of field greens (good), pulled pork bites—three, with a side salad (delicious), or a bowl of clam chowder (Dunno, I only eat chowder when decorum dictates I must).

While I don’t tend to need massive servings of food, the Bookstore HH is more than enough to do me for dinner. Wash your meal down with $4 well drinks, a glass of house red or white, or one of these draught beers: Washington Wheat, Maritime Islander, Red Menace Big Amber. I can think of a lot worse ways to spend eight bucks—I’m talking to you, Yellow Cab.