It started out, as so many of our lives' stories so often do, with our first destination being closed.
For some reason, Matteo's is closed on Mondays. I had read about their new Happy Hour (both early and later-night) and wanted to check it out. I'm not sure why I was hankering to see this place. Maybe it was the fact that the place is sort of old-timey, Sinatra-ringadingding-Rat Pack-esque. Maybe it was the fact that I heard the restaurant was dying after years of declining traffic and they turned to Our Hero, the Happy Hour, in these times of economic uncertainty. Maybe it's because it's within walking distance of my house.
Anyways, it was closed, we were bummed, it was a hundred goddamn degrees out, and we needed a Happy Hour to bouy our spirits. Luckily I remembered, even in my hunger and thirst, seeing a banner for a Happy Hour on Pico across from the (now extra-jankified!) Westside Pavilion.
What I didn't remember was that it was for Maria's Italian Kitchen, which, as my wife so snottily scoffed, is a local chain with locations all over town, including (gasp!) The Valley.
My wife is from The Valley -- it's a defense mechanism.
Anyway, we troop in, we sit, and we order. Hey! $4 well drinks! Hey! Half-off appetizers! Hey, these deals last till 7:00pm! Hey! The food isn't completely horrible!
Like I said, sometimes even I am surprised.
The Vitals: Happy Hour at Maria's Italian Kitchen isn't too shabby. Not touristy (at least not the West LA location) and, 90s-era decor notwithstanding, a suitably dark and cool place to tie one on. Half-price appetizers and $4 well drinks and wine make it worth swallowing your pride and checking out this chain establishment. Locations throughout LA, including the reviewed West LA location, Brentwood, Downtown, and various Valley outposts.
And hey, it's next door to a sex shop. Bonus.
this happy hour is actually pretty good. prepare yourself for lots of fried food. the drinks are stiff, though, and they bring bread and yummy dippin' sauce!
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