Happy Hour is a place to vent daily frustrations and unwind, a time to reconnect with friends and coworkers you donÂ’t mind seeing beyond the boundaries of Cubicle Land. ItÂ’s is also the ideal time to score a deal on your favorite gustatives and gulpables. For this feature, Team Meal Ticket hops to happy hours across the land and files a report every Tuesday.
LetÂ’s delve into it at Swift Half.
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| Photo | Rachel Burgos |
WHERE YOU AT?
Located smack in the middle of the
Piazza at Schmidts in Northern Liberties, the
Swift Half is surrounded by
Jinxed,
P.Y.T. and other see-or-be-seen spots. (Insert your own
American Apparel joke here.) Though it's owned/operated by the owners of Center City's
Good Dog, Swift Half is a bit different that than bar in that the look is more grownup — it's a big, open space, with tall ceilings and mahogany dining tables. Swift Half has the luxury of being in one of the best locations around, which is key during days with abnormally perfect weather. I showed up on such a night, and couldn't resist sitting outside.
WHAT'S THE SCENE?
I got there at about 5:30 p.m. and watched as the outdoor seating area quickly filled up with all sorts of types — drinking al fresco at the Piazza means prime-time people watching, great entertainment on its own. There were some young families with cute (not screaming) kids, people with dogs (love bars with dog-friendly outside dining!) a table of "Miller Lites" (i.e. typical bros pre-gaming before the night took them wherever), some post-work business type and a few older couples. All in all, a great mix. Oh, did I mention the comically large
26-by-16-foot LED television mounted to a building within the Piazza? No? Well, it's boss. If you haven't checked it out I'd highly recommend doing so. By the time 6:30 p.m. rolled around, the bar and the outside were very busy, but the actual dining area wasn't at all.
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| Photo | Rachel Burgos |
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
Depending on the day you show up, Swift Half's HH specials vary greatly. I went on a Friday and got a dollar off all drinks. If I had chosen to sit at the bar inside, I would've been privy to complimentary bar snacks, some of which are mini versions of dishes off their regular menu (homemade Chex Mix, shrimp dumplings, truffle mac 'n' cheese and more). The deals are as follows:
Monday: 10-ounce draft beers for $2 all day; $1 off drinks/free bar snacks from 5 to 7; 20 percent discount for hospitality employees
Tuesday: 16-ounce "classic" cans for $2 (PBR, Coors Banquet, Schlitz, etc.) and "new" cans (Sly Fox) for $3 all day; $1 off drinks/free bar snacks from 5 to 7; 20 percent discount for hospitality employees
Wednesday: High Life bottles for $2 all day; $1 off drinks/free bar snacks from 5 to 7; 20 percent discount for hospitality employees
Thursday: "Firkin Time," with a cask-conditioned ale plus complimentary treats; free bar snacks from 5 to 7
Friday: $1 off drinks/free bar snacks from 5 to 7
Saturday: $1 off drinks from 1 to 3
Sunday: $6 specialty cocktails all day; $1 off drinks from 10 to midnight; 30 percent discount for hospitality employees
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
I sipped on a
Georgia Kiss (gin, peach schnapps, club soda, lime) and ended up ordering a couple bites off their normal menu, which features small bites, sandwiches (including the
B.E.L.T, a BLT with a runny egg, which I got and enjoyed — though I will warn you, it's a messy eat!) and larger entrées. We also checked out smaller, snacky items like deviled eggs and spinach dip. Although I enjoyed the food I had, and you do get a lot of it, I feel that the prices are a little high for my usual after-work routine — that's why you should check out the "a la carte" section of the Swift Half menu, which features items that will fill you up at a solid price (take that aforementioned mac 'n' cheese, which for $8 can feed multiple people).
Another notable thing about Swift Half — they are very veg-friendly. I do wish we were told that a brownie special had bacon in it (a vegetarian friend I was with found that out the hard way), but it was certainly a delicious treat for those who enjoy bacon and chocolate (most of us). And those "in the biz" should definitely give Swift Half a look — they run specials four days a week for hospitality employees, including 30 percent off on Sundays.
