Happy Hour Heaven @ LevelOne

For sometime now, I have considered myself a regular at Level One on 17th & R Streets NW. While I still may get funny looks when I enter the dark 1st floor restaurant to use the loo or if I dare to go upstairs to the de-facto "boys-only" club that is Cobalt, I feel 100% at home on the front patio, being served insanely cheap drinks and great food by any of the restaurant's too-cute-to-be-straight waiters. I arrived at the restaurant with my friends Chrissy and Annie and a slight buzz around 7:30. After being greeted by a super sweet and adorable hostess, we found a table in the outdoor smoking section (WTF?) along R Street. Although we'd missed the amazing $1 rail drink special that runs from 5-7 EVERY NIGHT, we were able to take advantage of the $3 deal.

Now in the spirit of this blog, I overcame my urge to order the same things I've gotten at Level One for the past 4 visits... my take on Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margarita and the Grilled Portobello sandwich with sweet potato fries. A highlight of my year was definitely when i realized I could get tequila and lime juice on the rocks in a salted glass for ONE DOLLAR and it's just as satisfying (and intoxicating) as a regular margarita!

Instead, I ordered an ice cold vodka-ginger ale and the Bayou Burger - an angus, seasoned with cajun spices and topped with Andoullie sausage, pepperjack cheese, sauteed onions, and cajun mayo. Doesn't that just sound perfect?

Peep the buffalo chicken sliders in the background... looks good huh?

So how was it? While I don't think anything can touch the fresh and juicy portobello sandwich, every component of this burger -especially the cheese and sausage- was a great addition. The only downfall - I received a well-done angus when I requested medium. This blasphemy means I couldn't taste the beef like I wanted to, but I could tell it was well seasoned. Like always, the sweet potato fries were on point -thin cut, fried to perfection, and this time, dipped in cajun mayo. Yummmy!

So for those of you who haven't been, it is time to ignore what you've heard about the wild nights at Cobalt and make your way to a relaxing evening in the shade at Level One!

Born Hungry recommends it for the cheap drinks, spicy crab dip, sweet potato fries (with cajun mayo), insanely good people watching, and flirty-friendly service.

http://www.cobaltdc.com/levelone.php

UPDATE: LevelOne and Cobalt have the most INSANE specials!
NEW HAPPY HOUR
$1 RAIL DRINKS & $2 Domestic Beer 5-7 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY!!
...and then until 9:
$2 Domestics
$3 Rail
$4 Call (stoli,skyy,smirnoff etc...)
Make a Martini for 2 bucks more.

Please let me know if you find this review helpful!