What started out as 2-for-1 Happy Hour with a long lost friend ended up being two hours of eating and drinking. We were both in Pompano when we met so we decided to grab a beer or two and catch up, beer being the operative choice because we were both in “grape juice” overload. 

There’s something to be said for Happy Hour pricing and Happy Hours overall; you can get your favorite food and drink probably at your favorite place for a fraction of the cost, so why not? With the market completely saturated with restaurants and bars you can go out every night of the week to a different place for a drink and an appetizer and not break the bank. Here’s a perfect example, last night Michael and I went to Mojo in Fort Lauderdale their Happy Hour is from 4-7pm; your choices of 16oz draft beers are Yuengling and Miller Lite for $4.50 (regular price) and for $5.50 (regular price) your choice is Sierra Nevada, Stella Artois, Blue Moon, New Castle and Sam Adams. Now cut that price in half for Happy Hour…yup a Stella is $2.75.  

On Monday and Wednesday it’s Happy Hour pricing all night long at the bar. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday Happy Hour is 4-7pm. The drink specials are basically 2-for-1 or half price and there is a half priced bar bites menu as well. So the skinny is a damn good beer for $2.75 and $5 appetizer coming in at under $10 or just over $10 if you get two beers.

Our conversation was running wild and one beer wasn’t enough to keep it or us going so the better half of Happy Hour sucked us into its vortex and we started ordering food plus at this point I was ready to cannibalize myself because I hadn’t eaten all day so we had at it. That whole Friday, Lent thing is going on so I needed to be mindful of what I ordered. Not so much with Michael. When I reminded him, without missing a beat he came right back at me “I haven’t gone to Hell yet”. OK, well that’s going to get a mention, Mr. Wonderful. So we ordered. The complete dichotomy of people ordering a Diet Coke with grease-infused cheese fries still baffles me but I am none the less guilty by ordering a Veggie Pita with a Stella so I stand with the brilliant calorie counting, fat gram watching people with my own scarlet letter affixed to my napkin.

Friday. Lent. Fish. It seemed to appease my guilty Catholic conscience by ordering calamari, shrimp and crab. A long way from those Friday nights growing up in Rhode Island when my parents would order Fish & Chips from the local fish house and my Dad brought it home wrapped in newspaper, cleanliness and sanitary means notwithstanding…it tasted great! That was and still is one of my fondest memories of having dinner with my family growing up (of course besides the Shake ‘n Bake Chicken) So now take a look at the photos below of the calamari, shrimp, and crab. Uh, huh…fried…..Ok ye who scorns Diet Coke drinkers, have another Stella with your “fried fish” that should absolve your Catholic guilt.

The Mojo Asian twist on the calamari was a flavorful surprise as was the wantons that were generously packed with shrimp and crab inside the fried pockets of dough; good bar food that keeps you ordering more liquid.

Fried Calamari with a Japanese seven spice sweet Thai chili and lime

Shrimp and Crab Wontons

The pan seared panko and parmesan crusted chicken is an enjoyable and urbane entree of white meat chicken with spicy “rocket” arugula, grape tomatoes and a zippy chimichurri dressing bringing the chicken home to roost.

Panko and parmesan crusted chicken with arugula and grape tomatoes 

Normally there are always little sidebars on menus for one or two items that forewarns you to any heat packing punch or oversized item insanity or even items that are best enjoyed without utensils and then there are some items that fly under the radar like Mojo’s Veggie Pita and house burger, the Mojo Burger. The only thing I can remotely think of to say here is leave your princess at the door; these two items are not for the manner abiding royalty of dining. You’re gonna get down and dirty with these two items. They’re messy, they’re fun, and completely uncivilized. If you’re worried about what you look like when you’re eating do not order these items if you want raucous eating fun without finicky, pernickety then these are the items to tackle. These menu items are relative to eating bbq ribs on the first date…you know that statement if you take a girl out for ribs on the first date….well same thing [I believe] applies here, if you take a girl out on a first date for a veggie pita at Mojo….

So go ahead, get your Mojo on and taste how much fun eating [at Happy Hour] can really be!

Veggie Pita fresh stir fried vegetables and brown rice

Mojo Burger with tomato, slaw, thousand island dressing gruyere cheese and truffle oil fries

Mojo Fort Lauderdale 4140 North Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, Florida 954 568 4443