Drink of the Week

For some pathetic reason, every time I go to a great happy hour I encounter an unhappy old flame. So far, the only spot that’s escaped this curse is McCormick’s in the corner of the Oxford Hotel — and its happy-hour deal is so good that I’d be willing to encounter an ex: The half-pound cheeseburger with fries is a million times more delectable and, at $1.95, actually cheaper than its equivalent at McDonald’s. So when parent company McCormick’s & Schmick’s decided to create a Denver Tech Center outpost of this LoDo institution, it was smart enough to not only keep the happy-hour menu, but let you enjoy it on a terrific outdoor patio, too. The happy-hour deal isn’t the only thing McCormick’s has going for it, either. The bar also makes a killer McCormikazi ($6.50), shaking up muddled oranges and limes, Vox vodka, triple sec and Rose’s lime juice. And fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice makes for a delicious greyhound ($5.50). See, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Just don’t let my former boyfriends know that.