Happy Place: EDGE Restaurant and Bar, 1111 14th Street, 303-389-3343.

The Hours: Daily from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

The Deals: $3 draft beers; $5 domestic bottles, wines by the glass, and well drinks; $5-8 appetizers.

Were we happy? Flip the page to find out.

The Digs: A steakhouse in a Four Seasons? To say that we had misgivings is an understatement. Our group was divided between those who thought it would be over-the-top swank, and the other half who predicted stuffy, fabricated cheese. Swank won. EDGE is elegant, its large room dim-lit and decked out in granite, glass and dark wood. Plush chairs surround dining tables in a strategically designed floor plan that makes the room feel larger than it actually is, and the bar stretches on forever. Cocktail servers in sleek black dresses float around the room with trays of tumblers, while the bartenders diligently tend to their flock -- and something to remember when it's balmy outside: There's a rooftop patio.

The Verdict: In the land of Chacos and Patagonia down jackets, it's hard to feel underdressed in Denver -- unless you're at EDGE, and your happy hour couture consists of flip flops and cotton skirts. "Are people staring at us?" wondered one of my drinking companions as we nearly sprinted through the masses of businessmen dressed to the nines and sought relief on the patio. It felt as though the music had stopped as our group entered the bar, as if the swarms of Ferragamo neckties and Gucci heels could sense a gaggle of half-buzzed hippies before we even walked into the room.

We were the only ones on the patio, and we relished the fact that it was warm enough to drink outside. We drank whiskey and beer and ordered three plates of Kobe beef sliders. Our server was bashfully sweet, and although slightly inattentive, she made us forget that we ever felt out of place. The sliders arrived -- plump patties of fatty beef, oozing with melted Gorgonzola on fresh buns -- and we slowly and deliberately devoured them. The happy hour menu selections at EDGE are always evolving, but the drink specials remain consistent. For a happy hour, the beverage specials aren't the cheapest in town, but EDGE isn't exactly your local watering hole.

Overall Grade: B