Happy Hour: The Lodge in Boca Raton

Photo by Pat Rothblatt

​The Place: The Lodge, 200 S Federal Hwy., Boca Raton. 561-392-5003

The Hours: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day.

The Deal: Two-for-one on select drafts and free chips.

The Digs: This place looks and feels like a ski lodge or hunting lodge, or a bar north of the Mason-Dixon and west of the Mississippi, only cleaner. From the fireplace, to the wood-paneled walls, and the exposed wooden beams running along the ceilings, it feels like someone built a log cabin just south of Boca's X-Y axis of Palmetto and Federal.

There is an assortment of antler-related decorations but the only trophy you'll find mounted on the walls is a snowboard dubbed the "Chug Board". Lighting in the bar area is kindly kept to a minimum; the only illumination, other than a handful of mini-halogens, is a spool of rope light. The two antler chandeliers in the dining area make that room quite a bit brighter, which is good as the food is worth seeing. Dig the sliver of a room between the two main rooms with its own flat screen -- it resembles both a VIP area and a coffin.

The Verdict: Because of its constantly rotating selection of microbrews (the most mainstream beers available are Pabst, Yuengling, and Guinness), this is a good place to try some unfamiliar brands. Though they do allow you to sample the beers by the shot or the cup, there's nothing like a full pint to really let you get to know a beer. If you do end up liking one grab a "Growler" (a 64oz moonshine-like jug) of it to go. Bottled drinks are also available to take home.