Name: Barbaro

Background: Part of the Empty Stomach group which includes Hot Joy in Southtown, as well as Chisme and Paper Tiger on the St. Mary’s Strip. Barbaro was one of the first to open and it is home to great pizza, craft cocktails, and it sports a favorite brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays.

Happy Hour: While they have a regular happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily with half-off cocktails, they just started a late night special as well. The deal consists of a classic cocktail (Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule, Daiquiri) and a small pizza for $10 Wednesday thru Sunday after 10:30 p.m. 

Patrons: The visitors vary from college kids that are looking for a deal on great pizza and a cocktail to pair with it, to older professionals that work and live in Monte Vista area, visiting for the ambiance and the conversation.

Experience: Visiting on a Saturday night, you would think that bar would be more crowded than it was, yet there were still booths opens and seats in the bar area. The service is always consistent and spot on: your water is refilled, servers are friendly, they know the menu well. After taking a seat, the servers come quickly to the table, and take your order. Make sure you mention the $10 pizza deal when ordering, because though they run the promotion, it doesn’t seem that the servers promote it too much. For the drinks, choose from a glass of house red or white, a Daiquiri, an Old Fashioned or the Moscow Mule. For the pizza — choose any small from one of Barbaro’s five menu pizzas. The Clams Casino is a popular choice, and the country ham is a great spicy option. If there is a veggie craving opt for the summer vegetable or the hash brown, which has actual hash browns on it for extra carbs. The pizza menu, like the drink menu, has enough of a variety that there is something for everyone. It’s great spot to visit to cure a late night case of the munchies, and the deal even runs on weekends so it’s great for those that work late. With the variety of choices, it’s a happy hour deal that will be at the front of the mind, so that everything can be ordered at least once.

2720 McCullough (210) 320-2261.