Culinary Dropout

About

Most happy hours at The Domain don't start until 3 or 4. Culinary Dropout kicks theirs off at 2 PM, which makes it the move if you're wrapping up early or just done pretending to work from the coffee shop. Monday through Friday, 2 to 5.

The drink menu is straightforward. $5 wine, $8 for classic cocktails, and $8 for their Long Afternoon Iced Teas, which hit harder than the name suggests. The snack menu runs $4 to $12 and rotates, but the pretzel fondue is usually on it for a reason.

What sets Culinary Dropout happy hour apart from the rest of the Rock Rose strip is the space itself. The patio is big enough that you're not fighting for a table at 3:30, and they've got yard games if you're in that kind of mood. It's a chain with locations in Scottsdale, Dallas, and a few other cities, but the Austin spot holds its own. Especially when $5 wine is involved.