Arch City Tavern has happy hours dishes for half off which include Fig and arugula pizza and Stella Artois beer. Credit: Anna Ripken | Copy Chief
The Short North gastropub Arch City Tavern has its fair share of deals ($5 burger Mondays, anyone?), but the local bar and restaurant’s happy hour also grabs serious attention. Half-off draft beer, half-off wine by the glass and half-off pizza could please anyone who enters the dimly lit establishment.
Arch City has never been very busy in personal experience, and in this particular instance, our server was efficient and friendly, with our drinks and food arriving quickly, allowing us to enjoy them right away. The bar’s beer menu, written on a large, decorative chalkboard, made our discounted beverage selection effortless, as did the happy hour-specific menu sheet and the full menu booklets.
Anna
In true spirit of the happy hour, I opted for a pick off the pizza list. With four options ranging from a traditional margherita style to more obscure selections with fig and arugula, there is something for everyone.
I ordered the fig and arugula pizza, which came with prosciutto and goat cheese. While I could have done without the figs (I wasn’t really sure of my stance on the fruit until this moment), the pizza was generously topped. The arugula was fresh and drizzled with lemon juice, allowing me to feel healthy without ordering a salad. The prosciutto was an interesting but delicious element, and I absolutely love goat cheese — that was really the reason I ordered this pizza in the first place.
As for the size of the pizza, you get eight decently sized slices — enough to feel full at happy hour dinner and for a second dinner later in the night.
My fig and arugula choice was $7, the most expensive of the four options, but definitely worth the extra dollar since it’s already half off.
Lily
I came into Arch City knowing what I wanted: the slider sister of the famous Amish Chicken Sandwich. The sliders on the happy hour menu ring in at $6. Once my food was delivered, something wasn’t quite right. I received the Arch City Sliders, not the Amish Chicken Sliders. I soon realized (because Anna informed me) I had panicked and accidentally ordered the Arch City Sliders in my post-fall break haze. Oh, well.
The sliders were not just traditional hamburger sliders. There was also bacon, avocado, onions and an unidentifiable sweet and tangy orange sauce that tied the slider together. I wouldn’t have been mad if there was more sauce, though.
The meal came with three sliders and a side of house barbecue chips. While I was a little put off that I wasn’t eating the light and pesto-y Amish Chicken Sliders, I still thoroughly enjoyed the Arch City option, which was a nice treat for someone who rarely eats red meat. I would definitely order again.
Summary
With discounted food and drink prices, Arch City’s happy hour is a great place to grab a cheap meal. The restaurant has romantic lighting, even during the day, but the high-top chairs and tables next to the open windows were perfect for an early dinner with a friend.
Arch City Tavern’s happy hour is 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The restaurant is located at 862 N. High St. in the Short North.
