Happy Hour, Recommended Menu, Specialty Cocktails

The new bartender introduces himself as Burt and fashions a breathtaking martini just before pouring a respectable pinot noir for a grumbling Blazers fan. No small news, the arrival of Burt: A fresh face behind the stick at the Ringside doesn’t appear too often—bartenders here tend to have careers longer than Andy Rooney’s. But like his predecessors, Burt is Fred Astaire-smooth and calm as the Buddha, even when things get hopping.

After 9:45, Ringside serves up a cheap and tasty happy hour menu, with everything on it costing a paltry $2.25. This includes fried oysters, the red hot chili poppers, Caesar salad, a burger, and the steak bites with horseradish on the side.