That sounds good. I'll have that.

What makes for a perfect happy hour? The food? The atmosphere? The drink specials? We went on a mission to find the ideal spot to toast a few team members who were moving on to pursue new life ventures. We compiled our list of criteria and did a little digging to find a worthy contender. The lucky venue on which to test our list was Bar 508, located on 1st Ave. & 5th St. South in Downtown Minneapolis. Here's how they measured up.

The IN Happy Hour Criteria

Good Food/Appetizer Specials: $4, $5, and $6 appetizers sound great to us, especially when they don't skimp on portion size.

Half Price Drinks or 2-for-1's: All tap beer and rails were half-price, and we just missed their stellar deal of $2 taps, offered daily from 5:08 - 5:30.

Fun Atmosphere: Energy was lacking slightly, but our group changed that! Upbeat pop music kept the vibe fun.

Not Too Loud: No complaints here. The music was just the right volume, and the crowd wasn't too crazy, either.

Casual: Absolutely. Jeans and flip flops are completely acceptable if you're not sporting after-work attire.

Plenty of Seating: Bar 508 boasts 2 levels, and on our visit the crowd was only upstairs. Smaller bar tables and roomy, circular booths make for enough space for everyone - and the rail bar stools were countless, too.

Not Too Crowded: This is definitely not a bar where you need to breach somebody else's personal space just to grab a beer - at least during happy hour, when we were there.

Above & Beyond Average Food: This feature was the most important to us, being the food freaks we are. Lori put it best when she said "I'd give the food 3 thumbs up if I had them!" Their unique offerings blew us out of the water. We especially loved the Lettuce Wraps, Buffalo Chicken Won Tons, and Ricotta Cheese Flatbread, although their traditional fare of Chicken Fingers, Fries and Nachos were also 5-star worthy.


Happy Hour Specials Until at Least 7 p.m.: Not quite. Happy hour goes until 6:30 here, so our search for the rare deals that last until 7 goes on!

Allows Underage Patrons: This was a must in our case, since we've got young'ns on our staff, and it was no problem to accommodate them in the bar. (With a coke, of course.)

Great Service: Satisfactory! Our server was knowledgeable and friendly, quick to bring waters, got our orders right, and several other employees were helpful with clearing the massive amounts of appetizer plates that soon piled up.

Martini or Wine Specials: For the non-beer lovers, this was key, and Bar 508 impressed us with their choices! House wine is 1/2 priced, and their $5 martinis come in wacky flavors like Why Not Everyone Else Is Drinking It and Drunken Yuppie.

Not a Chain Restaurant: Check! Bar 508 took over the space that was once Old Chicago on 1st Ave., and we have to say that we're happy to have them as a replacement.

Outdoor Seating/Patio: A few small tables out on the sidewalk in front of the bar. On a nice day, it'd be ideal for people watching, but during our visit there wasn't enough room for all of us. Next time we'll ask if we can cut out of work earlier!

Overall Rating: 4.75 out of 5 - we'll be back soon!