While discounted drinking is what makes happy hour popular, restaurants typically offer menu specials to go with the alcohol as well. Here are a few of the most compelling reasons to get food in addition to a round of drinks.

4 Reasons to Get Food With Your Happy Hour Drinks

1. Enjoy Complementary Flavors

Downing a couple of alcoholic drinks will leave a bitter taste in your mouth, even if you go through a bowl of peanuts. Make the most of happy hour by getting something off the menu that will balance your beverage. For example, strong, bitter beers go well with rich, savory foods like grilled or smoked meats.

2. Soak Up the Alcohol

Foods high in protein and fat reduce the absorption of alcohol in the bloodstream, keeping you in control longer and less drunk as the night goes on. Plus, you’re less likely to be hungover the morning after.

3. Share with Your Group

Inviting your friends for a round of happy hour drinks is an excellent way to catch up; however, you can’t easily share cocktails and single beers with the group. Instead, get a platter of meats and some finger foods for everyone to dig in and enjoy while trading stories.

4. Sample Offerings

Restaurants recognize the allure of happy hour for their diners, which is why they offer discounted meal promotions for some menu items. Aside from discounts, some bars offer miniature versions of their bestsellers as a way to let customers try them. On your next visit, get adventurous and order a house special to try something new.

Pair your happy hour drinks with a platter of food at Kawailoa Tavern in Haleiwa, HI. A stone’s throw away from Ali‘i Beach Park, this local bar and restaurant offers Hawaiian food like smoked meat and ahi poke, craft beers, and alcohol shave ice. Call (808) 744-3754 to make dinner reservations, or browse their mouthwatering menu offerings online.