Happy’s

I kind of hate the expression “Nom, nom, nom”, but it’s just what comes to mind when I look back on a recent dinner at Happy’s Bar and Kitchen.  From cocktails to dessert, every single dish (and glass) was spot on, delicious, and fun. Happy’s is a place that certainly makes for happy diners (at least in our group), and it could be my new favorite place for going out with a group of friends.

Starting with its neon sign, the décor  of Happy’s is bright, fun, and funky. I wanted to capture that better in photos, but by the time I arrived the restaurant was quite crowded. I hate making people feel like I am taking their photo!

Our visit to Happy’s was on a very hot day, and when I arrived, I needed refreshment. The very first cocktail on the list was a sparkling wine cocktail, so of course I ordered it.  That’s a bitters-soaked sugar cube in the bottom of the glass. I loved this drink.

Later in the evening I enjoyed the below cocktail, which I believe was called Oh Bloody Hell. . . I could be wrong. It was delicious!

There were seven of us at the table, so we decided to order a few appetizers to share, and Happy’s also took great care of us, sending out appetizers and a dessert at the end.

The DIY nachos may have been my favorite. Ever since I was little, I have loved toppings bars or any place where you can make your own salad, sundae, etc. Making my own little plate of nachos meant they were fresh, not greasy, and I could layer on the toppings perfectly.

Shrimp tacos, light, fresh, and flavorful, were perfect for the summery day we were having. I like that Happy’s does not fry the shrimp for the tacos.

They do fry the fried pickles, of course, and these were hot and crunchy on the outside with tangy pickles on the inside. These are definitely some of the better fried pickles I have had.

Crunchy meatballs with tomato and basil sauce were delicious with a nice hint of spice and bit of crunch on the outside.

House made potato chips and dip, the perfect party food even if it’s just a party for one.

The mac and cheese made its way around the table more than once. I think just about everyone grabbed a second bite. While Savin Bar + Kitchen still has my heart when it comes to mac and cheese, this was a close second.

Creamy ricotta and crunchy bread made for another addictive appetizer, and I would say this is a must-order at Happy’s.

And finally, there was the tuna tartare. I always love to check out the tuna tartare at restaurants, and this one did not disappoint, with spicy avocado and cool cucumber. Very refreshing.

Once we chowed down on every appetizer on the menu, our entrees came. I had a hard time deciding between a few dishes, but as a lover of fried green tomatoes, went with the Southern BLT with fries. After all of the amazing appetizers, I was full and could only eat half of the sandwich. I loved the tomato and the idea of the pork belly on the sandwich. As is often the case in restaurants, the pork belly was a little dry, my only complaint of the entire evening.

After all that, I did not need dessert. At all. My stomach definitely protested, but with dinner being so much fun, we soldiered on to try the Nutella tart and strawberry shortcake, with some crisp, minty chocolate cookies sent out as a special treat.

The Nutella tart was a little too sweet for me, but I would imagine true dessert-lovers would devour it. The strawberry shortcake was definitely the highlight of dessert for me with its light, buttery shortcake and pool of strawberry sauce.

On our way out, we all got to meet Chef Michael Schlow and to tell him how great our experience was. For me, the only real downside of Happy’s is its location. We avoid the Fenway area during baseball season, so there will definitely be times we’d like to stop in and probably won’t. But, that’s what the other seasons are for.

For a  really great review of our dinner, check out Beantown Eats!