Happy Days Are Here Again

Happy Days Are Here Again

But who goes out for drinks at 2 a.m. on a Wednesday?

After a lovely and delicious evening out with a friend, I discovered that I’m no longer a night person.

For years, I’ve been turning in at about midnight and thinking that made me a lady of the evening. I was wrong.

Toward the end of our night out at French Roast on the Upper West Side, our trusty bartender handed over a postcard and asked if we could stay longer for “happy hour” starting in two and a half hours. It was 9:30 p.m.  We looked at the postcard in disbelief because it read: “Happy hour 12 to 4 a.m.”

Is New York Still the City That Never Sleeps?

Only a true night owl could imbibe in the wee hours of the morning. This time of day (or night), I’m hitting the hay and getting my best hours of beauty sleep, hopefully, barring any episodes of insomnia.

In a city that sometimes functions on little to no shuteye and still moves faster than an Energizer bunny, post-midnight cocktailing isn’t so shocking. But I have to wonder, who goes out for drinks at 2 a.m. on a Wednesday?

This 24-hour brasserie’s business after midnight might be in a slump, thus the postcard campaign is an effort to promote late-night and early morning social gatherings. And that begs the question: “Is the City That Never Sleeps, sleeping more?” Or at the very least, the Upper West Side is turning in earlier than the rest of NYC.

Regardless of time or place, $5 wines and $6 cocktails are a bargain in Manhattan. It would be a shame to waste a deal like this one––especially so close to home––even if it is a “school night.”

So I may have to return to my youth, take a disco nap after work, then venture out after midnight to French Roast for the discounted drinks, followed by breakfast and a sunrise––minus the tequila.

French Roast at 85th and Broadway used to be open 24 hours. While the brasserie now closes by 10 or 11 p.m., it offers all-night happy hour on Mondays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Also where to grab a cocktail in Times Square. 

And give me a drink!