La Hora Feliz at Bulla Gastrobar
The Spanish Restaurant is a Happy Hour Hotspot
By Lizzie Wilcox
April 2020
Ever since Tarpon Bend closed its doors last year, we’ve asked ourselves, “Where has the happy hour crowd gone?” On any given night, Tarpon Bend would be packed and overflowing onto Miracle Mile for a post-work, half-priced drink. Well, our question has been answered: Bulla Gastrobar. Even on a Wednesday night, this place is packed, from couples going on a midweek date night, to girlfriends reuniting, to people taking advantage of the happy hour deals while placing an order for the paella (minimum 30 minutes) to be ready for dinner.
The appetizers aren’t discounted during happy hour, so we won’t harp on them, but we had the croquetas de jamón, tartar de atún, and the ceviche de jalapeño. All were outstanding: The Serrano ham croquetas come with a muy delicioso fig jelly for dipping; the tartar is both sweet and spicy, thanks to the mango cubes and Sriracha aioli; and the jalapeño ceviche – made with fish and shrimp – is actually quite mild (in a good way), soaked in lime juice.
The discounts are at the bar. Every day from 5 to 7 p.m., beer, liquor and house wines are half off. The Spanish Margarita is just $6, and even though you can’t taste it, there’s probably more Jimador Reposado in it than you think. We’ll leave it to you to decide whether that’s a pro or a con.
Our advice: Don’t leave happy hour at Bulla without having a Moscow Mule. It came highly recommended by a couple at the adjacent high top, both with a copper mug in hand. Even a bartender at another restaurant once raved to us about these Mules, so we had to put it to the test. And it passed with flying colors.
Moscow Mules are having a moment, so you can find them on pretty much any bar menu nowadays. Some places try to mix it up by using a different kind of liquor or adding a fruit component. But Bulla sticks to the basics – Russian Standard vodka, Fever Tree ginger beer and fresh lime – with these tiny twists: Candied ginger and a cardamom and currant-infused syrup. The result is a bright, smooth, refreshing cocktail. The best Moscow Mule in Coral Gables. There, we said it.