The Happiest Hour

Fleming’s: Not Your Ordinary After Work Drink

March 2019

Not all happy hours are created the same. If you are looking for one that is a little more refined, Fleming’s is your place. Its happy hour is about as Coral Gables as it gets – meaning a step up from the standard two-for-one deal. Way too crass. Instead, Fleming’s has crafted a separate list of food and drink options and knocked down prices just slightly, meaning no swarming crowds that come with happy hour prices. If you’re looking for a good – like, really good – drink to unwind after a long day, in a relatively quiet, elegant atmosphere, head to Fleming’s from 5 to 7 p.m.

The first drink that caught our eye? The Blueberry Lemon Drop ($9), made with vodka and fresh blueberries and served in a martini glass with sugar on the rim. This signature drink – which is raspberry in appearance – looks as good as it tastes. If you’re one of those people who thinks about a glass of wine the entire commute home, then The Ducky ($9) is right up your alley. Sauvignon Blanc over ice with lime juice, it’s post-work vino taken to new a level. Their food items range from bites to complete meals. The sweet chili calamari is tangy and delicious. Highly recommended is the filet mignon flatbread, perfect to share. Slices of steak, arugula, goat cheese and drizzled balsamic on top of a thin, crispy crust – we won’t judge if you eat it all yourself. Because we are big cheese people (moment of silence for the lactose intolerant), we couldn’t pass up the burrata. For $9, the ball of cheese comes with tomatoes and roasted garlic cloves, and of course crackers to pile it on. It doesn’t come with prosciutto, but we recommend splurging by adding it for $4.

Other than savory finger foods, Fleming’s happy hour menu also includes a filet mignon sandwich and prime burger. But of all the appetizing bites we chowed down, what unexpectedly won us over were the homemade potato chips. They’re light, crunchy and salty, but not super greasy like store-bought chips. Having them in front of you is, seriously, more dangerous than a basket of bread.

–– Lizzie Wilcox