The Happiest Hour

Nightlife HQ

By Lizzie Wilcox

June 2019

Coral Gables may not have the same reputation as South Beach when it comes to nightlife, but Copper 29 on Miracle Mile should not be overlooked when making party plans. Friday is the most popular night, with happy hour starting at 4 p.m. and a DJ spinning from 5 p.m. till closing time. But honestly, there’s a reason to go every day of the week. And that reason is alcohol. On Mojito Madness Mondays, mo- jitos are $5 all day. On Tuesdays, Old Fashioneds are $5 and sliders are $3. Wednesdays, ladies get free champagne with the purchase of one food item. Whiskey is 30 percent off on Thursdays. On the weekend? Bottomless brunch.

Copper 29’s happy hour menu makes you want to order one of everything – both drinks and bites. We kicked off with a classic Moscow Mule ($7). A simple recipe of Absolut vodka, ginger beer and lime, it’s light, bubbly and refreshing. And the signature metallic rose-gold mug – could that be copper? – is Instagram worthy. Plus, ginger helps with nausea, so you can drink as many of these as you want without getting sick, right? Right.

The next drink that caught our eye was the Passion Martini ($7). Absolut vodka again, but with passionfruit puree, simple syrup and lime, it’s as colorful to the taste buds as it is to the eyes. The passionfruit gives the cocktail most of its sweet flavor, but the lime gives it a nice sour kick.

For munchies, we chose the BBQ chicken flatbread ($9) and the pork sliders ($8). Though they’re deemed “bites,” Copper 29 doesn’t skimp on portions. The flatbread is thin and topped with chicken, red onion, and cilantro, drizzled with barbecue sauce. The pork sliders are next-level bar food – pulled pork, red onion, pickle – and just delicious. They give you three, but we could have eaten a dozen.