Half-Price Wine Nights

At last month’s blogger party, we received a request for a list of half-price wine nights, so here they are! All of the following venues offer any bottle on their wine list at 50 percent off on these days.

Mondays
Clyde’s
Ranazul
Greystone Grill

Tuesdays
Ram’s Head (from 4-11 with the purchase of a meal)
Greystone Grill
Houlihan’s

Wednesdays
Looney’s Pub South
River Hill Sports Grille
Diamondback Tavern
T Bonz Grille (starting at 4)

Thursdays
Union Jack’s (starting at 5)
Victoria Gastro Pub

Saturdays
Mangia Italian Grill & Sports Cafe

You may notice some of your favorite wine spots missing from this list. While they don’t necessarily have half-price wine nights,  the wine bars such as Pure Wine and AIDA offer great specials by the glass and discount wine lists. We’ll get into these another day, but this list should give you plenty of options for enjoying a bottle (or two) on your night of choice.

If you know of any other half-price wine nights, leave a comment!

Enjoy!

HoCo is for Lovers (and Lushes)

Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly, striking fear into the lonely hearts of HoCo singles and turning normally sane people into love-crazy fools. We’ve compiled a list of great spots for the lovebirds to go for romance, as well as a list of Monday night bar specials for the single and restless to hit up.

For The Lovebirds
For indulgent lovers, we suggest calling quickly for a reservation at Pure Wine Cafe or The Iron Bridge Wine Company. Pure Wine of Ellicott City is offering a night of “Pure Aphrodisia” on the 14th, including hors d’oeuvres, a three-course meal and dessert, each served with its own wine pairing. The set menu is specifically designed to put you in the mood, if you will. This night of bliss is yours for $75 per person [tax and tip not included]. Reservations are required, so e-mail pj@purewinecafe.com ASAP.

Also in good ol’ romantic Ellicott City, Greystone Grill will serve a special three-course meal on the 14th for $49.50 per person [again, tax and tip not included]. This menu already includes a cheesecake dessert, but complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries and glasses of champagne are bound to be the perfect end to your night out. If celebrating your love on a Monday is inconvenient, The Iron Bridge Wine Company offers their three-course Sweetheart Menu tonight through Sunday, also with wine pairings, for $69 per person. Reservations are required, so call 410-997-3456 and ask for Marcie or Vince.

For the Single and Restless
Valentine’s Day can be quite annoying, even nauseating, for those without a companion to swoon over, but luckily there are quite a few HoCo bars where you can enjoy a pint of beer without feeling like an awkward extra in Casablanca.  We’ve compiled a list of great Monday night drink specials for those willing to skip out on the flutes of champagne and chocolate-dipped fruit.

• Catch the Caps game at the Greene Turtle of Columbia for their Rock the Red and Monday Night Light specials – $2.50 16oz Bud Light drafts and $2.25 bottles of Miller Lite/Coors Light/Bud Light.
• Round a group of friends together for half-priced pitchers of margaritas and sangria, as well as $2 domestic bottles, at La Palapa Grill and Cantina.
• Want something a little stronger? It’s $1 off tequila shots at El Azteca, where you can also munch on half-priced appetizers while you drink.
• Get $1 National Bohemian bottles at Looney’s Pub South of Maple Lawn, or choose your pick from their all-day Happy Hour specials.
• Enter into the trivia competition at Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse to pull in some cash prizes and sip on Hoppy Dog drafts, whether alone or with a group of up to 12 friends. Just make sure to be there by 7:30 to secure a spot. As always, you can choose from their premium drafts and get two for $4.

Please let us know if you hear about any other singles-friendly events going on in the Howard County area.

Whether single or coupled up, it’s possible to enjoy this Valentine’s Day – especially with the help of an adult beverage or three. Cheers!

Super Bowl Sunday Specials

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! [And no, we don’t mean the holidays].That’s right, HoCo Hooligans – it’s the weekend of Super Bowl XLV, and the Green Bay Packers will duke it out against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. For those of you who still aren’t sure where to head to watch the game, here are some events and specials going on at HoCo venues.

Kloby’s Smokehouse off of Gorman Road is having a “tailgate party” during the game, including a full pig roast, sides and unlimited non-alcoholic beverages for $25 per person. While this might not be the prime location for heavy duty football drinking, it sounds like a great place to go for a delicious BBQ feast with the family.

Looking to just walk right in and enjoy the game? There will be no cover charge at Ram’s Head Tavern in Savage Mill. Specials include $10 buckets, $5 pitchers (Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Light), $2.50 drafts (Fordham) and $6 eats (burgers, sandwiches, and basically all bar meals). Ram’s Head is also giving away door prizes at half-time in the form of tickets to Ram’s Head live shows, gift certificates, and alcohol gift baskets.

Second Chance Saloon of Columbia is holding a major Super Bowl party that starts off with $2 Bud Lights, Miller Lights, and Yuengling at 5:30 p.m. Even if you’re not a big Packers or Steelers fan, choose a team to root for, because every time your team scores, The Second Chance Saloon will hook the fans up with a round of free shots. Need something to munch on during the game? You can get an entire pound of wings for $5 bucks. Second Chance will also have raffle prizes.

No cover and prizes?!?! Ram’s Head and Second Chance have our votes as top contenders for a HoCo Super Bowl bash.

If you’re looking to stay in the center of Columbia, Uno’s Chicago Grill is offering a $25 All-You-Can-Drink and All-You-Can-Eat for Sunday’s big game. If this sounds good to you, keep the following in mind. Uno’s of Columbia requires you to RSVP beforehand for this special offer. You can pre-order tickets by calling (410) 964-9945 or by e-mailing them at 731@unos.com. Otherwise, walk right in and talk to one of the bartenders about this awesome deal. Also, don’t forget that the bar area of Uno’s is on the smaller side. Get there early to secure comfortable seats and a good place to get your Super Bowl game face on.

Nottingham’s in Columbia is getting fancy on Super Bowl Sunday with $3 Bloody Marys and Mimosas! Perfect for the ladies who aren’t too big into the football scene but still want to take part in the festivities (and the guys who enjoy a nice Mimosa every now and then). Notty’s also offers $3 Dos Equis bottles, $2 Yuengling drafts, and $1 Natty Light cans – and don’t forget their Football Munchie Menu!  Notty’s weekly contest winners from throughout the season will have a private party in the event room during the game. If you want a spot at this event, hang at Nottingham’s on game days next season and maybe you can snag one for Super Bowl XLVI.

Well, that’s our Super Bowl list! At least one of these is sure to fit your partying needs. If not, be sure to check out previously mentioned sports bars, such as Looney’s Pub South, Union Jack’s of Columbia or River Hill Sports Grille . Just about all of these HoCo hot spots are bound to have great things going on this Sunday.

Drink up, chow down, and cheer hard!

[Note: The original post mistakenly advertised Second Chance Saloon’s specials as The Diamondback Tavern’s specials. We apologize for any confusion!]

Ranaz-rules! Happy Hour at Ranazul Tapas Restaurant

Linda has an abnormal fascination with Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, so we went out yesterday looking for a place near home to catch the Packers v. Bears game. Curious, we strolled into Ranazul, a tapas bar in Maple Lawn, and to our pleasant surprise, we found a big screen projector playing the game behind the bar.

Our bartender, Zach, introduced himself and shook each of our hands, as did the manager Michael, who was wearing an exquisite pair of sneakers with his snazzy suit. We felt immediately welcome and taken care of. Michael later told us that he aims to be known as “that manger who wears Chuck Taylors all the time,” and that he had just bought a nice blue pair that day.

Aside from watching the game, we were also out to grab a casual drink to celebrate a good friend’s recent birthday. We were pumped to see that Ranazul has happy hour from 3PM – 7PM everyday (even on Sundays!), which includes $2 off beer, glasses of sangria, full glasses of wine and rail cocktails. They also offer a select menu of tapas for $7 and under.

Missy had a glass of the sangria and an order of ceviche, both of which rivaled those she enjoyed in Costa Rica (which says a lot).. Linda had a glass of the Domaine Schlumberger, a Pinot Gris from Alsace, France. It wasn’t too dry and had wonderful fruity hints. [Don’t worry, we’re going to a wine tasting soon so that we can beef up our wine-o lingo.]

Our orders were modest, and we took our sweet time with our drinks. This did not bother our bartender one bit, and we actually had some great conversation with him. He even gave us a round of his specialty, Chocolate Cupcake shots. Zach informed us that the secret ingredients were Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate vodka, Pinnacle whipped cream vodka and delicious chocolate syrup at the bottom. It was so scrumptious that we shamelessly licked the bottoms of our glasses… Don’t judge.

Ranazul’s atmosphere was classy, with mood lighting and snazzily dressed staff, without being uptight. We’d highly recommend Ranazul for a casual after-work drink, a romantic date night, or any kind of intimate get-together. Ask for Zach’s Chocolate Cupcake shot!

HoCo Plans for Football Fans – Playoff Week Specials

Hey HoCo Hooligans –

Since my lovely colleague has decided to skip out on Maryland’s wintry weather to sip on mojitos and cervezas in Costa Rica, it’s just going to be me and my hangovers until next week. But don’t worry – you’re in good hands. However, I have to give a little disclaimer before I begin. I’ve been told explicitly by my co-blogger, Missy, to make it clear that this entry comes from me and only me. Anything that I say in the next few paragraphs does not reflect the views, opinions or football team affiliations of HoCo Hangover as a blog.

With that out of the way, I give you the good stuff. As you all know, this weekend marks the beginning of the Divisional Round playoffs and, most importantly, the greatly anticipated game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday at 4:30PM. That means that bars throughout Howard County are guaranteed to be packed with rabid football fans who are ready to gulp down cold beers, tear into some crab cake sandwiches, and cheer at the top of their lungs until their throats are sore. And yes, that includes me.

Appropriate game day attire. Credit: Julie Jacobson

Before I go any further, now would be a good time to make a little warning. If you just so happen to be a Steelers fan with a “terrible towel” in tow, you should probably stop reading. Steelers fans aren’t welcome here. …Okay, I’m just kidding! In all seriousness, awesome drink specials during playoff week is a right that should be guaranteed to all, no matter which football team you root for.

As Howard County is the home to a few Ravens players (including running back Willis McGahee who even has his own official HoCo Holiday), it should be no surprise that many bars in the area are going all out for tomorrow’s game. Expect purple beer, purple jerseys, and rounds of shots for every Ravens touchdown.

Second Chance Saloon, located in the Oakland Mills Village Center, is one location that is taking Ravens spirit to another level. Their game day specials include $2 purple drafts (Bud Light, Miller Light, and Yuengling), 50 cent wings, and free shots for every time the Ravens score a touchdown. Not only do they have a load of contests for prizes, but you can pin the tail on Polamalu for 2nd Chance Dollas.

The recently reviewed Maple Lawn bar, Looney’s Pub South, is guaranteed to be a popular game day spot with its swarms of HD televisions, $2.50 domestic bottles, and $3 Blue Moon/Guinness/Red Stripe Lite specials. If you stick around after the game to celebrate or mourn, you can enjoy their Saturday night live music.

Another one of our recommended bars, Union Jack’s of Columbia, offers large screen projectors and full surround sound to maximize your game day experience. Head over for $2.50 domestics, $6 Raven Crushes, $5 Crushes, and $5 appetizer specials. Stick around after the game for live music and their pretty impressive Saturday night “Beat the Clock” special – $1 house drinks at 9pm that go up to $2 at 10pm, and then to $3 at 11pm.

My last shout out will go to the River Hill Sports Grille, where you can get your first Miller Light or Coors Light on the house for wearing Ravens gear. All game, they offer $3 Miller Light/Coors Light and $4 Blue Moon 20 ounce drafts. Each time the Ravens score, head to the bar for $2.50 bombs and $1 Bud Light/Miller Light drafts.

Have fun, be safe, and cheer hard! Stay tuned for news on Superbowl game day specials.

Cheers,

Linda of HoCo Hangover