Bangkok Street Thai Kitchen Happy Hour. Downtown

Bangkok Street starts its happy hour at noon, which is unusual and useful. The window runs Monday through Friday, 12 to 6pm, so a long lunch or an early dinner both land inside it. The structured deal list doesn't spell out drink or food prices, so ask the kitchen what's discounted on the day you go rather than counting on a specific number.

The reason to come is the cooking. When you order spicy here it arrives spicy, built from real chilies and layered heat instead of a single dull burn. Curries get depth from proper paste and coconut milk, the wok dishes show high-heat char, and the herbs are fresh: Thai basil, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime. A good order to gauge the kitchen is the som tam, where the balance of fish sauce, lime, palm sugar, and chili tells you fast whether they know what they're doing. Tom yum and pad krapow are both safe bets too.

The room is plain and focused on the food. People come to eat well and move on, with Thai music or a TV going and the kitchen in view. Most dishes land in fair territory for the portion and quality.

It sits on North Eastern Avenue in a strip-mall setup with its own lot, easy to reach before or after a night out since Thai food soaks up a few drinks nicely. Reconfirm the current happy hour details with the restaurant before you build plans around them.