Petite Boheme Happy Hour. Arts District

Petite Boheme sits on South Main in the Arts District, a short walk from the galleries and the rest of the neighborhood bar circuit. This is James Trees' cocktail bar, a sibling to Bar Boheme, and it leans French rather than Vegas flashy. Parking is street-side or in the small lots nearby, easiest on a weeknight. The happy hour runs every day, 4 to 6pm, an early window that lines up with the post-work and pre-dinner crowd rather than the late-night service-industry rush.

The focus is French-leaning cocktails, so expect drinks that lean on champagne, cognac, and lighter aperitif flavors instead of the sugar bombs most spots push. Cocktail specials run around eight dollars during the window, which is the part to lean on if you are watching the tab. The name translates loosely to little bohemian, and the room reads that way: small, a bit romantic, more about lingering over a drink than packing the place.

Go if you want a quiet, well-made cocktail at an honest price. A pair sipping slowly fits better here than a big group. Fold it into a longer Arts District evening by arriving at four, then heading to dinner after. Prices and the cocktail list change, so confirm the current specials with the bar.