STK Steakhouse Happy Hour. The Strip

The tiered bites are the smart anchor here, a $3, $6, and $9 lineup that runs from a little burger and truffle fries up to salmon sliders and ceviche. Stack a few across that range and you have steakhouse-grade snacking for a fraction of a Cosmopolitan dinner. Build around them with $12 specialty cocktails and $10 wine if you want to settle in.

Happy hour at STK runs Monday through Friday, 2:30 to 6:30pm, with a shorter Saturday and Sunday window from 2:30 to 5:30pm. There is also a late-night happy hour Thursday through Sunday from 10pm to close. It lives in the bar, lounge, and on the patio, not the main dining room.

This is a steakhouse with a DJ, which is very Cosmo and somehow works. Early in the window the music sits at conversation level and the room stays relaxed, then it ramps up as the evening goes. Business casual fits, though you will see people dressed up.

Get there near the 2:30 open for the better seats and the calmer scene. Solo travelers do fine at the bar. If you are working the property, this pairs naturally with the rest of the Cosmopolitan's afternoon stops before you commit to a full dinner somewhere.