Rock Bottom prices during Wednesday Happy Hour

I think most people of the district do believe that, yes, beer is expensive when you are out and about with friends. For those of us that prefer this alcoholic beverage, we can also probably agree it is much easier to go to the local Giant/Safeway/Wegmans to get your precious beer. However, I got a nice reminder of a place that refuse to follow this trend this past Wednesday, as followed my co-workers who desperately needed a happy hour.

Luckily in the middle of the work week, there is a throwback to age-old college times with a surprisingly good "happy hour" special. Dollar drafts (or as they refer to them, pints) from 11am to 9pm Wednesday at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery inside the Ballston Commons mall. For those that have just left the college scene, and now struggling to find cheap beer again, this place is amazing. WARNING: This is not a dive bar, but a nice (you could say yuppie since it is in NoVA) restaurant that decided to serve cheap, good beer on Wednesdays. Don't ask questions, just go....

Easily accessible in the heart of Ballston, Rock Bottom is located on the main floor of the Ballston Commons mall. It is a very short walk from the Ballston metro. It is a few turns off of U.S. 50, Arlington Blvd (for the Google map to quickly find your way there, click here). While there is a lot of traffic in the area, thankfully the mall has a large parking complex with $1 parking for the first three hours. While getting there might be fairly easy, getting in can be difficult, especially the longer you wait after 5-6pm. After 5pm, it becomes hard to find an open table, and much after 6-6:30pm, there's a growing line that starts to snake across the mall.

But don't let that distract you! It is still amazing. Rock Bottom in Arlington produces many fine microbrews to whet your palette. They have very good version of popular beer styles. These include a Pale Ale, a Brown, a Red, a Hefeweizen, a Porter, and their award winning Mother Martha’s Kolsch-style Ale. I am definitely a fan of their Radio Tower Red, if you need some help. Regardless, this is not your usual American fizzwater, so you might be pleasantly surprised. (And no, I am not a beer snob. There is a time and a place for Miller Lite, just not right then, and right at this moment... maybe Friday night.)

For those of you that prefer to eat food with your beer, or just famished after a long day of "work," Rock Bottom has a great extensive menu of the usual, casual American fare - burgers, chicken dishes, a few Tex-Mex things in there. It is not cheap (nor prohibitively expensive), but with the money you are saving in beer, you can definitely put a few more bucks to good food. I personally like the Smoked Chicken Enchiladas and the Mahi Tacos.

On a personal note, I'm not being paid for this review. I just like the place and want to give them some good press. Hopefully not too much, as I don't want to wait in line near the Starbucks about 50 yards from their entrance.