Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Dancing in the moonlight...

Ed finds a dancing happy hour

My chopped Greek salad
My chopped Greek salad
Place

Humphreys Backstage Music Club

2241 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego

"I'm in a phone booth baby. Your number's scratched up on the wall. I'm new here in San Diego. Ain't got no-one else to call..."

It's that Robert Cray song, "Phone Booth." Boy. Christian Hastings Band. Bluesy, tight, loud, just right for this moonlight night. Beyond Christian Hastings himself, who's doing the singing, you can look down to the moon-gilded waters of La Playa, here in Point Loma.

And when the drummer, David Eley, starts racking out a long, crazy-inventive series of solo explosions, he has me holding my fork-load of salad quivering in mid-air.

"Damn, they're good," says Ken. He's sitting next to me at the bar, munching on the happy hour dish I really wanted: ginger honey-marinated skirt steak. Oh man, it looks succulent. Angle-sliced strips of steak, with a green-skinned cucumber shiitake mushroom slaw, plus grapes, scallions and dried ginger. The pink stuff fluffing around the meat slices is the fried ginger.

Christian Hastings Band

And for all this? He paid six bucks.

Sponsored
Sponsored

My lucky night. I was scurrying east, trying to make it to the #28 bus before it took off, when I noticed these massive Hawaiian, like, prow timbers arching up from the entrance to Humphrey's.

But what I really noticed was the sign. "Happy Hour, 4:00-7:00."

Lord. Right now it's two to seven. In a New York minute I'm up the bubble-lit steps and asking the receptionista if food's part of the HH.

"Absolutely. But you need to hurry," she says.

So I kinda hustle through the crowds, skirt this dance floor, notice band guys onstage setting up mics and going "Test, one two. Test, one two...", and finally hoist myself aboard this last spare stool at the bar.

Whew.

"Still in happy hour?" I ask the bartender Kayla, as soon as she comes up. She checks the time. "Better order pretty soon," she says, and leaves me with a menu book.

When she comes back she has the plate of skirt steak for Ken. Looks so delicious. And they have other HH items that sound good, like the Meyer Ranch cheeseburger with fries ($6), or the six jumbo buffalo wings ($6), or the ginger-soy chicken lettuce wraps ($6.50).

Ken's skirt steak

Gal to my left, Pauline, is toying with the last of her quesadilla ($6.50), and the guy with her, Bill, isn't really finishing his plate of basil hummus and pita bread ($4). "Little too much flavor, curry, think it is," he says, when I ask.

"Quesadilla? Okay, if you like spicy," says Pauline. "I like garlic flavor better."

"Happy hour food items can NOT be taken to-go," says the HH menu.

But Ken's a happy camper with his skirt steak.

"Beautiful, ginger flavor," he says.

"D'agh...oh, gimme the salad. And a Stone IPA," I say to Kayla. Just noticed the "chopped Greek salad ($5.50)," that promises "kalamata olives, tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, romaine, red onion, garlic, toasted garlic-oregano dressing."

Sigh. Trying to stick with the salad diet, lose weight right now. Even though — news flash! — weighed myself this mawnin' and not an ounce of difference, after a whole week nibbling on nuts and twigs. Okay. Have had a few brewskis, like this Stone IPA. But still, should have lost something. Whatever, determined to hang in there.

This is when conversation kinda ends, 'cause the band's starting up. Man. Boom! They're good. I can't believe my luck.

Kayla with my salad and IPA

The salad's pretty good, too. Basically just a mess of chopped lettuce with red onions snaking around, and tomato chunks adding color, and a crown of white feta cheese chunks on top. I ask Kayla if they have any bread.

"It costs $5," she says. Yikes. No way. Still, the salad's fine. And so is that IPA.

Ken seems more interested in Pauline than the band. "Swear I know her," he says. Finally, between numbers, he goes over and talks. Comes back.

"I knew it. I gave her a ride home four years ago," he says. "She doesn't remember. But she still looks great."

I'd love to stay, hear these Christian Hastings guys out. But the #28 buses get rarer as the night goes on. I pay up. Three dollars for the Stone IPA (a Bud would've been $2), and $5.50 for my Greek salad. It comes to $8.50 plus tax ($9.18 with tax). I mean, what a deal. For under a Hamilton I've scored a salad, an IPA, a way-cool bar crowd, views of moonlight on the water, this terrific band, a dance floor to dance on (and quite a few are), and no cover charge.

I know. Humphrey's has been around forever. Carla and I jes' never have come. Thought it would be way too expensive. Which, normally, it is. Except for this beautiful musical happy hour.

Out in the cold moonlight my feet are still jigging, my head's still going "I'm in a phone booth baby..." Never underestimate the power of happy hour.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Why Unified® Review: What To Expect Dropshipping (Positive & Negative)

Next Article

Taco Taco Poway still has 99-cent fish tacos

Tacotopia prizewinner is well known among Powegians
My chopped Greek salad
My chopped Greek salad
Place

Humphreys Backstage Music Club

2241 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego

"I'm in a phone booth baby. Your number's scratched up on the wall. I'm new here in San Diego. Ain't got no-one else to call..."

It's that Robert Cray song, "Phone Booth." Boy. Christian Hastings Band. Bluesy, tight, loud, just right for this moonlight night. Beyond Christian Hastings himself, who's doing the singing, you can look down to the moon-gilded waters of La Playa, here in Point Loma.

And when the drummer, David Eley, starts racking out a long, crazy-inventive series of solo explosions, he has me holding my fork-load of salad quivering in mid-air.

"Damn, they're good," says Ken. He's sitting next to me at the bar, munching on the happy hour dish I really wanted: ginger honey-marinated skirt steak. Oh man, it looks succulent. Angle-sliced strips of steak, with a green-skinned cucumber shiitake mushroom slaw, plus grapes, scallions and dried ginger. The pink stuff fluffing around the meat slices is the fried ginger.

Christian Hastings Band

And for all this? He paid six bucks.

Sponsored
Sponsored

My lucky night. I was scurrying east, trying to make it to the #28 bus before it took off, when I noticed these massive Hawaiian, like, prow timbers arching up from the entrance to Humphrey's.

But what I really noticed was the sign. "Happy Hour, 4:00-7:00."

Lord. Right now it's two to seven. In a New York minute I'm up the bubble-lit steps and asking the receptionista if food's part of the HH.

"Absolutely. But you need to hurry," she says.

So I kinda hustle through the crowds, skirt this dance floor, notice band guys onstage setting up mics and going "Test, one two. Test, one two...", and finally hoist myself aboard this last spare stool at the bar.

Whew.

"Still in happy hour?" I ask the bartender Kayla, as soon as she comes up. She checks the time. "Better order pretty soon," she says, and leaves me with a menu book.

When she comes back she has the plate of skirt steak for Ken. Looks so delicious. And they have other HH items that sound good, like the Meyer Ranch cheeseburger with fries ($6), or the six jumbo buffalo wings ($6), or the ginger-soy chicken lettuce wraps ($6.50).

Ken's skirt steak

Gal to my left, Pauline, is toying with the last of her quesadilla ($6.50), and the guy with her, Bill, isn't really finishing his plate of basil hummus and pita bread ($4). "Little too much flavor, curry, think it is," he says, when I ask.

"Quesadilla? Okay, if you like spicy," says Pauline. "I like garlic flavor better."

"Happy hour food items can NOT be taken to-go," says the HH menu.

But Ken's a happy camper with his skirt steak.

"Beautiful, ginger flavor," he says.

"D'agh...oh, gimme the salad. And a Stone IPA," I say to Kayla. Just noticed the "chopped Greek salad ($5.50)," that promises "kalamata olives, tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, romaine, red onion, garlic, toasted garlic-oregano dressing."

Sigh. Trying to stick with the salad diet, lose weight right now. Even though — news flash! — weighed myself this mawnin' and not an ounce of difference, after a whole week nibbling on nuts and twigs. Okay. Have had a few brewskis, like this Stone IPA. But still, should have lost something. Whatever, determined to hang in there.

This is when conversation kinda ends, 'cause the band's starting up. Man. Boom! They're good. I can't believe my luck.

Kayla with my salad and IPA

The salad's pretty good, too. Basically just a mess of chopped lettuce with red onions snaking around, and tomato chunks adding color, and a crown of white feta cheese chunks on top. I ask Kayla if they have any bread.

"It costs $5," she says. Yikes. No way. Still, the salad's fine. And so is that IPA.

Ken seems more interested in Pauline than the band. "Swear I know her," he says. Finally, between numbers, he goes over and talks. Comes back.

"I knew it. I gave her a ride home four years ago," he says. "She doesn't remember. But she still looks great."

I'd love to stay, hear these Christian Hastings guys out. But the #28 buses get rarer as the night goes on. I pay up. Three dollars for the Stone IPA (a Bud would've been $2), and $5.50 for my Greek salad. It comes to $8.50 plus tax ($9.18 with tax). I mean, what a deal. For under a Hamilton I've scored a salad, an IPA, a way-cool bar crowd, views of moonlight on the water, this terrific band, a dance floor to dance on (and quite a few are), and no cover charge.

I know. Humphrey's has been around forever. Carla and I jes' never have come. Thought it would be way too expensive. Which, normally, it is. Except for this beautiful musical happy hour.

Out in the cold moonlight my feet are still jigging, my head's still going "I'm in a phone booth baby..." Never underestimate the power of happy hour.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

A poem for March by Joseph O’Brien

“March’s Lovely Asymptotes”
Next Article

Dating Sites For Little People: Best Platforms & Tips

Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.