I'd like:
- a great atmosphere (architecturally interesting, a good view, or just a fun group of folks)
- slightly reduced drinks for being out so early and so I can go more often
- grown-up food
- dress code that's a step up from flip-flops and a t-shirt, and
- a sincere lack of loud music or blaring TVs showing sports

Don't know whether this is me getting older or not, but it's very difficult to hear folks in a regular bar these days between the music and the funky cool but hard surfaces reflecting all the noise. I go to a bar to talk to people first and drink second.

Good suggestions. Thanks. EL

Keep the volume down on TVs and music. When I go to a happy hour I want to have a conversation not listen to whatever radio station/mix they are playing.

I'd like one where sports and ESPN weren't blaring on every TV. Decent food snacks and drinks including decent wine at reduced prices.

Desiree makes a good point about TVs. Frankly, I'd like not to have them at all during a happy hour. For as much as the dreaded frat boys are to be avoided, I don't want any kind of overt pick up scene. Louche divorcees can be just as annoying as single stockbrokers on the make.

My suggestions for good places include a bunch in South Baltimore - the Wine Market, Pazza Luna, Taverna Corvino, and Ryleigh's. Woodberry Kitchen has a nice one at the bar.

A happy hour with a dress code? Really? It would have never entered my mind.

I think the specials need to be on a higher quality of drinks. You get the frat boys when you have $1 bud night. Maybe just a discount on wine, mixed drinks and premium beers? Mainly just an excuse to call it a "happy hour" because I will drink what I want regardless of discount. I sometimes need to have a reason to meet up at that time. So any reason to make the happy hour special compared to any other time at the place. (does that make any sense?)

I want a clean glass for my metamucil.

More seriously, although I don't spend much time in bars, when I'm there, I'm talking with friends. Turn down the noise. Some nice snacks, preferably with protein, would be a bonus.

Why limit these features to just the Happy Hour?

No beer at all.
No TV at all and No Jukebox.
Music can be canned or live but puhleeze play it softly and only without lyrics which only competes with conversation.
Lighting low and soft enough to hide crowsfeet but bright enough to not hide the pupil and iris.
Convenient and free parking.

It sounds like the members of today's 35-and-over Happy Hour crowd are in serious training to become tomorrow's Early Bird dinner special crowd. (And, boy, do I resemble that remark.)

Happy hour ... me in my kitchen slicing, dicing, stirring, simmering, broiling or roasting 60 minutes before dinner.

No, but seriously folks ... I'm with Paul, Lissa, MrRational and others about noise and conversation. In my traveling days, the best happy hours were in hotel lobby bars. The music (if any) was usually just a piano (with or without a player!) and you could almost always move enough chairs into a big enough circle to include everyone in the conversation. I can guarantee you that more interesting and worthwhile stuff has been produced in such configurations than in the hours of meeting that usually precede them.

I'm with the others as well, the music should be background.

Went to the Hofbrau Beer Garden recently for a Happy Hour and all was well until a woman dressed in traditional Bavarian garb started playing an accordion. The speakers were turned up to a rock concert level. So much for the conversation after that.

Do we have a Hofbräu Beer Garden here? Quick tell me where it is.

Now if it was an Augustinerbräu garten, then I'd be there every night.

Canon, the vast majority of my bar time these days is spent in hotel lobby bars in conference hotels.

The odd thing is that two times out of 3, the waitress refuses to charge me for my cranberry juice, and refills it every time it gets low. If I were the designated driver, I could see that. But, in a conference hotel?

Granted, I've poured a few people in to bed, but that doesn't happen every night.

wow, it sounds like a 55 and older crowd! no music or tv? how about a special on geritol shooters? valet parking for your hover round? seriously, how about free appetizers for those who are drinking? UNO's downtown does that and has great drink specials for those who work downtown and want to wait out the traffic going home. where I work we have no happy hour, so the 35 and older crowd can come in and enjoy good conversation and drinks without the college kids hootin and hollerin, no sound on the tv either.

I wanna go where everybody knows my name... Well, maybe not everybody. But I live in Fells Point and frequent (if once a week can be said to frequent) one bar over all the others because the young wait staff do NOT make me feel like an old, unwelcome frump. They remember me and welcome me. I like that. I can get a drink anywhere. But I go where I'm welcomed.

I talk all day for a living and want to go someplace with cold "black stuff" at less than $5.00 where I can contemplate why my life is better than it would be if I were digging ditches.

I am told that Flemmings has a nice happy hour for those of you seeing a "mature" experience.
PS- the door man will help you with your walkers

One of the best bars I ever frequented was a place in Roslyn, NY, called The Chalet. It was a very small space with a U-shaped bar, about three tables, NO TV and music that was supplied by the patrons. They've since put in a single TV (volume usually off), but it's still a great place to go. Tell Johnny O. the bartender I said Hi if you go. It's a great place for the grownup crowd.

Sample reviews can be found here.

Some very good suggestions here. Can't help but notice a theme around noise level. I rarely go to happy hour anymore because so many bars have become a place to "holler", apparently as loud as possible. And, unless there's an important game being televised, just turn off the televisions. If I want to watch tv, I'll stay home. How about good jazz in the background, friendly conversation at normal voice levels, quality drinks (no $1 Buds), and no flip flops - especially on guys!

I think Happy Hour is still largely an over 35, or at least over 25, event.

If I go to say Mount Washington Tavern at 5:00, I'm not seeing a bunch of college kids at the bar. I'm seeing a an mid-life to older crowd.

What's difficult to find is an over 35 scene after 10 or 11.

For the most part, the college kids tend to "pregame", meaning get drunk at home, before going out to the bars around 10-11 pm. I know; I did this.

Now, for those who want to make sure there will be no youngsters at happy hour, there is always an American Legion or VFW.

Sam suggest the MWT should be one of my Top 10. You've just confirmed it. Just stop by Sullivan's Steakhouse or the Hill, to name a couple of places I've been to recently, to find a younger crowd at happy hour. EL

the college kids tend to "pregame", meaning get drunk at home, before going out to the bars around 10-11 pm. I know; I did this.

Wait, this implies sobering up between evenings. When I was at college, I never did that. Less chance of hangovers.

I also did a good bit of drinking at the VFW. Cheap drinks. Of course, I was cute then, in an angry, drunken, sullen kind of way.

RoCKdescribes and admits: "For the most part, the college kids tend to "pregame", meaning get drunk at home, before going out to the bars around 10-11 pm. I know; I did this."

Even in the days of my mis-spent youth I never consumed (anything) with the intention of getting polluted as some so freely admit to. I was no saint and I certainly ended up polluted more than a few times... I just never started out the evening with that planned for in advance.

Robert, after 10 or 11 most over 35's are on the way home to relieve the babysitter.

Back to Happy Hour:
A quite place to enjoy a drink or two in conversation with other adults before dinner, the theater or traffic to subside... should not be confused with a dim spot for lone pounding of shots

That would be great an over 35 - 55 happy hour for some of us in between.

Some fun drinks, but not all the trivia of yesteryear. Please.

I'm not sure why you call yourself "MrRational" if you're calling for "no beer at all".

Huh?

Maybe you assume that the swill put out my the megabreweries is "beer". Good beer is a must, but "no beer" is just ludicrous. I think most of what people have been talking about here would be perfectly well filled by a high-end brew pub. Baltimore Brewing Company used to be pretty close, until Theo DeGroen went back to Germany.

A good brew pub with a nice wine list and a small menu would be perfect.

Good beer at good prices. Music, definitely. Life without music is empty. Loud enough to hear what's playing, but not loud enough to ruin any chance for conversation. Happy, friendly people, no stuffed suits, please. Great food. Friendly staff. A bar with nice stools. Yup, that's what I want. This is probably why my happy hours are spent at the Hamilton Tavern.

I need to see some ID. I'm in the "over" of the '35 and over' and I don't mind music or even TVs at my happy hours as long as they allow conversation. I would love to see wine specials and app specials and a variety of places to chose from. (and I know that's asking a lot)

Good beer at good prices. Music, definitely. Life without music is empty. Loud enough to hear what's playing, but not loud enough to ruin any chance for conversation. Happy, friendly people, no stuffed suits, please. Great food. Friendly staff. A bar with nice stools. Yup, that's what I want.

Ditto all the way around. Because we live in Lutherville, our happy hours are usually at Five, the bar of Christopher Daniel, and it mostly fits the bill.

And I have spent many a "mature" happy hour at the Mt Washington Tavern in my time too. If they would just conquer the horrible old beer stink in there, it would be perfect.

Lastly, I nominate The Annabel Lee...decent drink prices, delicious food, cozy ambience, and great service.