Photo Credit: Erin Boren

Looking for a convenient, close-to-campus bar with a great happy hour? One has just moved into the neighborhood. Bar Louie recently opened its second location, just a five-minute drive from campus at La Cantera.

Bar Louie’s atmosphere is classy, yet simple. It’s an easy place to stop by after work or school, or head to for a night out! The staff is laid back but extremely attentive — good service considering during prime-time Bar Louie is bustling with people and humming loudly with music.

Bar Louie’s happy hour runs from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays and is full of great finds including $3 drafts, $4 wines and half-price appetizers. The draft selection of 14 common varieties is not as full as Bar Louie’s neighbor, Yard House, but still contains a good selection.

Many of the half-price appetizers can double as an entrée, especially the Boneless Wings, which come with a sauce choice. Go with the buffalo sauce for a delicious, somewhat spicy experience.

The Cheese Quesadillas with chicken is another tasty selection. What appears to be a simple quesadilla, explodes with flavor when it hits your tongue. Its multiple cheeses melt together to create something no one would be able to replicate.

The Bruschetta Pomodoro with shrimp is also a good steal at half-price and is creatively served in an oversized martini glass.

They also offer half-price flatbreads and $5 martinis during happy hour. The large selection of martinis has something for everyone. The Effen Good is the most requested of the martini list, with its refreshing mix of Effen Cucumber Vodka, agave nectar, mint and lime.

The Ramblin’ Rose martini offers a fruity martini without the fruit juice feel. It’s light in flavor and without a strong alcohol kick. Its distinctive ingredient — egg whites — gives it a nice frothy texture.The highly recommended Tickled Pink martini offers another take on interesting textures, with orange juice pulp and cranberry and peach flavors.

The Diva pineapple martini and Strawberry Peach Bellini martini are good for a lighter, one-note taste, while The Fizz martini has a lightly sweet citrus overtone with floral undertones. The Fizz is a good standard go-to martini with a twist.

Every drink comes with a garnish, such as raspberries or a pineapple slice, but the most creative and outrageous garnish comes with the Bloody Mary. The Ultimate Bloody Louie comes not only with a celery stick, but also a lemon and lime wedge, an olive, a slice of cheese, Italian meat and a pickle.

As a good snack or accompaniment to an entrée, make sure to try the Truffle Butter Popcorn, an exciting take on an original. It comes smothered in truffle butter, parsley and parmesan cheese.

Bar Louie is a great addition to La Cantera and has already acquired a good number of regulars. It’s a go-to anytime hangout in a great location for UTSA students and faculty with an extremely fun atmosphere.

Bar Louie also offers $5 burgers on Tuesdays and an additional happy hour Sunday through Thursday from 9 to 11 p.m. They are open every day from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. For more information or to download the Bar Louie app, visit barlouieamerica.com. The original San Antonio Bar Louie can be found at Stone Oak.