McCormick's Fish House & Bar: Not the worst, but definitely not the best

The Place: McCormick's Fish House & Bar, 1659 Wazee Street, 303-628-5532

The Hours: Daily from 3 until 6 p.m.

The Deals: Wine and cocktail specials, $4-7; food specials, $2-6.

The Digs: McCormick's is über convenient to just about every downtown attraction, plus it's a handy spot in which to enjoy cocktails before dinner or grab a snack after a day of shopping. It's not a bad place to barhop, either, on your way to getting shitfaced. Bonus: The patio is spacious, the bar area is sunny and bright and there are plenty of seats.

The Verdict: You know what's nice about the happy hour at McCormick's? You can get a burger for three bucks (if we ruled the world, this would be a happy hour requirement). You know what's kind of meh about McCormick's happy hour? Everything else. It's like going to happy hour in an airport cafeteria. Exhibit A: The 007 cocktail ($5), which sounds delish on paper, but the reality is that it's nothing more than cheap vodka mixed with thick, syrupy orange juice and a skimpy splash of Sprite. The basil-pesto pizza ($5) walked the line somewhere between old and freezer burn and the shriveled pink tomatoes on top did nothing to arouse our taste buds. To add insult to injury, the grilled artichoke ($5) was unseasoned and dripping with water while we munched.

Talk about a buzz kill.

Overall Grade: D