Go whole hog at Lola’s all-day happy hour
Yes, these lobster deviled eggs are a real thing
When the usual diet of tacos and burritos gets stale, it’s time to shake things up a bit. For quirky Mexican food at decent prices, it’s hard to beat Lola.
Perched on a hill overlooking downtown Denver, Lola attracts a good-looking, well-dressed crowd that’s in the market for expensive tequila and upscale Mexican eats. The prices ain’t cheap, but Lola welcomes the light-of-wallet throughout the week with totally sweet happy-hour deals.
Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m., Lola offers el cheapo prices on a generous selection of menu items, from single tacos to enchilada plates. The same deal is in effect on weekend afternoons, too, from 2:30 to 5 p.m.
The only day that’s different is Monday—when happy hour prices are good all day long. A visit to Lola will take those icky-gross Monday feelings of dread and wash them away in high-test tequila and occasionally odd takes on Mexican cuisine.
The best way to start a Lola happy hour experience is with the $7 shot-and-a-beer combo, a duo of El Charro Silver tequila and a can of Top Rope beer. By itself, a shot of El Charro is $8, so you’re already starting off ahead of the game. Top Rope, brewed by Boulder’s Upslope Brewing, is a smooth, Mexican-style lager that will go well with whatever comes next.
Once your appetite is awakened and suitably angered by the hooch, there are plenty of food choices to calm the beast. Tacos range in price from $2 (chicken) to $4 (shrimp). Start the fiesta in earnest with a combination plate of two chicken tacos and another can of Top Rope for $5. This exemplifies one of the best things about Lola: You save money when you drink.
For diners bent on enjoying a full meal, not just a drunken snack odyssey, the menu offers a bunch of share-able (and hog-able) options. The fried pickles plate is intriguing—battered hunks of pickle and asparagus sided by “lolaracha” and avocado-bacon dip. Lolaracha, it turns out, is the house’s Mexi-fied Sriracha sauce. Taste it carefully and you can detect the distinct red-chile flavor and heat of good ol’ rooster sauce. The avocado-bacon dip is as good as it sounds, especially with the tempura-like asparagus.
The queso fundido, made with Haystack Mountain goat cheese, is a creamy treat that goes great with the included tortillas, but better with a basket of chips. On a recent visit, Lola’s lobster deviled eggs were on special at happy hour for $2 each, topped with a lump of claw meat and crispy cilantro. Mixed with the fried pickles, beer cans, and queso dip, the table looked like a classy Super Bowl buffet.
Rolling out into the night afterward, credit card unused, it hits you: These are, indeed, the happiest of hours.
