One of the best privileges my current day job offers is that on Fridays during the summer, we close up shop around 3pm so that everyone can get their weekend started early. This has made it much easier to sneak out of town for the weekend, fit in a workout class on an otherwise busy Friday, and, perhaps most importantly, take advantage of the many happy hour deals that have typically expired by the time I get off on a normal workday.

This past Friday, I was invited to check out The Capital Burger’s Short Fridays summer event series. Running every Friday since June 15 through August 31 from 3:30-5:30pm, Short Fridays is a great way to kick off the start of an early weekend with a unique cocktail, wine, or beer experience. The best part? Your first drink is COMPLIMENTARY! Yes, you read that right—it’s free! I don’t know of any other happy hour in the city that offers you your first drink en gratis, so you can bet I’ll definitely be back at another Short Friday soon.

Some past Short Fridays events this summer include a rosé and fries pairing, a champagne and macarons pairing, a Cabernet tasting with wines rarely available by the glass, and more. When Monica and I went last Friday, the signature drink was a Palmoa made with Sauza Blue Silver tequila and it was so refreshing—the perfect way to cool down after a hot, humid day. You can see the full calendar of events for the remainder of the summer here—this Friday the speciality drink is Great Lakes Brewing Company’s 2018 Oktoberfest beer!

For those of you unfamiliar, The Capital Burger is located right near the Convention Center, a few blocks north of the Gallery Place Metro and is a sister restaurant of The Capital Grille. (Pro tip for all you Capital Grille Stoli Doli fans—it’s on the menu at The Capital Burger and is a few dollars cheaper!)

As the name would indicate, The Capital Burger makes an amazing burger. Monica and I actually tried several in slider form, which they are happy to do for you if you ask! In addition to the classic cheeseburger, we tried the bleu cheese and truffle burger and the Capital Burger, which has caramelized onions, Wisconsin grand cru gruyère, and shallot aioli—if you love French onion soup, it’s a must-order. We also tried the fried chicken sandwich sliders and the hand-cut fries, which come with truffle aioli, béarnaise, and spicy mayo dipping sauces for dipping. Everything was so good, and I think I speak for Monica when I say we were both super full after our several hours posted up at The Capital Burger.

I am now kicking myself for not getting over to The Capital burger earlier in the summer to take advantage of more of their Short Fridays—I am definitely planning to hit up another one sometime this month!

Thank you so much to The Capital Burger for inviting me and offering me a complimentary dining experience. As always, opinions are my own!