‘Mad Men’ happy hour with Don Draper oysters, Betty’s wedge at Nick + Stef’s

Name of the bar: Nick + Stef’s

Happy hour: Monday through Friday, from 3 p.m. to close, the Patina-group-owned downtown steakhouse has a “Mad Men”-inspired happy hour. The restaurant created small plates inspired by some of the show’s favorite characters. For Don Draper, oysters Rockefeller with Fanny Bay oysters, spinach and bread crumbs (four for $12); for Roger Sterling, a classic shrimp cocktail with a horse-radish heavy cocktail sauce ($12); for Joan Harris, “red hot” deviled eggs (four for $10); an “ice queen wedge” for Betty Francis ($8); and more.

Using stiff drinks and retro snacks to fill the void between now and the final episodes of the show isn’t a bad idea. But the menu was missing something for Pete Campbell. Maybe a smug grilled cheese? These new bites join an existing happy hour of $2 sliders, $2 oysters and $5 glasses of wine. And if you’re really looking to go retro-glam, you can order a martini perfect, dirty or classic, shaken table side. Prices vary based on your choice of liquor.

Best bang for your buck: Any of the $5 glasses of wine, including the Patina Chardonnay or Merlot, both bottled for the restaurant in Spain, the Domino Cabernet Sauvignon or the Nicolas Sauvignon Blanc. And the wedge salad is enough for a meal. It’s more of a half, than a wedge, served ice cold, smothered in blue cheese dressing and blue cheese crumbles. It’s topped with cherry tomato halves and crisp bread crumbs.

What are you drinking: A $5 glass of wine, then an extra dirty vodka martini served with three olives on the side.

Who’s at the next table: Located at the base of the Wells Fargo Center building, the restaurant is flooded daily with men in suits with loosened ties, and woman in pantsuits, pencil skirts and black leather flats. Almost everyone is lugging around a briefcase on wheels. Two women sit in the corner and gossip about the lunch habits of the new office secretary, and at a table across the way, a man in a suit leans forward to tell his curly-haired date that he’s not really into Internet dating.

Service: Friendly, attentive, but not overbearing.

Uh-oh: Be warned that Joan’s red hot deviled eggs may burn your lips off. The thick slices of jalapeno on top aren’t listed on the menu. And just as you’re sipping your wine, basking in the last rays of the afternoon sun, you may find yourself in a daydream involving Don Draper. Then high-power hoses being used to clean the plaza five feet away catapult you back to reality. You’re outside, surrounded by office buildings, and Draper is nowhere to be found.
Info: 330 S. Hope St., No. 100, Los Angeles, (213) 680-0330, www.patinagroup.com.

I like my martinis extra dirty. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris