Located at Kahala Mall, the Counter is a burger joint that follows the “;build your own burger”; concept. The atmosphere here is welcoming, with a long high-top bar that brings a contemporary diner feel to the space. Belly up to the bar and you can order traditional malts and shakes as well as draft beer and cocktails.

The Counter does not particularly cater to the bar scene, but is instead a family-oriented restaurant that happens to have a great bar. Cocktails are offered at a reasonable prices, and the restaurant also offers an impressively wide selection of wine (during happy hour, more than a dozen varieties are available for $4 per glass).

Happy hour is simple and fun—quite different from most others I've reviewed. The menu is set up with items priced from $1 to $5, and it's quite fun to customize your meal by going down the list picking one item of each dollar amount. The Mini Burgers here are amazing, made with organic beef and served on sweet buns that are delivered daily from the Patisserie.

The Counter also offers a particular sauce, horseradish mayo, that is a great addition to nearly everything. If you have a large group, order the Chili Cheese Fries, which come in a large portion that can easily serve several people. Although they taste great, be sure to eat them fast as they tend to get soggy quite quickly. The only thing I recommend adding to the chili cheese fries would be a little hot sauce.

As long as you aren't looking for something healthy to eat, the Counter's happy-hour specials provide a perfect gourmet snack before an evening at the movies, after school with friends or before your next great shopping expedition. The servers here are friendly and informative, and will be sure to provide a dining experience that you'll remember.

”;Pau Hana Patrol”; is a weekly look at Honolulu bar and restaurant happy hours. To read more reviews by Carey Reynolds, visit hilife.starbulletin.com. E-mail happy hour suggestions to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).