As Jimmy Buffett often sings, “;It's 5 o'clock somewhere,”; and Shokudo Japanese Restaurant & Bar has the perfect option early in the week for those who can't enjoy pau hana until the late-night hours.

On Sundays through Wednesdays from 10:30 p.m. to closing (usually 1 a.m.), the restaurant offers an “;After Dark”; happy hour for bar and lounge customers. It compliments Shokudo's daily “;Before Dark”; happy hour, which is only offered at the bar from 4 to 6 p.m.

Despite visiting on a Monday night, both the bar and lounge areas were buzzing with activity around 11 p.m. Most of the seating in the lounge is designed for parties of two or four, making it a nice option for couples looking for an affordable date during the week. And while the economy is still in recovery mode, that hasn't stopped Shokudo from keeping staffing levels high—there were plenty of servers around to cater to customers during our visit this week.

More than a dozen items cost just $3 each during happy hour, although some (Agedashi Eggplant, Curry Fries Casserole, Curry Pizza Bites) sound a little too adventurous for some palates. Good thing the price is right—if you don't like a particular plate, it's not too costly to simply order another.

The only hiccup, if you can even call it that, was the lack of Asahi Black at the bar (our bartender said they were sold out). Instead of ordering the featured happy-hour beer, we actually saved money by going with Bud Light ($3.75) instead.

Happy hour:
» 4 to 6 p.m. daily; also 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays through Wednesdays
» $2 li hing vodka shooters
» $3 house sake (Tokkuri)
» $4 sangria, house wines and Asahi Black
» $5 sake bombs and vodka sodas (all flavors)
» $6 Grey Goose cocktails
» $7 Grey Goose specialty cocktails

Pupu picks:
» Build-Your-Own Ramen ($3, toppings extra)
» Honey Toast Jr. ($3, toppings extra)
» Casanova Ahi in a Hot Tub ($3)
» Spicy Tuna Nachos ($3)
» Sweet Spud Fries ($3)

”;Pau Hana Patrol”; is a weekly look at Honolulu bar and restaurant happy hours. E-mail happy hour tips to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).