Australians of a certain age should be able to recall—granted, with various degrees of clarity—what was once called the “;6 o'clock swill.”;

This not-so-happy hour ritual became part of weekday life down under after the Australian equivalent of Mothers Against Drunk Driving got a law passed that forced bars to close at 6 p.m. That gave people who got off work at 5 p.m. just one short hour to “;swill”; as much as they could before last call.

Fortunately, saner minds eventually prevailed and the law was repealed.

There might be establishments in Honolulu today where the pau hana vibe is about speed-drinking and bottom-of-the-well pours, but Apartment3 offers a far more mature and sophisticated happy-hour experience.

Whether the plan is to stop in after work or to start the night there with a few cocktails and a light dinner, the Century Center hideaway owned by Flash Hansen, Matt “;Matty Boy”; Hazelgrove and Charles “;Chip”; Jewitt is a great choice for adults interested in atmosphere as well as affordable food and a well-stocked bar.

An easy choice from the happy-hour menu is any one of the thin-crust pizzas ($5), which are a smaller version of the standard entree but still more than enough to share with friends. Another is the K.F.C. ($1 each), chicken drumettes twice fried and doused in a Korean chili sauce. At $1 per piece, your eyes will never be bigger than your stomach.

The standard menu is too tempting to ignore, and the prices aren't outrageous. Consider the Mini Sammies ($4 each or 3 for $11) or the Cheese and Honey plate of fruit and cheese drizzled with honey ($12).

And, if you're not the designated driver of the group, be sure to take advantage of the pau hana drink specials and sample one or two of the Apartment3 specialty cocktails. Unlike the unfortunate Australians of years past, there's no need to race the clock at Apartment3.

Happy hour:
» 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays; also 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 7 to 8 p.m. Saturdays
» $5 martinis, premium cocktails and specialty drinks
» $5 select pupu (full dinner menu also available)
» $4 draft beers

Pupu picks:
» Apartment3 thin-crust pizza ($5)
» K.F.C. drumettes ($1 each)
» Mini Sammies ($4 each or 3 for $11)
» Italian Dog ($11)
» French Onion Soup ($7)
» Cheese and Honey plate ($12)

”;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).