Once a month on Tuesdays I leave work and head to JoJo’s Restaurant & Tap House on Patrick Street for our AAF-Greater Frederick board meeting. It’s the perfect location to meld happy hour and creative productivity, because nestled discreetly in the back is a space that’s big enough to hold a small private party. And because they serve wine. And beer. And hard cider. And liquor.

Happy Hour at JoJo’s is buzzing over in the bar area on Tuesdays!

Our board of directors seats 14 at one long table in the private room, with plenty of space to spare for additional tables around us. When the doors are closed, the babble and bustle from the bar and the dining room fade away like a distant memory. It’s quaint without being feminine. Updated without having lost its historic charm.

JoJo’s also keeps one of my favorite, affordable white wines on hand: Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc. It’s crisp and tart, with hints of grapefruit and other citrus notes, and I love it ICE COLD, which is exactly how they serve it.

(There’s nothing worse than having to discreetly spoon ice into your wine at a restaurant…)

If you’ve never been there before, the restaurant space is split into two sides: one to house the bar, along with tables for two and four; the other for a more formal dining option, though during the week – and weekends too, to be honest – you’ll find folks wearing everything from jeans or sundresses, to business-casual attire.

The happy hour menu is simple, but has a little something for everyone: pork belly taco, chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, and sliders. And there are a variety of drink options ranging from house wine, to beer on tap, to liquor.

Mental note: need to try their mojito.

You can also skip the happy hour menu, and instead go for a starter off the dinner menu – lots of different options, all of which are $13 or less.

Like these Shrimp and Goat Cheese Fritters, with a panko crust and chipotle aioli. YUM!

If you have a larger appetite, or you’re looking to enjoy dinner, I’m also a fan of the Hand Cut Steak Grinder, with melted Provolone and au jus on the side. The steak is soooooooo tender, it’ll make your heart sing.

Tip: After 5 p.m., you don’t have to pay the parking meters on Patrick Street, so if you’re lucky enough to find a spot, take it! I find, however, that parking in the Carroll Creek Garage is worth the $2 – it’s a stone’s throw away from JoJo’s, easy to get in and out of, and it’s never full.