Highlights:
Close to campus
Offers both classic drinks and unique specialties
Drawbacks:
Bustling crowds can cause the need to yell across your cups
Time: White Dog runs happy hour Sunday-Thursday, 10 p.m.-midnight.
Drink: If happy hour ever finds you cold, sober and happy about neither, the bar at White Dog offers some speedy remedies. The Coffee Cocktails and Hot Toddies (both $6.50) have the under-utilized combination of a soothing, hot beverage and liquor. Coffee Cocktails are self-explanatory (add alcohol to coffee and it becomes a cocktail), but it should be noted that they're made with freshly brewed, organic Mexican coffee and topped with homemade whipped cream in true White Dog style. The Hot Toddy is a little more elusive, but it shouldn't be. It's so good it's almost whimsical -- a steaming glass of farm-fresh hot mulled apple cider, rimmed with cinnamon sugar and finished off with some liquor. The heat of the cider accentuates the flavor of the liquor, so it has more of a kick to it than you might expect. My favorite is the Kentucky Toddy, made with Maker's Mark bourbon, but if you're not a whisky sort, start with the Tuaca Toddy. Made with Tuaca vanilla liqueur, it's decidedly less intense and hence more of a crowd pleaser.
Ambiance: Separated from the main dining rooms, the bar is casual and pretty lively, but it retains that White Dog charm and coziness. It's not overly loud, although you do have to raise your inside voice a touch to be heard.
Clientele: The bar attracts a mix of grad students and eccentric older people, with an occasional smattering of Penn kids.
