BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse | 3265 W Market St. | Fairlawn, OH

I’m a big fan of the Fairlawn/Copley area. It’s in a great location and has tons of restaurants and shops. In fact, I usually find myself there at least once a week. To that end, I was in Fairlawn on Tuesday conducting important, top-secret business (aka getting a haircut at ARO Hair Salon). The haircut wrapped up at 4:30 p.m. You know what that means … happy hour with my mom at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, located in front of Summit Mall.

Founded in 1978, BJ’s is a national chain with 205 locations throughout 27 states. Their menu—while consisting primarily of pub fare—is expansive and broad, featuring items such as kale and roasted brussels sprouts salads, barbacoa cauliflower pita tacos, Moroccan chicken, New Orleans jambalaya and veggie-style quinoa bowls. In addition to their award-winning craft beers, BJ’s is appropriately known for a pizza-cookie hybrid dessert called a Pizookie (more on that later). The Fairlawn location is spacious and offers a relaxed, casual atmosphere with a modern vibe.

Let’s get to happy hour. Food and drink specials are available from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Food specials also run from 10 p.m. to close Sunday through Thursday. These deals are only available in the bar area, which features six booths and five high tops in addition to the large bar itself.

Most items on the happy hour menu cost between $3 and $6. Domestic bottles and chips and dip (sriracha queso dip, guacamole, salsa) are $3; draft beers are $4; and Dark Horse wines and call drinks (a fancy name for select well drinks) are $5. Six dollars is where the real value is—this includes sliders, root beer glazed ribs, avocado egg rolls, spinach and artichoke dip, mozzarella sticks and a burger with fries. Other specials include discounts on mini deep-dish pizzas and seasonal beers.

My mom and I were thoroughly impressed with everything we ordered—vodka and cranberry juice, vodka and grapefruit juice, root beer glazed ribs and a turkey burger with fries. The ribs were tender and meaty, with a hint of smoky flavor and a sweet glaze. The turkey burger was tender, effectively seasoned and featured a tasty parmesan-crusted bun.

You all know I like to quote my grandma—“Always save room for dessert.” We did just that, indulging in a triple chocolate Pizookie made with Ghirardelli chocolate. A rich cookie with chunks of chocolate, double chocolate chip ice cream and dark chocolate chips, the Pizookie is a whopping … wait for it … 1,180 calories. Truth be told, it’s worth it. The dish is as delicious as it sounds. Pro tip #1: Sign up to become a BJ’s rewards member—you’ll get a free Pizookie upon registration. Pro tip #2: Pizookies are only $3 on Tuesdays!

Rating Scale & Verdict
🍷🍷=Average 🍷🍷🍷=Good 🍷🍷🍷🍷=Excellent

🍷🍷🍷🍷 BJ’s happy hour features outstanding food and drink specials. What sets it apart is that customers get full-size, regular menu items for almost half the price. Throw in good service and a fun atmosphere and we have ourselves a winner. One more thing … don’t forget about the Pizookie. Cheers!