I ventured into Waikiki last year to try out Bills’ happy hour, reveling in the tastes and the decor of this Waikiki outpost of Bills Sydney, and I’ve written about the delicious breakfast and dinner offerings as well. It’s no secret that I’m already a confirmed fan of this restaurant’s singular style.

If the old happy hour had any fault, it was that the menu was fairly limited. So hurrah! Bills is back with a new, improved happy hour, offering discounted beer, wine and cocktails, and new menu items at a healthy discount. Time to take a new look.

The experience

Happy as I am to see Bills’ attractive happy-hour menu, I gotta say that I’d take pleasure in visiting this airy, pleasant space even if no food were involved. I get a smile on my face every time I approach the restaurant, with its whitewashed siding and bright, lime-green “bills” sign. Parking’s easy, at Bank of Hawaii across the street, $6 with validation.

Inside, as you approach the upstairs bar through the main dining room, a sense of calm is enhanced by the light-filled room with a high, peaked ceiling, contemporary sensibility and nature-inspired color palette.

Tables are close enough to create a sense of camaraderie, but the room’s architecture keeps echo to a minimum, so conversations still feel private.

During happy hour, as the sun’s golden glow reflects off nearby buildings, the restaurant itself also glows with dappled light. There are plenty of tables in the bar area, and a lanai adjacent to the bar offers outdoor seating.

The food

Bills’ menu at happy hour includes five “small plates,” which are nonetheless big enough to share. The goat cheese with rosemary flatbread ($6) was elegant in its simplicity, matching the rich cheese with a thin, salted bread. If your main aim is cocktails, this plate could be a good complement for the table.

Fried calamari ($6) is great right out of the kitchen, served in small bites with just a slight saltiness and crunch.

The “Korean” fried chicken ($6), which I’ve raved about before, isn’t served in the typical Korean bar style; it’s boneless, juicy and flavorful, plated with big leaves of Manoa lettuce and a chili-sesame sauce for dipping.

New on the happy hour menu is a “junior burger” with fries ($6). Made with grass-fed beef, it’s not huge, but it’s big enough to be a small meal.

The big winner on this list is Bills’ ahi poke, served with thick chunks of avocado and topped with sea asparagus, tangy, pickled shimeji mushrooms, sesame — and for crunch, brilliantly, toasted buckwheat.

There are four varieties of flatbread pizza: two “bianco” styles with ricotta cheese and two with a bright red sauce. I did not love the red-sauce with basil, mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes ($8), though it looked beautiful, because the golf-ball-sized tomatoes were served fresh, not heated; but my dining partner loved this dish the best.

I finished by doubling up on two slices of Bills’ bianco pizza with caramelized fennel, sausage and ricotta ($9). This one’s my favorite, embodying everything Bills does right: It tastes rich, but is not overwhelming, with just enough meat to add flavor; the caramelized fennel is a triumph of technique, with crunch and a citrus flavor; the flatbread has crunch and visual appeal. With its large dollops of ricotta, this pizza is enough to be a meal for two if you’re eating light.

The drinks

I had Bills’ mai tai, prepared ’50s style with two rums, pineapple and curacao — it was expertly blended, and just $6 during happy hour. A refreshing, brightly colored margarita made with hibiscus lime sour is also offered; I took a taste and thought it would be just right after a walk on a hot summer day.

It should be pretty easy to find a drink that appeals here. All Pau Maui vodka cocktails are $6 during happy hour, and premium well drinks are offered at $5. Wines from California, Washington and New Zealand are available by the glass for $5, too.

Bills isn’t really beer-centric, and that’s not a surprise — beer doesn’t impress me as the best match for this spot’s fresh menu items. But Kona Brewing Co. beer on tap is available for $4, or in the bottle for $4.

The verdict

The thrill of this happy hour is that you can experience the restaurant’s great tastes and unique style at a very attractive price. This Waikiki haven is highly recommended.