Bar 35 — a mainstay downtown beer tavern, pizzeria and nightclub — might be passed up in favor of the newest bistro on the block. However, for a romantic evening, party or business pau hana, this roomy pub with its stylish and unpretentious vibe, indoor and outdoor settings, and delicious, delicate pupu and pizza is the way to go.

THE EXPERIENCE

The can’t-be-missed neon Bar 35 street sign and red brick exterior welcome visitors into a spacious, brick-accented room. A main attraction is the shelves of hundreds of varieties of beer behind the bar.

The place has a classy feel, with high wood tables and a well-lit bar that runs the length of the room, offering plenty of seating and front-row service. Art murals in warm tones complement burnt sienna and sea green blocks of color on the walls.

At the far end of the room a wall-sized screen featured sports on the Friday evening I visited. In front of the screen, a stage houses a DJ for hip-hop and reggae on weekends and live acoustic, jazz or rock ’n’ roll bands on Thursdays. Tables are moved aside to make room for a dance floor.

Down a corridor is a tidy lounge area with white benches and metallic walls, set apart from the rest of the club by metal beaded curtains. Down the corridor is outdoor seating lined with tall stalks of bamboo. The patio has its own bar and overhead music, and smoking is allowed.

On this particular evening, a few couples were seated here and there, but the place predominantly belonged to groups of 30-somethings in neat business attire. On the patio, folks softly chatted as drinks, classic rock on the sound system and an indigo sky washed away the week’s hustle.

THE FOOD

Bar 35 boasts 10 choices of gourmet flatbread pizza in regular size ($13 for 10 slices) or large ($18.50 for 16 slices). Happy hour offers two regular pizzas at 25 percent off ($9.75 each).

We went with the recommended The Brunch and Winter’s Bone pizzas.

The Brunch has a breakfast flair with Portuguese sausage, tomatoes, scallions, egg, bechamel sauce and a cheese blend of provolone, cheddar and mozzarella. Winter’s Bone is a white pizza with artichoke hearts, pear, mushrooms, feta, bechamel and mozzarella. While the ingredients sound heavy, the pizzas came had a thin crust that was supple, not brittle, with the toppings spread out in a sprinkle rather than a stack. They were delicate and oh-so flavorful. We agreed that while The Brunch was creamy, Winter’s Bone with its pear highlight was light and extra delicious. I’d definitely come back for it.

Among the other 10 pupu options, edamame and Bar 35’s Euro Fries (both normally $6) are also offered at a 25 percent discount during happy hour.

The Euro Fries arrived attractively displayed in a bamboo steamer basket. They were thin and crispy, dusted with a gentle herb garnish and had an addictive garlic-salt taste. Sweet potato fries and Japanese-­inspired fries with okonomi sauce are also available.

Finally, we tried the spicy edamame. It left a nice tingle on the lips with its Asian sauce that tasted like a blend of shoyu and Sriracha. The soybeans were perfectly steamed and plump. While edamame can be tough or greasy, this had the same light, delicious gourmet touch of the rest of the food.

THE DRINK

Most beers and cocktails are discounted at $2 to $5 off the usual price during happy hour. Some of the specialty drinks are not, but are worth trying.

From the martini menu, we ordered Mamasan’s Secret, a $10 drink that’s half-price during happy hour. Mamasan’s has peach overtones from schnapps, but also contains rose vodka, orange Curacao, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and white wine.

I am generally a lightweight with beer because of the wheat or malt flavor that sits like rust in the back of the throat. Our server recommended a regular-priced Lindemans Framboise, $10, from the Sour and Fruit Beer menu. Where the martini was dry and fruity, this was thick and had a sour finish. Sweet raspberry notes hit the tongue first, followed by tart and tangy notes that lingered. There is no hint of the usual hops taste to the drink, but it’s a true beer known as lambic, made with a special fermentation method from Belgium.

Both drinks were wonderfully easy on the palate, but without that face-­twisting aftertaste, they’re a tad dangerous — so fruity and yummy that it’s easy to forget they contain alcohol.

There are also six beers on tap, and a flight of four featured beers is offered each month for $10; $7 on Wednesdays.

“With the monthly flights, we try to be the first to have these beers in Hawaii, or at least the first in Chinatown,” says manager AJ Martinez.

THE VERDICT

Bar 35 bills itself as “Honolulu’s happiest happy hour.” When I arrived early in the night, I liked that the place was functioning at a slow simmer. It was mellow-happy, rather than rip-roaring.

Bar 35 is one of the longest standing bars in the Downtown-Chinatown district. Martinez says its staying power is thanks to a unique, “Cheers”-style friendliness.

“All bars have drinks,” he said, “so it’s about the atmosphere and the people. There’s a different vibe in each room, whether you want bar-front service, or a more private environment with friends. Our staff is ready to help. When you come out each weekend, you say hi to the door guy and he knows you. It’s nice having people remember you. You come here knowing you’re going to have a good time.”

The doorman doesn’t know me yet, but the artful ambiance, friendly service, wide selection of drinks, and thoughtfully crafted food — not your usual bar food — will definitely bring me back.