Two Drinks: Shortneck's

Server Emily Patterson offers up a cheeseburger and fries at Shortneck's Bar and Grill. (Credit: Joseph Fuqua II | Metromix)

Longneck's Bar and Grill has a sister, and she's cute. Let's meet her. It's time to visit this well-kept sports bar, located in the thick of Monmouth Street in Newport. Shortneck's Bar and Grill models after the aforementioned sprawling bar and grill in Wilder - except it's smaller - but looks to offer the best burger in town and perhaps an unmatched happy hour.

The mood: This is what happens if you visit between 4-7 soon: As the World Cup rages on, the air is full of soccer highlights and "Pardon the Interruption" streaming on six HDTVs. The AC and ceiling fans are delightful, and you won't regret sitting at the bar rather than the patio, something adorned with picnic tables and a cornhole set.

You might party down with three people and one bartender, or 50 and three bartenders. Reds games draw the crowds, and rightfully so: Domestic buckets drop to $6.50 when the boys hit a home run. We suspect that riverfront events like the Labor Day fireworks will flood the place.

The drinks: The variety of drinks deals during happy hour are tempting. The $1.75 domestic? The $5 pitcher? The $3 martini or well drink? We chose Stella Artois ($3.75) and True Blue ($3.75), the latter of which hails from the Bluegrass Brewing Company.

What's in it? The bartender shrugged. A quick search on the smartphone told us blackberries and hops. You might regard it as a tasty smoothie, while your date might dismiss it as something fresh from a river. (I say the former.) Either way, the bar has done its job, sparking your interest in a refill or an entirely different drink.

My girlfriend later opted for a martini concocted from espresso, crème de cacao and vanilla vodka ($3). I settled with a gin and tonic ($3) before the munching begins.

The food: The happy hour grub came out in a flash. Crafted in a small kitchen, it ranges from chili cheesy fries to the Cajun turkey wrap - oh, and the Gourmet Shortneck Burger, or what you might dub a variation on meatloaf. We were OK with that burger ($5.49), but favored the pretzels and beer cheese appetizer ($5.99) for its spicy bent.

The verdict: We also favored this bar's direction. A carbon copy of Longneck's? Not a bad thought. Let's not forget about the variety of draft beers, the Jägermeister shot variations like the Storm Trooper and the pair of Golden Tee games.