Happy Hour Hunt: Jack Gage American Tavern

The Place: Jack Gage American Tavern, 5301 Main Street, 816-531-4243.

The Hours: Monday to Friday, 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 10 p.m. to midnight.

The Vibe: The Double Dragon is long gone, knocked out cold by the pugilistic stylings of Jack Gage. The room has been split between the bar area with hi-top tables and a line of comfortable booths to the left of the front door. With exposed brick and black ducts and a lot of warm wood, Jack Gage is like an informal steakhouse.

On a Wednesday it was easy to get a table, although I made the mistake of sitting in the dining room before my server politely told our party that happy hour was only available in the bar area. Even though he was happy to reseat us, it’s best to tell the host you’re there for happy hour.

A few younger couples were mixed in among a crowd that looked to be primarily Boomer-age. Servers were attentive and engaged — ours offered us an impromptu Spanish lesson. When one of our party knocked over a glass, three staffers sprang into action and our server brought us a new beer free of charge. Even better, she informed the table next to ours, who sat down at 5:30 p.m., that happy hour would be ending in half an hour.