Work & Class

"The happy hour menu at Work & Class is almost as much fun to read as it is to order from: Labeled the “Early Work Release Program,” it’s emblazoned with cheekily cranky slogans like “Happiness is overrated” and “Life’s an illusion, love is a dream.” But it’s the creativity of the $7 to $9 seasonal bites offered from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday that really seals the deal, be it chicken pot pie in chipotle gravy, lamb pozole negro, or corn- and cheese-stuffed poblanos in smoky tomato sauce. Pair the plates with $5 draft beers, wines by the glass for $2 off, or $11 house cocktails that feature your choice of spirit and mixer (vodka with cucumber-mint lemonade, for example)." - Ruth Tobias, Gigi Sukin, Eater Staff

"Perhaps the best description of the vibe at this soulful Latin/American spot is that it’s the kind of place that has five beer-and-a-shot deals. So yes, things get loud, but there’s a lot of concrete for all that noise to bounce off of. You’re here for a quick and casual meal made up of one (or more) of their meats sold by the quarter, half, and full pound. Go with the slow-braised achiote-tinged cochinita pibil (if they have it), but don’t overlook the not-so-basic lemon pepper brown butter rotisserie chicken." - allyson reedy

"There’s no place quite like this beloved neighborhood anchor, where Mexican, Midwestern, and Deep Southern influences mingle on a menu overseen by the inimitable Dana Rodriguez. Housed in a renovated shipping container, the dining room begins to fill up the moment the doors open with crowds digging into coriander-roasted lamb, carnitas in habanero barbecue sauce, Cajun-style deep-fried trout, and other centerpiece meats, supplemented by everything from blue-corn empanadas to smoked-gouda mac-and-cheese. The drink list is equally down to earth, centered on mix-and-match highballs, quirky boilermakers, and well-priced wines by the glass or bottle." - Eater Staff, Ruth Tobias

"There’s no place quite like this beloved neighborhood anchor, where Mexican, Midwestern, and Deep Southern influences mingle on a menu overseen by the inimitable Dana Rodriguez. Housed in a renovated shipping container, the dining room begins to fill up the moment the doors open with crowds digging into coriander-roasted lamb, carnitas in habanero barbecue sauce, Cajun-style deep-fried trout, and other centerpiece meats, supplemented by everything from blue-corn empanadas to smoked-gouda mac-and-cheese. The drink list is equally down to earth, centered on mix-and-match highballs, quirky boilermakers, and well-priced wines by the glass or bottle." - Eater Staff, Ruth Tobias

"“A square meal and a stiff drink at a fair price.” That’s been the tagline of Work & Class since day one, and chef-owner Dana Rodriguez (along with her now-retired partner, Tony Maciag) has been living up to it with gusto ever since. The "square meal" part takes shape in the vibrant Mexican-meets–heartland American menu, which is centered on meats by the pound; the "stiff drink" part manifests in a creative-yet-unfussy beverage list. As for the "fair price" part: Even heavy eaters and drinkers might struggle to drop much more than $50 apiece. Rodriguez's centerpiece selection of à la carte meats changes a little from time to time; brisket marinated in whiskey and Coke one day might morph into red wine–braised short ribs the next. But to remove the lemon–brown butter chicken or coriander-roasted lamb would be to rip out the beating heart of the menu. So don’t be shy—get some of each, along with housemade tortillas for scoops." - Ruth Tobias