Baker St. Pub & Grill, the Sherlock Holmes-themed pub in the heart of Belmar, is a place that folks seem to either love or hate. From my experience, it all depends on when you visit.

Baker St. ‘s curse is its popularity. With the considerable outcroppings of condos in the area, it attracts a hefty after-work crowd, most of whom resemble the young professionals living close by. While the pub is by no means small—the main bar has plenty of barstools, and there are a good amount of booths and tables throughout the main room—hitting Baker St. on a Friday or Saturday evening can easily mean standing-room only.

I opted for a quieter time on a recent visit: 3 p.m. on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. (The big windows keep the bar bright and warm, even during chillier winter days.) With a generous happy hour that starts at 2 p.m., I thought I’d beat the rush to see if the bar ever clears out.

And it did. A few older regulars hung around the bar, and more than three servers checked in to make sure we had fresh beers. As the afternoon turned into early evening, the bar quickly began to fill, which was my cue to finish my pint and move on.

Happy hour runs 2 to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and all day on Sundays. Domestic drafts are $2, and domestic pitchers are $7. Select drafts (like Deschutes’ Black Butte Porter and the Baker Street Brown) are $2.75, and select pitchers are $8. House wine is $2.25, and select call drinks are $2.25-$2.75.

7260 W. Alaska Dr., Lakewood, 303-953-5510