Night Watch is a regular feature about bars and clubs by nightlife columnist Tara Nieuwesteeg. 
Porterhouse Bar & Grill
201 SW 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale
954-522-1253
There are very few locations on Himmarshee Street acceptable to bring a date that you still have to impress (i.e., haven't yet slept with).
But Porterhouse gets the Night Watch stamp of approval. Why? It boasts low, sexy lighting, glowing candles, heavy red curtains, wall sconces, gold-rimmed mirrors, velvet ropes outside the door (bonus points for feigned exclusivity), leather seats, and fancy glasses.
More importantly, it has 3-for-1 cocktails (beers, house wines, and call-it wells) Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Eager to cut to the chase, I summoned the blond, slender bartender. She had heavy eyeliner and was decked out in a form-fitting, all-black ensemble.
"Say one needed a place to bring a date, get him trashed, and take advantage of him..." I began.
"We have 3-for-1 drinks, so I'd say this is a good place for that," she said wryly.
"Does that ever happen here?" I said innocently.
"As a responsible bartender, I can't divulge that," she said. "But, they're full-sized drinks. Three drinks will inebriate some people, but others might need more."
"How about him?" I pointed at burly Beard, who was using the stir-straw in his drink to eviscerate a cherry.
"He might need a few more," she said wryly.
"You'd be done after one," Beard snapped at me.
We would see about that, I retorted.
Considering that I don't recall much of what happened next, I have to give it up for Beard: he called it.
