Perhaps the best way to describe the bar food at Señor Moose is to tell you what it's not — Tex-Mex.

Located off the hip strip of Ballard Avenue Northwest, the salmon-hued corner joint gets its culinary inspiration from Central Mexico and other regions.

In lieu of happy-hour nachos there are chilaquiles, chips drenched in hot sauce tamed with Cotija cheese, crème and cubes of tomato, a Mexican breakfast staple retooled as bar food.

But the best chips here are unadorned. Señor Moose chips are like no where else, all made to order, delivered hot, flaky and crispy to your table. Five minutes or 15 minutes, the wait will be worth it. It has spoiled many appetites before dinner.

Ballard has become a happening happy-hour hood with all the hipster hangouts and rejiggered drink menus to flex their craft-cocktail cred.

But you know what? Señor Moose's happy hour is still one of the best-kept secrets in Ballard. It rewards those who venture off the hip barhopping strip to its back bar. The $5 happy-hour margaritas here would cost you a few bucks more two blocks over.

The shredded-beef tacos (three for $5) are a notch better than your average taco truck. (The dry chicken tacos, ehh, were not.)

Tortillas get adorned with the traditional mole Negro or smoky black-bean sauce or stuffed with potatoes and deep fried.

But do like the regulars. Order a plate of sautéed corn cut off the cob, with crème, Cotija cheese and hints of epazote, a pungent herb, a taste of Mexico City. Get a bowl of fresh, hot chips. Scoop with guacamole. Crunch.

Señor Moose, 5242 Leary Ave. N.W., offers happy hour 4:30-6 p.m. Monday- Thursday with $5 bar food and $5 margaritas and other tequila cocktails, sangria and wine (206-784-5568 or senormoose.com).

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com. On Twitter @tanvinhseattle.