Has this ever happened to you?

You get a text from your best friend over lunch saying "Hey, whatchya doing after work?"

You respond, "going to the gym, duh." No, really, you have to go to they gym, stop by Schnucks to pick up dinner on your way home, make a detour to Beef-a-Roo because you knew you'd be too lazy to cook said dinner; followed by some work emails to follow up on.

For some reason they never believe you or they don't care and for some unknown reason, they always manage to talk you out of it by saying, "Oh, c'mon, just meet me at so and so bar for one drink."

There they said it, those magic words, "just one drink." We all know that it's never just one drink, the faster the shots go down, so does the sun; especially if you're stopping by one of these bars for happy hour, a midday patio jam session or a Sunday Funday.

I give you, the five Rockford bars where day drinking always turns to night drinking.

  • Tad's on the Rock via Facebook
    Tad's on the Rock via Facebook
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    Tad's on the Rock

    On a beautiful Sunday afternoon you can expect to stop by Tad's for music on the patio from 2-6 and end up having a conversation at midnight about wishing you had Monday off. Whoops. Time flies when you're having fun.

  • Neighbors Bar and Grill via Facebook
    Neighbors Bar and Grill via Facebook
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    Neighbors Bar and Grill

    It's Friday, you just got paid; but between the stiff drinks, bean bag toss (or corn hole), the band and the random guy playing harmonica, you spend your entire paycheck by bar close. Hey, it's not your fault you had no idea Jefferson Whitington was going to bring the house down.

  • Mandy James, TSM
    Mandy James, TSM
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    Shooters North at Forest Hills Lanes

    You thought you were just going to stop by to watch one softball game or play a few rounds of volleyball, but next thing you know, your teammate isn't the only one that's setting; so is the sun.

  • Mustangs Bar and Grill via Facebook
    Mustangs Bar and Grill via Facebook
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    Mustangs Bar and Grill

    Have you ever been to Mustangs in South Beloit? It's awesome. Midday margaritas and live music easily turns into an all-nighter as you sit on the patio playing giant jenga, toss bags in the backyard, beat someone at ping pong and watch beach volleyball.

  • Crazy Times Pub and Grub via Facebook
    Crazy Times Pub and Grub via Facebook
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    Crazy Times Pub & Grub

    This is a new personal favorite of mine. Reluctantly, I went there on my birthday (it was a Sunday and I knew people would encourage me to drink and I had to work the next day) but after a drink or two I didn't want to leave. The drinks are cheap and stiff, the staff is very nice and the people are what make it the most entertaining. You hang around just to see what the regulars are going to do next.

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