What makes a good Happy Hour? Well, without getting too philosophical over the concept of “happiness," there’s usually a combination of good drinks, good food, and good deals. But what separates a good Happy Hour from a great one is the quality of those drinks, food, and deals. From all-day oyster specials, beach bars, and $8 glasses of wine served every single night—these are the 20 best Happy Hour deals in LA right now.
THE SPOTS
When: Mon, 4-9pm; Tues-Fri, 4pm-6pm
The Deal: $5 Draft Beer; $7 Wine; $2 Off All Appetizers, $4 Off Select Entrees
This kitschy, Hawaiian-themed restaurant on PCH is a quintessential hang in Malibu. Come by any day of the week and you’ll find a bunch of locals taking up residence at the bar overlooking the Pacific. In fact, you'll want to join them, because that's the only section of the restaurant where you can do Happy Hour.
When: Wed-Fri, 3pm-Sunset
The Deal: Buy One, Get One Free Cocktails
The Waterfront excels in two areas: margaritas (specifically a tart calamansi version) and outdoor seating. This beach bar sits about 200 feet from the coastline and there's plenty of space for big groups, so keep it in mind the next time you want to watch the sunset with friends from the comfort of a cabana chair. The post-work crowd typically has more tech bros than a hip-hop yoga class, but this is Venice—they come with the territory.
When: Mon-Fri, 4-6pm
The Deal: 50% Off All Wine; $7 Beer; $8-10 Cocktails
From the outside, The Independence looks a lot like the countless other American bar and grills that line downtown Santa Monica. But it’s better than the rest. Expect solid food and cocktails, an open space that works well for last-minute group hangs, and a Broadway location that’s probably only a few blocks away from your downtown office.
When: Mon-Fri, 3-6pm
The Deal: $11 Cocktails; $10 House Mezcal; $9 House Tequila
With locations in Torrance, Culver City, and West Hollywood, you’re never too far from Madre. This Oaxacan restaurant serves everything from mole to pozole in a casual room with a huge mezcal collection. While we certainly support getting involved with a frozen tequila sunrise on a 90-degree day, the margarita with mezcal joven is our go-to order. The sweet and spicy notes from red chile liqueur and agave balance out the smokiness.
When: Mon-Fri, 3-6pm
The Deal: $2 Off Cocktails; $5 Well Drinks; $5 Beer; $2 Oysters
LA has old-school dives and tiki bars. And, somehow, Bamboo Club combines the best of both. You can sip a mai tai next to a small waterfall and bamboo walls, but you can also drink a beer and play pool. Come for live music on the parking lot patio that feels like a laid-back luau for Long Beach locals.
When: Mon-Fri, 12-6pm
The Deal: $7.50 Select Beer; $11 Fish & Chips; $7.50 Bratwurst Hot Dogs; $8 Pretzels
Red Lion’s Bavarian theme isn’t exactly what you’d call subtle, but it’s the right kind of environment for casual bar hangs with old and new friends. This Silver Lake beer garden is a great place to sit outside, drink from a stein, and snack on a sausage platter. If the patio gets too crowded, head inside to the dark downstairs lounge and watch a regular croon at the piano for a few hours.
When: Mon, 4-6pm, Tues-Fri, 3-6pm
The Deal: $6 Well Drinks; $7 Wine; $14 Beer Flights
We feel confident saying everyone in your group will like The Fat Dog. This massive outdoor space in the heart of the Arts District has a huge craft beer list, a bar food menu with Swedish meatballs, and a dog-friendly patio that fills up around 5pm. If you’re looking for a place you can go with coworkers, castmates, or by yourself for a buffalo chicken wrap after work, The Fat Dog works especially well. It doesn’t have the best food in North Hollywood, but it’s useful as a gathering spot. The entire neighborhood tends to end up here on a nightly basis.
When: Mon-Sun, 3-8pm
The Deal: $7 Well Drinks; $4 PBR; Free Tacos On Tuesdays
La Cuevita (formerly known as Little Cave) is a dark Highland Park bar with skull heads lining the shelves and colorful papel picado hanging from the wooden beams above. If you'd rather be in the sunshine drinking margaritas, though, head outside to their back patio. There are a few tiny nooks for your group to take over and free tacos on Tuesdays between 9-11pm.
When: Mon-Fri, 3-6pm
The Deal: $12 Cocktails; $5 Beer; $5 Wine
Broken Shaker's twinkly-lit poolside patio is exactly what you might picture when the words “Los Angeles rooftop bar” pop into your head. Located at the very top of the Freehand Hotel in Downtown LA, this is one of the few downtown spots with unobstructed views of the city skyline. Weekdays are pretty tame, but on weekends, prepare to see hoards of people posing in front of the pool and enough animal floaties to populate Noah’s Ark.
When: Mon-Sun, 3-8pm
The Deal: $9-10 Cocktails; $8 Wine; $4 Beer; $18 Half-Dozen Oysters
You don’t need to plan a full meal at Atrium, but if you’re in Los Feliz and looking to slurp down oysters while celebrating the end of your vicious Saturn return, you’ll have a great time.
When: Tues-Sun, 4-6pm
The Deal: $10 Cocktails; $6-7 Beer; $8 Wine; $6 Mystery Shot
ERB is one of those almost-mythical places that gets everything right. This Arts District spot makes good cocktails and bar food that’ll change the way you think about bar food—we're mostly talking about their burger. Hang out in their backyard with friends for an ideal Friday night.
When: Mon-Fri, 4-6pm
The Deal: $8 Select Wine; $5 Select Beer; $12 Cheese Board
This under-the-radar wine bar isn't the first thing that comes to mind for post-work drinks in Echo Park, but that's the reason we love it. The dark, narrow space is so stripped-down it looks like it's under construction, yet somehow the mood is always right. Weekdays usually feature chill regulars drinking wine and beer and snacking on olives and cheese.
When: Mon-Thurs, 5-6:30pm
The Deal: $5 House Cocktails; $5 Beer; $6 Wine; $8 Wings
Maple Block is an excellent barbecue restaurant in Culver City known for its brisket, spare ribs, smoked pork belly, and a pimento cheese sandwich we’d gladly drive across town in bumper-to-bumper traffic to eat. But the bar is also a great place to drink a beer and try some of the best chicken on the Westside—these hefty, smoky wings will help you realize that most versions at Happy Hour spots across LA don’t have any meat on them at all.
When: Mon-Sun, 6-8pm
The Deal: $12 House Cocktails; $7 Bartender’s Choice
Imagine a dark, cramped, and moody scene. Picture well-dressed people drinking boulevardiers and discussing experimental theater. No, you aren’t on the Lower East Side or Canal Saint-Martin, you’re at The Normandie Club, one of our favorite cocktail bars in Koreatown. It’s a great first stop before a big night out or for a weeknight 50/50 martini in a sexy little booth.
When: Mon-Sun, 3-7pm
The Deal: $5 Well Drinks; $8 House Cocktails; $10 Martinis; $10 Bar Snacks
There are tons of queer spaces in Weho where you can get a cheap drink around 5pm, but our favorite of the bunch is Stache. The restaurant/bar/performance space has fun programming throughout the week, including bearded lady cabarets, Drag Race viewing parties, and nightly DJs. If you’re looking for a weeknight patio party, drop by for Taco Tuesday and share a margarita pitcher while Dua Lipa blasts in the background.
When: Sun-Fri 5-8pm; Sat 2-8pm
The Deal: $7 Well Drinks; $5 Select Beers
This Chinatown spot is hard to neatly categorize, but it’s somewhere in between a dive bar and a cocktail spot. Bring a date who might want to do some canoodling under a paper lantern. They’ve got a bunch of cocktails under $20, an extensive list of craft beers, and nightly DJs who play whatever mix of tropical house, Latin trap, future beats, soul, or funk they feel like getting into that night.
When: Daily, 4-5pm
The Deal: $9 Cocktails; $4 Wines; $5 Select Beers
Electric Owl is one of the cooler spots on Sunset—it’s mostly outdoors, and it feels like a vintage train station where drinking is heavily encouraged. Come specifically to drink cocktails (their spicy mezcal is a real standout). And know the sweet pea salad and white pizza are both ideal for washing down all those post-work drinks.
When: Sun-Fri, 3-6pm; Saturday, 1-6pm
The Deal: $7 Cocktails; $7 Wines; $2 Off All Beers
Plain and simple, Idle Hour is the best cocktail bar in the Valley right now. After three decades of decay, somebody who knew exactly what they were doing bought this 90-year-old icon and turned it into a complete destination bar. Great drinks, a patio with a giant bulldog statue, and the kind of laid-back crowd you simply can’t get on the other side of the hills.
When: Mon-Thurs, 5-7pm; Friday, 4-7pm
The Deal: $2 Off All Cocktails & Dishes; $8 Wine & Sangria; $5 Beer
This wine bar mini-chain (with locations in Silver Lake, West Adams, Glendale, and more neighborhoods across LA) has huge trees growing out of the middle of its Mid-City dining room with lights hanging from every branch. So if you want to eat tapas and drink sangria in a place that feels a bit like Tinkerbell’s living room, you've found it.
When: Daily, 4-6pm
The Deal: $8 House Wines, $5 beers
Tabula Rasa in Thai Town is really just a stripped-down place to drink beer, sake, and wine on a Tuesday. That said, the tiny space is still warm and welcoming, and aside from live jazz nights on the last Sunday of the month, the place usually stays quiet. They have a huge wine list, and a good Cubano in case you get hungry.
