Here’s the plan. Every morning, wake up five minutes earlier. Get to the point where you’re waking up at 4am. That way, when you get out of work you can hit up a bar and drink until bedtime. In your case, 8pm.
Of course that’s only one way to enjoy happy hour. You could always just wake up at a normal time, and enjoy the very same benefits. You just won’t feel as hardcore. Here are the best happy hours in Brooklyn, organized by neighborhood and fact-checked by us. Go get ’em.
Williamsburg
When: Weekdays, 4-7pm; Sat-Sun, 3-7pm
The Deal: $2 off Drinks; $3 Beer
The Commodore is a divey Williamsburg bar that does certain things very well. The fried chicken for example, and the house piña colada. Hit up this happy hour when you want to hang out in a dark room with greasy food and a bunch of young people.
When: Weekdays, 5:30-7pm
The Deal: $5 Burger; $5 Old Fashioned
Rye’s ground floor is a restaurant with an antique saloon vibe. Downstairs, there’s a long narrow bar that’s perfect for a date with a vampire or a very pale person. Be sure to drink some whiskey and eat a burger (or a meatloaf sandwich) before you leave here.
When: Daily, 5-8pm
The Deal: $6 Cocktails; $6 Frozen Margaritas; $4 Beers
When it’s cold outside, hang out in the downstairs room that feels like an opium den (in a good way). In the summertime, head to the roof and drink frozen margaritas as you listen to the majestic hum of the BQE.
Donna
27 Broadway
When: Weekdays, 5-8pm
The Deal: $4 Draft Beers; $8 Draft Cocktails & Slushies; $10 Draft Beer + Taco Plate; $10 Draft Cocktail + Taco Plate
The ceilings here are high, and the inside is bright and attractive. If you stop by during happy hour, there might be a man in a beard playing a stringed instrument in the corner. The vibes at Donna are reliably mellow, and the cocktail list is huge. Get something on tap, like the Milano Vice (slushy negroni + piña colada).
When: Daily, till 7:30
The Deal: $7 Wine; $25 Bottles Of Wine; Reduced Price Cocktail Of The Day
You feel good at Lighthouse. There’s something about the big windows, the friendly service, and the food that’s mostly healthy. We suggest you order a salad then get ripped on happy hour wine. When you’re good and drunk, get a burger.
Trophy Bar
351 Broadway
When: Daily, 4-8pm
The Deal: $6 Cheeseburger, Veggie Burger, & Grilled Cheese; $6 Margarita, Frozen Margarita, Sangria, & Bloody Mary; $5 Wine, Well Drinks, & Draft Beer
Trophy Bar checks off all requirements of a good happy hour spot. Feel-good vibes? Check. Cheap drinks? Check. Burger for when you get tipsy? Check. Patio to hold onto summer for dear life? Check.
Fresh Kills Bar
161 Grand StWhen: Sun-Thurs, 5-7pm
The Deal: $9 Select Cocktails; $5 Rose; $5 Select Beer
Easily one of the best cocktail bars in Williamsburg, this new spot from the Dutch Kills people is a good place to ask for a dealer’s choice. Trust in your bartenders, and they will supply a beverage so good you’ll wish that the inside of your mouth tasted like that always,
Soft Spot Bar
128 Bedford Ave
When: Mon, Wed-Sun, till 8pm; Tues till 2am
The Deal: 2 for 1 Well Drinks and Draft Beers
The Soft Spot is a normal, narrow bar on Bedford where you can nurse a drink and hang out for hours. It’s a nice place to hide from friends, or the world, or a bunch of wolves. We won’t ask why a bunch of wolves are chasing you, but you should hide in the backyard.
When: Daily, 5-8pm
The Deal: $6 Glasses of Wine; $25 Bottles of Wine; $5 Beers; $1 Oysters All Night
Pinkerton is a neighborhood spot with a small bar, some high tables, and seating outside when the weather is nice. Get a bottle of wine and order some oysters. All night, every night, they’re only a dollar each. We wouldn’t say Pinkerton is trendy, but it’s ideal for a low-key night out.
Battery Harris
64 Frost St
When: Weekdays, 4-7pm
The Deal: $3 Drafts; $3 Tacos; $10 Draft Beer + Burger or Sandwich
At night, this is pretty much a club. Loud music, excessive drinking, lines for the bathroom, the works. If that’s what you’re looking for, great. But if you want some of their Caribbean food and a frozen dark and stormy without the hassle of wondering if you’re gonna get vomited on, try Battery Harris during happy hour. The backyard is a winner.
greenpoint
When: Daily, till 8pm
The Deal: $8 Old Fashioned & Sazerac; $5 Drafts; $5 Glasses of Wine
Ramona has earned its place as our favorite cocktail spot in Greenpoint for several reasons: its beautiful, giant space, its excellent drinks, and its proximity to Paulie Gee’s. Another big reason? Ramona’s happy hour, when some of their expertly-made classic cocktails are on special.
When: Daily, 4-8pm
The Deal: $3 Drafts; $5 Specialty Cocktails
Think of a nice pub - that’s The Black Rabbit. It wouldn’t look out of place in a small English town, and there’s even a little backyard. On Tuesdays, there’s trivia, and, if you get there before 8pm, you can prep your brain with a happy hour cocktail.
Bar Matchless
557 Manhattan Ave
When: Mon, Wed-Fri,5-8pm; Tues, 5-2am
The Deal: 2 for 1 Well Drinks and Select Drafts
Matchless is a big divey bar on a corner just above McCarren Park. The patrons are mostly younger, and most nights there’s a show going on in the back or some (heavy metal) karaoke happening out front. Happy hour is cheap, and it’s a good option if you’re thinking about getting dinner in Greenpoint.
Bushwick
When: Weekdays, 2-8pm; Weekends, 12-6pm
The Deal: $1 off Drafts, Well Drinks, and Glasses of Wine
It might not sound like a huge discount, but that’s a pretty long happy hour. And drinks aren’t pricey to begin with. Plus, get a beer and shot combo for six bucks, and you’re good to go. Three Diamond Door is an essential Bushwick bar that takes itself the perfect amount of seriously, and we think that in order to find yourself, you have to lose yourself here one night.
When: Weekdays, 12-8pm; Sunday, All Day
The Deal: $4 Well Drinks; $5 Glasses of Wine; $1 Off 20 oz. Beers
If you’re with a big group or you want to sit outside (or both), The Rookery is a fine choice. Stop by before 8pm on weekdays for cheap drinks and Caribbean-style pub food. Happy hour goes all day Sunday, so this is obviously where you want to go with your brunch bachelorette party.
When: Daily, 5-8
The Deal: 2 for 1 Well Drinks; 2 for 1 Narragansett and Rolling Rock; $1 off Everything Else
Duck Duck is one of those places where everyone always seems to actually be enjoying themselves. It’s divey, but not gross, and the perfect spot for anything from a casual date to late-night dancing to old-school hip hop. And it’s especially perfect for happy hour, when deals abound and the already-cheap drinks are even cheaper.
Prospect Heights / Crown heights
Hot Bird
546 Clinton Ave.
When: Daily, 5-8pm
The Deal: $4 Drafts; $1 Off Well Drinks; $15 Draft Pitchers
Situated in between Crown Heights, Prospect Park, and Clinton Hill, Hot Bird is the ideal meeting spot for all your friends who refuse to go too far from their respective South Brooklyn neighborhoods. And with its giant outdoor space, there’s plenty of room for 20 of you.
When: Daily, 3-8pm
The Deal: $4.50 Well Drinks; $1 Off Drafts; $1 Off Glasses of Wine
King Tai feels like you’ve gone from the middle of Crown Heights to Miami Beach as soon as you walk through the door. And while the neighborhood crowd & consistently good music is great any time of day, Happy Hour is an especially great time to take advantage of the light, bright, whitewashed space. All that’s missing is a bucket hat and a cigar.
Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill/Carroll Gardens
When: Weekdays, 4-7pm
The Deal: $7 Cocktails; $6 Glasses of Wine; $4 Beers; Food Specials
Fact: fancy cocktails taste even better when they’re cheaper. And that’s especially the case at a place like Clover Club, which has been serving pricey, excellent cocktails in Brooklyn for longer than just about anyone. The drinks might be fancy, but the atmosphere is comfortable - think couches, red brick, and roomy bar stools with backs (for the record, yes, you know you’re getting old when you notice a bar stool has a back).
