43 Happy Hour Hot Spots Worth Leaving Work Early For

A good drink doesn't come cheap most places. Except during happy hour, when two-for-one specials and savings on wine, beer, cocktails, and food make it easy to buy a round for your friends or even pick up the tab if you're feeling flush. These bars earn rave reviews for their great happy hours from patrons on social media and food critics alike. You'll notice a few states are missing. That's because happy hour — selling booze at a discount in order to entice customers — is illegal in eight states. In July, Virginia legalized happy hour after more than 30 years of banning the practice.

Related: 39 Hole-in-the-Wall Bars That Have Survived the Decades

Mobile, Alabama
The view of Mobile Bay from this restaurant, located on the 34th floor of the Trustmark Building, is the star attraction here (the food ain't bad, either). And it's a darn good place to enjoy happy hour (weekdays, 3 to 6:30 p.m.), as long as you don't mind sitting at the adjacent Bar 424. Knock back a few beef tenderloin sliders for just $2 each or try the crab cake sandwich for $8. Glasses and bottles of wine are half off (up to $100!), cocktails are $6, and all beers are $4 or less. Dauphin's earns solid reviews on Yelp for its happy hour. As one reviewer put it, the restaurant is a "prime example of a place that seems like it would be intimidating but is extremely comfortable.

Related: 30 Best Bars With a View Across the U.S.

Phoenix, Arizona
You have to enjoy the irony of a cocktail bar located in the same building that once housed Arizona's Prohibition Department. Yelp reviewers sure do. Food Network named Bitter & Twisted one of their 40 Best Bars in America for Food Lovers in 2016, and it's a regular on local best-of lists year in and year out. Happy hour runs from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, when you'll find "thrifty cocktails," margaritas, and mojitos for $6.50, plus discounted well drinks and beer. Or try one of their discounted appetizers, like the buffalo cauliflower.

Little Rock, Arkansas
With two locations in Arkansas' capital city, you've got two chances to enjoy the happy hour specials at The Pantry — twice a day! From 4 to 6 p.m. and again from 10 p.m. til midnight, you'll find discounts on select appetizers (the bacon-wrapped dates get raves from Yelpers) and alcoholic beverages. Even better, the Crest location has happy hour all day Mondays.

Los Angeles, California
This beloved downtown dive is known for its bloody marys, margaritas, and daily happy hour specials until 7 p.m. La Cita also runs daily happy hour specials that last from 2 to 9 p.m. with a good dose of music to wash it all down: oldies on Monday, hip-hop on Wednesday, "angry hour" punk rock on Friday. (And dancing is definitely encouraged).

Related: The Best of California For Budget Vacations

Denver, Colorado
This old-school restaurant and bar located on the fringe of Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood boasts two daily happy hours: 4 to 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Both feature two-for-one well drinks, house wine, and domestic beer for the first round of drinks. When the weather's nice, sit outside!

Fairfield, Connecticut
This casual-dining restaurant features classic American food in an elegant atmosphere. During the daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., look for two-for-one drink specials on draft beer, house wine, and well liquor, as well as $1 sliders and $5 flatbread pizza. There's free live music Fridays and Saturdays starting at 10 p.m.

Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington's Columbus Inn has been a landmark for more than 60 years, and its happy hour earns kudos from critics and patrons alike. Happy hour is as easy as 1, 2, 3, weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays 5 to 6:30 p.m. Treat yourself to $3 off signature cocktails, $2 off house wine, and $1 off draft beer. Not in the drinking mood? Get your snack on with appetizers that range from $3 to $9, including wings, oysters, shrimp, salad, and pizza.

Miami, Florida
This chic eatery has been wowing 'em for nearly a decade, earning accolades from the Miami Herald, Eater, and the James Beard Foundation for signature dishes like duck and waffles and cocktails including the lychee kiss. Happy hour strikes twice on weeknights and again late on Sunday, when cocktails and wine are just $7 each, and you can nosh on sushi rolls or yakitori chicken skewers for $7 (plus lighter bites, too, and oysters on the half shell, of course).

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Savannah, Georgia
It can get downright sultry in Savannah, but you don't need to use the weather as an excuse to drop in at The Ordinary Pub for happy hour. Get happy twice daily (3 to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close) Monday through Saturday. The big attraction, literally, is the pub's selection of a half-dozen different mule cocktails. Single servings are $5 or bring a friend or three and order one of their giant 96-ounce mules for $25. You'll want to offset that booze with some food, and Ordinary Pub's got some decadent Southern bites. Try the poached salmon & crab spread for $9 or "duck bread" (shredded breast, avocado, and picked Italian veggies on toasted baguette). More than 1,000 Yelpers can't be wrong.

Kauai, Hawaii
When you're in the middle of paradise, do you really need happy hour to make things better? Yes, you do, especially when that daily happy time comes with an open-air view of the ocean. Happy hour is 3 to 5 p.m. daily, with a modest selection of $3 beer and $7 wine, plus light bites such as avocado croquettes for $5 or something more hearty like the $16 angus burger (the baked brie cheese also earns raves.)

Boise, Idaho
For almost 25 years, the Bitter Creek Alehouse has served regional beers and locally grown food to its Boise clientele. And folks have returned the love, with solid Yelp reviews for the Alehouse's two happy hours. On weekdays, you can enjoy "low power" happy hour from 3:30 to 5 p.m. or the late-night version from 10 p.m. to midnight (until 1:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays). Sample local wine ($5) or Boise-area beer ($4) while you nosh on $2 pork tacos or fill up on $5 poutine (it is Idaho, after all) that Yelpers have called everything from "incredible" to "out of this world."

Related: 17 Cheap American Beers That Locals Love

Chicago, Illinois
From 1989 until 2015, you couldn't find a happy hour in Chicago — or anywhere in Illinois, for that matter — because such drink specials were illegal. Happy days (and hours) are here again, and Estelle's Cafe and Lounge in Chicago's Buckhead neighborhood is a fine place to get your drink on. Eater names it to their list of "essential" happy hours for their daily half-price deals on everything but food and shots. You'll also find half-price burgers on Monday, $6 grilled cheese on Wednesday, $5 quesadillas on Thursday, and 99 hard-rockin' tunes on the jukebox every day of the year.

Des Moines, Iowa
Traditional French cuisine without the "haute" attitude. Guests can enjoy $5 wine, beer, and martinis, plus food specials on weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Try the $1.50 oysters or duck-fat fried potatoes. On Tuesdays, happy hour extends to 10 p.m. With a regular calendar of seasonal events, Django is a go-to for celebrations throughout the year.

Manhattan, Kansas
This tiny town in the middle of Kansas is known for a few things: Kansas State University, a thriving craft beer scene, and restaurants like Bourbon & Baker. This bakery/restaurant/bar hybrid knows how to stretch happy hour out (2 to 6 p.m., Sunday to Friday). You'll find draft beer and choice cocktails on tap for just $3.50, and wine on tap for $6, as well as select half-price appetizers like stuffed pequillo peppers, deviled eggs, and truffle-oil popcorn. Hint: Get there early; this tiny place fills up fast, according to reviewers.

Louisville, Kentucky
This beloved Louisville pool room and bar is home to what many consider the area's best happy hour. From 4 to 8 p.m. daily, imbibers can take advantage of discounts on pitchers of domestic beer and a different additional drink special nightly. A late-night comfort food menu includes options such as hot pepper cheese balls, wings, and nachos.

New Orleans, Louisiana
A sweeping take on the tiki bar, Latitude 29 by Beachbum Berry offers a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. It's a great way to try real tiki drinks for $7 a pop, plus food specials starting at $3. Try the Molokai Mishap or the punch of the day while snacking on macaroni salad and bahn mi sandwiches.

Portland, Maine
Bartenders at this Irish pub are friendly and fierce and expect mutual respect from the patrons, Yelp reviewers say. Happy hour is daily from noon to 6 p.m. and features $2 off everything. Self-described as an "Irish-ish" pub, the vibe is decidedly friendly, welcoming, and laid back. Its list of 30 whiskies is a plus for whisky nerds.

Related: 20 Best Whiskeys Under $50

Baltimore, Maryland
Since 1996, The Brewer's Art has been making a name for its house-brewed beer and accompanying small plates and entrees. It's housed in an elegant turn-of-the-century townhouse in Baltimore's Mt. Vernon neighborhood. Foursquare ranks it the No. 1 brewery in the city, and it's also made it on best-of lists from Esquire and Draft magazines. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Friday, 4 p.m. to close on Sundays and Mondays. Choose a $4 pour of one of their home brews, such as the Resurrection brown ale and Birdhouse, a Belgian pale ale.

Detroit, Michigan
Roast may tout itself as "Detroit's best steakhouse," but the happy hour at their bar isn't too shabby, either. Drink specials begin at 4 p.m. and the half-off bar menu appears 30 minutes later. Eat, drink, and make merry until 6:30 p.m. weekdays, with $4 beer and $5 well drinks and select wine, plus their signature Roast burger for just $6, as well as tacos, meatballs, mussels, and more.

Related: Where To Find Great Cheap Steak in Every State

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Located in Uptown, Stella's offers daily happy hour specials (twice daily Sunday through Thursday), although hours vary. Specials include super cheap seafood and buy-one-get-one-for-$1 draft beer, house wine, and well drinks. Seasonal events and weekly food specials such as Oyster Friday are a can't-miss for seafood lovers.

Jackson, Mississippi
The Manship's Mediterranean-Meets-New-American menu and Wine Spectator award-winning bar make it a no-brainer for weeknight happy hours in Jackson. Select cocktails and wine are $5, all beer is $2 off, and pizzas — the star attraction, according to Yelpers — are 50% off as well. And if all that isn't enough to tempt you, The Manship also boasts the largest collection of bourbons in the state.

St. Louis, Missouri
You may feel differently about Mondays knowing that it's all-day happy hour at this St. Louis gastropub in the city's historic Central West End. Quiet those late-afternoon munchies with one of six appetizers for $6, including fried risotto balls stuffed with andouille sausage, bacon, havarti, and mozarella. Alongside the usual specials on draft beer, house wine, and well drinks, you'll also find a couple signature cocktails, too. The Easter Pink, made with two kinds of rum, coconut, spice, and citrus, will have you retreating into a happy haze for a mere $9. And if Monday isn't enough, Retreat does it all again from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Billings, Montana
Look for $1 off beers, $2 off wine, and $3 mixed drinks weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but also $2.50 domestic beers all day on weekends. A thoughtful selection of rotating taps and occasional live music make this a relaxed place for a good time.

Omaha, Nebraska
A favorite for Mexican food and margaritas, Roja Grill has happy hour specials Monday to Saturday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Drink highlights include $4.50 margaritas, $2.50 and $3 draft beers, and $3.50 house wine, and you can enjoy Fajita Frenzy Wednesdays and Margarita Mondays.

Las Vegas, Nevada
This lively kitchen and bar offers happy hour at three locations from noon to 6 p.m. weekdays. Specials include half-price well drinks, $2 beer, and $4 select top-shelf liquor. Karaoke is free with a two-drink minimum, which is the best way to enjoy karaoke. If singing in front of strangers isn't your thing, you can also test your luck at their slot machines.

Related: 36 Free and Cheap Things to Do in Las Vegas

Manchester, New Hampshire
This dive bar offers two daily happy hours: weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m., and again 10 p.m. until close. Mondays are extra-special because starting at 9 p.m. all drinks are half off until close. Not bad! Add to this nightly karaoke and daily specials on food like burgers, mac and cheese, or buffalo chicken potato strips.

Jersey City, New Jersey
While most foodies and drink devotees have been fawning over Brooklyn and Queens, locals in the know have been sneaking across the Hudson River to Jersey City. Over the past decade, establishments like The Hamilton Inn have been part of this city's burgeoning restaurant scene. Weekdays, you can score $5 drafts and $6 wine from noon until 7 p.m., as well as some great food deals (those $6 burgers on Tuesdays have Yelpers saying yum). Sundays from 5 p.m. til close, wine bottles are half off.

Albuquerque, New Mexico
New American cuisine and high-end wine and drinks with a Monday-through-Saturday, 4:30 to 7 p.m. apertif hour that guests rave about, featuring $7 drinks and appetizers from $4 to $6. The calendar rotates special events such as live music and tastings.

Brooklyn, New York
It's hard to stand out in hyper-competitive New York City's bar scene, but Heavy Woods has distinguished itself — as much for their authentic Cajun cuisine as for their craft cocktails. Happy hour (3 to 9 p.m. weekdays) is a great time to brave the L train out to Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood for $4 well drinks, $1 off drafts, and a $6 beer-and-a-shot combo while you tuck into awesome food like their cheesy crawfish bread ($11), the daily gumbo ($9 for a cup), or the oyster po'boy ($16). No wonder Thrillist named it one of the best NYC happy hours in July.

Related: 43 Free or Cheap Things to Do in New York City

Fargo, North Dakota
A beloved sports bar offers specials including certain mixed drinks for $3.50 or $4 every night at 8 p.m., plus a general happy hour 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday that knocks $1 off of all beer, wine, and mixed drinks. In addition to cheap food and beverage deals, guests can enjoy an array of NFL games on big screens and blackjack on select nights.

Columbus, Ohio
With two locations, patrons have double the opportunity to hit happy hour — weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. and a half-hour longer at the Polaris Parkway location. Food and drink specials include half-off wine and a selection of appetizers, as well as half-off beer and well drinks at the North High Street location and beer and liquor for $3 to $5 at Polaris Parkway.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Packard's knows how to do happy hour right, offering it Monday through Saturday from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Drinks are $5 and less, including their signature cold brew old fashioned made with coffee from local roaster Eôté. But it may just be their extensive food menu that's the real star, according to Yelp reviews ("You must try the crab beignets!" is a common refrain). Keep with light with a veggie plate or indulge in three-cheese mac and cheese.

Portland, Oregon
A daily happy hour (most often 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.) offers patrons of this chic Asian restaurant and bar $6 cocktails and a menu of snacks starting at $3. Specials on wine, beer, and sake are also on offer. Between learning about beverages from all over the world, guests can enjoy DJs and dancing Fridays and Saturdays.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
"Who would've thought that Pittsburgh can have such FRESH oysters?!!!!" That enthusiastic sentiment is pretty common among Yelpers who have been here. The muddy waters of this restaurant's namesake may refer to the three rivers of Pittsburgh, but its spirit is definitely from New Orleans. Bivalves are the reason to come to Muddy Waters Oyster Bar, and happy hour is the best way to slurp and save. Grab a seat at the bar for select $1 East Coast oysters and $2 West Coast oysters from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Friday. (There's also a late-night happy hour on Tuesdays and one midday on Saturday as well.) Wash it all down with $8 boilermakers and discounted bubbly.

Charleston, South Carolina
This oyster bar near the coast boasts one of the best happy hours for food as well as drinks. alongside cheap oysters and shooters, there's $3 champagne, $4 beer, and $5 liquor weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. There are locations in Ballantyne, N.C.; Columbia and West Ashley, S.C.

Souix Falls, South Dakota
This popular dive bar and nightclub offers rotating daily specials at various times include local favorites such as $10 fishbowls, two-for-one drinks, $3 mixed drinks, and 75 cent wings. Friday nights are especially busy, with music to keep the party going strong.

Memphis, Tennessee
No, you're not lost. The Clark Tower that looms over East Memphis may be known mostly as an office building and event space. But it's also got Bistro 33, a bar with a weekday happy hour and a commanding view of downtown Memphis from the 34th floor. You'll find drink and food specials from 4 to 7 p.m. As Thrillist put it, "Go for the happy hour, stay for the view," when they named this place to their best-of list in 2015.

Houston, Texas
A world-class whiskey bar with a simple and straightforward happy hour Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Drink deals include $6 select cocktails, and half-price draft beer. The whiskey list is also highly acclaimed. Those looking for a more in-depth experience should consider a tasting with special flights and food pairings.

Norfolk, Virginia
Saltine may be known for its fresh-from-the-boat seafood, but its happy hour is noteworthy as well, as is its location in a historic downtown Norfolk building. Weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m., patrons flock here for 50-cent James River oysters and $1 peel-and-eat shrimp, plus discounts on beer, wine, and cocktails. Enthusiastic Yelp reviewers say they often will linger with an entree from the main menu, probably because many of them also say the friendly, attentive waitstaff make it too darn welcoming to leave.

Washington, D.C.
This casual bar in northwest Washington serves up drinks, food, and a side of board games in a relaxing atmosphere. The Monday-through-Friday happy hour runs from 4 to 9 p.m. and features $5 mixed drinks, beer and wine from $3.50, food starting at $5, plus specials such as a shot of whiskey, a beer, and hot dog for $6.

Charleston, West Virginia
Steakhouses can be spendy, but not if you go during happy hour. In Charleston, The Chop House is the place to meet, greet, and get your meat on. Happy hour in the lounge means $7 wine, $6 martinis, and beer for $4.50 or less. Sink your teeth into appetizers for less than $11 each, including petite lamb chops, jumbo shrimp cocktail, and calamari.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This local watering hole has a reputation for the best happy hour in town. Weeknights from 3 to 8 p.m., select top-shelf liquor is $3.50, and beer and wine is discounted $1. After 8 p.m., look for more drink specials, varying by day of the week. Complimentary appetizers and regular musical talent create a festive vibe.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming
This modern take on a classic steakhouse uses a farm-to-table philosophy to create a memorable dining experience. Daily happy hours run from 4 to 6 p.m. (and 5 to 6 p.m. Sundays) and features half-off all beer, wine, and mixed drinks, as well as a $9 burger.