Tess Rose Lampert is a New York City-based writer, beverage educator, and lover of savings. With over a decade in the alcoholic beverage industry, she strives to enhance consumers' everyday experiences with food and beverage through dynamic and interactive writings, educational seminars, and events.
Los Angeles is a fun city with a lively eating and drinking scene, and if you know where to look, you can partake on the cheap. While many places charge a full markup on food and drinks, there are gems throughout the city that offer heavily discounted happy hour prices. By knowing when and where to go, you can get the full experience for less, be it a $3 beer at a dive bar or a $7 cocktail at a fancy, seasonally driven concept bar.
Hard by the Pacific Ocean, this is a go-to spot for inexpensive beach-style cocktails and beers, not to mention large portions of Mexican-inspired cuisine. There is a daily two-for-one drink deal from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and $5 buys all-you-can-eat tacos on Tuesdays. 30 Washington Blvd., Venice; 310-306-2500.
This cheap Venice Beach restaurant and bar is popular with sun seekers who relish drink and food specials all week long. Join happy hour from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Friday; scarf down $3 beers, 50-cent wings, $1 sliders and other deals every weekday; fill up on bottomless brunch cocktails on the weekends for $10. 72 Market St., Venice; 310-450-3010.
This Chicago-style bar in Culver City offers enticing drink specials during happy hour from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Choose from a menu of seven upscale cocktails for $7 each, as well as specialty food items such as tempura cauliflower and guacamole for $5, BBQ flatbread for $7, and Windy City wings for $9. 9546 Washington Blvd., Culver City; 310-837-9546.
This Culver City hot spot offers daily happy hours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy tasty eats such as avocado toast, fish and chips, and sticky toffee pudding, all priced from $5 to $9, along with cocktails for $7, select wines for $5, and beers for $3 to $5. 12477 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City; 310-313-5810.
A stopping-off point for wine drinkers, BottleRock in Culver City offers happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every weekday. House wine and beer is available for $5, and other wines by the glass are discounted by $3. Food specials are also available, including $6 plates of meats and cheeses. 3847 Main St., Culver City; 310-836-9463.
This hip Culver City bar offers four classic cocktails, including a bartender's choice, for $7 during a daily happy hour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It's a good spot for those seeking a balance between quality and price, with specialty cocktails priced at $9 to $11 at all hours. 2692 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City; 310-837-3297.
This self-proclaimed classic dive bar in Culver City boasts a daily 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. happy hour, when already low prices drop even further. Regularly priced drinks also are a bargain, with draft beers starting at $3, a selection of bottled beers going for $4, and cocktails starting at $6. 10400 Culver Blvd., Culver City; 310-839-3892.
This popular downtown LA spot for A-listers offers sushi and appetizers starting at $3 and cocktails, wine, and beer for $6 to $10 during daily happy hour from 4 p.m. to close. The French-Japanese fusion food is well known across the Valley, with regular menu prices that match its strong reputation. 525 S. Flower St., Los Angeles; 213-236-9577.
This popular downtown LA restaurant features one of the longest daily happy hours around -- 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Enjoy beer, wine, and mixed drinks for $5 to $7 and a wide range of snacks, such as tacos, grilled cheese, and pork sliders, for $5 to $8. 644 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles; 213-624-6996.
Home of the flaming margarita, this Mexican restaurant and bar in downtown LA offers two daily happy hours. The first runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily, the second stretches from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., and you'll find a host of rotating drink specials at both. 1248 S. Figueroa #101, Los Angeles; 213-749-0025.
This Mexican bar opened 50 years ago in Wilshire Center and still offers a super deal on margaritas -- only $5 during daily happy hours. Regularly priced menu items are affordable -- guacamole for $5, quesadillas for $6.50, and nachos for $6.25. Just a stroll from the clubs, you can kick off your evening here without spending your whole wad. 3668 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; 213-385-0479.
Enjoy two happy hours at this laid back bar and restaurant in downtown LA. Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday through Wednesday from 10 p.m. to close, buy domestic pints and well drinks for $1 off; save $2 on specialty drinks, wine, and spirits; and get a $3 discount on house martinis. Nibbles, such as moo shu egg rolls, fried calamari, queso dip, and spicy tuna roll go for $5 to $8. 800 W. Olympic Blvd. A-115, Los Angeles; 213-745-9273.
From 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, this downtown LA brewery features a wide range of good eats and drinks at discounted prices. Pints of the house brew cost $4, pitchers cost $12, and well drinks and house wines are priced at $5. Snacks include mac ‘n cheese, chicken pot stickers, and nachos for $5 to $7. 404 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles; 213-236-0802.
In the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, this wine-and-small-plates-focused Italian eatery offers specials throughout the week. Happy hour runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and features $6 small plates and grilled pizzas and $10 liters of sangria. Enjoy half off all wines by the glass on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 2308 S. Union Ave., Los Angeles; 213-748-7205.
Arrive early on Mondays and pay $2 for well drinks and Pabst Blue Ribbon and $5 for cocktails. The limited happy hour at one of the premier spots for live performances in the Silver Lake-Echo Park neighborhood runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the first official day of the work week. 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., Los Angeles; 323-661-4380.
Beloved by many, enjoy the daily happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at this well-known Los Angeles spot when specialty cocktails cost $6 and a burger and beer special goes for $9. Cassell's is located near some of LA's hottest bars, so stop in for cheap dinner and drinks before the big night starts. 3600 W. 6th St., Los Angeles; 213-387-5502.
Big leather chairs and exposed brick combine old-time fancy with modern, chic decor at this swanky cocktail lounge with speakeasy vibe in Hollywood. Drink here on Tuesdays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., when cocktails go for $6 to $8 and draft beers for $4. Snacks such as shrimp ceviche and chicken tenders are priced between $3 and $7. 1154 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood; 323-465-5505.
Weekday happy hours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (starting at 5 p.m. on weekends) include generous -- as in cheap -- prices on food and drinks at this classy bar in the heart of Hollywood. Well drinks go for $6.50, specialty cocktails are priced at $7.50, and most beers top out at $7. A special food menu available with a drink purchase includes a choice of several appetizers, such as mushroom mascarpone crostini, for $5 and $6. 6255 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; 323-467-9355.
This sports bar in downtown Hollywood offers nightly drink specials in addition to two happy hours, the first from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the second from 10 p.m. to close. Nibble on appetizer specials and drink up pints for $4 and cocktails for $6. 1562 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; 323-469-2449.
Head to this upscale Italian restaurant and bar in West Hollywood for enticing deals from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Both food and drinks are priced to match happy hour (that would be $4 to $7), and the offerings include wine, beer, cocktails, and snacks such as fontina black truffle burger and tuna avocado lettuce wrap. 8764 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; 310-432-2000.
Come for the music at this popular Glendale jazz bar and take advantage of the weekday happy hour, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Low-priced drinks include domestic beer buckets for $12; imported beer buckets for $15; and an ample and inventive cocktail list, all for $6. 339 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; 818-500-1604.
There's an all-day happy hour at this Santa Monica haunt, from noon to 7 p.m. every day of the week, capped by a late-night happy hour running Sunday through Wednesday from 10 p.m. to midnight. The menu is studded with plenty of $5 appetizers, such as sliders and truffle fries, and $5 craft beers on tap, as well as cheap well drinks, house wines, and cocktails. 2941 Main St., Santa Monica; 310-396-4725.
This popular and low-cost Santa Monica restaurant offers excellent happy hour specials on drinks and snacks. Snag $4 beer, $5 wine, $6 cocktails, and bar snacks such as avocado crostini for $4 to $7 Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Only a couple of blocks from the beach, this hangout packs 'em in around sunset. 1449 Second St., Santa Monica; 310-899-6999.
Another cheap spot, especially during happy hours, Ix Tapa Cantina is the place to be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. when hanging around Pasadena. On offer are specials such as $2 tacos, $4 bacon-wrapped hot dogs, $5 margaritas or $18 margarita pitchers. All-day daily specials include $4 tequila Thursdays and discounted beer. 119 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; 626-304-1000.
After shopping till you've dropped at the Paseo Colorado Center in Pasadena, grab a $6 glass of wine or a $4 beer from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. to close on Saturday and Sunday at this wine bar. Chase the liquid refreshments with appetizers from the special happy hour menu. Daily specials include $2 taco Tuesdays and $20 bottles of wine on Wednesday. 260 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; 626-793-4300.