Ok, but seriously: why is it just a singular “Happy Hour”? We should have many more hours of happiness in our day. Lucky for us, there are plenty of SF spots that stretch out the joy for at least an hour and a half, and almost all of them have good deals on eats as well. Because it can’t really be considered “happy” if there’s no food involved.
From the Mission to Financial District to the Marina to deep SOMA, we present the best Happy Hours around the city. Tell your boss it’s time to leave work.
nopa
When: Daily, 5-6:30pm
The Deal: $1 oysters & mussels; $6 seafood chowder; $4 beer; $6 red & white wine
Dollar oysters should be a thing at all places. Lucky for us, Bar Crudo has them every day, and they are top notch. As is the action at the bar. Happy Hour here isn’t a bad move for a date either.
marina & cow hollow
When: Tue-Fri, 5-6:30pm
The Deal: $6 guacamole; $4 fries; $5 sweet potato fries; $7 select cocktails; $5 beers; ½ off bottles of wine; $6 slushies
The outdoor tables are where you want to be on a nice evening, and the inside bar has tropical vibes that we’re into. The Old Cuban cocktail is very much the right choice.
When: Tues-Saturday 5-7pm; all day Sunday
The Deal: ½ off wine; discounted draft beer & cocktails
Free bar mix and live piano playing make Reed & Greenough better than your average Marina bar. It gets a little weird later at night, so keep your time here to the Happy Hours.
When: Mon-Fri, 4:30-6:30pm
The Deal: $1 oysters; $5 truffle fries; ½ off wine & rosé bottles; $5 house wine; $4 Drake’s Pale Ale
The Dorian is one of the best options for Happy Hour in the Marina, thanks to the borderline-opulent look of the place and great bar setup. Rosé for days.
financial district & chinatown
When: Mon-Fri, 4-8pm
The Deal: $5 quesadillas; $1.95 chips & salsa; $6.75 margaritas; $4 beers; $5 sangria
This is probably the best patio around the Financial District, with tons of outdoor picnic tables and a strong four-hour deal situation. Get some margaritas, and beware of the pigeons.
When: Mon-Fri, 3-6pm
The Deal: $6.88 draft sake; $8.88 22 oz Sapporo; $6.88 wine
So - everything is priced to end in $0.88. And there are lots of awesome Japanese small plates to go with your drinks at this sleek Financial spot. A $4.88 hand roll is never a bad idea.
When: Everyday, 4-7pm
The Deal: $7 cocktail special; $7 shot & beer combos
Comstock is dark and old-timey and definitely the move if you’re looking to take shots and drink beer near the Financial District. We’d advise a Tecate can and a tequila shot. Olé.
Gaspar Brasserie
When: Mon-Fri, 4-6pm
The Deal: $1 oysters & deviled eggs; $3 pomme frites; $5 wine; $6 vodka & champagne cocktails
Post-work drinks in the Financial District at Gaspar are pretty much always a good time. Make sure you go upstairs rather than trying to awkwardly cram in at the downstairs bar. The decor is a little over the top “French,” but we ignore that for its cheap pomme frites and cocktails.
When: Mon-Thurs 4-6pm; Fri-Sun 2-6pm
The Deal: $3 off wine by the glass
Ideal for drinks with colleagues, Press Club is dim, slightly swanky, and pretty pricey when it’s not Happy Hour. We highly recommend the cheese plate to go with your wine.
Soma Eats
When: Mon-Fri, 4-7pm
The Deal: $2 off wine on tap; $2 off all beer
Soma Eats is a cafe/artsy liquor store with an enormous selection of beers and wines from all over the world. Drink some there, buy more for later.
soma
When: Mon-Saturday, 5-6pm
The Deal: $1 oysters; $2.50 sausages; discounts on wine
We love Bar Agricole for all occasions, especially if you can finagle an outdoor table on a nice day. We also love $1 oysters and wine. Our only issue is that their Happy Hour is a singular one.
richmond
When: Mon-Fri, 3-6pm
The deal: $1.50 oysters; $6 cocktails; $4 beer
Deep, deep in the Richmond, basically at the beach, Park Chalet is probably not along your regular commute - but that doesn’t mean you should overlook it. The outdoor area rules and you actually get to be near nature as you drink cheap beer and eat oysters.
nob hill
When: Daily, 5-7pm
The Deal: $5.75 pita pizzas; $3.50 house wine; $1.50 PBRs; $4.00 cocktails; $4.00 glasses of sangria
More of a cafe that serves drinks than a bar, Nook has crazy good deals at their daily Happy Hour and a cute corner spot in Russian Hill. Watch the cable cars go by and love life.
mission
Elixir
When: Mon-Fri, 3-7pm
The Deal: $1 off draft beers & well drinks; $2 off house cocktails
This bar has been operating in the Mission for almost 150 years. Oregon wasn’t even a state yet, and people were drinking in this same saloon. It’s old and slightly divey and one of our neighborhood go-to’s.
When: Mon-Fri, 4-6pm
The Deal: $5 guacamole; $5 empanadas; $4 beers; $7 margaritas; $11 rose flight
Not only does El Techo have an incredible roof deck, they also have an excellent Happy Hour deal. The empanadas and margaritas are particularly good.
When: Daily, 5:30-7pm
The Deal: ½ off select food and cocktails
While it doesn’t look like much from the outside, Nihon Whisky Lounge has serious bartenders and awesome drinks, plus very good Japanese small plates. The downstairs bar has a bunch of stools to post up, and the upstairs area has plush couches and chairs for comfier drinking.
civic center
hayes valley
Two Sisters Bar & Books
When: Tue-Fri, 4-6pm; Sat-Sun 1-4pm
The Deal: $5 snacks; $3 draft beers; $5 house wine; $5 cocktails
A cozy spot in Hayes Valley, Two Sisters is a place you can easily spend several hours without even meaning to. It feels like hanging out in a quaint house that also happens solid food and drinks. So you’re going to like it.
Blackbird Bar
When: Mon-Fri, 5-8pm
The Deal: $1 off all draft beers; $2 Bud, Bud Light, PBR; $4 well drinks; $5 Whiskey Sours; $5 House White Wine; $6 House Red Wine; $6 Margarita; $6 Early Bird; $6 Old Fashioned
Deals on pretty much every drink on the menu and a three-hour run time make Blackbird’s Happy Hour one of the best around. Cool art on the walls doesn’t hurt, either.
south beach
When: Mon-Fri, 3-6 M-F; 1st-last pitch during Giants home games
The Deal: $6 guacamole; $7 margaritas; $1 off Mexican beers
Tres, right by AT&T Park, is where you want to be when a Giants game is on and you don’t have tickets. It might even be better than being in the stadium. Chips and guac all around.
