For our glass half full kinda people, happy hours in San Diego are where it’s at. Whether you’re looking to try out a new spot on the cheap or get together to decompress after work, these discounts on beer, wine, cocktails, and snacks will turn that frown upside down.
Editor’s note: Hours listed are happy hours only.
A Japanese Mule at Cloak & Petal.
Photo via Cloak & Petal
Keeping spirits up
The Smoking Gun | Monday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. | Specials at this trendy spot include the $6 Japanese Highball and the Instagram-worthy $30 Punch Bowl — a drink for four served in a disco ball featuring Absolut Citron, Absolut Pear, Aperol, ginger, lemon, grapefruit juice, bitters, and champagne.
Whiskey Girl | Monday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. | Sip on $7 well drinks, beer, or house wine, try a $9 draft Astral margarita, and enjoy 50% off select apps.
Cloak & Petal | Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. | Designed after the streets of Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo, this hip Little Italy restaurant offers $13 specialty cocktails, $8 sake, and $7 Sapporo. For snacks, try the $5 garlic edamame or specialty rolls starting at $12.
Topside Terrace Kitchen & Bar | Tuesday-Thursday, 4-6 p.m. + Saturday, 2-5 p.m. | The “Social Hour” menu at the third floor spot includes $12 crafted cocktails like the Topside Spritz, Old Fashioned, and Onlyfans Martini.
Gaslamp Tavern | Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. | Take advantage of $2 off draft beers, cocktails, and wine. Peep additional special deals for each day of the week, like the $5 mystery beers on Wednesdays.
The Whiskey House | Daily, 4-7 p.m. | Add a whiskey shot to any beer for $1 or try the $7 cocktails like the Moscow Mule, Whiskey Sour, and The Al Capone.
The Local | Tuesday-Friday, 3-5:30 p.m. | Quench your thirst with a solid happy hour menu that includes $5 off all house wines, $6 select craft beers, and $10 draft cocktails + slushies.
Kansas City Barbeque | Daily, 3:30-6:30 p.m. | This will take your breath away — the iconic “Top Gun” bar offers daily specials on draft beer and snacks. We recommend grabbing a pint and perusing the memorabilia from the movie — and, of course, taking a seat at Goose’s piano.
Union Kitchen & Tap | Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. | Try a $6 Lagunitas IPA or $10 signature cocktails like the Union Old Fashioned.
Barleymash | Monday-Friday, 3-5 p.m. | Indulge in half-off beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails at this cool hangout.
Apps and sips? We’re so in.
Photo via Postino WineCafe
Off the vine
Postino WineCafé | Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. + Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Sip on $7 glasses of wine and pitchers of beer daily until 5 p.m. at this Little Italy spot (or try the Del Mar location). Pop in on Monday and Tuesday after 8 p.m. for the ultimate grazing deal — a $30 board of bruschetta and bottle of wine.
Rustic Root | Monday-Friday, 5-6:30 p.m. + Saturday-Sunday, 3-5 p.m. | Enjoy 50% off your choice of 20 craft cocktails, plus snacks like homestyle buttermilk biscuits for $6 or Wagyu sliders for $12. Pro tip: Rustic Root also has a Solana Beach location — here’s that happy hour menu.
Meze Greek Fusion | Sunday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. | We spy $3 off wines by the glass and $6 draft beers + well cocktails, plus $6-$8 snacks like falafel and spanakopita. This spot comes highly recommended by SDtoday reader Linda L. who visits often with her friends. Cheers, Linda.
Wet Stone Wine Bar | Tuesday-Saturday, 5-6 p.m. + Sunday, 4-9 p.m. | Wine and dine with $8.50 glasses of select wines and house sangria, $28.50 carafes, and the $21 House Blind Flight Trio — a curated trio of 2-ounce pours. Add some small plates starting at ~$7.
Try the flavorful shrimp aguachile with avocado, cilantro + jalapeños. | Photo by @garagekitchenbar
Biggest bargains
Garage Kitchen + Bar | Daily, 3-6 p.m. | Grab your friends and park it at this cool hangout slashing prices during its “Apres-Ski Happy Hour” with 51% off drinks (except specialty cocktails + top shelf) and $3 off appetizers.
Happy Does Bar | Thursday + Friday, 3-6 p.m. (except during Padres games) | Get more for less with $3 Crispy Chicken Sliders + Happy Sliders, seven brands of $5 beers, and $6 house wine and seltzer at this spot where the patio (and lawn games) are always poppin’.
A margarita flight at Barrio Star.
Photo via Barrio Star
Barrio Star | Monday + Wednesday-Friday, 3:30 p.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday, 2-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 4-6 p.m. | We spy a margarita flight for $20, sangria and Micheladas for $8.50, and tacos a la carte for $5.
Coin-Op Game Room | Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. | Wind down with arcade games and $5 select drafts, 50% off all apps, and $2 cheese pizza slices. Pro tip: There are late-night specials at both the Gaslamp + North Park locations.
Nason’s Beer Hall | Monday-Friday, 3-5 p.m. | The “Hoppy Hour” menu includes $5 draft beer, $6 house wine, and a $10 Classic Cheeseburger or Giant Pretzel.
Don’t sacrifice variety — grab a beer, wine, or cocktail all for the same price. | Photo by @thefieldsd
Hungry for meal deals
Queenstown Public House | Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. + Sunday, 6 p.m.-close | Score $10 drinks like Beer Flights, house wine, or the Porch Pleaser cocktail and $8-$10 deals on food like NZ Chips & Dip, chili, and fish and chips. Pro tip: There’s all-day happy hour on Wednesdays.
The Butcher’s Cut | Sunday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. | Sip on $8 signature cocktails like the SD Breeze (vodka, pineapple, lemon, soda), alongside
$2 oysters, $8 mahi mahi tacos, $12 steak skewers, and more.
Piedra Santa in Little Italy — happy hour, anyone?
Photo via Piedra Santa
Piedra Santa | Sunday-Thursday, 4-6 p.m. | The happy hour menu at this new Argentinian steakhouse in Little Italy includes signature house bites like the $6 artisan rustic bread, $15 empanada trio, and $18 tuna tartare. For drinks, try an $11 cocktail like the bourbon-based Media Noche, a $7 beer, or a $9 glass of house white or red wine.
Cafe Sevilla | Sunday-Friday, 4:30-6:30 p.m. | Pair your $7 beer and wine or $8 sangria with a robust selection of Spanish tapas between $5.50-$13 like papas bravas, baked empanadas, and queso fundido.
The Field Irish Pub | Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. | Score $6 select draft beers like a Kilkenny Cream Ale and $5-$19 food specials including angus sliders, Irish potato skins, or a combo platter.
Rockin’ Baja Lobster | Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. | Chow down on a plethora of items for under $10 from the “Happier Hour” menu, including the salsa + queso flight, carne asada fries, and guacamole.
Havana 1920 | Monday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. | Enjoy Cuban-inspired eats like $2 croquetas, $3 papa rellenas, and $4 empanadas alongside a mojito or daiquiri.
Late night gem
Taste & Thirst | Daily, 3-8 p.m. + 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | Pull up a late-night seat and enjoy an $8 Don Julio Blanco or green tea shot, $25 select pitchers, and $3 chips + salsa.
STK Steakhouse | Monday-Friday, 2:30-6:30 p.m. + Sunday-Thursday, 9 p.m. to close | Enjoy deals on bites like the wagyu meatballs, beef tartare, or short rib quesadilla. For drinks, try the signature cocktails or a 1.5-ounce pour of Don Julio 1942.
Lotus Thai | Daily, 5-10:30 p.m. | The Super Sake Sale will get you any bottle of sake for 20% off.
Glass Box and five other restaurants at Sky Deck are offering happy hour deals Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m., starting Oct. 1, 2023.
Photo via Glass Box
Toasting to other parts of San Diego County
Sky Deck at Del Mar Highlands | Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. | Six of the food hall’s restaurants — Ambrogio15, Craft House, Glass Box, Marufuku Ramen, Understory, and URBANA Mexican Gastronomy & Mixology — have teamed up to offer happy hours deals. Try a cocktail at Understory at 50% off or $1 oysters from Glass Box.
Paradisaea, Bird Rock | Wednesday + Thursday, 4-6 p.m.
Happy hour specials include 50% off cocktails, draft beer, and wine. If you’re hankering for a snack, try the $14 warm marinated olives and the $27 market oysters.
The Air Conditioned Lounge, North Park | Wednesday-Saturday, 5-8 p.m. | This uptown staple offers $6 craft drafts, $4 off espresso martinis, buckets of five Mexican beers for $25.
Fernside, South Park | Monday-Friday until 6 p.m. | Grab $8 cocktails like the Gold Rush (bourbon, lemon, honey), $6 select craft brews, $8 select wine, and yummy eats like $8 Party Burgers.
Uptown Tavern, Hillcrest | Tuesday-Friday, 4-6 p.m. + Saturday, 3-6 p.m. | Try the $7 grilled cheese or buffalo cauliflower paired with all kinds of $7 mules including the Unicorn Mule with mixed berry-infused vodka.
Host at home
Shop our favorite happy hour essentials to host friends for a drink at your place:
- Craft delicious drinks at home with syrups and mixers made from fresh ingredients.
- No clue how to put together a charcuterie board for your next event? No worries, here’s a helpful road map that you can use for everyday hosting!
- Try these alcohol-free sparkling beverages available in six organic flavors and made with nourishing, regenerative ingredients that help you tap into your inner power.
- The Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker promises no more leaks and has a built-in measuring system.
- This set of six colored wine glasses reminds us of Estelle stemware — only more affordable.
- Pair your colorful wine glasses with a colorful decanter that’s an Anthropologie best-seller.
- Keep wine and champagne cold in a marble wine chiller.
- An electric wine opener makes opening bottles smooth and stress-free.
- Don’t forget the best drinkware made by small, local businesses — we’re big fans of the Pirani Life tumbler, an eco-friendly version of a Solo Cup, and these Kanga Coolers koozies that keep drinks cold.
