What makes a good Happy Hour? Well, without getting too philosophical over the concept of “happiness," there’s usually a combination of good drinks, good food, and good deals. But what separates a good Happy Hour from a great one is the quality of those drinks, food, and deals. From all-day oyster specials, beach bars, and $8 glasses of wine served every single night—these are the best Happy Hour deals in LA right now.
THE SPOTS
Costco taught us the importance of buying in bulk, and this laidback French-ish bistro with locations in Weho and Venice follows the same thinking with its "Apero Hour" menu. It includes a half-dozen cocktails (espresso martini included), wine, and food like a shrimp cocktail, steak tartare, or short rib quesadilla for $12-13 each, or the real deal: pick any 3 for $33. Enjoy them on their breezy patio space that’s well-suited for downing spritzes and watching the sunset.
This Bay Area chain near Ocean Avenue is basically the Cheesecake Factory of seafood—which means the menu can be as overwhelming as scrolling through Netflix for a show to watch. That’s where their Happy Hour menu comes in handy. Not only are the deals great, it makes narrowing down what to order a bit easier. Start with an $11 mai tai or old-fashioned at the tiki-decorated bar, then pick from discounted shareable apps like ceviche, coconut shrimp, and guacamole poke (which tend to be the best dishes on the menu anyway).
$10 martinis on a Beverly Hills rooftop? No, that's not a typo. This LA offshoot of a beloved NYC cocktail hangout sits on the ninth floor of the Maybourne Hotel, where you can enjoy views of the Hollywood Hills from the comfort of a blue velvet booth. The drink menu here covers a lot of ground, but for their Happy Hour the focus is exclusively on martinis: choose from seven distinct styles made with vodka or gin, including the classic with a twist, a dirty upside-down Gibson, and a Poor Things martini tinted withwhite port and rosewater.
The Waterfront excels in two areas: margaritas (specifically a tart calamansi version) and outdoor seating. This beach bar sits about 200 feet from the coastline and there's plenty of space for big groups, so keep it in mind the next time you want to watch the sunset with friends from the comfort of a cabana chair. The post-work crowd typically has more tech bros than a hip-hop yoga class, but this is Venice—they come with the territory.
With locations in Torrance, Culver City, West Hollywood, and Santa Carita, you’re never too far from Madre. This Oaxacan restaurant serves everything from mole to pozole in a casual room with a huge mezcal collection. While we certainly support getting involved with a frozen tequila sunrise on a 90-degree day, the margarita with mezcal joven is our go-to order. The sweet and spicy notes from red chile liqueur and agave balance out the smokiness.
LA has lots of classic dives and tiki bars. And, somehow, Bamboo Club combines the best of both. You can sip a mai tai next to a small waterfall and bamboo walls, but you can also drink a beer and play pool. Come for live music on the parking lot patio that feels like a laid-back luau for Long Beach locals.
Red Lion’s Bavarian theme isn’t exactly what you’d call subtle, but it’s the right kind of environment for casual bar hangs with old and new friends. This Silver Lake beer garden is a great place to sit outside, drink from a stein, and snack on a sausage platter. If the patio gets too crowded, head inside to the dark downstairs lounge and watch a regular croon at the piano for a few hours.
La Cuevita (formerly known as Little Cave) is a dark Highland Park bar with skull heads lining the shelves and colorful papel picado hanging from the wooden beams above. If you'd rather be in the sunshine drinking margaritas, though, head outside to their back patio. There are a few tiny nooks for your group to take over.
Broken Shaker's twinkly-lit poolside patio is exactly what you might picture when the words “Los Angeles rooftop bar” pop into your head. Located at the very top of the Freehand Hotel in Downtown LA, this is one of the few downtown spots with unobstructed views of the city skyline. Weekdays are pretty tame, but on weekends, prepare to see hoards of people posing in front of the pool and enough animal floaties to populate Noah’s Ark.
ERB is one of those almost-mythical places that gets everything right. This Arts District spot makes good cocktails and bar food that’ll change the way you think about bar food—we're mostly talking about their burger. Hang out in their backyard with friends for an ideal Friday night.
Imagine a dark, cramped, and moody scene. Picture well-dressed people drinking boulevardiers and discussing experimental theater. No, you aren’t on the Lower East Side or Canal Saint-Martin, you’re at The Normandie Club, one of our favorite cocktail bars in Koreatown. It’s a great first stop before a big night out or for a weeknight 50/50 martini in a sexy little booth.
This Chinatown spot is hard to neatly categorize, but it’s somewhere in between a dive bar and a cocktail spot. Bring a date who might want to do some canoodling under a paper lantern. They’ve got solid cocktails, an extensive list of craft beers, and nightly DJs who play whatever mix of tropical house, soul, or funk they feel like getting into that night.
Electric Owl is one of the cooler spots on Sunset—it’s mostly outdoors, and it feels like a vintage train station where drinking is heavily encouraged. Come specifically to drink cocktails (their spicy mezcal is a real standout).
Plain and simple, Idle Hour is the best cocktail bar in the Valley right now. After three decades of decay, somebody who knew exactly what they were doing bought this 90-year-old icon and turned it into a complete destination bar. Great drinks, a patio with a giant bulldog statue, and the kind of laid-back crowd you simply can’t get on the other side of the hills.
This wine bar mini-chain (with locations in Silver Lake, West Adams, Glendale, and more neighborhoods across LA) has huge trees growing out of the middle of its Mid-City dining room with lights hanging from every branch. So if you want to eat tapas and drink sangria in a place that feels a bit like Tinkerbell’s living room, you've found it.
Tabula Rasa in Thai Town is really just a stripped-down place to drink beer, sake, and wine on a Tuesday. That said, the tiny space is still warm and welcoming, and aside from live jazz nights on the last Sunday of the month, the place usually stays quiet. They have a huge wine list, and a good Cubano in case you get hungry.