The Best Happy Hours In Seattle
photo credit: Nate Watters
Should you care about happy hour? It depends on how dedicated you might be to shelling out nine crisp George Washingtons in exchange for some house white that tastes like aluminum foil. While the post-work pastime in Seattle isn’t as prevalent as it once was, it’s still fun to feel on top of the world because you saved $2 on a basket of fries. The best deals here have all the details you’ll need on days, times, and discounts.
Unrated: This is a restaurant we want to re-visit before rating, or it’s a coffee shop, bar, or dessert shop. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal.
When: Tuesday-Saturday, 4-6pm
The Deal: 50% Off Bottles Of Wine (Tuesday-Thursday only), $12 Gin & Tonics, $3 Off Select Dishes
Sabine is already a cool place to be in Ballard and serves great small bites like whipped feta with pita. The fact that you can get a half off a nice bottle of Pinot is a bonus—plus there's a mezze hour from 3-4pm every day that features a few other specials separate from their regular happy hour.
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When: Monday All Day, Tuesday-Thursday, 4-6pm
The Deal: $8 Aperitifs, $11 House Wine, Discounted Snacks
Baker's long, narrow bar makes for a cozy HQ on a brisk evening, especially when you can drink an $8 aperitif alongside a $10 charcuterie board.
When: Food Happy Hour Daily, 4-6pm, Drinks Happy Hour Wednesday-Monday, 11am-6pm
The Deal: Snacks Discounts Vary; All Alcoholic Beverages Are 50% Off Wednesday-Monday
This upscale-ish Chinese restaurant makes for a reliable, low-effort group meal that Downtown desperately needs. And with half off all drinks through the weekend, this might be the best deal in the city. It's also easy to sample a few of their excellent snacks without committing too much money—zero in on the creamy lobster rangoon and fluffy steamed pork buns.
When: Sunday-Thursday, 3-6pm
The Deal: $12 Mezcal Margaritas, $9 For Any Two Tacos And A Modelito, $6 Nachos, $3.50 Tacos
There's fantastic deep-fried stuff at this Mexican-Lebanese spot, which has Happy Hour in its back bar. Grab a couple of tacos and a Modelito, add a plate of nachos, and there's your dinner.
When: Wednesdays, 4-10pm
The Deal: $.99 Per Wing
Sure, it's called "Wing Wednesdays" instead of "Happy Hour," but logistics don't matter when you're dealing with the best buffalo wings in town—especially when they're 99 cents each. Just note that this Belltown spot gets tremendously busy.
When: Daily, 4-7pm
The Deal: $10 For Cosmopolitans, Boilermakers, Margaritas, Rainier Pitchers, And Green Tea Shots; Discounted Snacks
For a fun place to hang out with friends or coworkers, King's Hardware is a good bet. Simple pleasures there include the tater tots, which are on a special happy hour platter alongside fries and onion rings.
When: Monday-Saturday 4-6pm, All-Day Sunday, 10-11pm Every Day
The Deal: $3 Off Cocktails, $2 Off Wine, And $1 Off Draft Beer, 25% Off Late-Night Food
When recommending this place in your group text, make sure that your friends don’t think you’re literally suggesting to meet at some random bar. The excellent food includes burrata garlic bread and crab nachos, and the cocktails have fun names like “You Down With O.P.P.?”
When: Monday-Friday 12-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 3-5pm
The Deal: $3 PBR Drafts, $3 Rainier Bottles, $5 Rotating Drafts, $6 Wine Pours, $10-12 Specialty Cocktails, $6-8 Sushi Rolls
Liberty is perfect for those on the hunt for an after-work spot that's also dog-friendly. It’s a cocktail bar that serves decent sushi, and they have a daily-changing mystery roll available for $7.
When: Daily, 4:30-6pm, 9pm-Close
The Deal: $6 Sapporo Pints, $8 Mules, $10 Toki Whiskey Highballs, $12 Boilermakers, Discounted Snacks, Drink & Food Combos
The whiskey highballs at Tamari Bar on Capitol Hill are excellent. We’re also big fans of the food on the regular menu, from spicy dan dan ramen to the wagyu beef you cook yourself on a sizzling rock.
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When: Weekdays, 2-5pm
The Deal: $9 Off Regular Margaritas, $2 Off Frozen Margaritas, $5 Snacks
Columbia City's Tex-Mex restaurant is a good place to go for a chill date, particularly if you're sharing their excellent queso (which is discounted for happy hour). And if things go well, an early bite can easily turn into a full-fledged dinner with things like brisket tacos and enchiladas.
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When: Tuesday-Thursday 4-6pm, Friday-Saturday 11pm-Close
The Deal: $1 Off Beer, $2 Off Cocktails And Glasses Of Wine, Discounted Snacks
Treating yourself to a spritz and a $12 salami pizza at Via Tribunali’s bar is one of the best things to do after a grueling day of sending passive-aggressive emails.
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When: Daily, 2-5pm, 9pm-12am
The Deal: $4 Montucky Lager Cans, 8.50 Wines, $8-$11 Cocktails, Discounted Snacks
One of the best Vietnamese spots in town has a separate drink and food menu for happy hour, which involves their fish sauce caramel wings, sausage sliders with hoisin mayo, and crispy imperial rolls. Just note that you need to spend $6 per person on drinks to get the marked-down food.
When: Daily, 4-6pm, Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 pm-1:30am
The Deal: $6 Well Drinks, $6 Drafts, $8 Slushies, The $19 “Well-Balanced Diet” That Includes A Cheese Pizza, Well Shot, And Rotating Beer
We’re not sure doctors would actually recommend Jupiter Bar’s idea of a “Well-Balanced Diet.” But we can’t argue with any special that features Good Shape Pizza’s stellar pies.
When: Daily, 4-5pm, All Night Sunday In The Lounge
The Deal: $7 Draft Beers, $7 Glasses Of Wine, $9 Hot Sake Bottles, $9 Boilermakers, $9 Classic Cocktails (Martinis, Margaritas, Mules, Aviations, And Negronis), Discounted Snacks
In addition to well-crafted drinks, you'll find excellent $3-7 appetizers, like shrimp chips, crispy duck rolls, and spicy papaya salad.
When: Wednesday-Sunday, 4-5pm
The Deal: $8 Seasonal Moscow Mules, $10 Boilermakers, $3 Sides, Special Menu Items
Relaxing on Lady Jaye's back patio isn't a bad way to spend a late afternoon—particularly if you order cocktails and a whole bunch of smoked stuff from the Happy Hour-only list.
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When: Tuesday-Saturday, 3-6pm And 10-11pm
The Deal: $1 Off Draft Beers, $8 Shot Of Four Roses And A Pickleback, $10 Glasses Of Wine, $12 Mules, $12 Can Of Beer And Well Shot, Discounted Snacks
For brown liquor cocktails, Radiator Whiskey is a no-brainer. Order a BBQ pulled pork sandwich to go with your bourbon.
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When: Daily, 4-6pm, 9pm-Close
The Deal: $10 Beer and Shot, $12 Sparkling Yuzu Sake Cocktails, $12 Espresso Martinis, $12 Sparkling Plum Cocktails, $12 Glasses Of Sake, $22 Sake Flights, Discounted Snacks
Hannyatou is the sister bar to Kamonegi, and often our preferred spot to kill time before a soba-eating reservation. But we wouldn't mind spending an entire evening at this Japanese sake spot in Fremont, snacking on tempura flake-topped hot dogs and Top Ramen chips.
When: Daily, 3-6pm
The Deal: $2 Off Draft Beer, Glasses Of Wine, House Cocktails, And Non-Alcoholic Cocktails; Discounted Snacks
The thought of this psychedelic diner's $5 french fries with tangy homemade ranch is enough to blast us through the door for Happy Hour, followed by one of the best burgers in town for $9. Discounted strawberry-watermelon margaritas rimmed in sour candy powder sweeten the deal, literally.
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When: Daily, 4-6pm
The Deal: $10 Glasses Of Cava, N/A Negronis, And Boilermakers, Plus $12 Cocktails And $10 Snacks
Dark Room is one of the best bars and best Korean restaurants in town. During their "Golden Hour," you can drink a refreshing daiquiri alongside a $10 hot dog topped with their phenomenal kimchi pimento cheese.
When: Daily, 3-6pm
The Deal: $1 Off Beer And Cider Cans, $1 Off Featured Cocktails, $12 Glasses Of Wine, $8 Vermouth On Tap, Discounted Snacks
Take full advantage of the Happy Hour cheese board selected by Bottlehouse’s resident cheesemonger—a profession we've considered more than once. And even though this is a serious wine bar, the slushies are not to be overlooked.
When: Daily, 4-5:30pm
The Deal: $5 Rainier Tall Boys, $6 Well Drinks And Draft Beer, $8 Chu-Hi, $10 Boilermakers, $10 Cocktails, $3 Off Small Sake Bottles, Discounted Snacks
Use this eclectic Japanese gastropub as a place for a first date alongside drinks and terrific small bites. And if things go well, order more food (like the crispy nori tots). If things go extremely well, invite us to your wedding.
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When: Monday-Friday, 2-5:30pm
The Deal: 20% Off Most Drinks And All Shareable Dishes
Pasifika may be wedged into a quiet office park in Bellevue, but with beachy decor and staff who say things like “hell yeah, let’s do this” after you order each appetizer, it’s got the energy of a goofy-fun party (even on a random Tuesday night at 5pm). Order tropical drinks, share crispy lumpia or the sticky-sweet wings, and let the stress of 405 gridlock nearby melt away.
When: Tuesday-Saturday, 3-6pm, 9pm-12am, Friday-Saturday (Except On Game & Event Days)
The Deal: $6 Draft Beers, $10 Glasses Of Wine, $12 Cocktails, Discounted Snacks
If you’re wondering why there’s a vault door in Good Bar, it’s because this Pioneer Square spot used to be a bank. It still takes your money—only instead of a mortgage, you get decent deals on drinks, hummus, and tacos.
When: Monday-Friday, 2-5pm For Food & Drinks, 10pm-11:45pm (Food Only)
The Deal: $1 Off Drafts, Well Drinks, And Signature Cocktails, $5 Glasses Of Wine, $7 Boilermakers, Discounted Snacks
There aren't a ton of Seattle sports bars that make food a priority. The Westy in West Seattle is an exception—check out their Happy Hour for loaded potato rings, burgers, pimento grilled cheese, and more.
When: Daily, 3-5pm and 10-11pm
The Deal: $1 Off Drafts And House Wines, $9 Shot And A Beer, Discounted Snacks
Can Bar is White Center’s best-kept secret. If the weather’s not garbage, sit out on the patio, which is surrounded by various doors. Just don’t try to open one—they’re purely decorative.
Ballard is known for its breweries, but there’s plenty to drink here in addition to beer. Here are the best bars in the area.