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19 Places to Enjoy Happy Hour Right Now in Los Angeles

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2008_10_hasmapshappyhourmap.jpgThe clock is off, the sun is starting to set, and the office starts emptying out. It's time for drinks, bites, and socializing. Happy hour, that pitfall of amateur imbibers and worker bees, doesn't have to be a battle for who can woo bartenders the quickest. And happy hour doesn't have to mean boring fries and bland pizzas warmed in the microwave. Instead, actual cocktails, and more-than-edible things to munch on when the drinking starts. Here now, 19 places to enjoy happy hour right now in Los Angeles.


Added 10/13: The Backyard, The Doughroom, Picca, Library Alehouse, Blue Cow Kitchen, Carson House
Added 2/14: Allumette, Mud Hen Tavern, Waterloo & City, Plan Check, Gracias Madre, Petty Cash Taqueria

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The Corner Door

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The Culver City neighborhood spot has one of the best single happy hour bar items ever: the anti-mixology: a Miller High Life and a shot of whiskey for $6. But then you could also get a great martini or moscow mule if you choose. Then nosh on the cider-glazed wings or fried chicken for $8, or get the $15 steak frites. Throw in the superb cocktails by barman Beau du Bois, like the seasonal Hoodlum or Louisiana Regular, and you have the making of a fine evening.

Drago Centro

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A fantastic place to hit if you work in Downtown, the "happy hour" at Drago Centro is one of the best enduring specials in the city because it's available at all business hours, not just for a certain time. Glasses of wine range $6-8 while beers cost $5 a pop. In terms of food, nibble on the house charcuterie plate or mini-pizzas, or a couple of kobe beef sliders (yes, sliders are still a thing).

Comme Ça

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One of original happy hours to boast great cocktails, the $15 menu comes with a drink and a small bite to eat. Drinks include the Aviation, El Ranchero, or Cool Louie, simple satisfying, and sure to get the weekend (or day) started right. Bites might be oysters, steak tartare, or shrimp cocktail. Available Tuesday to Sunday from 5:30-7 p.m.

Bar Bouchon

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Easily one of the best happy hour deals in this part of town, Bar Bouchon features glasses of wine at $5 and $7 well drinks to go with $2 oysters, steak tartare, pork sliders, and truffle popcorn. Pretty decent people watching too, which is always a plus for dining in this part of town.

EMC Seafood And Raw Bar

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Definitely one of the hottest happy hours in town, the $1 oysters are the main draw, with quality that reaches some of the best seafood spots in the city. Throw in a convivial Ktown crowd and $5 draft beer and you have a recipe for a great time every afternoon from 5-7 p.m. There's a solid late night happy hour from 10 p.m. to close, as well.

Scarpetta

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It's easy to remember this one. $8 for drinks and dishes, up until 8 p.m. The mushroom ravioli, porchetta sliders, chicken liver pate, and lobster croquettes that are pretty darn shareable. The drink menu has some quaffable cocktails like the Passione, made with aperol, gin, sambuca and lemon, or the spicy Ferrari, mixing in tequila, Cointreau, blood orange, and jalapeno.

A-Frame

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This solid happy hour deal from Roy Choi's picnic concept has some amazing value dishes like the chicken wings, Chicano hot dog, peel n' eat shrimp, and the "surfer's sandwich" made with spam. As for drinks, get $7 cocktails like the Backwoods, featuring bourbon and applejack. Or sip $5 wines and $3 pints of Hite.

The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

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One of the most reliable happy hour scenes in Santa Monica, which means discounted drinks, sangria, cocktails, mimosas, beer and wine, everyday from 12 to 7 p.m., which is perfect for tourists, beach bums, and folks who don't have to hit the office at normal hours.

FIG Santa Monica

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FIG at Five. Almost everyone in Santa Monica knows about this deal that chef Ray Garcia puts together at this restaurant inside the Fairmont. Limited to just 5-6 p.m. daily, everything on the menu except the steaks are half off, as are the drinks. Get it and enjoy the crowd.

Border Grill

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Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken's Santa Monica classic has drinks specials, cheap (sort of) tacos at $3.50, and Border Grill classics carne asada quesadillas and brisket taquitos. There are similar deals at the Downtown location as well.

Rivera Restaurant

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Chef John Sedlar's enduring Downtown pan-Latin restaurant still has some of the best drinks in town, many of which are discounted for happy hour. Think the Rivera's Cup or Mexican Firing Squad for just $7 to go along with classic dishes like the tortillas with avocado butter or corn cake with BBQ shrimp. Perfect for just before Lakers or Clippers games at Staples Center.

The Library Alehouse

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This Santa Monica beer bar has a "study break" from 3-6 p.m. that takes $3 off select craft beers or glasses of wine, then offers classic bar bites like sweet & spicy wings, sliders (who said they went out of style?), and the Alehouse poutine, all for $3-5 bucks.

Petty Cash Taqueria

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Called the Hora Feliz, the happy hour lasts just one hour from 5-6 p.m. at Walter Manzke's taco shack. Think cheesy churros for $4, guac for $6, and cauliflower mini nachos for $5. The margarita's a mere $6 while the agua fresca punch runs just $4.

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar

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This new Mid-City location of Plan Check has a special late night menu served two hours before closing that includes bites like the taco hamburguesa, smokey fried chicken sandwich for $7, pastrami gravy fries for $5, and a beer float for $12 that's made with espresso stout and bourbon ice cream.

Allumette

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It's simple, $5 beers, $5 glasses of wine, $7 rotating house cocktails at Miles Thompson's restaurant in Echo Park from Tuesday to Saturday, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Drink up and grab a few bites of Thompson's innovative fare after.

Waterloo & City

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Available daily from 5-7 p.m., this true gastropub in Culver City has an extensive menu that features house-made charcuterie, wild mushroom & truffle pizza, fish & chips, and chicken pot pie. Drinks include $6 sangrias, $7 margaritas, and $6 wells.

The Church Key

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From 5:30-7 p.m., the Church Key is offering $6 shake-your-own cocktails, $8 Rat Pack drinks, and $14 shareable punch bowls. In addition, there's a bunch of $4 to 7 bar bites like beer sliders, glazed chicken wings, and brioche donuts.

Gracias Madre

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From 5-7 p.m. on weekdays, Gracias Madre has discounted drinks like El Burro, made with mezcal, jalapeno jam, ginger beer, and cilantro. Wines and beers run $6-7.

Mud Hen Tavern

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From 4-7 p.m. daily, Mud Hen Tavern offers $4 well drinks, $4 drafts, and $4 glasses of wine. Also, $4 bites of food (you can sense a theme here), such as fries, beer battered onion rings, lamb meatballs, and tuna ceviche.

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The Corner Door

The Culver City neighborhood spot has one of the best single happy hour bar items ever: the anti-mixology: a Miller High Life and a shot of whiskey for $6. But then you could also get a great martini or moscow mule if you choose. Then nosh on the cider-glazed wings or fried chicken for $8, or get the $15 steak frites. Throw in the superb cocktails by barman Beau du Bois, like the seasonal Hoodlum or Louisiana Regular, and you have the making of a fine evening.

Drago Centro

A fantastic place to hit if you work in Downtown, the "happy hour" at Drago Centro is one of the best enduring specials in the city because it's available at all business hours, not just for a certain time. Glasses of wine range $6-8 while beers cost $5 a pop. In terms of food, nibble on the house charcuterie plate or mini-pizzas, or a couple of kobe beef sliders (yes, sliders are still a thing).

Comme Ça

One of original happy hours to boast great cocktails, the $15 menu comes with a drink and a small bite to eat. Drinks include the Aviation, El Ranchero, or Cool Louie, simple satisfying, and sure to get the weekend (or day) started right. Bites might be oysters, steak tartare, or shrimp cocktail. Available Tuesday to Sunday from 5:30-7 p.m.

Bar Bouchon

Easily one of the best happy hour deals in this part of town, Bar Bouchon features glasses of wine at $5 and $7 well drinks to go with $2 oysters, steak tartare, pork sliders, and truffle popcorn. Pretty decent people watching too, which is always a plus for dining in this part of town.

EMC Seafood And Raw Bar

Definitely one of the hottest happy hours in town, the $1 oysters are the main draw, with quality that reaches some of the best seafood spots in the city. Throw in a convivial Ktown crowd and $5 draft beer and you have a recipe for a great time every afternoon from 5-7 p.m. There's a solid late night happy hour from 10 p.m. to close, as well.

Scarpetta

It's easy to remember this one. $8 for drinks and dishes, up until 8 p.m. The mushroom ravioli, porchetta sliders, chicken liver pate, and lobster croquettes that are pretty darn shareable. The drink menu has some quaffable cocktails like the Passione, made with aperol, gin, sambuca and lemon, or the spicy Ferrari, mixing in tequila, Cointreau, blood orange, and jalapeno.

A-Frame

This solid happy hour deal from Roy Choi's picnic concept has some amazing value dishes like the chicken wings, Chicano hot dog, peel n' eat shrimp, and the "surfer's sandwich" made with spam. As for drinks, get $7 cocktails like the Backwoods, featuring bourbon and applejack. Or sip $5 wines and $3 pints of Hite.

The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

One of the most reliable happy hour scenes in Santa Monica, which means discounted drinks, sangria, cocktails, mimosas, beer and wine, everyday from 12 to 7 p.m., which is perfect for tourists, beach bums, and folks who don't have to hit the office at normal hours.

FIG Santa Monica

FIG at Five. Almost everyone in Santa Monica knows about this deal that chef Ray Garcia puts together at this restaurant inside the Fairmont. Limited to just 5-6 p.m. daily, everything on the menu except the steaks are half off, as are the drinks. Get it and enjoy the crowd.

Border Grill

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken's Santa Monica classic has drinks specials, cheap (sort of) tacos at $3.50, and Border Grill classics carne asada quesadillas and brisket taquitos. There are similar deals at the Downtown location as well.

Rivera Restaurant

Chef John Sedlar's enduring Downtown pan-Latin restaurant still has some of the best drinks in town, many of which are discounted for happy hour. Think the Rivera's Cup or Mexican Firing Squad for just $7 to go along with classic dishes like the tortillas with avocado butter or corn cake with BBQ shrimp. Perfect for just before Lakers or Clippers games at Staples Center.

The Library Alehouse

This Santa Monica beer bar has a "study break" from 3-6 p.m. that takes $3 off select craft beers or glasses of wine, then offers classic bar bites like sweet & spicy wings, sliders (who said they went out of style?), and the Alehouse poutine, all for $3-5 bucks.

Petty Cash Taqueria

Called the Hora Feliz, the happy hour lasts just one hour from 5-6 p.m. at Walter Manzke's taco shack. Think cheesy churros for $4, guac for $6, and cauliflower mini nachos for $5. The margarita's a mere $6 while the agua fresca punch runs just $4.

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar

This new Mid-City location of Plan Check has a special late night menu served two hours before closing that includes bites like the taco hamburguesa, smokey fried chicken sandwich for $7, pastrami gravy fries for $5, and a beer float for $12 that's made with espresso stout and bourbon ice cream.

Allumette

It's simple, $5 beers, $5 glasses of wine, $7 rotating house cocktails at Miles Thompson's restaurant in Echo Park from Tuesday to Saturday, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Drink up and grab a few bites of Thompson's innovative fare after.

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Waterloo & City

Available daily from 5-7 p.m., this true gastropub in Culver City has an extensive menu that features house-made charcuterie, wild mushroom & truffle pizza, fish & chips, and chicken pot pie. Drinks include $6 sangrias, $7 margaritas, and $6 wells.

The Church Key

From 5:30-7 p.m., the Church Key is offering $6 shake-your-own cocktails, $8 Rat Pack drinks, and $14 shareable punch bowls. In addition, there's a bunch of $4 to 7 bar bites like beer sliders, glazed chicken wings, and brioche donuts.

Gracias Madre

From 5-7 p.m. on weekdays, Gracias Madre has discounted drinks like El Burro, made with mezcal, jalapeno jam, ginger beer, and cilantro. Wines and beers run $6-7.