Elixir barman and proprietor H. Joseph Ehrmann recently realized three things: Everything is expensive; people are going out—and going home—earlier; and happy hours are stale, boring, and simple.
A radical revamp of his own bar’s happy hour was in order, Ehrmann concluded—and he wasn’t the only one. Bars and restaurants, both classic and new, are following suit, offering more creative options for a steal.
Sneak out of work early for reasonably priced drinks and bites at these eight San Francisco happy hours.
Celery Cup No. 1 at Elixir(Rachel Rinehart)
Elixir
Regarding deals, it’s hard to beat what Elixir’s got goin’ on. Swing by on weekdays from 4pm to 5pm for a whopping 50 percent off a wide selection of drinks. From 5pm to 6pm, the discount drops to a still-impressive 30 percent off, and from 6pm to 7pm it’s 15 percent off. Late-night drinkers are in luck, too: It’s 20 percent off drinks on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11pm to close. Drinks vary in price, but most are around $18, including SF classics like Irish Coffee, Pisco Punch, the Chartreuse Swizzle, and the Basil Gimlet. The menu also includes “best of whiskey” cocktails, as well as plenty of non-alcoholic and low-ABV choices. // 3200 16th St. (Mission), elixirsf.com
Epic Steak
Epic Steak’s new happy hour from 4pm to 6:30pm, Monday through Friday, takes place in the Quiver Bar, a cozy upstairs lounge with sweeping Bay Bridge views. The menu is filled with bargains such as BBQ brisket sliders for $9, a “bucket” of fried chicken for $10, and a wagyu cheeseburger and fries for $12. Select wines go for $8 a glass, Fort Point KSA beer $5, and cocktails including martinis and Manhattans are just $9-10. // 369 The Embarcadero (Embarcadero), epicsteak.com
Happy hour offerings from Perbacco(Courtesy of Perbacco)
Perbacco
In a city full of Italian restaurants, Perbacco remains a perennial favorite for its fantastic homemade pastas, lively atmosphere, and knowledgeable servers. The restaurant’s brand-new happy hour features a selection of cocktails and a few wines for $10 each. Instead of the boring, cheap bubbly you might find elsewhere, here you’ll enjoy elevated selections like Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene, Gemin. Food is divided into smaller portion snacks and includes some of their top hits (think suppli for $11 or deviled eggs with tonnato sauce for $8). And while not exactly a bargain, the shareable version of their agnolotti dal plin ($25) or tajarin ($24) are divine pasta dishes guaranteed to make you swoon—and about 20 percent less than what you’ll pay on the dinner menu. // 230 California St. (FiDi), perbaccosf.com
Fifty Vara
It should be no surprise how good the beer is at Fifty Vara; the restaurant shares a brewer with Magnolia Brewing. The happy hour from 3:30pm to 5:30pm in the bar area includes their fresh and crisp lager for $5, or a dollar off any other house brews. Not in the mood for beer? There are cocktails and wine, too. Choose the Sangria Spritz, Garden Tonica, or Grenache Rosé for just $9. The food is so plentiful you could easily make a meal for two out of Fifty Vara’s excellent crispy-thin pizza-style flatbreads ($13-15), chips and oniony dip for $6, and Asian-spiced Persian cucumbers ($6) or orange-and-rosemary-infused olives ($7). // 1735 Noriega St. (Outer Sunset), fiftyvarasf.com
A slice and a beer is just $6 at Outta Sight Pizza's happy hour.(Amy Sherman)
Outta Sight Pizza
Outta Sight Pizza is making everyone’s must-visit lists, from the SF Chronicle to Food and Wine. The Chinatown location, which hovers just above the Financial District, offers slices of pizza for only $4-5 from 3pm to 6pm. Wash it down with a $2 Busch Light and you are living large for a pittance. Not all the pizzas are on special, but there’s a wide range that are, with ever-changing and highly original toppings including al pastor, shoyu gravy, and tzatziki. // 643 Clay St. (Chinatown), thatsouttasight.com
Carlotta’s
If you’re looking for a swanky hotel atmosphere on a budget, head to Hotel Julian. The lobby bar is stylish and has a great selection of cocktails for just $6 or $7 each, as well as Seaglass rosé and Budweiser for $5. The happy hour nibbles are so tasty they may tempt you to stick around for dinner. For $5 you can get an order of deviled eggs, citrus-marinated olives, housemade chips, a couple of oysters, or the standout steak slider with horseradish aioli, blue cheese, arugula, and crispy shallots. // 940 Sutter St. (Lower Nob Hill) carlottassf.com
Bon Délire on the Embarcadero(Hardy Wilson)
Bon Délire
Head to this friendly waterfront bistro for their weekday happy hour from 3pm to 5pm and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to France. The best bet on the drink menu is the Monaco ($11), a lively blend of house pomegranate cordial, lemon, and Stella lager. It comes with the can of beer so you can keep refreshing your drink. Pair that with the petite croque monsieur for $10 or petite croque madame for $12. It’s only a few bucks off the normal price, but the lazy late-afternoon vibe is truly priceless. // Pier 3, Suite 102 (Embarcadero,) bondeliresf.com
Cultivar
Cultivar is a combination of vintner, wine bar, wine shop, and restaurant—so you won’t be disappointed with a glass of their $10 house Napa Valley sauvignon blanc, California rosé, or North Coast cabernet sauvignon during happy hour. But the best deal may be their fantastically crusty, gooey grilled cheese sandwich for only $8. It’s shareable and comes with housemade pickled vegetables. Other notable $8 options include tuna poke wonton “tacos” and a fried chicken slider. // 2379 Chestnut St. (Marina), cultivarwine.com
