Working out of the office may be out of fashion but we’re happy to report that happy hour is still alive and well.
And don’t worry, you don’t have to go downtown (or even change out of your comfy pants) to find a good one.
Celebrate the end of the workday with $1 oysters, $8 cocktails, and all sorts of other affordable bites and brews at these great San Francisco happy hours from the Mission to the Marina.
Bar Crudo
(Courtesy of @barcrudosf)
Playful seafood restaurant Bar Crudo’s legendary happy hour is the gift that keeps on giving. Monday through Saturday from 5pm to 6:30pm, the bright, high-ceilinged spot on Divis has raw oysters and herb-and-jalapeno-marinated mussels priced at $2 a pop to pair with $9 glasses of escudo real vinho and $5 craft beer. But don’t stop there. Bar Crudo’s award-winning smokey chowder and crispy cod tacos deliver a delicious bang for your buck. // 655 Divisadero St. (NoPa), barcrudo.com
Osha Thai
With its classy redesigned interior, Osha Thai has exactly the happy hour you need to cure your post-work cravings. Go for the heaps of tamarind caramel chicken wings ($10) and ultra-affordable $1.50 oysters with chili-lime dipping sauce; stay for the $7 local wines, $8 cocktails, and $5 bottles of Singha. If you’ve got a crowd, the taste of Thai platter ($39) is a delightful deal. Osha’s happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 5pm to 7pm. // 4 Embarcadero Center (Embarcadero), oshathai.com
Tataki
For over a decade, this casual, sustainable seafood spot in Lower Pac Heights has been serving up a mean happy hour. Between 4:30pm and 6:30pm daily, you can gorge on sushi and sake for a song. It’s just $5 for two pieces of nigiri, and $4 for five-piece cut rolls and hand rolls in varieties like crunchy spicy tuna, arctic char and avocado, and sweet potato tempura). Spend another $5 for a bottle of Sapporo or sake, or a glass of sauvignon blanc or cocktail. // 2827 California St. (Pac Heights), tatakisushibar.com
Santeria
Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm, Santeria’s passion for agave spirits and traditional Mexican botanas shifts into happy hour mode. Not only do they have six varieties of margaritas (including prickly pear and cucumber-basil) on deck for $9 a glass or $40 a pitcher, and $5 mezcal or tequila shooters and beer, they’ve got a huge variety of tasty treats priced at $9 or less. A few drinks and orders of carnitas tacos, nachos, and chipotle chicken quesadillas and both you and your wallet will be feeling fine. // 2251 Market St. (Castro), santeria-sf.com
One65's Elements Bar & Lounge
(Courtesy of @elementssf)
Thought dollar oysters were a thing of the past? Think again. At Union Square’s multilevel French dining destination One65, Beausoleil oysters are practically being given away every Tuesday through Saturday from 3:30pm to 6pm at the swanky, fourth floor Elements Bar & Lounge. Pair your $1 bivalves with $10 glasses of French wine and $5 beer. Additional small bites and shareables—wagyu meatballs, crispy onion tart, cod cromesquis and more—are $2 to $4 off. // 165 O’Farrell St. (Union Square), one65sf.com
Nono
Pac Heights’ laid-back, wood-paneled izakaya restaurant Nono has one of the best new happy hours in town—and it happens twice daily. From 5pm to 6pm and from 9pm to 10pm every Wednesday through Monday, they’re serving up cola chicken, salmon kabuto, sashimi, hand rolls (including the decadent truffle wagyu), and more for just $7, and four styles of chicken skewers for under three bucks. Wash it all down with hot sake, Sapporo, or Asahi which at just $5 a pop, you can keep coming all hour long. // 1730 Fillmore St. (Pac Heights), yelp.com
Jaranita SF Peruvian Rotisserie
(Courtesy of @jaranitasf)
Only at Jaranita, the Marina’s Peruvian rotisserie, can you get three cocktails for just $16—exactly the same as you’ll spend on four (yes, four!) beers at this magical Marina happy hour. From 4pm to 6pm Tuesday through Friday at the color-drenched cafe, you’ll also find $5 empanadas (get a sampler to save a buck on four of them), plus discounts on chicharron de pollo, calamares fritos, and more. // 3340 Steiner St. (Marina), jaranitasf.com
Zoe Cocktails & Bites
If you're in SoMa or the Financial District when the 5pm whistle blows, it’s Zoe’s you want. On weekdays, this new cocktail lounge has solid specials on well cocktails ($3 off), draft beer ($2 off), and cans of beer ($1) and bites like waffle fries and tater tots starting at $6. If you want something a little more filling, steak or mushroom tacos and meatball sliders are each a couple bucks off. // 579 Howard St. (SoMa), eatdrinkzoe.com
El Techo de Lolinda
(Courtesy of @eltechosf)
Whether the fog’s rolling in or the sun is high in the sky, there’s no better place to spend your happy hour than with other afternoon revelers on the roof at El Techo de Lolinda. De-stress Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm with $7 margaritas, $5 Mexican beers, or a pitcher of sangria for $18. Be sure to order up a few bites to keep you on an even keel; beef empanadas, fried chicken, and chips and guac are $7 each. // 2516 Mission St. (Mission), eltechosf.com
Causwells
If oysters and martinis are your idea of the perfect happy hour, look no further than the Marina. At the bright, recently revamped bistro Causwells, Tuesday through Sunday from 3pm to 5pm is reserved for $2 oysters and $9 classic cocktails with unexpected finishes like cracked pepper and red pepper oil, and beeswax. // 2346 Chestnut St. (Marina), causwells.com
