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San Francisco Happy Hour: Ten of My Favorite Places
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: March 21, 2024
Almost every day of the week, you will find some amazing San Francisco happy hour specials. They range from the drink-only specials at the quirky Noc Noc in the Lower Haight to the yummy pizza and wine specials at Fly Bar in Alamo Square.
After doing back-breaking "research" just for you (wink, wink), here is a list of my ten favorites.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. El Techo
Address: 2516 Mission Street
Neighborhood: Mission
Hours: Monday - Friday, 4 pm - 6 pm
As the name implies in Spanish, this popular joint is a rooftop bar with great views. That is the main attraction, but one more great reason to come here is their happy hour specials.
True to the Mission neighborhood, they specialize in Latin American drinks and street food. The prices during happy hour in San Francisco are half-off. You can get draft beer for as little as $5, a margarita for $7, or a pitcher of sangria to share for $18.
It's pretty hard to resist the finger food to share, ranging from guac and chips to empanadas and fried chicken. With a limited menu, you know everything you order here will be excellent.
This is the perfect place to sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy the views!
2. Fly Bar
Address: 762 Divisadero Street
Neighborhood: Alamo Square/NoPa
Hours: Monday - Friday, 2 pm - 6 pm
The Fly Bar is one of my overall favorite bars. Their San Francisco happy hour is just another excuse for me to walk through their doors. This bar has a local vibe with well-priced items.
On weekday afternoons, you can take advantage of both their drink and food specials. They offer margaritas for just $8, as well as $3 off pizza and $1 off draft beer and wine.
During this time, I often order one of their draft beers and their hummus, pita, and veggie dish (I crave this stuff). Their pizzas are also pretty amazing (the caramel blue with blue cheese is my favorite).
It's the perfect way to kick off your afternoon or unwind after a morning packed with work or play!
3. Noc Noc
Address: 557 Haight Street
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
Hours: Every day, 5 pm - 7 pm
This funky bar typically serves the late-night crowd, so it's the perfect place to relax with a cold beer during happy hour.
They have a variety of select beers on tap and in the bottle. They focus on craft beers, so you will not find any Coors, Bud Light, or PBR. Their beer selection also rotates, so you can always try something new.
Noc Noc's specials start when they open and last until 7 pm. During this time, you get selected draft beers for $5.
As you sip on your drinks, take a look around the bar. The entire place is covered with interesting artwork.
4. Sens Restaurant
Address: 4 Embarcadero Center (on the Promenade Level)
Neighborhood: Financial District/Embarcadero
Hours: Monday - Friday, 3:30 pm - 6 pm
The Sens Restaurant is popular spot with the downtown crowd and those waiting to catch their ferries home. I recently joined a friend here during this time and was surprised at what I found.
One thing I love about their happy hour is that it starts early, so you can head over mid-afternoon for a nice drink and some of their yummy appetizers.
Speaking of appetizers, I love the depth of the specials on their food menu during this time. You will find discounts on everything from their Mediterranean spreads (my favorite) to their New Caledonia blue prawns. I also love their crispy parmesan polenta and chicken wings.
They also offer a few drink specials. These rotate daily, so ask your server for them when you arrive.
Cheap Eats: Looking for some additional places to eat on a budget in San Francisco? My list of cheap eats offers a wide variety of options all around SF.
5. PABU Izakaya
Address: 101 California Street
Neighborhood: Financial District
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 4 pm - 5:30 pm
This is an upscale Japanese restaurant founded by acclaimed chefs Michael Mina and the late Ken Tominaga, although "izakaya" in Japanese is really an informal gathering place that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks.
That's why it's worth visiting for happy hour, because you get a taste of gourmet at accessible prices. The beer, sake, and cocktails start at $9.88, while the small plates start at $6.88.
The panko-fried shrimp, PABU fries with miso sauce, and chicken 'kaarage' nuggets are just a few examples of the unique and tasty fusion dishes offered here. This is definitely not your average bar fare!
This place gets pretty busy, so try to come early for the specials.
6. Lush Lounge
Address: 1221 Polk Street
Neighborhood: Lower Nob Hill
Hours: Monday - Friday, 3 pm - 7 pm; Saturday - Sunday, 1 pm - 7 pm
Lush Lounge used to be my favorite neighborhood bar (until I moved to a new district!). However, I still head back often for their amazing San Francisco happy hour specials.
The name of this bar says it all: Lush Lounge. This bar lives up to its name by pouring some of the strongest drinks in town. Believe me, you will only need a couple if you come here at any time.
The owners love to please their customers. They feature $3 can beers, $7 glasses of select wines, $8 glasses of select champagnes, and a variety of $8 - $9 cocktail specials.
Another pleasing part of it is that happy hour is 7 days a week!
Sports Bars: Are you looking for a great place to watch your favorite team? Check out my list of the 20 best sports bars all around SF.
7. Beach Chalet
Address: 1000 Great Highway
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Hours: Monday - Friday, 4 pm - 6 pm
Beach Chalet is on the western side of Golden Gate Park just across the street from Ocean Beach and the Pacific Ocean. Even though it's far away from the heart of the city, it's one of the best places to enjoy San Francisco happy hour specials on a warm, sunny day.
The Beach Chalet's discounts include specials on pints of ale, cocktails, and a selection of wines. For things to munch on, try their delicious sliders, the crispy fried chicken wings or calamari, or their "burger-and-a-beer" special.
I love to trek all the way out here because of their plentiful and peaceful outdoor seating. It's unbeatable on a gorgeous day.
Even though they have free parking, the best way to get here (especially if you plan on having a drink or two) is on the 5 Fulton bus or the N Judah light rail train. Both stop about two blocks away from the Beach Chalet.
>> More great breweries around SF to check out
8. Bar Crudo
Address: 655 Divisadero Street
Neighborhood: Alamo Square/NoPa
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 5 pm - 6:30 pm
Bar Crudo is the perfect place for San Francisco happy hour for those who love seafood. This cute bar and restaurant is just a block from Alamo Square in what is often referred to as the NoPa area.
It is from 5 pm to 6:30 pm Monday through Saturday. On their menu, you can order select beer for just $5. You can also choose a glass of select red or white wines for just $9.
The food menu is why I like this place. They offer oysters and mussels of the day for just $2 a piece. Other favorites on their menu included their local crispy cod tacos and seafood chowder for $12.
It's usually less crowded at Bar Crudo than many other places on this list, so it's a great spot to enjoy the evening out on the town.
9. One Market
Address: 1 Market Street
Neighborhood: Financial District/SoMa/Embarcadero
Hours: Monday - Friday, 3:30 pm - 7 pm; Saturday 5:30 pm - 9 pm
This is a very popular place for happy hour during the week for folks working downtown. One Market is also a lovely upscale restaurant, but note that this San Francisco happy hour is only available in the bar and lounge.
Their specials include select beers starting at $6, an assortment of wines starting at $11, and specialty cocktails starting at $13. You can also enjoy small plates from their bar menu.
It's best to arrive early if you want a seat. We try to arrive no later than 4 pm (it's fairly packed by 5 pm). But even if you don't get a seat right away, it's still a fun place to come and enjoy their specials. It's also a great place to meet people from San Francisco and around the Bay Area.
10. Santeria: Margarita Bar
Address: 2251 Market Street
Neighborhood: The Castro
Hours: Monday - Friday, 3 pm - 6 pm
Apart from the tasty drinks, one of the best parts about this one is that you can make reservations Monday through Thursday from 3 pm onward.
That way you get the best of both worlds: a guaranteed table in a lively joint, and the specials for food and drink.
This place is famous for their homemade agave spirits, delicious infusions made from blue agave tequila with flavors ranging from prickly pear to guava. They make colorful margaritas that will instantly lift your spirits.
From the tacos to the churros, this can easily become dinner before hitting the other fun Castro joints.
*All San Francisco happy hour specials mentioned above are subject to change.
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