Hi there! Let me tell you about some fun happy hours places near me in New York. Going out for happy hours is a great way to save money on drinks and snacks after work. There are lots of cool spots across New York City that have early evening specials.
In this article, I want to share my favorite happy hours places in NYC. We’ll check out cozy taverns, fancy hotel bars, laid back dives – all offering discounted food and drinks. As a New Yorker, I’ve explored many local happy hours near me and love helping visitors and new residents discover the best ones.
Happy hours likely began back in the 1920s here. Bars wanted to attract more customers during slower late afternoon times. Nowadays happy hours are very popular all over New York. Folks like going out after work for cheap beers, wines, cocktails and snacks.
Browsing this site, you’ll find amazing deals to match your tastes and budget. Beer fans will love brewery tap takeovers with $4 drafts. Wine lovers can sample different kinds for less. And cocktail fans can try premium mixed drinks for almost half price at top bars.
My insider tips cover lively rooftop bars, casual sports bars, classy wine bars and relaxed dives. I’ll help you experience real New Yorker-style happy hours – it’s our beloved ritual to unwind after work while finding new favorites!
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side has some of the trendiest happy hours in New York City! The bars here have a fun, artsy vibe. When we go out for happy hours in this area, we’ll find cool spots like Bar Belly along with Black Crescent. They offer specials on natural wines, craft cocktails, and yummy discounted foods.
The happy hours here feel more relaxed than busy Midtown. But we’ll still see neighborhood folks mixing with visitors looking for what makes this area special – happy hours with dollar oysters, cheaper European wines, and clever fruity cocktail menus. Some other great options are Sell rose and The Flower Shop.
Best Times
The best times for classic Lower East Side happy hour deals are weekday evenings, around 5 pm to 7 pm. Hot spots like Bar Belly and Black Crescent have specials then. There are also late night specials starting around 10 pm after the dinner crowds leave.
What to Expect
Expect a lively, crowded scene at Lower East Side happy hours, filled with artsy and creative types. Compared to more touristy Midtown, the vibe here is more relaxed – we focus on enjoying amazing drink and food deals in quirky and special bars. It’s an easygoing backdrop for meeting friends or making new ones!
West Village Happy Hours
The West Village has a super chill yet fun happy hour scene. We’ll find charming, old-school neighborhood bars next to hot new spots like Analogue, French-style Bobo, and aptly named Happiest Hour with nice outdoor seating.
Happy hour crowds here come from nearby neighborhoods like Chelsea and Flatiron after work. Weekend breakfast also flock for afternoon drinks. Classics like Dante meet new value wine bars to give a great mix of old and new NYC.
Prime times are weekday evenings around 5 pm to 8 pm, with extended specials on Fridays. Weekend afternoons, especially Saturdays, draw locals catching up over wines, Negronis and more along Grove and Bedford Streets.
Expect a lively yet laid back vibe as happy hour-goers fill sidewalk tables and comfy bar seats. Creative cocktails, croque monsieurs, charcuterie and other bites complement discounted wines. The neighborhood atmosphere is super relaxed – both born-here locals and 9-5 transplants gather to decompress over artsy drinks.
East Village
The East Village has an awesome, eclectic happy hour scene with artsy dive bars, craft cocktail spots, and sleek lounges suited for casual or special nights out. Check out favorites like The Pineapple Club, rockin’ Mister Paradise, and Proletariat for cheap drinks and filling snacks.
Prime times are weekday evenings as office workers pour in for creative cocktails and late night bites. But many places also have brunch happy hours either even all-day specials to attract both day and night owls. We’ll see a fun mix of young professionals, creative types, longtime locals, and visitors soaking up the one-of-a-kind St. Mark’s Place mood.
Expect a lively, electric ambiance fueled by sweet discounts on unique mixed drinks and hearty bar food. The super artsy decor of these spots creates a colorful, bohemian energy. Brush shoulders with quirky regulars and hear East Village tales from longtime patrons and bartenders!
Midtown Happy Hours
Midtown is known more as a busy work district than nightlife area. But we can find awesome hotel lounges, lively pubs, and swanky bars tucked between the skyscrapers with quality happy hour deals. Office workers mix with tourists and business travelers for a fun, sightseeing-filled vibe during evening drink specials.
Most Midtown happy hours happen on weekdays, usually from around 5 pm to 8 pm. Some run later. Professionals finish workdays with half-price craft beers or artisan cocktails mixed by world-class bartenders – now often at fancy hotel bars and trendy gastropubs.
Expect relatively expensive yet still discounted prices compared to cheap East Village dives. However the trade-off is sleek lounges, cool glass patios, and sky-high hotel rooftops with killer city views! The polished crowds and upscale spaces offset cheaper wines, beers and balanced cocktails.
Best Happy Hour Foods
Beyond basic drink deals, New York City happy hours spotlight budget-friendly bites from famous eateries. Bar snacks become bargain meals with rotating specials like $1 East Coast oysters, 2 tapas for under $10, all-you-can-eat $9 tacos, and half-pound gourmet burgers with drafts.
We’ll find signature local dishes paired with discounted drinks too. Downtown in the Lower East Side, Sell rose serves Blue Point Bay oysters while visitors pack into hidden Greek gem Medusa for cheap dips, spreads and potent frozen beach cocktails. In Brooklyn, Mad Tropical draws loyal crowds with giant chili cheese fries and frosty margaritas.
Expect rotating bites and prices daily. Happy hours let us indulge top neighborhood cuisines and bar snacks at excellent value – fueling food discoveries across New York’s diverse food scene.
Best Happy Hour Drinks
With endless bars, breweries and wine spots, many top drinking destinations offer signature cheap potables – not just basic beers. East Village favorite Skinny Dennis slings well spirits for $3 and $4 craft cans. West Village icon Dante shakes up discounted martinis with seasonal fruits and herbs.
We’ll also find culinary cocktails, like Midtown hots pot Valerie’s sage pear smash with apple brandy and lemon. Pursue frozen passion fruit 2-for-1 margaritas finished table side with Grand Marnier floats at kitschy East Village mainstay JingFong. Either gather groups to share rum punch bowls with tea, juice and fruit at Porch light’s airy Chelsea space.
Expect both quantity and quality with New York City happy hours. Lines may form at one pub pouring $2 pints while nearby, skilled mixologists showcase reduced-price craft drams. Sip through local specialties – cucumber gins, mezcal negronis and more – without draining wallets!
Best Rooftop Happy Hours
The best way to enjoy New York’s epic views is with cheap drinks on rooftop bars! Overlooking the Hudson River or glittering Midtown towers, numerous rooftops have happy hour deals for visitors and professionals. At laid back Kips Bay favorite Tara Rose, the awesome city panoramas match wallet-friendly wines, mules, spritzes and sangria.
Rooftop happy hours let us soak up the sunny weather with craft beers, wines and cocktails in unique open-air spaces until sunset. The Ready Rooftop’s cactus gardens and disco balls set an eclectic East Village mood. We’ll pay slight premiums given the killer views, however balanced $10 old fashioneds and Aperol spritzes are worth it!
Happy Hour Deals by Day
Happy hours in NYC range from weekday-only to daily specials. Certain deals also concentrate by day or night – Mad Tropical has cheap tacos and tequila on Mondays, while East Village favorite Skinny Dennis offers $2 lemon drops on Tuesday nights.
We can even chase bottomless brunch mimosas with afternoon daiquiris and negronis at West Village brunch gems like Automatic Slim’s and Dante NYC. But most deals happen Thursday to Friday evenings – wings and buckets on Thursdays, or under $10 spicy Palomas sparking Friday Lower East Side bar crawls!
Expect to adjust your schedule and drinking moods chasing New York’s changing happy hour specials. Tackle Tuesday $1 vodka shots on quick post-work stopovers, or leisurely housing fishbowl cocktails at 3 pm Saturday East Village crawl kickoffs!
Late Night Happy Hours
While most happy hours cater to post-work folks from 5 pm to 8 pm, select Manhattan hots pots offer later night discounts to draw party crowds. East Village favorite Tile Bar slings $5 wells and rails nightly at 10 pm – prime time for area bar hoppers. Pub staple The Jeffrey has midnight deals in Hell’s Kitchen, while Brooklyn’s Skinny Dennis serves personal pizzas with $4 Bud Lights until 2 am!
Later happy hours bridge gaps between normal specials and late night club scenes as sequined party groups replace finance bros. Quality and value stay locked in with loaded chimichangas, onion rings, $7 cocktails and craft drafts holding strong.
Expect high energy dancing, shots, and pool games at neon-lit East Village dives. Or escape sleek hotel lounges to relish $8 handcrafted sours and giant Kobe beef sliders. Whenever late night hunger and drinking needs hit, an affordable New York City happy hour awaits nearby!
Happy Hour Etiquette & Tips
To make the most of New York’s incredible happy hours, keep some pro tips in mind. Arrive early, especially at hot Lower East Side and West Village spots with celebrity bartenders, to secure good standing/sitting space for you and your friends. Expect crowds and delays – chat in your group and have backup places in mind if waits look bad.
Bring cash in small bills when hitting up happy hours to easily split costs and tip. Servers make less money from cheaper happy hour checks, so still tip around 20% for good service on dollar oysters or strawberry margarita pitchers. And be conscious of dinner turnovers around 7:30 pm if you have a table – during busy midweek specials with limited seating, respectfully finish up orders after an hour or so to free up space for other hungry guests.
| Names | Address | Working Hours | Location |
| Sweet & Vicious | 5 Spring St, New York, NY 10012, United States | 2 pm–4 am | Map |
| Porchlight | 271 11th Ave, New York, NY 10001, United States | 3 pm–12 am | Map |
| Cooper’s Craft & Cocktails | 169 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011, United States | 2:30 pm–2 am | Map |
Conclusion
From hidden East Village sake bars with karaoke to swanky Midtown rooftops with two-for-one martinis, New York City happy hours offer budget value for every taste. Experiencing these beloved afternoon events provides a uniquely local way to soak up quintessential corners of the five boroughs – rubbing shoulders with stressed Wall Street folks or artsy regulars in favorite pubs.
Happy hours also showcase how New York remains a dining capital thanks to outstanding quality even during discounted sessions centered on craft brews, natural wines or farm-to-glass cocktails. Dollar oysters shucked fresh, short rib sliders with peppers, frozen cucumber gimlets with Sichuan peppercorns – neighborhood institutions citywide demonstrate serious skill absent in most US cities, happy hours places near me in New York.
With unbeatable diversity of spots for any budget or group size, embrace happy hour as an iconic New York pastime. Use my tips above to start checking out favorites near your home or office, beginning adventures that uncover your own beloved regular go-to!