The Best Happy Hour in San Diego
We all know the only thing better than sipping a delicious drink and munching on something tasty is when those drinks and bites happen to be steeply discounted thanks to a little thing known as Happy Hour. While stumbling upon a Happy Hour is always an amazing surprise, planning for one can often be a tad tricky, as many restaurants and bars keep their Happy Hour offerings tight-lipped. That’s where we come in ―consider us your Happy Hour spirit guide, as we shed light on San Diego’s best Happy Hours from Downtown to Oceanside, and everywhere in between.
Photo Credit: Conejol ArleneIbarra
Craft & Commerce, Little Italy
Little Italy’s Craft & Commerce recently debuted a brand new Happy Hour menu with a selection of mouthwatering bites and drink deals available Monday through Thursday from 4pm to 6pm and Friday from 3pm to 5pm. With an emphasis on elevated comfort food, happy hour bites include the C&C Slider with a beef patty, confit onion, secret sauce, aged cheddar and pickle, the Blistered Shishito Peppers served with crispy-crunchy garlic and French Fries, all available for $3.99. Happy Hour drink offerings include $2 off draft beers and $8 cocktails, with the option to order a Teeny Cheeky, a small craft cocktail, such as the Featherweight with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, aquavit, herbal liqueur and bitters for $4.
Photo Credit: Happy Does
Happy Does, Gaslamp
Get extra happy at Good Time Design’s retro indoor-outdoor bar Happy Does for their Happy Hour every Thursday and Friday, from 3pm to 6pm. Encouraging guests to leave their worries at home and embrace good times and happy vibes, the Happy Does Happy Hour includes $3 Crispy Chicken Sliders, $5 beers including classic favorites like Bud Light, Budweiser, Coors Banquet, Michelob Ultra and more, as well as $6 House Wines and seltzers. For the full Happy Hour menu and details, visit the Happy Does website.
Photo Credit: Diana Sciacca
Garibaldi, Downtown
Garibaldi, located within the InterContinental Hotel, is one of San Diego’s best kept secrets, as is their late night happy hour. The rooftop gem provides unparalleled views, serving as the perfect setting for a summertime drink. Thursday through Sunday from 8pm to close, imbibe with an Orange Fashioned, Amaro Toddy, or Bartender’s Whim Amaro Cocktail, each available for $7, all while indulging in Garibaldi’s menu of isle-inspired Italian fare, including a special on their Southern Italian cheese and house charcuterie boards, and taking in the incredible views. Full happy hour details can be found here.
Photo Credit: Mandie Gelle
Puesto, Seaport Village, Mission Valley, and La Jolla
Nobody does Happy Hour like Puesto, a San Diego staple for tacos, margaritas, shareable bites and good vibes. Monday through Friday from 3pm to 5pm, Puesto boasts a Happy Hour with $9 Puesto Perfect Margaritas, $5 Puesto Drafts, $7 Wines by the glass and half off all snacks and shares including favorites like the Potato Taquitos with corn tortillas, queso fresco, guacamole, salsa fresca and sesame black garlic chile oil, the Chicharrones with crackling pork magic, chile and lime, and the Shrimp Gobernador Quesadilla with crispy melted cheese, Mexican shrimp, pickled red onion, and jalapeño salsa. For additional deals and steals, swing by on Tuesday for Taco Tuesday and receive $2.50 off all tacos and $5 Puesto drafts, from 3pm to 5pm. Puesto’s complete happy hour offerings (varying slightly with each location) and menu are available via the Puesto website.
Photo Credit: Go Go Amigo
Go Go Amigo, Liberty Station
Go Go Amigo, Liberty Station’s south-of-the-border inspired hotspot, offers happy hour Wednesday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm, as well as an extended happy hour at the bar, which is offered nightly from 6pm to 9pm. Both happy hour options boast great drink specials, including half off frozen palomas, half off house margaritas, and $5 Go Go Mexican Amber Lagers, along with wine and vodka specials. In addition to the drink deals, Go Go Amigo’s restaurant-wide happy hour (W-F 3pm to 6pm) also includes $4 Mexican Pizzas, $4 Mulitas, and free chips and salsa with a drink purchase. Full happy hour details can be found via Go Go Amigo’s website here (and for those visiting on a Tuesday, Taco Tuesday specials can be found here!)
Photo Credit: Communal
Communal, North Park and Oceanside
With an emphasis on inspiring and caring for the local community, Communal offers a full craft coffee and drink menu, creatively designed spaces, seasonal food offerings highlighting some of San Diego’s freshest produce, and a menu of seasonal craft cocktails and natural wine selection all offered during happy hour. Belly up to Communal Oceanside’s winding wine bar Sunday through Thursday 4 to 6pm at or cozy up at its flaglish North Park location from 5 to 7pm to enjoy $1 off cans and shared plates, $2 off wine by the glass, cocktails, pizzettas and charcuterie.
Photo Credit: The Switch Board Restaurant
The Switchboard Restaurant, Oceanside
The Switchboard Restaurant, named after The Fin Hotel building’s historical use as a switchboard-operating center during WWII, highlights a Korean-Hawaiian fusion menu inspired by Founder Kevin Shin’s culture and familial history. Offering a selection of happy hour specials from 3 to 6pm daily, patrons can enjoy $1 off Pupu’s (appetizers) including menu items like the Kalua Pork Fries with spicy togarashi fries, garlic ginger, aioli spicy aioli, wok fried egg and fried onion and the Seared Ahi Wonton Crisps with sesame crusted ahi, pineapple ginger arugula kimchi aioli, sweet soy glaze and wonton crisps, and $10 select cocktails including Mr. O’side, Old School Mai Tai, Local Number, and the Mo’ Bettah. For a midweek pick me up, The Switchboard restaurant also offers Wine Wednesdays highlighting Half Off Select Wine Bottles. The full happy hour offerings and menu are available via The Switchboard Restaurant website.
