It’s six o’clock. You’ve finally finished a long, stressful day at work and all you want is to sit at a bar with friends and multiple cheap, stiff drinks. New York City has plenty of places that will save your bank account balance and at the same time help keep you sane after an agonizing day in the office. Comment below with your favorite happy hour spot in NYC!
1. Brooklyn Ice House
Home to one of the city’s best backyard bars, from noon until 8 p.m. on weekdays you can get a buck off their already reasonably priced drinks. If you get hungry, no worries, they’ve got delicious pulled pork sandwiches that are two-for-$5 all night long.
Brooklyn Ice House is located at 318 Van Brunt Street between Pioneer and King Streets in Red Hook, Brooklyn (718-222-1865).
2. The Magician
This bar offers drafts and a selection of drinks for just $3.50 a glass, while other hard liquors go for $4. If you’re still hungry after all that beer they’ve got an amazing snack selection of rife with nuts, soy sticks and sesame crackers. Happy hour runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. so make sure you get there in time!
The Magician is located at 118 Rivington Street between Essex and Norfolk Street on the Lower East Side (212-673-785). N.B.: Cash only.
3. Happyfun Hideaway
Former sorority girls, there’s only one thing you need to know about this place; there’s Franzia. Happy hour runs from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. where you’ll get a buck off your drink of choice with $5 cocktail specials that change daily, so there’s always something new to try. Grab some Franzia and lounge under an umbrella back in the bar’s patio with vegan pork sliders for a very “urban New York” kind of afternoon.
Happyfun Hideaway is located at 1211 Myrtle Avenue near Willoughby Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn (917-999-8282).
4. Agave
This location was noted earlier on our favorite brunch locations, and rightfully so, as Agave has some of the best margaritas in the city. You can try them for yourself at happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for just $5 a piece. Flavors range from prickly pear to blood orange. Don’t just stop with the drinks; appetizers are included in the happy hour deal for just $5 a plate. Some of the favorites among guests are the chips and guacamole and crab spinach dip.
Agave is located at 140 7th Ave South between 10th and Charles Streets in the West Village (212-989-2100, agaveny.com).
5. Lobster Joint
Despite the name, Lobster joint is known for more than its seafood. Happy hour runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and includes deals on drafts and cocktails. Pitchers for drafts run $16 while pitchers of cocktails are $24. Pair the drinks with dollar oysters and $4 lobster with your best buds.
The Lobster Joint is located at 1073 Manhattan Avenue between Eagle and Dupont Streets in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (718-389-8990, lobsterjoint.com) and at 201 East Houston Street between Ludlow and Orchard Streets on the Lower East Side (646-896-1110, lobsterjoint.com).
6. Soft Spot
Soft spot is the place to come with a friend, as drafts and drinks run two for one until 8 p.m. (2 a.m. on Tuesdays!). It’s a great summertime place, as it boasts a great backdoor patio, and right down the street is Vinnie’s Pizzeria. The best thing in the world after a night of drinking is pizza!
Soft Spot is located at 128 Bedford Ave between North 9th and 10th Streets in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-384-7768, softspotbar.com).
7. Ed’s Chowder House
The seafood places are the spot to be in New York! Located right by Lincoln Center is this happy hour that runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Monday through Thursday, the happy hour specials run again from 9 p.m. to close. Get your bottle of Bud for $3, house wine for $7, and cocktails like minty mojitos for $8. You can score some cheap, delicious snacks here as well; Atlantic oysters for $1.50 and chowder for $4.
Ed’s Chowder House is located at 44 West 63rd Street between Central Park West and Broadway (212-956-1288, chinagrillmgmt.com).
8. Cienfuegos
If you head over to the East Village during the week between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., you can get big discounts on select punches. This location is known for its pricey rum punch bowls and Cuban cuisine, but the happy hour specials allow you to try those expensive drinks for less than half the price. Daiquiris run for about $7, as well as whatever the drink of the day option is.
Cienfuegos is located at 95 Avenue A between East 6th and 7th Streets in the East Village (212-614-6818, cienfuegosny.com).
9. MexiBBQ
If tequila is your go to liquor, check out this Tex-Mex joint on the Upper East Side. It has a long happy hour from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., which is chock full of margarita and appetizer deals. Half-pints of classic margaritas are $4, while the flavored run for $6. Red or white sangria go for just $3.50. If you’ve worked up an appetite, try their chicken flautas and mini quesadillas for just $5. Ever wanted to try fried pickles? Well now you can, for just $2-4. They have plenty of other treats and brews that you can check out on their website.
MexiBBQ has two locations in NYC: 37-11 30th Ave in Astoria, Queens (718-626-0333, mexibbq.com) and at 1633 2nd Ave between 84th and 85th Streets on the Upper East Side (212-837-8285).
10. Fresh Salt
Fresh Salt is a little getaway in the middle of South Street seaport. The happy hour deal runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with drafts and cocktails for $4, almost unheard of for the area it’s in! While the food doesn’t get discounted as well, they have amazing signature sandwiches you can munch on while sitting in their outdoor area.
Fresh Salt is located at 146 Beekman Street between Front and South Streets in the Financial District (212-962-0053, freshsalt.com).
11. Amélie
This is the best happy hour deal for wine lovers out there. Located in Greenwich Village, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. you can sample a $10 customizable three-glass wine flight. If that’s a little too much for you, don’t worry, you can have a glass of wine for just $6.
Amélie is located at 22 West 8th Street between 5th Ave and Macdougal Streets in Greenwich Village (212) 533-2962, ameliewinebar.com).
Image: Via Flickr/GW Fins
