Bar Hopping on a Budget: San Diego’s Best Happy Hours

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Happiness is not hard to find in San Diego—but when it comes to happy hour, you can avoid the blues altogether. It’s easy to smile when you’re saving money!

 With so many great local bars at our disposal, it isn’t difficult to spend a week’s worth of pay in one night. Luckily, a night on the town doesn’t always have to mean an empty wallet. In fact, with a little practice you might find yourself going out more—and spending less. The trick is knowing when (and where) to swoop in and take advantage of San Diego’s most delightful discounts: happy hours!

 Many San Diego bars feature happy hours during the week, knowing that on weekends the crowds—and their checkbooks—need not be coerced. This is an important point, since many working professionals divide their week into two parts: work and play.

Yet a Monday or Tuesday has the potential to be just as exciting as a Friday—even if you have to work the next morning. Grab some friends and head somewhere you can actually dine, drink, and dance on a budget. There may be less people in your favorite bar on a weeknight, but you can use this as incentive to break from your regular spending routine.

If you can’t bear to give up weekends out, don’t fret. Most folks don’t even head out the door until 10pm. As long as you’re willing to start a bit earlier, it should be easy to find the best seat in the house, enjoy happy hour for all its worth, and watch as the club fills with people who are—unlike you—spending loads of dough on full-priced drinks! 

Though San Diego has countless happy hours worth visiting, here are a few of our favorites to get you started.

Air Conditioned Lounge, North Park

    Monday nights at Air Conditioned feature $5 you-call-its all night long. Tuesday nights boast $3 Red Trolleys and $5 Skyy Martinis. And Tuesdays only improve with age—from 11:30 p.m. to closing, guests receive half off all cocktails and $2 off all draft beers. On Thursdays (which are quickly becoming the new Fridays), it’s $3 well drinks and call drinks all night.

Henry’s Pub, Downtown

    Henry’s Pub offers a happy hour to customers Monday through Friday, from 4pm to 7:15pm. The expansive list of discounts includes half-priced appetizers, $2 draft Budweiser, Bud light, and Henry’s Pale Ale, $3 well drinks and house wine, $3 draft Stone Pale Ale, Alaskan Amber, Bass Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Wyders Pear Cider. And that’s not all—Henry’s also offers the tasty choice of Guinness or Blue Moon for just $4.

The Tavern at the Beach, Pacific Beach

    The Tavern has a happy hour special every night of the week. Monday, you’ve got your choice of a beer and a shot or a cocktail and a shot for $5. Tuesday, flavored vodkas or draft beers are $3. Wednesday features well drinks, domestic bottles, and all draft beers for $2.50 each. Thursday: you call it. $3. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday offer well drinks, draft beers, or bottles for $3 each.

Pacific Beach Bar & Grill, Pacific Beach

    PB Bar & Grill also rocks hard every day of the week. From 4pm to 8 pm, receive $3— or no less than half of the regular price—off all appetizers. Guests are also welcome to $3 well drinks, wines, and draft beers, and there is always a beer of the month available for $2.50. If you’re feeling tropical, try a margarita on the rocks for $3, or frozen for $3.50.

Photo courtesy www.sxc.hu