19 Spots for the Best Happy Hour in Seattle
An opportunity to unwind after a long day, happy hour is the perfect excuse to socialize with colleagues or friends after punching the clock.
Fortunately, in a city like Seattle that thrives on innovation and competition, there are plenty of spots for happy hour.
From gastropubs and pubs to hotel bars and high-end cocktail joints, there’s a place for every taste and price range.
Ready to explore some of the best happy hours in Seattle? Keep reading for our top recommendations!
1. Ba Bar
Ba Bar takes you across three Happy Hours in Seattle: Capitol Hill, South Lake, and University Village.
Make your rounds through the upscale Vietnamese menu while devouring cheap cocktails – twice a day!
The regular 3PM Happy Hour treats you to plenty of steaming pho and grilled skewers, and an industrial setting for social media goals too.
Don’t miss out on the Sai Gon Chicken Wings on Tuesdays; they’re just 60 cents each. Or, bring the party home via takeout cocktail kits.
2. Mr. West Cafe Bar
Happy Hour is slightly earlier at Mr. West Café Bar’s downtown branch, but its University Village shop is just as feel-good.
Café, wine shop and bar in one, they offer a classier and low-energy space.
Feed the buzz with frosé and other flowery cocktails like Garden Spritz and Wildflower, or get dollars off any draft beer and cider picks.
You can grab bottles directly from their wine shop too. Feeling peckish? The Meze Trio dip and Mediterranean Street Fries are a study in spices.
3. Oak
Oak is all about build-your-own burgers in the day, but Happy Hour revolves around its extensive drinks menu.
Invite your friends for a casual weeknight drink at this hip neighborhood haunt, where 4-6PM features $8 cocktails and endless local beers on tap.
The rotating and specialty drafts keep you revisiting this Seattle bar, but the spirits list is no joke either.
Running the range from bourbon and brandy to rye and whiskey, everyone gets their drink. For spectacular names, check out the Oaktails.
4. Belmont
Belmont is yet another Seattle Happy Hour, best at pairing wines with charcuterie boards.
The moody digs carry a dark academia aesthetic, transporting you into the golden European days.
It’s definitely a wine and cocktail lounge in Capitol Hill that you want to visit.
With the lounge opening at Happy Hour, you should plan to arrive no earlier than 5PM and stay until the midnight closing.
Order small plates to whet the appetite; cheese platters, rotating tapas dishes such as deviled eggs, and stuffed meatballs.
5. Barrio Mexican Kitchen & Bar
Barrio is definitely a neighborhood Mexican kitchen and bar you want to hang out at, especially to save up on bucks.
The casual atmosphere means dressing down, sleeves up and ready to tuck into the flavorful menu.
Start your Happy Hour with agave-based cocktails or fruity sangrias.
Hardcore drinkers may dive into their collection of some 300 bottles of Mexican spirits – at discount, of course.
Local recommendations say: braised pork taquitos and loaded nachos to go well with $11 Triple T’s.
6. Good Bar
You’d never know Good Bar was anything but a good bar in Seattle – except for the random vault door.
Previously a bank, the space has been transformed with modern décor. Now, it’s where people can grab drinks or dine solo from 3PM daily.
Happy Hour runs until 6PM, just long enough for those early to game night to enjoy dollars off wine and beers.
High-end bar bites come in form of pita wraps, halloumi and mezze platters; the Good Baaaar Burger is for hungry stomachs.
7. Some Random Bar
When you tell your friends that the best Happy Hour in Seattle happens at Some Random Bar, hammer in the capitals!
The brick-walled gastropub is one for the hipsters; date night or hanging out with friends.
From Mondays to Saturdays 4-6PM, you’re served from lists like “Some Random Cocktails…” and “No Crap On Tap…”.
Well-priced, varied and with #fun names, the menu also offers excellent snacks that range from crab nachos to burrata garlic bread.
Close your eyes to pick some random bites.
8. The Masonry
Lighten up the midweek funk with a friendly hang out at The Masonry, possibly the chillest Seattle Happy Hour spot.
Both locations run from Wednesday to Sunday, set up with solid picnic tables for mingling.
More than 15+ beers are on tap, though you may ask for their $8 cocktail specials instead.
The barrel-aged sour stout pairs well with their main rotating menu though; wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas.
For meatier eats, the Margherita pies and meatballs are well-loved orders.
9. M Bar
If we’re talking about the best Happy Hour in Seattle with views, M Bar hovers at the top of the list.
The rooftop venue offers sweeping views over South Lake Union, outdoor seating inviting both breeze and a surplus of Vitamin D.
Summertime Happy Hour demands those draft beers and Middle Eastern-meets-Mediterranean snacks.
Shawarminis are a must-try alongside the house-made sangria and lemondrop. With drinks priced a middling $7 to $10, top up without breaking the bank.
10. Tapas Lab
Wander over to Tapas Lab after a day out at Green Lake Park.
The Japanese-Spanish wine bar is designed with high ceilings, brick and wood accents to comfortable effect, perfect for group meet-ups.
It is tapas dining too, meaning more friends, and more variety on the table.
Reviewers tout the best of the fusion fare to be: bulgogi parmesan and cured salmon pinchos, ricotta meatballs, and wagyu sliders.
The beverage menu offers rare flights of wine to try; the beer and cider selection will also satisfy.
11. Mission Cantina
From Mezcal Mondays to Tequila Tuesdays, Mission Cantina is the life of the party!
The lofted eatery is exploding with color: tiles, bottles, plates, pillows, sombreros… you name it. For such a small space, it sure carries big flavors.
The Happy Hour menu totes all your favorites, whether pico-smothered nachos or chunky dips.
Guzzle down $4 Mexican draft beers or try the Mission Rum Punch, the latter served in mason jars. For a classic pair, try house margaritas with the enchiladas.
12. List
List Restaurant is a sleeker setting with a more refined ambiance, best if you want somewhere quiet to chat.
Hoping for a casually romantic drink with your partner? This Seattle Happy Hour spot is just right.
All bar food is 50% off during Happy Hour, plus reduced beverage prices to boot.
The Italian-based menu is pretty hearty, featuring handmade gnocchi, rigatoni, bacon-wrapped prawns and spicy cilantro pasta.
Cocktails run strong with Dark Mules and chocolate-infused King Bee; temper with reds, whites and champagne.
13. Smith
Comfort foods rank high on any Happy Hour menu, and Smith knows it.
Warm, moody and with the taste of home, this restaurant and bar treats you to Happy Hour early in the evening and another time post-dinner.
Matching the rich tone of its tables, Smith’s dishes veer towards sweet potato fries, snack-sized mac-n-cheese, mini cheese plates and sliders.
The bar is straightforward: wines, shots, draft beers and rainier. Cocktails do come with a twist – like the Smith Masala Mule. Non-alcoholic cocktails are on call as well.
14. Liberty
Sink into the couches of Liberty and slowly sip away. Small and cozy, the shop has cultivated a laidback atmosphere where the goal is not to get drunk, but to unwind.
The daily Happy Hour runs from 3-5PM. Sushi and cocktails come together for a good time.
Every sushi roll received thumbs up from reviewers; Chef’s Choice allows them to be creative while keeping your dietary needs in mind.
Likewise, the extensive bar menu has been divvied up into subsections for different flavor stories.
15. La Cocina Oaxaqueña
La Cocina Oaxaqueña may not be fancy – a simple dining room-esque set up with banner décor – but the food and atmosphere hold you hostage.
The outdoor city seating lets you switch up the sights so you could easily enjoy both Happy Hour slots; 4-6PM then 10PM-12AM.
Authentic Southern Mexican cuisine sets the tone, with tacos and tostadas rolling in at $8. Don’t miss out on the salsa bar either!
Beers start as low as $4.50 while you move up the price range to house wine, house margaritas and carafes of sangria.
16. Tamari Bar
From its high, exposed ceilings to black-and-white tile accents, Tamari Bar screams cool.
Now here’s a bar that spoils you during Happy Hour, pushing drink and food combos on the cheap, as well as a 7-in-1 Tora Gozen appetizer set.
Cook wagyu beef ‘til it sizzles, slurp away at the spicy dan dan ramen – it’s Japanese drinking snacks and street food at their best.
Order some excellent whiskey highballs and watch them make it with a cool machine, or indulge in Sapporo pints.
17. Rachel’s Ginger Beer
If you like to feel your throat burn but somewhat healthily, Rachel’s Ginger Beer is the perfect balance of ginger (good for your body) and beer (good for the soul).
Organic ingredients and seasonal varietals come through to flavor those to-go cups and sit-down cocktails.
Happy Hour or not, the iconic RGB float is a must-try for those who love soft serves.
Pickier drinkers will appreciate the Build-A-Mule, where it’s your choice of RGB flavor plus spirits. Know that the RGB flavors list is long.
18. Reckless Noodle House
Reckless Noodle House definitely isn’t a reckless choice, even if you raise your eyebrows at their creative cocktails.
You can always expect something new to drink, while the food stays loyal to its roots.
The Vietnamese locale dolls out noodle bowls and crispy rolls, appetizers that even out at $4-$6 during Happy Hour.
Take advantage of the full bar, as it serves hot sake bottles and draft beers. Red, whites and reckless cocktails also make the cut.
19. Radiator Whiskey
Whiskey, bourbon, tater tots – the ultimate combo found at Radiator Whiskey. Grab a seat at this Pike Place Market joint and watch the open kitchen in action.
You can’t miss the huge barrel that houses the best brown liquor in town; Woodin It Be Nice to try their signature cocktails with these wood-smoked bases?
To make sure you stay fresh all night, order some terrines or meaty bites to complement. To stay true to tradition, order tater tots and gravy to snack on.
