In current times, you may think that going out for a few drinks or something to eat after work is something you should be skipping out on to try and save a bit of money. Well, I have put together this guide to show you some of the best happy hours in Houston that will mean you can still enjoy a pleasant evening out mid-week without breaking the bank.
Where Are The 5 Happiest Hours in Houston
Throughout this guide, I will show you where to find the best happy hours in Houston and what they have to offer, what times they have the best deals, and which places are the most popular, so by the time 5:00 pm hits. You can head straight to the one that piques your interest the most to enjoy a cheeky couple of drinks and a bite to eat.
So with that in mind, let’s have a look, in no particular order, at which happy hours in Houston have the most to offer.
1. Monkey’s Tail
| Address | 5802 Fulton St, Houston, TX 77009 |
| Website | www.monkeystailhou.com |
| Happy Hour Time | Monday - Friday: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm |
Lindale Park’s Monkey Tail is a trendy and modern bar popular with Houstoners from all over. Their style is funky, and the vibe is upbeat, making them a hotspot with the younger crowds but don’t let that put you off. I found a great mix of people of all ages, especially during happy hour, between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm Monday to Friday.
During happy hour you can take advantage of some great money-saving offers, such as cocktails for $6.00, $1.00 off any cans or bottles of beer, and $2.00 off all wine. There is also a frozen cocktail menu, with choices such as a Northside and a Margarita.
There is no food on the happy hour menu, but plenty of light snacks are available if you want a bite to eat for a low price; slices of pizza are only $3.00 or $4.00, and a small burger is just $5.00. You can also pick up a fajita or taco for only $4.00 or $5.00.
The bar has a dog-friendly patio with umbrellas, picnic tables, television screens, and fans for the warmer days, so feel free to take your four-legged friend along with you; they will be well looked after by the dog lovers who work there.
Also Read:- 8 Best Wine Stores in Houston, TX (Wholesale/Retail)
2. Daily Gather
| Address | 800 Sorella Ct Suite 940, Houston, TX 77024 |
| Website | www.dailygather.com |
| Happy Hour Time | Monday - Friday: 2:00 pm 5:30 pm |
Located in the city center of Houston, the Daily Gather is inspired by creating memories and sharing good times with loved ones around a dinner table.
It’s a casual eatery with a laid-back and homely feel, which serves up traditional American cuisine to a high standard, and for a great price, especially if you visit during their happy hour, which is between 2:00 pm and 5:30 pm on weekdays.
During the happy hour, I thought their selection was great and didn’t make you feel like you were dining on a budget menu. The food choice was great, and they didn’t skimp on the dishes just because it’s the cheaper option.
There were dishes such as Three Gulf Coast Oysters, Bacon Crunch Popcorn, Brisket Sliders, and Salmon Wontons. These were all priced between $4.00 and $12.00, or you could opt for the Charcuterie Board, which is $15.00 but is excellent for sharing and consists of bread, honey, meat and cheese, nuts, and fresh fruit.
Their kitchen sources all of its ingredients from local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen, so you know that everything you’re eating is organic, fresh, and of excellent quality, making the happy hour even better.
During happy hour, a glass of wine is only $6.00, beers are just $3.50, and cocktails are only $9.00. I recommend trying the “Friends Having Dinner,” Maker’s Mark Bourbon with Italian elderflower liqueur, Solerno blood orange liqueur, Byrhh, and cherry bitters. It was a show stopper of a cocktail, not something I had ever seen.
Also Read:- Top 7 Popular Bars to Visit Near Downtown, Houston, TX
3. Gratify
| Address | 5212 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005 |
| Website | www.gratifyhouston.com |
| Happy Hour Time | Monday - Friday: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
Gratify is a bistro-style bar that is extremely popular within the community due to its fabulous interior and decoration, influenced by Europe. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a baroque interior that transports them to the traditional Versailles. During my visit, I got the impression of a kind of escape for adults, especially when I spotted that there was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
All of their produce is locally sourced, and the food is fresh. One of the things that impressed me more than anything else was the raw bar, where they had a fantastic selection of Crudo, shucked oysters, caviar, tartare, and all sorts of other fresh offerings.
The happy hour here is between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm, Monday – Friday, and they have a great selection to choose from. On the happy hour food menu, you can choose from dishes such as P.E.I mussels, served with garlic bread, Crab Finger Scampi, Lamb Meatballs served with tzatziki and salad, and Snapper Ceviche, which comes with avocado, onions, cucumber, mango habanero, and tostada.
If you want something to share, I recommend opting for the Bistro Board, which has a selection of meats and cheese, Marcona almonds, orange fennel mostarda, fresh fruit, a pot of honey, and a fresh warm baguette.
All the dishes on the happy hour menu are priced between $9.00 and $20.00, so they are slightly more expensive than some of the others I visited. Still, you get what you pay for here, and the quality remains as exceptional during happy hour as it does if you were to choose something off the main menu.
The drinks on offer during happy hours are cocktails and wine, the wine is $25.00 a bottle, and the cocktails are $14.00.
4. Chivas
| Address | 222 W 11th Street, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website | www.chivoshou.com |
| Happy Hour Time | Thursday - Saturday: 5:00 pm 6:30 pm |
If it’s a hot sunny day in Houston, and you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy a happy hour outdoors, then Chivas is your place; with a stunning patio area, this is a great destination to enjoy peace and solace after a hard day at work.
Like the restaurant I reviewed before this one, I was drawn to the raw bar, and I wasn’t disappointed. Also, if you read the last one and worried it was out of your price range, fear not; this place is much lower cost when it comes to the happy hour menu and offers some similar dishes.
Although the raw bar isn’t quite as extensive, they have brilliant quality. You can choose the Catch of the Day, Tuna Tostada, or the sharing dish, Ceviche Mixto Tostada, which includes fish, shrimp, squid, avocado, and pico salsa, cucumber, crema, and peanut salsa macha. This will cost you $19.00 but is plenty for two people to share.
They also have a menu of small plates on the happy hour menu, which are between $12.00 and $16.00. Some of these include Stone Fruit and Burrata Toast, Bone Marrow Tacos, Huarache, and Pozole Dumpling, which I highly recommend. They come in a rich pork broth with almond salsa macha, napa cabbage, and radish; the flavors were insane, and the whole dish worked well together.
There is also a separate menu for veggie sides during happy hour, which I didn’t come across much on my travels. There were dishes like Buffalo Cauliflower, Mexican Street Corn, Crispy Potatoes, Shishito Peppers, and Calabacitas. These were all between $9.00 and $12.00, and the portion sizes were good enough to have as a small meal if you wanted a vegetarian option.
When it came to the drinks, there was a good selection of wine and beers, as well as some tasty cocktails such as the Spicy Mango Margarita, which I will definitely be going back to enjoy again soon; in fact, I would go as far as to say it’s one of the best Margaritas in Houston. The cocktails were between $10.00 and $13.00 during happy hour, and the beer and wine were around the $8.00 mark.
5. Eight Row Flint
| Address | 1039 Yale St, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website | www.agricolehospitality.com |
| Happy Hour Time | Monday - Friday: 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
A fabulous choice if you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy food and drinks with friends after work. It’s a trendy choice due to its unique drinks selection, but they also have some great food on offer.
The vibe here is extremely cool and casual, they have nice seating areas inside and out, and there is plenty of room in each area, so I don’t think you would struggle too much to get a table even if you didn’t have a reservation.
During the summer, they open up some garage-like doors, which merge the inside and outside areas, which is a great touch.
There has been some bad feedback when it comes to the service here, but I have to say, on this day, I couldn’t complain, the staff were all polite and attentive, and even though I was seated outside, I was never once forgotten about or had a delay in being seen too.
The happy hour here runs from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm every weekday and offers $4.50 beers and $6.50 cocktails such as Frozen Margarita, Eight Row Mule, and the Sotol Paloma.
Although there is no food available on the happy hour menu, they have some other great offers you can enjoy while you wait for happy hour, which will save you some money. For instance, the lunchtime specials, which run every day from 11:00 am – 2:00, have a lunch menu of $15.00.
On this menu, you get to choose one of two drinks and then two small plates. The choices are Brussel Sprout Tacos (which were great,) Watermelon Salad, Chicharrones, Elotes, Curly Fries, and the Sorona Dog.
Conclude
So if you were wondering which joints to head to get yourself a discounted dinner snack and drink, hopefully, my guide has pointed you in the right direction of some stand-out places to enjoy a happy hour in Houston.
If you have found this to be an interesting read, then I recommended heading over and seeing what else Houston has to offer by reading about the 6 Best Restaurants to Celebrate a Birthday in Houston, TX, and 12 Awesome Places to go in Houston at Night.