Here are our suggestions for some of the best happy hours in Seattle. These are some of the most popular venues and hidden hideaways in neighborhoods throughout the Emerald City. Note that this list of bars and lounges focus on establishments with popular happy hour drink and food specials.
If you’re looking to imbibe and nosh while watching sports on the big screen, check our list of 50 best value sports bars in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area (greaterseattleonthecheap.com).
Best all-around happy hours in Seattle
We chose these happy hour spots because they have cheap-to-moderate prices, good food, and entertainment (TV, games, and/or music). Several have outdoor seating when the weather beckons. So, no matter what time of year, these reliable bars and lounges are a great place to grab a drink and snacks in the late afternoon to early evening while spending a Benny ($20) or less.
(Listed roughly north to south)
- Capitol Hill: The Lookout Bar and Grill, 757 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102. Neighborhood bar with rotating beers and killer food.
- Capitol Hill: Roanoke Park Place, 2409 10th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102. One of the oldest bars in the city. 15 taps, cocktails, Nachos, Soups, Salads & Seattle’s Best Burgers. Outdoor deck, games, TVs, daily specials, late night happy hour.
- Capitol Hill: Hillside Bar, 1520 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122. Neighborhood bar with rotating draft beers, over 100 liquors, select wines, pool, and games. Daily happy hour.
- Fremont: Esters Enoteca, 3416 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103. Elevated fast-casual eatery and wine shop. Serving appetizers, salads, paninis, and pasta. Limited happy hour, but different and tasty.
- Wallingford: Tavolàta Stone Way | Ethan Stowell Restaurants, 3627 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103. Daily happy hour with generous menu of food and drinks.
- Wallingford: The Octopus Bar, 2121 N 45th Ste, Seattle, WA 98103. Funky atmosphere with interesting menu of flatbreads, salads, and more to go along with great drinks. There is an outdoor space when the weather is agreeable.
- Wallingford: Kate’s Pub, 309 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105. Relaxed atmosphere most appreciated for the half-price food during happy hour.
- Ballard: Ocho, 2325 NW Market Street Seattle, WA 98107. Traditional and Spanish inspired tapas, a wide selection of spirits, wines from the Iberian Peninsula, sherry, Spanish ciders and beers.
- Queen Anne: Streamline Tavern | Facebook, 174 Roy St, Seattle, WA 98109. Cute and comfy neighborhood dive for more than 60 years. Friendly, well-priced. Delicious food.
- Pike Market: Radiator Whiskey, 94 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101. Great cocktail bar with an interesting food menu on the 3rd floor of the Corner Market Building at Pike Place Market.
- Pike Market: Alibi Room, 85 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101. Hidden gem in Post Alley (near the gum wall). Surprisingly un-touristy, considering the location in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Pizza, salad, and appetizer menu with a nice selection during a long afternoon happy hour.
- Convention Center: Daawat Grill & Bar, 820 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101 (convenient to Washington State Convention Center). Happy hour drink specials are reasonably priced, which you can pair with something from their fairly extensive food menu offerings.
- Columbia City (aslo West Seattle/Alki): Marination Ma Kai, 3714 S Hudson St, Seattle, WA 98118. Small happy hour menu featuring their signature spicy, tangy, sweet. and aloha-laden fare.
- West Seattle/Alki (also Columbia City): Marination Ma Kai, 1660 Harbor Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98126. It can get very crowded, but the waterfront view overlooking the Seattle skyline is killer. Hawaiian inspired menu.
Happy hour with friends is a great way to unwind after the work day ! – DepositPhotos.com
Best Sunday night happy hours for holiday weekends
With a focus on locally owned (and mostly upscale) restaurants with food as well as beverage specials, this list of restaurants in and around Seattle offer Sunday night happy hours . They’re especially great on a three-day weekend.
Sunday night Happy Hours north of Seattle
- Anthony’s Restaurants (Edmonds, Everett). Daily happy hour with selection of food and drinks.
- Emory’s on Silver Lake | Anthony’s Restaurants (Everett). Daily happy hour. Generous menu of food and drinks.
- Shawn O’Donnell’s (Everett and Mount Vernon, also Seattle/Pioneer Square, Seattle/Fremont.). Daily early and late happy hour with menu of food and drink specials.
Sunday night Happy Hours in Seattle
(Listed roughly north to south)
- Matador | Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar (Ballard, Redmond, Tacoma, West Seattle). Early and late happy hour with menu of bargain small bites to go with full priced drinks.
- Shawn O’Donnell’s (Fremont & Pioneer Square, also Everett and Mount Vernon). Daily early and late happy hour with menu of food and drink specials.
- Tavolàta Stone Way | Ethan Stowell Restaurants (Wallingford). Daily happy hour with generous menu of food and drinks.
- Red Cow | Ethan Stowell Restaurants (Madrona). Daily happy hour with small offering of food and drinks.
- Barolo Ristorante (South Lake Union). Daily early and late happy hours. 50% off bar food. HH wine/beer only (cocktails available at regular prices),
- Fogon Cucina Mexicana (Capitol Hill). Daily happy hour with drink and food specials.
- List (Belltown). Happy Hour all day Sunday-Mondays. Early and late HH Tuesday-Saturday. Food and drink specials.
- Toulouse Petit (lower Queen Anne), Daily early and late Happy Hour. Extremely generous HH menu of food and drinks, plus 3-course prix fixe early dinner.
Sunday night happy hours on the Eastside
- Anthony’s Restaurants (Kirkland). Daily happy hour with selection of food and drinks.
- Matador | Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar (Ballard, Redmond, Tacoma, West Seattle). Early and late happy hour with menu of bargain small bites to go with full priced drinks.
Sunday night Happy Hours south and west of Seattle
- Anthony’s Restaurants (Des Moines, Gig Harbor, Olympia). Daily happy hour with selection of food and drinks.
- Boathouse 19 | Anthony’s Restaurants (Tacoma). Daily happy hour with selection of food and drinks.
- Harbor Lights | Anthony’s Restaurants (Tacoma). Daily happy hour with selection of food and drinks.
- Matador | Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar (Ballard, Redmond, Tacoma, West Seattle). Early and late happy hour with menu of bargain small bites to go with full priced drinks.
Dive bars offer great food and drinks at a great price – DepositPhotos.com
Best cheap dive bars in Seattle
The following lists of cheap bars focus on value-conscious ‘dive’ bars where you can relax and unwind for a mere sawbuck ($10). Some do not have happy hours because they are a good value all the time.
Make no mistake! Although these taverns, pubs, and lounges are no frills kinda places, they offer food and personality plus. Most offer an assortment of brews on tap (and in bottles or cans), growlers to take home, wine and classic cocktails (most of ’em), burgers and other tasty snacks (usually), games (darts, pinball, and the like).
Most have big screen TVs, but not always. Some are places to talk or listen to music (live or juke) while you hang out and imbibe. (If it’s sports bars you’re after, check our list of best sports bars.)
(Lists arranged by zip code.)
Dive bars in north Seattle
- Green Lake: Duck Island Ale House, 7317 Aurora Ave N Seattle, WA 98103
- Wallingford: Korochka Tavern, 2317 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103
- Fremont: Pacific Inn Pub, 3501 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103
- U-District: Blue Moon Tavern, 712 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105
- U-District: Kraken Bar & Lounge, 5828 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
- Ballard: Ballard Smoke Shop | Bar, 5439 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
- Phinney: Tin Hat, 512 NW 65th St, Seattle, WA 98117
- Northgate: The Pinehurst Pub, 11753 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
Dive bars in downtown Seattle and central neighborhoods
- First Hill: Vito’s, 927 9th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
- Delridge: Ebb Tide Room at Chelan Café, 3527 Chelan Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106
- Uptown/Lower Queen Anne: Mecca Café, 526 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
- Downtown/Belltown: Shortys, 2316 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
- First Hill: Crescent Lounge, 1413 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122
- First Hill: Montana, 1506 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122
- First Hill: Hillside Bar, 1520 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122
- Central Area: Twilight Exit, 2514 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98122
Dive bars in south and West Seattle neighborhoods
- South Park: Loretta’s Northwesterner, 8617 14th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Georgetown: 9lb hammer, 6009 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Beacon Hill/South: Clock Out Lounge, 4864 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
- Columbia City: The Hummingbird Saloon, 5041 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
- SoDo: Hooverville Bar, 1721 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134
Best cheap dive bars outside Seattle
List arranged by city.
- Bremerton: Tracyton Public House, 403 NW Tracy Ave, Bremerton, WA 98311
- Everett: Tony V’s Garage, 1716 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA 98201
- Everett: White Buffalo Saloon, 5616 Evergreen Way, Everett, WA 98203
- Fall City: Last Frontier Saloon, 33813 SE Redmond-Fall City Rd, Fall City, WA 98024
- Kirkland: Central Tavern, 124 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
- Lakewood: Lake City Pub, 9106 Veterans Dr, Lakewood, WA 98498
- Mountlake Terrace: Getaway Tavern, 24309 56th Ave W. Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
- Port Orchard: Manchester Pub, 2350 Colchester Dr E, Port Orchard, WA 98366
- Shoreline: Darrell’s Tavern, 18041 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133
- Tacoma: Camp Bar, 1310 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98402
- Tacoma: Beach Tavern – Titlow Park, 8612 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98465
Chain restaurant happy hours
(Not all locations will participate, so call ahead to confirm)
- BJ’s Restaurants: Early and late happy hours. Available in the bar only, drink specials may vary according to location.
- Buffalo Wild Wings: Daily bar specials. Call your local BWW to find out about their specials and happy hour times.
- Cheesecake Factory: We found Monday-Friday afternoon happy hours at the several locations we checked.
- Outback Steakhouse has cocktail specials all day every day and a menu of reasonably priced appetizers to go along.
- Ruth’s Chris: Daily Happy Hour selection of food and drink specials.
Upcoming food & drink events and discounts
Listed below are all kinds of food & drink events on our calendar. Events listed first each day highlighted by a photo are featured events that we or our advertisers don’t want you to overlook.
But wait, there’s more!
- Fast food restaurant deals and discounts
- 24-hour restaurants offer dining all day and all night
- Fine dining loyalty programs & restaurant gift cards
- Discounts for seniors at Seattle and Puget Sound area restaurants
- 50+ restaurants for free food on birthdays, anniversaries
- Find free and cheap things to do every day on the Greater Seattle on the Cheap calendar.
- Visit the Greater Seattle on the Cheap home page and choose from a menu of free and cheap activities in the Puget Sound region.
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