Happy Hour = Late Day Drinking

There is nothing quite like day drinking. Unfortunately humans have to work to sustain themselves and that leaves very little time for day drinking during the week. BUT...the work day typically ends at 5, leaving just a few hours to drink. To celebrate this momentous occasions bars and restaurants have instituted the most fantastic idea ever: in those final hours of daylight, why not offer people beer, cocktails, and maybe even food at a discounted price. They called it "Happy Hour," for what I assume to be obvious reasons.

San Francisco, the bustling city that it is, offers a large variety of places that boast a happy hour. Some include things like $3 drafts and $5 snacks (which in my book is a steal), and then some offer $1 off a drink (which does not necessarily make me "happy").

The hours of most "happy hours"range from 3pm - 8pm, although most only last 2 hours. Some places even have two happy hours like Pacific Catch on 9th Ave & Lincoln in the Inner Sunset. They have a happy hour from 4pm - 6pm (M-F) and then again every single night of the week from 10pm - 11pm (12pm on Fridays and Saturdays). They feature $6 freshly squeezed agave margaritas, $4 premium draft beers, $4.50 well drinks and bar bites including calamari, sweet potato fries, coconut shrimp, and a variety of sushi rolls. It's definitely worth the journey across town (Golden Gate Park is also just across street) and also because I work there and you can meet me in the flesh :)

Spicy Pacific Martini & Agave Margarita @ Pacific Catch. ($6 each at happy hour).

There is a wealth of "happy hours" in the Financial and Embarcadero Districts for all the 9-to-5er's. Some great ones include Palomino, which features an all day, everyday happy hour and The Cosmopolitan, which has a large happy hour menu including $4 well drinks, $6 Herradura margaritas, $6 Cosmopolitans, and bar bites starting at $3 and include garlic Parmesan fries, grilled beef satay served with peanut sauce, and spicy tuna tartare served with fried nori chips.

Leave the downtown area and there are a plethora of other happy hours. I will discuss some more places in coming posts so be sure to check back.