Originally published in May 2021, updated June 2023.
It’s no secret that the best days end with a happy hour. Downtown Austin has many options to grab a drink with colleagues after work or friends before a show or performance. Here are our favorite downtown happy hours in Austin. Check out our tips on getting around to take advantage of public transit. Tip your bartenders and have fun!
BarChi
Head to 206 Colorado Street for BarChi Monday through Saturday from 4pm to 7pm or anytime Sunday to enjoy specials on sushi and drinks. If you are a night owl, you may also want to know BarChi has a late-night happy hour from 10pm until midnight on Thursday and 10pm until 1am on Friday and Saturday. We highly recommend adding the spicy edamame to your order.
Casino El Camino
Take advantage of happy hour specials from 11:30am until 7pm every single day at Casino El Camino. Check out Austin’s favorite dive bar at 517 East 6th Street and try their famous burgers.
Cheer Up Charlies
Head to the Red River Cultural District to check out Cheer Up Charlies‘ happy hour. Each day between 4pm-7pm, you can get a dollar off drafts, cans, specialty drinks and kombucha cocktails. They also rotate through seasonal local beers.
Clay Pit
Unwind at Clay Pit‘s happy hour every day from 3pm to 6:30pm at the bar with $2 off of any alcoholic beverages and $2 off of any small plate. We love drinking out of their peacock-shaped cups on Guadalupe.
Codependent
Codependent has a great happy hour and a few specialty nights each week. Regular happy hour is $5 off charcuterie boards, wine by the glass and codependent classics from 4-6pm on weekdays. Monday is an all-day happy hour and Saturday is Rosé All-Day so you can enjoy half-off still and sparkling rosé. Find them at 301 West Avenue.
Corinne
Stroll down E. Cesar Chavez to Corinne between 3-6pm on days that end with “y” for $8 house wines, $5 beers and select cocktails and $7 apps. Does it get any better?
Ellis
Ellis is one of our very favorite happy hours here. Situated right in front of Fareground, you can partake in people-watching, beautiful surroundings $3 flatbreads, chips and dip and select beers, wines and spirits. You can enjoy happy hour between a breezy patio with mister fans or a cool, intimate space with AC at the magical 111 Congress from 3pm-6:30pm daily.
Estelle’s
Estelle’s is ready to have you sipping pretty Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5-6pm on 4th and Colorado. We cannot recommend their Matcha Martini enough.
Firehouse Lounge
Firehouse is dark and moody. To set the scene, you have to enter through a heavy bookcase like a dark academia icon on Brazos Street. They boast a delightful drink menu they serve daily from open to 8pm with $2 off drinks excluding canned beer.
Foxy’s Proper Pub
Happy hour at Foxy’s Proper Pub runs Thursday-Saturday from 5-8pm! They offer $3 draft beer selections, $5 draft Guinness as well as $5 Irish whiskey selections Tullamore Dew, Jameson, Teeling, Bushmills and Paddy’s. Sláinte, see you on Brazos Street.
Group Therapy
Every Wednesday, Hotel ZaZa’s Restaurant, Group Therapy features half-off bottles of wine, $2 off wines by the glass, half off any whiskey over $30 and BOGO half off all starters, plus live music from 6pm-9pm by local musicians according to Open Table.
Halcyon
Halcyon on West 4th Street has a happening happy hour! Stop by between 4pm and 8pm any weekday or all-day Sunday for $2.50 wells and domestics. They also have a reverse happy hour on Mondays from 12am to close.
Higher Ground
Higher Ground is the best church-themed bar you could ever ask for. Holy hour runs Tuesday through Friday from 4pm – 7pm and Saturday from 2pm – 6pm and includes $4 beer, $7 wells, $10 classics and half-priced snacks. On Tuesdays, they have $1 East Coast oysters and on Wednesdays, they offer $5 frita burgers on Congress Avenue.
Irene’s
Irene’s happy hour comes with free popcorn Monday to Saturday from 3:30pm-6:30pm and all-day Sunday off West 6th Street. They also offer $2 off all snacks, $1 off draft beers and $4 house spirits.
Lambert’s
Lambert’s has a happy hour every day from 4-6pm in the 2nd Street District. During happy hour, enjoy $2 off specialty cocktails, draft beer and wine by the glass. They sweetened the pot by adding half-off of the bar food menu to their happy hour too.
La Condesa
Sit in the bar area Monday through Friday from 5 to 6pm at La Condesa to enjoy half off all alcoholic beverages. Head to 400 West 2nd Street to take advantage of this discount. We recommend their margaritas and palomas as seen below.
Lavaca Street Bar
Little Woodrow’s
Enjoy $4.50 wells and $5.50 22-ounce select domestic mugs at Little Woodrows on West 6th Street on weekdays from 3pm until 7pm. Wednesday even includes an all-day happy hour.
Moonshine
Moonshine‘s happy hour boasts several $5 cocktails from 3-5:30pm Monday through Thursday with $2 Lone Stars, $4 house wines by the glass, specialty cocktails, well drinks and half-off appetizers.
Péché
Perche on West 4th specializes in absinthe but excels in cocktails with other spirits too. We have yet to try a drink we didn’t love there. Happy hour runs from 4pm-7pm Tuesdays through Fridays and all-night Sunday and Monday. During happy hour, enjoy sinfully good $6 cocktails and half-off food marked with an * on the menu.
Numero28
Numero 28 has a long list of of happy hour specials, including $7 Aperol spritz and house wines, prosecco and sangrias, just to name a few. They also have a few happy hour food specials; so you have something delicious to munch on while you sip. Head to their location on West 2nd Street Monday to Friday from 4:30pm to 6pm.
Roosevelt Room
Stop by happy hour at the Roosevelt Room on West 5th Street every day until 6pm. Enjoy $2 off glasses of wine and large fare food, $1 off beers, small fare food and sweets and 20% off bottles of still and sparkling wine. They also have a fantastic specialty cocktail menu for happy hour.
Scholz Garten
Happy Appy takes place at Scholz Garten Wednesday-Friday from 3pm to 5pm. During this magical hour, you can benefit from $5 select appetizers, cocktails and haus wine. You can also enjoy $2 off draught beers at 1607 San Jacinto.
Swift’s Attic
Swift’s Attic has an excellent happy hour menu that includes $8 and under cocktails, $5 wines, $2 Miller Lite and some discounted apps. Stop by Monday-Friday from 4-5:30pm for any of these wonderful deals!
Taquero Mucho
Taquero Mucho is famous for it’s all-pink decor and several pink menu items. They have a happy hour from 3-6pm on weekdays with three $6 cocktails, a few $5 shots, $2 off select wines and several $6 bites.
TenTen
Monday through Friday from 4:30pm – 6pm, head to TenTen for $6 and $9 food specials (including hand rolls). You can also enjoy half-priced specialty cocktails, sake, wine and house spirits at this downtown hot spot, located at 501 W. Sixth St.
The Tavern
If you go to The Tavern from Monday through Friday between 4 and 6pm, you can get $4 draft beers, $5 margaritas, $7 cocktails and select bites.
TRACE
Enjoy your happy hour on the cool patio of TRACE! Swing by 200 Lavaca Street from 3pm-6pm any weekday.
Upstairs at Caroline
Happy hour Upstairs at Caroline is a colorful rooftop experience with daily specials on Congress Avenue on weekdays from 4-7pm. They have frozen drink deals Monday, Taco Tuesday deals, Backyard Beverage specials on Wednesday, draft drink specials on Thursday and a special on their signature cocktail “Bad Life Choices” (limit two per customer) on Fridays.
Wanderlust Wine Co.
Join Wanderlust Wine Co. on Wednesdays for 50% off tapped wine from 5-11pm with live music from 5:30-10pm. Get your fill at Wine Wednesdays at 610 North IH 35.
Wu Chow Austin
Head to Wu Chow any night between Monday and Friday from 5-6pm. Sit in the cocktail area or the patio to enjoy $5 red or white wines, a $5 cocktail of the day, $8 specialty cocktails, $2 off beers, and food specials!
Zanzibar
Zanzibar is a breezy rooftop bar, seven stories above Austin. According to their Instagram, happy hour is Monday-Wednesday from 4-6pm for $2 off specialty drinks.
Happy hours are subject to change at any time so we have included the links to all the websites so that you can double-check offers before you go if you would like. We hope you enjoy your time downtown! Drink responsibly, and stay safe.