Hard to believe, but autumn officially starts next week, on Friday, September 22. With that in mind, the Houston Press has rounded up the best new happy hours in town. These happy hour deals include brunch and late-night steals, vegetarian options, and regular old after-work drink specials. Here's where to get your cheap drinking and dining on in Houston now.
Also make sure to check out these happy hours that launched over the summer, all of which are still worth a try as well.
Greek dips are a must at Helen in the Heights' new happy hour.
Photo courtesy of Helen in the Heights
The Heights-based Greek taverna has officially launched its happy hour with specials available every Tuesday through Friday, 3 to 5:30 p.m., at the bar. Menu highlights include a half-price special for all cocktails and beer, select wine priced at $25 per bottle, along with feta-brined wings for $7, Greek poutine for $8, baklava soft serve for $5, and the restaurant's myriad Greek dips available for $4 each.
9. HS Green Fresh Food Kitchen, 5092 Richmond
Happy hour is on, Monday through Friday, from 3 to 7 p.m. with a wine list focused on the major wine regions around the globe and 14 brews including local favorites 8th Wonder and Saint Arnold. Three dollars per beer and $5 for wines by the glass, with bar bites and small plates in the $2.50-$6 range, featuring the likes of a three-cheese plate, fried pickles and jalapeños with jalapeño ranch dip, falafel bites, or the house signature guacamame — guacamole mashed with edamame and served with tortilla chips.
Reason to wake up early on Saturday: brunch happy hour with $7 entrées and $2 bloodies.
Photo courtesy of Liberty Kitchen
This new brunch-focused happy hour runs every Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 9:33 a.m. (very specific, y'all), with five entrées that will only set you back $7 — the Breakfast Loco Moco-Ish Fried Rice, a Mini Red Velvet and chicken tender — including coffee, milk or fresh orange juice. On Saturdays guests who buy breakfast during happy hour can also get $2 bloodies or peach bellini margaritas.
7. Café Azur, 4315 Montrose
Café Azur, inspired by the Côte d'Azur and located in the heart of Montrose, recently launched a new happy hour menu featuring a variety of $6 small plates and $5 cocktails. Staples of French cuisine, like the croque-monsieur, are served bite-size, along with Houston-inspired dishes including a duck confit taco. Classic cocktails, including a French 75 and Kir Royal, are $5 each, while house reds and whites (French wines) are $5 per glass. Happy hour is Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the bar and on the terrace.
6. Grimaldi's Pizzeria, Various Locations
The Stoking Social Hour runs Monday through Friday, 3:30 to 6 p.m. with $2 off new signature cocktails, $2 off draft beers, $2 off glasses of wine (house wines excluded), and $2 off the bruschetta trio and antipasto platters. There is also the "Coalition" for $30, featuring a pairing of a bruschetta trio or a small antipasto platter with a bottle of wine.
Tuna tartare from Roka Akor
Photo by Mai Pham
At this swanky new River Oaks sushi and robata hub, happy hour specials are served daily from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the bar and lounge area, with bar bites in the $6 to $8 range including tuna tartare, hamachi and serrano chile maki, and wagyu and kimchi dumplings. As for beverages, you'll find $4 beer, $5 sake, $7 select wines by the glass and $8 select cocktails.
Happy hour bar bites at South Bank Seafood are worth the trip.
Photo by Lorretta Ruggiero
4. South Bank Seafood, 702 West Dallas
Happy hour is daily at this new seafood spot downtown, from 2 to 6 p.m., with $3 draft beer, $6 cocktails, $5 wines by the glass, and food bites including raw or grilled oysters, fish tacos and chips with salsa and guacamole at $4 each.
Inside Chapman & Kirby
Photo by Erika Kwee
This new steampunk-inspired gastrolounge in EaDo offers happy hour every Wednesday through Friday, 4 to 6 p.m., with $4 beer, $5 draft beer, $6 wines by the glass and $7 cocktails, a steal since these craft drinks are normally priced at $13 each. A food menu includes flatbreads, chicken tenders and fries, salads and more.
Hot Star fried chicken at BLT.
Photo by Jenn Duncan Photography
In late June, chefs Justin Yu and Matt Boesen launched a chicken surprise happy hour at this Heights bar, which like its sister entities, Anvil and Public Services Wine and Whisky, offers half-priced cocktails and 25-percent-off bottles of wine every Monday to Friday, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Food-wise, there are surprise chicken dishes to choose from, including everything from chicken wings to fried chicken butts and then some.
A frothy beet cocktail at Riel.
Photo by Gwendolyn Knapp
This Montrose gem from chef Ryan Lachaine offers some pretty great happy hour and dining steals throughout the week, including a new dollar oyster special every Monday, 5 to 10 p.m., when you can gobble up raw bivalves for just $1 each. Riel also offers half-off wine bottles on Wednesdays and does a regular happy hour Monday through Friday, 5 to 7 p.m. with food for $8 and drink specials on beer, wine and cocktails.
