AUSTIN Happy Hours

[oishimono]

Any recommendations for happy hours in Austin? Please comment on both the food and beverages.

[nancythenice]

McCormick and Schmick in the Frost Bank Building at Congress and 4th, does an incredible cheeseburger and fries for $2 during happy hour. Its a deal for an early dinner. Also spinach artichoke dip that is good and a selection of other items, all very reasonable. The bar area isn't very big - and they won't serve you the bar menu anywhere else in the restaurant. Happy hour ends at 6pm.

Even better is Manuel's, on Congress between 3rd and 4th. All their appetizers are half price during happy hour (4-7pm). The food is high quality and different. Hongas guisados, gorditas, quesadillas, queso (not just melted velveeta but queso blanco), guacamole, and of course nachos. Premium tequila, great margaritas. I like the atmosphere as well. Not too noisy, booths and tables. You can relax, talk.

[scrumptiouschef]

Be aware that to participate in the dirt cheap app menu at McCormick and Schmick they have a two drink minimum purchase requirement.The quality of the mix was not commensurate with the price[about 7 bucks apiece]

[Rene]

Here I go, again... I can't help it! The Roaring Fork!!! $1 off all drinks, $6 Green Chili, Pan de Campo (pizza), Dr. Pepper Braised Ribs, etc. See the website. If you get there at the right time, the free bar snacks include the crispiest, best beef jerkey ever! They will also sell the jerkey by the pound. Great people watching out of the window on Congress.

[Kent Wang]

Malaga and Kyoto have good deals. Can't remember exact details.

[oishimono]

Please keep the suggestions coming. I have been to all of those listed above. Trulucks NW (a seafood restaurant) is the forerunner so far for having both delicious food and drinks. The food is fresh, tasty and inventive and served up in large portions. The beverages are classic bar drinks done right. While a huge fan of Roaring Fork's food, I find their bar drinks undrinkable, bordering on medicinal. That was actually the consensus of a group of twelve friends...and unfortunately none will agree to go back there for happy hour.

[Kent Wang]

I found this on their website:
"Stay for our cocktail happy hour from 4:30 to 7:00 and enjoy half price appetizers."

[shelbyk]

Eddie V's has a great happy hour (good drinks, good food deals, and a wonderful wine list). Dona Emilias makes great mojitos and caprhinas and a nice appetizer menu. Also, this time of year the happy hour at the Four Seasons offers the opportunity to warm-up next to the fireplace, and they make an excellent cocktail.

[Brian Lindauer]

Eddie V's excellent crab cakes are half price ($6 I think) during happy hour. Unlike most places, they are almost entirely made of crab meat instead of filler.

[cowfish]

What else do you all recommend at Eddie V's happy hour?

[amykragan]

I love the George Banks scallops. They have several appetizers that are 1/2 price in the bar area during HH. They also make a great lemon drop martini

[yimay]

Malaga does $6 for a glass of wine and 1 tapa plate (from a limited tapas menu)

Maiko does 1/2 off sushi and $1 off drinks.

Cuba Libre also does 1/2 off appetizers and a deal on drinks, i can't remember exact details

[nancythenice]

I agree on Kyoto for a great deal on sushi. I have never been asked to purchase two drinks at McCormick and Schmick's at happy hour - have frequently had the burger and a beer or soda with no problem.

[amysuehere]

My favs are Manuels Greathills (half-price appetizers, so-so drink specials). Hongos Guisados, Chiviche, and Mole are out of this world.

Best deal for happy hour, imho, is Eddie V's. Again, half price appetizers and drink specials (love the rasberry rita). Favs there are the crab cake, lobster bisque (although last time had much less meat than before) broiled oysers (with a side of hollandaise)and the seared ahi tuna with soba noodles. All are under $6 at happy hour, if you can believe that, with some being as low as $3ish.

Slumming it, we go to Baha Grill for the 1/2 price gi-nourmous fajita nachos. Enough for three easy and only costs $5. Heck of a view.

[ktown378]

amysue,

i had a question about baha grill. are you referring to berryhill on 360? i've called and asked them about their HH specials and they said no specials on food. am i thinking of somewhere else?

[amysuehere]

hmm. I guess it's been about three months since we did it, but yes, Berry Hill is what I was referencing. They USED to have 1/2 price appetizers and drink specials during the week (Friday included) not over the weekend. Maybe you just got someone who didn't know (didn't care?)

[Seamus Mitwurst]

Woody's South has half-price appetizers at happy hours.
Their sliders were pretty tasty.
I was there for the drink, though.

[nelgie123]

219 West has a great Happy hour and it goes until 9 every night. They always feature a wine flight for $10 that's 5 nice sized pours, along with 1/2 price apps and martini shaker specials. Their food is hit & miss though. I'd avoid the quesadillas but the mini-burgers get good reviews and you can't beat the grilled asparagus with lump crab for $4.

Also, Mansion at Judges Hill has 1/2-off house wines (and they have good house wines-not Yellow Tail) and appetizers from 4-7 and it's rarely crowded.

Almost all the sushi places have Happy hours too. I recommend going to the website of your favorite places or calling and asking what their Happy Hour specials are. Almost everyone has some kind of special until 7:00.

[midmodgirl]

I agree on 219 West. Most of their apps are delicious, and the drinks are affordable.

[Willisinaustin]

Serrano's in the Arboretum runs a pretty good happy hour from 3-6. $1 draft shiner, $2 wells, $2 house margaritas, and $1 quesadillas and nachos. Not a place I'd normally go to drink, but if you have a lot of people you need to cheaply do a happy hour for, it's a good way to go.

[wurdchik]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Saba blue water cafe, which is right next to Malaga and across from 219 West. They have a 4:30 to 7 thing too, which includes half price cocktails (apple-ginger martini, lemongrass margarita) and 5 dollar appetizers, all of which are fairly appetizing. I like the atmosphere.

[RoundSparrow]

I second it. I wish they had less fried food for specials, but a few non-fried in there. Also the regular price on their chicken tortilla soup is good any time, look at the regular menu. The happy hour deal on their mojito are great, I recommend the red mojito ($4 at happy hour, hand made)

[MGucci]

Imperia (where the old Mezzaluna's used to be) has the best happy hour to date.
$5 list of specialty cocktails (Texas pour) , $5 appetizers, and 2 for 1 sushi, sashimi, and specialty sushi rolls. This is not listed anywhere on the Imperia website nor the menu. Just ask the waitress, and she will point out the specials. M-F 5-7p. I've been going every other week. Its awesome!
Also Sullivans on Thur nights and Sunday nights at the bar- $5 specialty cocktails, and everything on the bar menu is $5. The most popular item is their burger with blue cheese potato chips, made to order. I got mine medium rare ( it turned out more rare but charred, what the heck, it was $5) and delicious it was. My friends go there every week, this was my first time. I'll definitely go back there again... for the burger of course!

[mkwng]

Aquarelle has half-price wine bar appetizers, Tues-Sat 5-7 PM.

[txgrl99]

Wow - this is great! Thanks!

[peddani]

FINO has some good deals on small plates, too. I love the outdoor atmosphere to go along with it.

[smarvis]

Ruth's Chris 4-7 mon-fri 1/2 price apps (fancy stuff, like carpaccio and seared ahi tuna) and $5 bad ass martinis, any liquor (I go for the gentleman's martini with woodford reserve, normally $10).

[RoundSparrow]

Mentioned in another thread, this is a great resource on happy hours - broken down by weekday:
http://www.austinonadime.blogspot.com/