New York is expensive. Like, “$27 martini and still no buzz” expensive.
Between the $32 steak tartares we pretend to enjoy, the $40 Uber to an Upper East Side house party we’ll Irish exit from and the $500 Revolve cart that lives rent-free in your tabs, the city has us in a financial chokehold.
And yet, we keep showing up — in Tony Bianco kittens and an oversized Eaves blazer we swore was “business casual.”
In the spirit of balancing our delusion with a little budget awareness, we’ve rounded up some of NYC’s best happy hour spots that are actually worth the money. The drinks are good, the people are hot and the lighting is dark, moody and Instagram-story approved (read: blurry in a cool way).
Here are the best places to dip out of your influencer marketing job early and trade your $8 Blank Street banana bread matcha for a $10 margarita.
Happy Hour: Daily, 3 to 7 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $9 cocktail of the week, $8 martinis, fortune teller margaritas
Happy Hour: Daily, 4 to 7 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $1.25 oysters, $13 lychee martinis, $23 sake carafe
Happy Hour: Daily, 3 to 6 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $10 aperol spritz, negronis
Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $18 classic martini and fries, $5 mugs of beer
Happy Hour: Daily, 5 to 6 p.m. and one hour before close
What You Get: Highlights include the $25 New York Happy Meal — martini and fries
Happy Hour: Daily, 5 to 7 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $2 oysters, $8 sparkling wine, $14 espresso martinis
Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 5 to 7 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $9 wine, $10 negronis, $6 grapefruit mocktails
Happy Hour: All day Sunday and Monday; Tuesday through Saturday until 7 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $12 espressotini, $10 white wine
Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 3 to 6 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $9 frozen aperol spritz and margaritas, $7 pizza
Happy Hour: Monday and Tuesday: All day; Wednesday and Thursday: 5 to 7 p.m.; Friday through Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include the $27 Adult Happy Meal — Prime Burger, fries, and beverage of choice
Fluent FYI: Roll a 7 before 7 p.m. and your entire meal is free
Happy Hour: Daily, 4 to 6:30 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $18 pita, dip, and one drink
Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 p.m.
What You Get: Highlights include $12 margaritas, $12 wine, $6 draft pints