In an economy that can turn on a dime, everyone wants to drink on one, too. Tucson bars and breweries have a reputation for providing cool cocktails, craft brews and great atmosphere, but not everyone wants to break the bank for a good time.
Here are 20 bars, restaurants and breweries with happy hour specials you can’t miss.
Barrio Brewing Co.
800 E. 16th Street
barriobrewing.com
No drink list would be complete without the first mash brewing company in Tucson and one of the first in the state. Barrio’s beers are available throughout Arizona, but special prices are available at the brewing location.
Barrio serves $1 off drafts and a special food menu from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday. They recommend their infamous Tucson Blonde Ale, Arizona’s oldest beer and a quintessential desert drink. Barrio also offers a variety of discounted meals and snacks that pair nicely with any home-brewed beer.
Bawker Bawker Cider House
400 N. Fourth Avenue
bawkerbawker.com
Bawker Bawker is Tucson’s first and only cider house, offering more than 10 sweet and savory ciders on tap at a time. The staff ferments its cider with little residual sugar and includes a flavor range from prickly pear to tomato basil. Check out its June seasonal Cider Slushie, Sangria and its Sweet Apple Cider Slushie! This cider house serves happy hour drinks from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, with $1 off on all drafts and flights. Bawker Bawker also provides an all-day happy hour for teachers every Friday starting at 2 p.m., where teachers can get a free snack with each draft. This bar also boasts fun community events.
The Buffet
538 E. Ninth Street
buffetbartucson.com
Known as Tucson’s oldest bar, The Buffet is a staple in the city’s nightlife. It’s home to a diverse crowd that sticks around for the divey atmosphere, the shuffleboard and billiards tables and drinks. Rather than a whole hour, The Buffet observes two daily happy minutes. At 6 p.m. it’s two drinks for the price of one. At 11 p.m., it's buy one drink, get one for $1.
Charro Steak & Del Rey
188 E. Broadway Boulevard
charrosteak.com
Happy hour here is the complete package. From 2 to 6 p.m. daily, Charro offers $6 off Charro burgers and $2 off house wines, wells, drafts and aperitivos. Don’t forget the half-off oysters.
CharroVida
7109 N. Oracle Road
charrovida.com
It’s not just happy hour at CharroVida — it’s “happier hours” from 2 to 4 p.m. daily. Currently, it’s featuring half off house margaritas and $2 off all shareables, cocktails, wine and draft beer. Brunch starts at 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays where mimosas are also half off until 3 p.m. There is also half off on wine on Wine Wednesdays.
Culinary Dropout
2543 E. Grant Road
culinarydropout.com
Culinary Dropout prides itself on being an Arizona classic. Equipped with live music events, games and even Yoga in the Yard, the entertainment gets as good as the menu.
The Dropout serves its Afternoon Delights menu from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. It includes original drinks, like its Summer Tan Sangria, and a list of classic cocktails. The “It’s 3:45 Somewhere” section features beer-inspired cocktails for $8 each.
El Charro Café
311 N. Court Avenue
7725 N. Oracle Road, Suite 101
6910 E. Sunrise
elcharrocafe.com
All El Charro Cafés have a fiesta happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, featuring $2 off aperitivos and margaritas, draft beer, well and all glasses of wine.
El Chinito Gordo
2920 N. Oracle Road
elchinitogordo.com
El Chinito Gordo lives and breathes authentic Mexican fare. The restaurant features long drink lists stacked with regional classics and fusion cocktails.
From 3 to 6 p.m. daily, El Chinito Gordo offers a $2 discount on margaritas, and varied deals on local drafts.
Dominick’s Real Italian
8330 N. Thornydale Road, Suite 170
dominicksrealitalian.com
Daily from 3 to 6 p.m., try food and drink specials centered around authentic Italian recipes and an extensive selection of pizza, seafood, pasta and sandwiches. Also try the $8 giant cheese slice lunch special available daily until 4 p.m., where you could add up to three toppings for 75 cents each and a nonalcoholic drink for $1.
Ermanos
220 N. Fourth Avenue
ermanosbrew.com
After 20 years of homebrewing in Michigan, the Erman brothers moved to Arizona to combine their food and drinks with a thoughtful environment. They opened Ermanos with a focus on comfort, prioritizing it not as a luxury but a necessity.
The bar runs its happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, as well as 11 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. It serves half-off bottles of wine, $7 well drinks and $1 off select draft beers. Enjoy one of its signature cocktails, like The Monsoon for $10 each.
Fuku Sushi
940 E. University Boulevard
fukusushico.com
Fuku is a modern sushi bar that promises top-quality fresh fish at a lower price than higher-end competitors. The bar is home to a nightlife scene, where patrons enjoy drinks like the Wildcat Fishbowl. The bar’s happy hour runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close every day, and includes drinks ranging in price from $3 draft beers to $10 fishbowls. They also sell a variety of sushi rolls for discounted prices.
The Hoppy Vine
12125 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley
thehoppyvineov.com
The Hoppy Vine is a craft room and bottle shop that specializes in craft beers, wine and wine-based cocktails. They offer happy hours from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, and all day on Sunday, when all wine and beers on tap are $1 off. Many of The Hoppy Vines events, like the weekly DJ trivia and musical bingo, start just after happy hour, so attendees can arrive early and get a head start.
The Monica
40 E. Congress Street
themonicatucson.com
This robust happy hour is set for 2 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, with $2 off shareable appetizers, margaritas, wells, draft beers and wines by the glass. Head there and check out the board of wine for the half-priced wine bottle. Among the shareables are panecito, Brussels and carne seca, chicken and artichoke skewers, mini chimis banderas, freebird chicken, cauliflower and corn nuts, and barrio chips and dips.
P.F. Chang’s
1805 E. River Road, Suite 100
P.F. Chang’s celebrates its happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday with deals on select beer, wine, cocktails and appetizers. Try its crispy green beans with its tempura-battered, signature spicy dipping sauce for only half the price during happy hour, or its hand-folded crab wontons.
Pita Jungle
7090 N. Oracle Road, Suite 128
Every day from 3 to 5 p.m., customers can enjoy Pita Jungle’s signature tapas, such as the $2 hummus trio of falafel, tzatziki, garlic dip, feta cheese and Mediterranean olives, for a discounted price starting at $2. From 3 to 6 p.m., enjoy the extended happy hour with discounts on house wines, draft beers and signature cocktails daily, including $4 house margaritas, $2 off select cocktails and $1 off draft beers.
Playground Bar and Lounge
278 E. Congress Street, Tucson
playgroundtucson.com
Playground Bar and Lounge reopened two and a half years after shutting its doors. Through its new, innovative menu and electric atmosphere, Playground has reestablished itself as a one-of-a-kind bar. From 4 to 6 p.m. Fridays, the prices are as exciting as the ambiance. The bar offers $2 off all beverages and the entire food menu. The Guavesito — mezcal, guava, grapefruit and lime — is a fan favorite.
Postino
2500 E. Grant Road, Suite 112
An Arizona wine café residing in restored, vintage buildings, Postino houses an extensive lineup of wine and beverages. It offers $6 wine glasses and beer pitchers until 5 p.m. every day, as well as a $25 Board and Bottle Monday and Tuesday after 8 p.m.
Pueblo Vida Brewing Co.
115 E. Broadway Boulevard
pueblovidabrewing.com
A cyclist’s haven, Pueblo Vida provides top-notch service and taps from local desert dwellers. Along with its craft ales and beers, the brewery offers monthly biking events and workshops to the public. Every Monday, Pueblo Vida offers all-day, full pours for $5 each, which covers many of its draft selections, including its flagship Cereus IPA. It is also rolling out a summer-club punch card, where after completing each task by Sept. 3, guests get a free T-shirt.
Silver Room
673 S. Plumer Avenue, Tucson
A dive bar signified by its cocktails, Silver Room offers its happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays with $2 wells, domestics and $3.25 imports. The bar is known for its signature karaoke nights.
4340 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 100
uniontucson.com
This American gastropub’s happy hour menu is vast. Every day, from 3 to 6 p.m., the bar offers $3.50 domestic drafts, $1 off craft draft beers, $6 single-item wells and $8 glasses of wine in addition to a wide variety of discounted food options.
Bottomless mimosas and brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Union also discounts its signature Copper Cup cocktails to $7 during happy hour, as well as its Campo Viejo Cava Brut. Happy hour deals are available everywhere, not just at the bar top.
