In a city where cocktails regularly creep past $18 and even a casual weeknight dinner can wreck your budget, Denver’s happy hour scene feels more essential than ever. Fortunately, the Mile High City still knows how to do discounted drinks and bar bites right, whether that means half-price oysters on the half shell, late-night sushi specials, cheap margaritas, burger-and-beer combos, or half-off bottles of wine meant for lingering with friends after work.
From neighborhood dives pouring cheap wells to upscale restaurants slinging discounted dishes to late night specials, these are the best happy hours in Denver right now.
Mollusks and Mixed Drinks
Fish N Beer
This tiny, Cape Cod-style joint in RiNo delivers big raw bar energy with a sprawling backyard patio, funky coastal decor, and a menu built around impeccably fresh seafood. During happy hour, available Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 6:30 p.m., diners can score six raw oysters for $12 or a dozen for $24, wood-grilled oysters at $15 for six or $30 for 12, or double up with a dozen raw and a dozen grilled for $50.
Beyond bivalves, the happy hour menu includes $8 PEI mussels and peel-and-eat shrimp, a $9 mini Fish N Beer basket, and $10 fried shrimp and fries. It wouldn’t be Fish N Beer without the beer. There are also drink specials like $6 draft beers, a beer-and-shot combo for $10, and a customizable FNB Mule with your choice of liquor for $10. 3510 Larimer St., Denver, fishnbeerdenver.com
Dew Drop Inn
This cute little Uptown cocktail bar is a go-to for mussel lovers thanks to its generous happy hour deal on a full pound of the mollusks. Offered Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and again Thursday through Saturday from 9 to 10 p.m., the normally $22 dish drops to just $11. Served with a crusty baguette, guests can choose between Parisian-style mussels with white wine, lemon, butter, garlic, and shallots, or Bangkok-style with red curry, coconut, lime, garlic, shallots, and butter. There’s also $8 cocktails, $7 house wines, and $7 call drinks (with either Exotico Tequila, Family Jones Vodka, Four Roses Bourbon, and Spring 44 Gin). 1033 E. 17th Ave., dewdropinndenver.com
Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood
Clad in ocean blue and sandy beige tones, plus a full raw bar on display, Blue Island Oyster Bar transports diners straight to the shores of New York’s Great South Bay, where the restaurant sources its fresh shellfish. The sprawling seafood joint recently rolled out a refreshed Happiest Hours menu that’s perfect for patio season. Available daily from 2 to 6 p.m. and all day Sunday, mollusk lovers can enjoy oysters on the halfshell and Great South Bay Littleneck clams at $2.75 a piece, roasted oysters for $3.75, and oyster shooters made with chipotle Bloody Mary mix and vodka for $8.50. Wash it all down with $10 vodka martinis in flavors ranging from lemon drop to elderflower basil, $13 signature cocktails, and new tacos and sliders priced at $6.99.
Pro-tip: If the oysters are all you’re after, stop by any time on Monday or after 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for Blue Island’s 99-cent oyster special. 2625 E. 2nd Ave., Denver, and 10008 Commons St., Lone Tree, blueislandoysterbar.com
Dive Bars Deals
Vesper Lounge
This laidback hang is the perfect place to bring a group of friends, grab a booth, and play board games. Or, slow sip at the bar and down some brewskis on the patio. Happy hour runs all day Monday, from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 2 to 4 p.m. on weekends. Deals span everything from $4 well cocktails and $8 cocktails on tap to wine pours starting at $8, BOGO dirty martinis ($14), $2 off draft beers and $1 off canned and bottled brews.
On the food side, expect bar snacks like $4 sliders including burger, sloppy joe, and gyro options; $5 dips like baba ganoush, green chile hummus, and tzatziki; and killer chicken wings in various flavors for $12. 233 E. 7th Ave., Denver, vesperdenver.com
Candlelight Tavern
Candlelight Tavern is a beloved neighborhood haunt where it genuinely feels like everybody knows your name. The longtime local dive serves up greasy grub and stiff drinks, plus pool tables and classic bar games in an unpretentious setting. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. with $3.75 wells and domestic bottles. While food isn’t technically part of the happy hour menu, the prices are already hard to beat, including a solid $9 burger served with chips and $11 hot chicken wings. 383 S. Pearl St., Denver, candlelighttavern.com
Sushi Steals
Uchi
Uchi is one of the hottest reservations in Denver, known for its impeccable sushi selection, mesmerizing omakase service, and sleek ambiance. For diners craving a taste of luxury without the full splurge, the restaurant’s daily happy hour from 4 ro 6 p.m. offers one of the best upscale deals in town.
Nigiri like atlantic salmon and albacore tuna starts at $8 per two-piece serving. Handrolls include inari temaki (panko fried tofu, avocado, thai chili, white chili aioli) for $6 and spicy temaki (chef’s choice fish, avocado, negi, kimchi emulsion) for $8. Sake starts at $7, and all cocktails, like the Kocha which pairs Earl Grey gin with burnt lemon, are only $10. Small plates like smoked tofu crudo start at $7. Make it a date night and order the happy hour nine-course omakase for two for $120.
Pro tip: Uchi’s smoky little sister concept, Uchiko, just opened in Cherry Creek at 299 Fillmore St., with an equally outstanding happy hour that runs daily from 4 to 6 p.m. and also includes a $120 nine-course omakase special for two. 2500 Lawrence St., Dever, uchi.uchirestaurants.com
Temaki Den
Kenta Kamo’s Temaki Den, inside The Source Hotel, is the sleek hand-roll bar counterpart to co-founder Toshi Kizaki’s celebrated Sushi Den. Happy hour, available Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m., has developed a cult following among hand roll enthusiasts.
Diners can sample a range of offerings with the restaurant’s three-roll ($17), four-roll ($22) and five-roll ($28) sets, featuring options like negitoro (minced raw tuna and green onion), salmon, blue crab, negihama (minced raw hamachi and green onion), and red shrimp. There’s also Spam nigiri for $1.75 apiece; salmon and saba (blue mackerel) oshizushi for $3.25 each; and cucumber, avocado and daikon sprout hand rolls for $3.75. Pair your sushi with $6 draft beer, $8 draft sake, $9 white wine, $10 red wine or one of the bar’s rotating $10 cocktails. 3350 Brighton Blvd., Unit #100, Denver, temakiden.com
Margarita Mania
Xiquita Restaurante y Bar
In Uptown diners can score elevated Mexican fare complete with tortillas handpressed in the shop and an impressive lineup of specialty cocktails. Helmed by chef Erasmo Casiano, the eatery’s Xiquita Taqueria happy hour features 10 items not found on the regular menu, and runs from Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Dishes include $6 tacos in a variety of flavors (like conchita pibil and suadero), $11 tostada de atun, $7 sopecito (crispy masa filled with refried beans, salsa verde, crema, and queso fresco), and $5 charros (pinto beans stewed with chorizo). The plates pair perfectly with happy hour drinks (which start at $9) like the Margarita de la Casa, Mezcalita (a margarita made with mezcal), paloma, and more. Plus, glasses of wine for one-third the price, $5 beers, and $6 agua frescas. 500 E. 19th Ave., Denver, xiquita.co
Work & Class
Chef Dana Rodriguez’s Work & Class is known for serving a square meal and a stiff drink, and it doesn’t disappoint. At both its locations in RiNo and Englewood, the Latin kitchen cooks up a worthy happy hour special that runs 5 to 6 p.m. daily. Expect $11 house cocktails (including the herbaceous Chimi Margarita made with chimichurri-infused tequila or mezcal, orange liqueur, lime, and agave), $12 draft cocktails, $2 off all glasses of wine, and $6 draft beers. In addition to the sips, there are also bites like rajas corn relleno ($10) and lamb mixiote ($11). 2500 Larimer St., Suite 101, Denver, and 900 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood, workandclassdenver.com
Rio on Wazee
Formerly Rio Grande, the LoDo outpost now goes by Rio on Wazee, though its legendary margaritas remain the same. Happy hour runs Sunday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m., with a “Last Hour” special Sunday through Thursday from 8 to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 9 to 10 p.m.
During those windows, the classic margarita drops to $5, while favorites like the Big Tex and jalapeno margaritas go for $7, and the skinny marg clocks in at $9. There’s also a $5 beer-and-a-shot combo, plus discounted bites like $5 empanadas, $7 chile con queso, $9 queso fundido, and the Rio Trio with fresh guacamole, chile con queso, and morita salsa. 1745 Wazee St., Denver, riograndemexican.com
Wine O’Clock
Corsica Wine Bar
Corsica in RiNo channels a European aperitivo vibe with warm mid-century modern touches and an extensive selection of vinos. Monday through Friday from open to 6 p.m., the wine bar curates a slow sipping atmosphere with drinks like the $8 Cap Corse Spritz (Mattei Cap Corse Blanc, soda, orange and lemon peel), $7 Clericot (chilled house wine over ice with grapefruit cordial, orange liqueur, bergamot, and seasonal fruit), and $5 Vin Maison (chilled red or white wine).
Pair your beverage with small plates like baked feta ($5.50), truffle popcorn ($4.50), and a Croque Monsieur ($8.50) layered with prosciutto, fontina, and garlic aioli. For a deeper dive into the tapas joint’s 200 wines, swing by Sundays when bottles are half off. 2801 Walnut St., Suite 100, Denver, corsicawinebar.com
Barcelona Wine Bar
Barcelona in RiNo feels like stepping into a bustling Spanish tapas bar, complete with moody interiors, flowing wine, and plenty of shareable snacks. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Friday from 2 to 5 p.m., with half-off bottles on Mondays.
Featured drink specials include $7 cocktails, 50% off all sherries and bottles of wine, and $6 glasses and $24 pitchers of chilled red or white wine. Food specials include a manchego and jamón serrano charcuterie plate for $13.50, plus mix-and-match tapas priced at one for $5.50, two for $10, or three for $14.50. Options include patatas bravas with salsa brava and garlic aioli, albóndigas in jamón tomato sauce, jamón and manchego croquetas, queso de plancha with honey and pimentón, gildas with boquerones and guindilla peppers, and potato chips topped with Soria chorizo. 2900 Larimer St., Denver, barcelonawinebar.com
Late Night Happy Hours
Cart-Driver RiNo
While Cart-Driver’s RiNo location has a daily happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m., its late-night happy hour is a favorite among pizza aficionados. Normally, if you want a late-night slice in RiNo, you’ll probably end up at a food truck. But if you’re in the mood for something more sophisticated, the wood-fired pizza joint offers the Daisy Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil ($9). Also take advantage of the other deals including tinned sardines with piada bread, seasonal compound butter, and sambal ($10), Dealer’s Choice Cocktail ($8), and draft beer and a shot of Fernet ($8) every night from 10 p.m. to midnight. 2239 W. 30th Ave., Denver, cart-driver.com
Angelo’s Taverna
When the late-night cravings hit, Angelo’s Taverna remains one of Denver’s most reliable go-tos for oysters, pizza and drinks well past dinnertime. In addition to its all-day Mollusk Monday special, which includes $7 bowls of mussels and $17 linguine and clams, the Capitol Hill staple’s legendary happy hour (available daily from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close) features raw oysters for $1.25 a piece, chargrilled oysters at $2.75 each, $6 crabcake sliders, eight-inch $8 pizza pies, $2 off Carboy wines, and $7 well drinks. Whether you’re settling in for some Italian staples or just knocking back a few oysters, Angelo’s happy hour remains a Mile High must. 620 E. 6th Ave., Denver, angelosdenver.com
Go Fish
This Broadway sushi joint has a late night happy hour that’s tough to beat, making it the go-to spot for post-bar maki cravings. The regular happy hour, which takes place Monday to Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m., extends from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays with regular sushi rolls like the classic California Roll and Tuna Roll starting at $5; specialty rolls (like the Broadway Roll with tempura shrimp and cream cheese topped with spicy tuna and eel sauce) starting at $10; and a variety of hot and cold tapas ranging from $3 to $12. On the drink side there’s $5 draft beers, $6 glasses of wine and $22 bottles, sake specials, and cocktails starting at at $9. 1 Broadway, Suite B108, Denver, gofishsushi.com
Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar
This favorite sushi restaurant keeps the deals rolling with both an Early Bird and late-night “Night Owl” happy hour at its 16th Street, Cherry Creek, and Greenwood Village locations (its Pearl Street shop in Boulder only offers the Early Bird, which is still worth it). Available daily from 2:30 ot 5:30 p.m. (or online from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.), and 10 p.m. to midnight, the specials include two sushi rolls for $12 and discounted appetizers.
As for drinks deals, look for $7.50 sake cocktails, a $12 sake bomb with a 21-ounce Kirin and large hot sake, $7 house wine, $7.50 large flasks of fruit-infused sake, $8 well drinks, $6.60 hot sake, and $4 Hapa beer. And while the early bird gets the worm, night owls score exclusive late night happy hour nigiri options. Multiple locations, hapasushi.com
