Ask Lauren: The ultra happy hour edition

This week on Ask Lauren: 14 different places to get a a good happy hour deal.

August 23, 2013; 8:44 AM • by Ross Catrow

One of the most common questions asked of Lauren is where to happy hour: Where can we happy hour with our coworkers? Where can we happy hour with our families? Who’s got a super cheap happy hour? Where do we go if we absolutely love wine/beer/cocktails/snacks?¹

So what we’ve done this week is collect a bunch of great and disparate happy hour options. With any luck, one of these will suit your fancy–whether your fancy be of the beer or wine persuasion. Enjoy!

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Cheap style

Hey, we’re all on a budget. Even though times are tough and the economy is all like “Meh,” who can pass up a chance to consume alcohol in the late afternoon at reduced prices? Especially when those prices are so dang cheap?

• For wine: Garnett’s, Ipanema, Pearl, and Water Coastal Kitchen (the restaurant formerly know as the Water Grill) all offer $3 glasses of wine. Pro tip: about half the wines at Garnett’s are from Virginia.
• For beer: For cheap beer, nothing beats the happy hour at Joe’s Inn.² Two dollar drafts! Two. Dollar. Drafts. I mean, that’s insane whether or not you have a membrane.

Hidden in plain sight

OK, OK, OK. You might not associate these places with finding a great deal because of their general fanciness, but think again my friend! They’re both some of the most visible places in Richmond, but might be off your happy hour radar–which is a shame, really, because they boast excellent deals!

• For beer: Cheap beers in the Jefferson? It’s true! Lemaire has a good selection of beers for just three bucks.
• For wine: On Fridays, the VMFA’s Best Cafe offers 50% off of their whole bar, which puts the cost of a bottle of wine at around $12. Inexpensive wine, amazing art, a beautiful patio…it’s near perfection!

Weekend specials

Friday night usually means that you have to wait alllllll the way until Monday for your next chance to happy hour. Not so, my friend! There are a couple of great spots around town that still offer happy hours on Saturday and Sunday. Your weekend-long nightmare is over!

• For beer: The Continental Westhampton offers $3 cans of beer on Sundays from 3:00 – 9:00 PM. Thanks to the canning craze sweeping local breweries, their selection is of a higher quality than you might think.
• For wine: Right down the block from The Continental is The Blue Goat, which recently went through a rebooting process. They’ve got $5 wines by the glass from 4:00 – 7:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday.

Bonus: Snacks!

And because happy hour isn’t just about drinks, but also about the chance to eat an entire meal before sitting down to dinner, here’s a quick list of some of our favorite happy hour snack specials:

• $3 snacks at Garnetts
• $4 small plates at Stella’s
• 50% off tacos and empanadas at the bar at Casa del Barco
• $2 off nachos, pizza, and shrimp at Bellytimber Tavern
• 50% off oysters, shrimp, and burgers at the bar at Can Can Brasserie
• 50% off all food items at On the Rox
• 50% off the raw bar at Water Coastal Kitchen

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And seriously, y’all; there are a billion more happy hours in town. Please feel free to add any we missed (or any that you love) in the comments below.

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August 23, 2013 8:44 AM 3