Los Angeles/Santa Monica Happy Hour
One of our (Peter and Erma’s) favorite activities is going to Happy Hours all over Los Angeles. We look for romantic ambience, upbeat energy, good food, well made drinks and those Happy Hour prices. Since we go to a lot of Happy Hours we thought it would be fun to share our experiences. By the way we are martini and margarita drinkers exclusively...so we won't be commenting on beer and wine.
So...here it goes.
Mirabelle, (310) 659-6022
8768 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Happy Hour: Every night, 4:00-7:00
This used to be our favorite Happy Hour in all of LA (see Makai for current favorite).. During Happy Hour, all martinis are $5 and a nice selection of food items are discounted. Fabulous food, excellent drinks (we love Caroline's drinks, especially her lemon and apple martinis!), terrific service too!! We've had Frank wait on us - he gives very good suggestions and is quite attentive. Trevor is also awesome. We usually get oysters on the half shell - 95 cents during Happy Hour. The Ahi Tuna tartare - $7 during Happy Hour is to die for. Mirabelle's also offers Mojito Mondays, Tequila Tuesdays, Big Fat Greek Wednesdays and French Fridays.
Although they're not on the HH, Cappuccino’s and a chocolate soufflé with caramel ice cream are a wonderful way to top things off. Last night (Sunday, 2/5/07) we noticed and experimented with some new items on the HH menu: flatiron steak and oysters Rockefeller. They were absolutely delicious!
Also had a fabulous watermelon martini. We learned that all the juices are freshly made on Sundays (for their brunch). Enjoy!
Tangiers, (323) 666-8666
2138 Hillhurst Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
(just south of Los Feliz blvd.)
Happy Hour: Every night, 5:00-7:00
We like this place a lot. On a Sunday night, things were a little slow, very nice ambience nonetheless. Brandon made our drinks, a really good apple martini (no sweet and sour) a cosmopolitan and a key lime martini (yum!). Happy Hour prices offer cosmos for $3 and $2 off all the other martinis. We also had Happy Hour chicken wings and spinach salad - delicious!
Sushi and Kushi, (323) 655-2253
2300 Wilshire Blvd,
Beverly Hills, CA
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5:30-7:30
Another great place. Sake Tini, an Apple Martini made with Sochu Casia "Vodka" is very good. I (Peter) did not much like Goma (a spinach asparagus marinade), mostly because they go heavy on the peanut sauce. Since first posting this little complaint, we have heard (but not yet confirmed) that the restaurant is going a bit lighter on the peanut sauce in the Goma.
Erma loved the Sochu Mojito. On another visit, Sean the bartender made Erma a Pear Ski Tini- very tasty and only $3.50 during Happy Hour. Specialty drinks are $3.50 and $1 off all regular cocktails during HH. So far, we have sampled and very much enjoyed Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon, Spicy Albacore rolls and Edaname (served hot) only $2.50 for three pieces at Happy Hour. The bar also offers a selection of different chicken and beef Kushi - a sort of Japanese mini shish kabob from the restaurant (not on HH - but very reasonable).. The sushi is very delicious and tastes even better at Happy Hour prices. Note that Happy Hour is only for customers able to sit at the bar, regular prices prevail for both food and drinks throughout the rest of the restaurant.
Lola’s, (213) 736-5352
945 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, Ca. 90046
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5:30-7:30
This is one of our old standbys – we come here often for the delicious martinis and good Happy Hour food. Select martinis are $5 during Happy Hour – we’ve had William make our drinks and he is consistently good. They’ve got a fabulous martini menu and are renowned for their Apple Martinis. We suggest the Happy Hour pizza and there’s a salmon appetizer dish that’s especially good. The only drawback we’ve seen is that service is really spotty and some of the waitress’ have an attitude. There is one really good waitress there whose name eludes me and as soon as I remember it I’ll plug it in here.
Windows, (213) 746-1554
1150 S. Olive St., 32nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4:30-7:00
I’ve gone there with some buddies after work. They definitely do have an awesome view and selected drinks are $5 during HH. They also have a small HH menu for $5.50. I’m not overly impressed with the tuna tartar – the best thing I’ve had on there is the sesame chicken. But if you work in downtown LA – it’s definitely worth a try if only for the view alone.
Café La Boheme, (323) 848-2360
8400 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, 90069
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5:00-8:00
We love this Happy Hour for several reasons; the food and drinks are great, the service is wonderful and it is one of the few Happy Hours we know of that go until 8pm. Jason is an awesome bartender – he showed Peter how to make both simple syrup (50%sugar and 50%water) and the best Sweet and Sour in town. Jason also knows how to shake up a martini until the ice cracks. Select martinis are only $5 during Happy Hour along with mussel and oyster specials. Erma’s favorite drink is the Mango Martini. The mussels are delicious, and an entire plate at Happy Hour is only $5. Be sure and try one of Jason’s Lemon Drop martinis.
The Arsenal, (310) 575-5511
12012 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5:00-7:00
We visited "The Arsenal" on 7/12/2008. Here's the scoop on this place:
The Raspberry & Pomegranate Mojito are as good as any my wife and I have had anywhere. Sadly, the Margaritas were lousy. Since their bartender used homemade sweet&sour, we expected their Margaritas to have been much better. Also, this place was dead when we visited, which was around 6 to 7 on a Saturday night. The waitress said things pick up considerably starting at 8:30 PM, but we did not stick around to confirm this. Doubt I could have be happy staying that late in this place. Also, parking can be difficult unless you use Valet, since all the side streets are "permit parking only."
Monsoon Cafe (310) 576-9996
1212 3rd St Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1308
Happy Hour runs daily 4-7pm, when wine, well drinks and beer go for $4, as do snacks.
We had Ginger Margaritas, spicy tuna hand roll wrapped in seaweed and vegetarian spring rolls. We didn't try a lot of the items on the HH menu but what we did have was very tasty. The "Lemon drop martini (made with Kettle one) was tasty but not properly shaken, so it didn't stay chilled long enough for me to finish it. Remember that a vigorously shaken drink is a snowstorm of ice crystals that keep the drink chilled longer. The spicy yellow Ttail was delicious, as was the apple dessert, which was not on the Happy Hour menu, but we decided to splurge. Date: 7/8/08
Ma'kai (310) 434-1511
101 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Happy Hour runs daily 4-7pm
Ma'kai is currently our favorite Happy Hour spot in all of LA, with our previous favorite being Mirabelle's on Sunset Blvd. Sit at the Bar, if you can find a spot, and ask for Robert. He knows about "shaken and not stirred." He also makes a Lemon Drop martini as good as I've ever had. I think I make one just a good and so does Caroline at Mirabelle, but I have not enjoyed a better tasting Lemon Drop than Robert's anywhere else in LA. Robert also makes the best Apple Martini I've had anywhere. This drink is even better than what I or the bar that (supposedly) invented the Apple Martini make (Lola's in LA). He uses some Fuji Apple infused Sake instead of Dekuyper sour apple pucker, and it is to die for. My wife, Erma, loves his Ginger Cosmos and insists on ordering drinks from Robert.. The food on the Happy Hour menu is fabulous. We especially like the spicy tuna hand and cut rolls and the albacore jalapeno rolls. Their hand rolls used to be a deal at two for $8 and now are only a so-so value at only one for $8. The cut rolls are a terrific value at $6 (includes 6 rolls). If you like Kobe beef, get their sliders, they're delish! - The location of this place is also pretty awesome - right on Ocean Ave.
The Hideout (310) 429-1851
112 W Channel Rd
Santa Monica, CA 90402
Happy Hour - Sunday to Thursday
1/2 price drinks from 7pm-9pm & 12am-2am
This place serves no food at all - although you can walk next door (if you have a reservation) to some fine dining. OK atmosphere - with a surprising number of people, but bring your own food. The drinks are nothing special at all. In fact ,this place could not make a good drink that includes Lime juice because they use Rose's Lime, a very chemically tasting and poor substitute for fresh lime juice. Their sweet and sour is likewise some weird, but no doubt an inexpensive, chemically tasting concoction rather than the real deal.
Wilshire 310-586-1707
2454 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Happy Hour: 5-7pm Monday thru Saturday
Bar snacks are $6 and $12/specialty cocktails are $9, wines by the glass $5.
The Wilshire is definitely another of our favorites. This place has one of the most visually
attractive bars that I've seen in LA They offer really good $9 martinis, $6 artichoke, and
a delightful $5 glass of Sarah wine. Their $9 pomegranate Mojito was delicious too. Although they do
offer Valet parking, I had no problem finding inexpensive street parking nearby on all the times my wife
and I have visited this elegant establishment. Our bartender, Dennis Lynne, did use fresh lime juice in
all our martinis that called for it. No Roses Lime to be found (by me) at this establishment. Although
we haven't yet tried it, we heard that the mac and cheese is to die for. If you're so inclined, it's also
a wonderful place to have diner - the prices are reasonable (entrees range from $25 - $44 and up) and the
ambiance is lovely.
Date visited: 6/12/08
The Catch (310) 581-7714
1910 Ocean Way
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Sushi Happy Hour 5-6:30 pm Monday thru Friday.
All cocktails $7 and all Happy Hour sushi $5.
Located in the beautiful Casa Del Mar, Erma and I found the idea of trying this HH here to be irresistible. The oceanfront view is of course gorgeous and the sushi bar where we sat was very nice. The service from the sushi chefs was excellent as was the service from the cocktail waitress who brought us drinks from the nearby bar. Erma had a Kiwi Lychee Martini, I had an Organic Blood Orange Margarita and we shared a Pomegranate Martini. All the drinks were delicious and a great value at $7. We also had 2 pieces of albacore nigri, spicy tuna and spicy yellowtail hand rolls, which was not a great value at $5. Although the sushi was good, the portions were very tiny and we had to order several portions just to subdue the hunger pangs.
Date visited: 9/5/08