The Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar
Let's face it, visiting the Athenian isn't necessarily easy—it's a tourist hot spot due to its epic views of Puget Sound, prime placement in the heart of Pike Place Market, and ties to a film that helped put our city on the map, Sleepless in Seattle (Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner have beer and oysters there in the 1993 film). Making your way through the daytime market masses and getting a spot for lunch is no mean feat, either, and dinner can get a bit costly. But if you can squeeze into the Athenian's lounge during the busy happy hour, you'll be treated to fine, local, on-tap craft brews from the likes of Chuckanut, Cloudburst, and Silver City, served in frosty mugs for $4.50, plus well drinks for $3.75, and a stacked happy hour menu that includes fresh oysters on the half shell for $2, and $5 or $6 selections ranging from blackened cod tacos to barbecue pork sliders. Happy hour is 4–8 pm Mon–Thurs, 4–9 pm Fri–Sat. LEILANI POLK
If you're not the kind of person who's down for two-for-one margaritas served out of a vintage trailer, we probably aren't going to be friends and you can stop reading this. If you are, drop what you're doing and check out White Center's unofficial hipster hangout, Dottie's Double Wide. They not only have a killer tequila cocktail lineup, their happy hour is worth seeking out, too. You can get the aforementioned margarita deal as well as $1 off wells and drafts, and three tacos or lumpia for $5 to sop up your tequila belly. Happy hour is 3–6 pm daily. KARA TIERNAN
Happy hour is a great time to visit Ethan Stowell's restaurants, and you'll find discounts on the more popular pasta dishes and other choice eats at his Italian joints. Hit a Tavolà ta for $12 gnocchi alla romana and rigatoni with spicy Italian sausage (usually $20 and $22, respectively). At Rione XIII, the amazing tonnarelli cacio & pepe goes for $13 (normally $18). The pasta prices at the Tavolà tas are slightly cheaper, but you can score a bottle of wine for $20 at Rione. A nice selection of $6 wine by the glass is featured at both—sparkling, white, rosé, and red at the Tavolà tas, or white, red, and Lambrusco at Rione. And at $7 to $8, Rione's cocktail specials are a no-brainer and usually perfectly mixed. Tavolà ta Capitol Hill happy hour is 5–7 pm and 10–11 pm daily (bar and patio only); Tavolà ta Belltown happy hour is 5–7 pm daily (entire restaurant); Rione XIII happy hour is 5–7 pmSun–Thurs (entire restaurant), 5–7 pm and 10–11 pm Fri–Sat (bar only). CORINA ZAPPIA
Seattle's favorite Korean spot has always drawn crowds of hungry tech workers around happy hour—starting from their original location in Fremont and now in their space in South Lake Union—for good reason. I've more than once elbowed my way up to steal a bar seat so I could nab the last bowl of savory, spicy beef ramen with a runny egg on top ($9). Other happy hour steals include the tangy short rib sliders ($9) and the highly sought-after pork belly pancakes with kimchi ($7). They also have fantastic signature cocktail specials, like Ginger's Revenge, a bourbon-based drink with ginger, elderflower, and aromatic bitters ($8). Happy hour is 4–6 pm Mon–Sat. KARA TIERNAN
The happy hour at this classily serene Japanese sushi staple on Capitol Hill is far too popular for its own good, and you really have to get in early (when it opens, at 4 pm) to get a table or even a few seats at the cocktail bar. It's totally worth it, though, because the sushi is fresh, chef's kiss delicious, and nicely discounted (from $5.50 to $11, the latter for a respectable helping of sashimi), as are the hot offerings (try the grilled garlic short ribs for $8), and a selection of beer, wine, and sake is available for $4.50 to $7. Happy hour is 4–6 pm daily in restaurant and 4–7 pm and 10 pm–12:30 am daily in the bar. LEILANI POLK
Monsoon offers an impressive variety of dishes during happy hour. In the Bellevue location, the menu includes 16 different bites ranging from grilled pork sausage (nem nng) sliders with hoisin aioli ($6) to grilled lemongrass chicken skewers ($8) to fresh tofu rolls ($9). The Capitol Hill location has plenty of tasty happy hour options as well. Portion-wise, the salt-and-pepper chicken wings ($8) offer the most bang for your buck, and don't miss popular apps like the crispy imperial rolls ($9), or the bò lá lot (flank steak wrapped in lá lot leaves and grilled, $8). Enjoy $6 wine by the glass specials at both, and beer and cocktail specials, too. Happy hour is 3–6 pm and 9–10 pm daily in the bar. CORINA ZAPPIA
The menu at this Central District restaurant incorporates a medley of flavors and spices from all around Asia in a way that feels like sampling street food from different countries without leaving the comfort of your booth, barstool, or chair. The scope grows even wider when you consider the cozy bar, where the collective cocktail mastery (and fondness for mezcal) of owners Bryce Sweeney and Mario Eckert has spawned one of Seattle's most inventive drink lists. During happy hour, starters like the roast duck crispy roll and papaya salad are offered for a mere $4, while for $6, you can get hot sake bottles, select cocktails (including the house martini, Moscow mule, and margarita), glasses of red or white wine, and all draft beers (excluding $4 Kirins). Happy hour is 4–6 pm and 10 pm–close Mon–Fri, 2–4 pm and 10 pm–close Sat–Sun. JEN SWANSON
A Spanish-style taberna in Georgetown, sexy Bar Ciudad's focus is on grilled meats and pintxos (bar snacks). They also have a great patio and a righteous happy hour that includes $5 drafts, $2 off all cocktails, $4 pintxos (like bacon-wrapped Medjool dates stuffed with Valdeón cheese), $3 flatbread/dip combos, and $4 off whole rotisserie chickens (normally $18), which are all-natural and hormone-free. Happy hour is all day Tues–Thurs, 3–6 pm Fri–Sat. MEG VAN HUYGEN
