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.
Bawker Bawker Cider House
400 N. Fourth Avenue
Bawker Bawker is Tucson’s first and only cider house, offering over at least 10 sweet and savory ciders — naturally gluten free — on tap at a time. The staff locally ferments its cider with little to no residual sugar and includes a flavor range from prickly pear to tomato basil. They’ll celebrate the drop of the new Lion’s Mane tap on Friday, June 16. This cider house serves happy hour drinks from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, with $1 off on all drafts and flights. Bawker Bawker also provides an all-day happy hour for teachers every Friday. Don’t chicken out on this bar, as it also boasts fun and quirky community events.
Barrio Brewing Co.
800 E. 16th Street
No drink list would be complete without the first mash brewing company in Tucson and one of the firsts in the state. Barrio’s beers are available throughout Arizona, but special prices are available at the brewing location.
Barrio serves $1 off drafts from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday. They recommend their famous 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.
The Buffet
538 E. Ninth Street
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 like the rainbow shot. Rather than a whole hour, The Buffet observes two daily happy minutes. At 6 p.m., they offer two drinks for the price of one. At 11 p.m., they match patrons’ drinks for $1.
Charro Steak & Del Rey
188 E. Broadway Boulevard
Happy hour here is the complete package. From 3 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
It’s not just happy hour at CharroVida — it’s “happier hours” from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Friday. Currently it’s featuring half off house margaritas and $2 off all shareables, cocktails, wine and draft beer.
Club Congress & Tap Room
311 E. Congress Street
Club Congress is about more than music. Celebrate happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. daily in the club, or all night Sundays. The Tap room boasts happy hour pricing all night Mondays. On Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 p.m. to 1:45 a.m., $5 wells are offered.
Culinary Dropout
2543 E. Grant Road
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. They include original drinks, like their 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 Drive
All El Charro Cafés have 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
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. Try their seasonal Hard Jalapeño Lemonade before it’s gone, but if you miss it, there are plenty of other tasty options on rotation.
The Delta Bar & Grill
135 S. Sixth Avenue
The Delta’s food and drinks feature comforting tastes straight from the Bayou. Pair any of their sea or soul food with signature cocktails and a robust absinthe menu. Happy Hour at The Delta is 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, and until 7 p.m. Friday. There’s a $3 discount on all draft beers, specialty cocktails and glasses of wine. Try their signature Delta Old Fashioned, a southern twist on an old classic, for $6.
Ermanos
220 N. Fourth Avenue
After 20 years of home brewing in Michigan, the Erman brothers moved down to Arizona to combine their quality food and drinks with a thoughtful environment. Mark and Rick 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 10 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. They serve half off bottles of wine, $7 well drinks and $1 off select draft beers. Enjoy one of their signature cocktails, like the Ermanos Sangria or The Monsoon for $10 each.
Frog and Firkin
874 E. University Boulevard
Frog and Firkin is a festive British pub that hosts UA students and Tucson locals. The bar boasts the largest selection of craft brews on University, along with creative mixed drinks like the signature Fish Piss, a $9 mixture of blue Curaçao, grapefruit vodka and tropical Red Bull. From 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, customers enjoy $5 margaritas, $9 tall craft beers and $6.50 tall domestics, as well as $1 off craft pints and wells. On Thursdays starting at 8 p.m., the bar offers $3 Coors Banquets and wells and $6 mules.
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 lively nightlife scene, where patrons enjoy unique drinks like the famous Wildcat Fishbowl. The bar’s happy hour runs from 3 to 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. to close every day, and includes a variety of drinks ranging in price from $5 wells, hot sake and bottled beer to $12 fishbowls. They also sell a wide variety of sushi rolls for discounted prices.
The Hoppy Vine
12125 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley
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 Vine’s events, like the weekly DJ trivia and musical bingo, start just after happy hour, so attendees can arrive early and get a head start.
Mint Bar
3540 E. Grant Road, Tucson
The Mint Bar describes itself as “the friendly neighborhood dive bar.” The pub boasts a local vibe and a sense of community, and offers ping pong, pool darts and weekly karaoke.
Happy hour is 10 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday. From Sunday to Tuesday, they host a late-night happy hour from midnight to 2 a.m. The bar offers 50 cents off draft pints, $1 off 32-ounce pitchers and $1 off wells.
The Monica
40 E. Congress Street
This robust happy hour is set for 2 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, with $2 off shareable appetizers, hour margaritas, wells, draft beers and wines by the glass. Head there and check out the board of wine for the half-price 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.
Playground Bar and Lounge
278 E. Congress Street
Playground Bar and Lounge reopened late last year, 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 7 p.m. Fridays, the prices are as exciting as the ambiance. The bar offers $2 off all beverages and $4 off the entire food menu. The Guavesito — mezcal, guava, grapefruit and lime — is a fan favorite.
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 their draft selections, including their flagship Cereus IPA. They are also rolling out a summer club punch card, where after completing each task by Sept. 3, guests get a free T-shirt.
Surly Wench
424 N. Fourth Avenue
The Surly Wench is an eclectic, counterculture bar with a goth edge. The pub’s plethora of recurring events include weekly Black Hat Karaoke, a first Friday burlesque show and Fineline Revisited, a bimonthly new wave, goth and industrial dance party. From open until 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays, Surly Wench offers $3.50 Miller High Lifes and $4 wells. But outside of happy hour, patrons can always order the “double-fister” deal, which is a shot of house whiskey and a Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Union Public House
4340 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 100
This American gastropub’s happy hour menu is vast. Every day, from 3 to 6 p.m., the bar offers $3 domestic drafts, $4 to $6 craft draft beers, $5 single-item wells, and $7 glasses of wine, in addition to a wide variety of discounted food options.
Union also discounts its signature Copper Cup cocktails to $6 during happy hour and all day on Thursdays. Happy hour deals are available everywhere, not just at the bar top.
