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Best Weekend Happy Hours In Los Angeles

Ox&Son610x250
(Credit: Ox & Son)

Happy Hour is a magical time of day when people gather to socialize and schmooze over discounted drinks and eats. While this wonderful "hour" is often reserved for Monday through Friday, Angelenos have several options to join the fun outside of the work week. Here's a round-up of some of L.A.'s best who believe a good happy hour shouldn't be relegated to weekdays.

Rockerfeller
(Credit: The Rockerfeller)

The Rockerfeller
418 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 372-8467
www.eatrockefeller.com

The Rockerfeller, known by South Bay residents as a go-to spot for their weekend bottomless mimosa brunch, is also a great spot for a nightcap. A late night 2-for-1 drink special on draft beers and wine is offered from 10pm to close Fridays and Saturdays, which makes it perfect for the extra thirsty, or for making a new friend. While there's no special food menu to accompany the drink menu, their regular menu has a large selection of shareable dishes and sides that fit perfectly with the drinks. Try their tasty curried sweet potato bombs, or their bacon parmesan brussels sprouts. The Manhattan Beach location also offers the same late night happy hour deal.

RedOSantaMonica
(Credit: Red O Restaurant)

Red O Restaurant
1541 Ocean Ave., Suite 120
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 458-1600
www.redorestaurant.com

If you like a little ocean breeze with your happy hour, Red O's Santa Monica location is the perfect westside restaurant. Offering happy hour eats and drinks daily from their opening at 4pm to 6:30pm, the restaurant is known for their house margaritas, well drinks, and glasses of wine, which are all available for $7. The fun doesn't stop there though. Beer is offered at just $5 and almost a dozen happy hour small plates are available too. Priced at under $10, highlights of the food menu include Ahi Tuna Tostaditas, Fresh Corn and Goat Cheese Tamales, Classic Albacore Ceviche, Mazatlan White Shrimp Soft Tacos, and the popular Mary's Duck Taquitos. Red O's Melrose location has a similar happy hour deal starting at 5pm.

MiniBar
(credit: MiniBar)

MiniBar
6141 Franklin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 798-4939
www.minibarhollywood.com

For a classy, no-frills happy hour experience, head to MiniBar, where the ambience is as intimate as the drinks are stiff. The recently opened 32-seat bar is decked out in 70s decor, with gold-tipped tables, a dark wooden bar, and refurbished leather office chairs fit for a character on "Mad Men". The "Early Check-In" deal offers $6 rotating off-menu drink specials between 5pm - 7pm every day of the week as well. Pick your poison from eight classic cocktails, or enjoy the monthly special (November's is the Chavito 2 Margarita with Reposado tequila, lemon and lime, a splash of OJ, and a cinnamon sugar rim). MiniBar doesn't serve food, but a retro coffee shop in the same hotel is open until 3am, and offers the perfect diner food to soak up those delicious drinks.

Ox&Son
(credit: Ox & Son)

Ox & Son
1534 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 829-3990
www.oxandson.com

Offering a special social hour every day of the week from 3pm to 6pm, Santa Monica's Ox & Son does so because, as the menu says, Chef Brad Loves You! Because Executive Chef Brad Miller loves you so much, his happy hour menu features inventive twists on rustic classics like chicken croquettes with truffle powder, mussel and tomato chorizo poutine, crispy brussels sprouts with carrots and apple cider gastrique, and of course a classic burger and fries. To go with the modern American cuisine, a draft beer menu is offered with a dozen craft beers, including several beers from local breweries.

NapaValleyGrille
(Credit: Napa Valley Grille)

Napa Valley Grille
1100 Glendon Ave. #100
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 824-3322
www.napavalleygrille.com

Westwood Village eatery Napa Valley Grille offers not one, but two happy hours Monday through Saturday. Early birds can enjoy specials from 3pm to 7pm, while night owls can get in on the action from 9pm - 12am. An extensive happy hour food menu is also offered with salads and starters, flatbreads, cheeseboards, and full entree dishes. Drink deals include several cocktails options, six or nine ounce wine pours, and beer. Using local artisan ingredients, and offering an expansive selection of regional wine (including a dozen in their happy hour special), Napa Valley Grille brings a taste of wine country to Los Angeles. While Sunday only has one happy hour, don't be alarmed as it lasts from 3pm to 11pm.

Nick+Stefs
(credit: Todd Porter & Diane Cu-Porter)

Nick + Stef's Steakhouse
330 S. Hope St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 680-0330
www.patinagroup.com

Recently renovated and reopened, steakhouse Nick + Stef's welcomes downtown diners to social hour at the bar and patio on Saturday from 4pm - 7pm. Note that on Monday through Friday, the happy hour begins one hour earlier though. Belly up to the bar for select beer, wine, and well mixed-drinks priced at $7, and enjoy the classic steakhouse ambience with a bit of contemporary flare. A full-priced bar menu offers happy hour goers a wide variety of snacks, including an extensive oyster menu with Pacific and Eastern options. Nick + Stef's is a great place to grab a drink before a show at the Music Center, as a complimentary shuttle service is available to take you there on performance nights.

FIG&OLIVECrostini
(credit: FIG & OLIVE)

FIG & OLIVE Melrose Place
8490 Melrose Place
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-9100
www.figandolive.com

If you're looking to kick up your weekend happy hour a notch, make a night out of it at FIG & OLIVE. Specialty cocktails like the Pear Blanch (made with house-made pear syrup) and the blood orange puree infused The Fig & Olive are served up at the Mediterranean style bar and lounge for just $8. Beers are also available for $6, and various wines by the glass are offered, running from $7 - $10. A delectable aperitivo menu is offered during happy hour, and includes all seven types of their original Crostini at three for $6, or six for $11. Can't make it from 5pm - 7pm? No problem, another happy hour starts just two hours later at 9pm and runs until close.

Article by Kellie Fell.
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