Bars and Lounges

The Best Vancouver Happy Hours to Hit Right Now: March Edition

By Nikki Bayley /

Join me, as we continue to canter into wildly uncertain times, on the Good Ship Happy Hour, where I track down the best damn deals in town so you can relax and enjoy an hour of restaurant-based normality without busting your budget.

Broke but want to feel fancy this weekend? Try Coast.

For no good reason, I rarely remember to go to Coast... but then I do, and I wonder why I’m not there way, way more often. They’ve just extended their regular Happy Hour service to the weekends: now in addition to Monday to Friday, 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., you can happy hour your heart out all day on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. til 5:30 p.m. Yes, please! Food prices range from $10 to 16 and oysters are $1.50 each. Portions are generous—the salmon flatbread is huge!—my picks are the salmon oshi and the divine mussels, but you may need extra bread as the broth is amazing. There’s plenty of $6 drinks from highballs and beers to Caesars and Moscow Mules, plus, wine is just $5.

Soak up the sun (and deals) at Tocador

Wait for that first sunny day and then skedaddle to the Drive and snag a seat at Tocador. Opening hours vary so check online, but from open till 6 p.m. daily, the Happy Hour here offers up tasty treats such as two tacos for $10 or patatas bravas for $8, alongside $10 cocktails. Beer’s just $5 but I’m recommending you try their delicious vinho verde for $7, perfect for springtime sipping.

 

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Off the Sauce? Head to Uprising Breads

Because Happy Hour should be for everyone, head on over to Uprising Breads in East Van for their daily tea time happy hour with nary a drop of booze in sight. From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. you can score any 8 oz. hot drink along with a dessert of cookie for just (are you ready?) five bucks. Life is pretty hard for a lot of us these days and deals like these are so very appreciated. Don’t skip on their focaccia too; it’s the bomb.

For Numbing the Pain in Apocalyptic Times (with a View): Bayside Lounge

This English Bay classic is such a vibe. For day-drinking—and self-medicating with cheap drinks in apocalyptic times—it cannot be beaten. I checked out their HH recently and of course, it rocks. Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., you can hunker down with that heavenly view and enjoy cocktails and double highballs for $9.50. (I’d give the wine a swerve. It’s Jackson Triggs and… just no.) On the food menu, get down with mini doughnuts and chocolate sauce for $6.50 or $11 chicken karaage.

 

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