Happy Hours Are Back in Full Force

"We finally have the staff so we can open a little earlier. It's finally feeling a little more normal for us," says Nicholas Dalton, co-founder of Brasserie Brixton, which recently introduced its first happy hour since the restaurant opened in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic.

The appeal of happy hour is multifaceted, he notes: "You love it because it's inexpensive. I love it because it's just a way of having fun. The girls love it because that's when they all get together every week. There's businesspeople who come in for happy hour as a way to decompress after work. Then you have people who are just looking for deals, and people who are like, we can spend a little less money and get drunk earlier."

Basically, who doesn't enjoy happy hour?

But a few years ago, happy hour had pretty much disappeared in Denver. When the pandemic shut down indoor fun at bars and restaurants, the deals dried up — and even when restaurants and bars reopened, many happy hours were slow to return.

Now, though, happy hour is back in full force. Even as menu prices rise because of inflation, restaurants are offering some can't-miss deals in order to draw customers in during times when business tends to be slower. It's also a way to "give a little support back" to the guests who have supported the business through all the ups and down of the past three years, Dalton says.
Brasserie Brixton's offerings, which are available from 4:30 to 6 p.m., include beer-and-shot combos for $5; Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and margaritas for $8; $10 French onion soup; and a single-patty version of its signature burger for $14.

Some of our favorite boozy happy-hour deals of the past have changed with the times. Karma on Broadway, for example, used to offer pours of sake for just $1 from 3 to 6 p.m. daily, which was a dangerously cheap way to get a buzz. Now have to shell out $3 — but it's still a steal, particularly since you can pair those drinks with such food specials as $8 sesame chicken, $5 pineapple cheese wontons, and super-garlicky edamame for $6. When French 75 reopened in 2021, it debuted 75-cent Prosecco until 7 p.m. for its happy hour; today a glass is $2.50, a deal you can get from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Other happy-hour offerings remain tried and true. At Charlie Brown's, a classic Capitol Hill bar, you can still get two-for-one wells, house wine and domestic beers from 4 to 7 p.m. every day — which will land you safely in the zone to catch the beginning of the nightly live piano sing-along at 6:30 p.m.

If catching a buzz is your main goal, belly up to the bar at Trash Hawk on South Broadway for the buy-one-get-one deal on its already cheap Trash Drinks and wells from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Trash Hawk also has other specials throughout the week, like $1 off all drafts as well as beer-and-shot combos every Tuesday and Thursday.
While cheap drinks are the draw at some places, others go hard on happy-hour food. The bill for a full meal from Uchi's regular menu can add up fast. But during happy hour, which is available from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, you can sample from an impressive sixteen-item lineup (including one dessert) priced from $6 to $12. Uchi also offers a happy-hour omakase experience, where the chef will send out a multi-course tasting menu at a discounted price.

Some spots have food items that are unique to happy hour. At Annette, the only way to get the steak frites with grilled onion butter, greens and pickled shallot vinaigrette ($26) is to visit from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday — or on Tuesdays, when happy hour goes all night. One of our favorite dishes at A5 is the indulgent $14 French dip made with thinly sliced wagyu beef, and served with creamy horseradish and sinus-clearing hot mustard for dipping. It's also a happy-hour exclusive and only served from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Oyster happy hours abound in Denver. We may be far from the coasts, but restaurants here actually have easy access to super-fresh seafood, thanks to our proximity to a busy international airport. Standouts include Angelo's, where raw oysters are $1 and chargrilled bivalves are $2.50 each from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close daily. Raw oysters ring in at 99 cents on Mondays at Blue Island Oyster Bar's two locations, and $2.50 during happy hour, from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Other notable deals for those who love slurping briny goodness can be found at Stoic & Genuine, Jax Fish House and Fish N Beer.

At Smok, you can munch on smoked jerk wings ($9 for five) and sip $5 G&Ts; at Point Easy, go for the $5 fries with chicken aioli alongside a $28 bottle of wine; and at Cart-Driver, it's all about the $10 Daisy pizza with an $8 glass of bubbles.

"I like having fun," says Dalton. "I like enjoying restaurants." And happy hour is an excuse to do just that.