7 Best Happy Hour Restaurants on Main Street

Main Street in Santa Monica is home to some of the best happy hour bars and restaurants in the city.

At each of these friendly, laid-back restaurants you can expect a happening scene to be savored over discount-priced drinks and noteworthy eats.

The 7 best happy hour restaurants on Main Street listed below are among the most popular local favorites.

They were chosen because they can be counted on to serve up a laid-back vibe, creative cocktails and appetizers at reasonable prices - night after night.

  1.   Areal Santa Monica

Areal happy hour specials include $4 beers.

This indoor-outdoor California cuisine restaurant is the place on Main Street to grab post-beach libations - including $4 beers and $6 cocktails and wine.

You'll also find hearty, discount priced appetizers such as bacon wrapped dates, Spanish octopus with chickpeas and harissa, or crispy shrimp po boys.

Grab these special prices daily from 4 - 7 p.m. - and they're available throughout the restaurant, not just inside the ample bar area. 2820 Main Street, Santa Monica; (310) 392-1661.

  2.   Basement Tavern

The subterranean bar at the Tavern features cozy couches and intimate seating areas.

This intimate, subterranean hotspot has happy hour pricing daily (through Saturday), from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.. And is home to an all day (almost) happy hour Sundays: from 3 p.m. - 2 a.m.  

During happy hour at The Basement, look for drink specials including $5 well cocktails and wine by the glass; as well as house-infused sangria with seasonal fruits and berries.

Appetizer specials include $5 deviled eggs with prosciutto, green onion and mayo; $4 mac and cheese balls with spicy ketchup; and $7 tuna tartare. 2640 Main Street, Santa Monica; (310) 396-2469.

  3.   Brick + Mortar Santa Monica

Happy hour at Brick + Mortar includes champagne at $5 a glass.

Located in the heart of Main Street tucked away in the Edgemar Center for the Arts, Brick + Mortar has been a local favorite since opening in February 2012.  

Here you'll find Modern American Fare that surprises with little twists added to the simplest of dishes served up with unique, artistic presentation in a chic, exciting atmosphere.

Weekday happy hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m, and feature $2 off all draft beer; $5 House red or white wine by the glass, and $5 to $6 food specials beginning at 3 p.m.  2435 Main Street, Santa Monica; (310) 450-3434.

  4.   Enterprise Fish Company Santa Monica

This Santa Monica seafood hotspot is a local favorite, offering happy hour picking on drinks and seafood specials from 4 - 7 p.m. daily (with late night happy hours Friday and Saturday 9 - 11 p.m.). Specials include $6 spirits and $1.50 oysters on the half-shell, and $8 - $16 premium small plates including lime-marinated fish ceviche, hamachi, and lobster rolls. 174 Kinney Street, Santa Monica; (310) 392-8366.

  5.   The Galley Santa Monica

Inside one of Santa Monica's best-loved restaurants, the seaworthy drinks and eats are happy-hour priced  5 - 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and all day Sunday at the South Seas Bar and on the patio. Best of all you'll find food and drinks are half-off during this two-hour sailing. 2442 Main Street, Santa Monica; (310) 452-1934.

  6.   Library Bar Santa Monica

Need a 'study break' (as the Library Ale House euphemistically deems happy hour)? Then ditch class - or work - from 3 - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in favor of sipping half-priced beer, $3 wines, and some seriously studious-priced eats: such as $3 pulled-pork sliders, $6 calamari, and $7 beer-braised mussels. Hall pass not required. 2911 Main Street, Santa Monica; (310) 314-4855.

  7.   M Street Kitchen

Happy hour begins at 4 p.m. at the delicious M Street Kitchen and goes until 6:30 p.m. daily. From 4 to 6:30 p.m. daily. Look for $3 beer, $5 wines, and $6 well drinks to go along with a selection of simply scrumptious appetizers, including $5 cheeseburgers or turkey burgers, $2 mahi-mahi tacos and $5 guacamole & housemate chips plates. Virtually everything on the menu is under $7 during happy hours! 2000 Main Street, Santa Monica; (310) 396-9145.

Be sure to check out this list of the Top 10 Santa Monica Happy Hours.

And you can get a list of the top Santa Monica Night Clubs here.