Everybody loves a bargain. When the discounted goods are frothy cocktails and peppy snacks, even better. No matter the day of the week, your current mood, drink of choice or budget, there’s a Toronto happy hour deal sure to please. This summer, seek out the sun, the social interaction — and all of the top-tier deals — at these popular spots.
The one with the view: Aera
The address: 8 Spadina Ave., 38th and 39th floor of The Well
The drink deals: Taking place daily, from 4-6 p.m., happy hour at Aera will have you sipping signature cocktails like the floral, St-Germain-spiked Amelia, for a cheery $15, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows or on its sun-soaked rooftop patio. There’s also draught beer for $9 and wines by the glass for $12.
The food deals: Though not offered at a discount, Open Aera’s all-day menu lists plenty of delectable distractions, whether you cave to the temptation of golden pastry pockets, truffle fries or skewers of tender beef tenderloin slicked with Korean barbecue glaze.
The crowd: Cocooned between azure skies and a sun-kissed lake, giddy gaggles of gals and office workers playing hooky relax over repeat orders of marked-down drinks.
The vibe: Unobstructed lake views and a sky-high location put this King West happy hour in a class by itself.
The cheap and cheerful one: Pennies Bar
The address: 127 Strachan Ave. and 667 College St.
The drink deals: Between 1-3 p.m., Monday to Friday, soak up the afternoon’s brightest rays as you sip on $2 PBRs, $4 Jameson and potent doubles for $6 at Pennies.
The food deals: Marked down to an easy-breezy $5 each, a lengthy list of sliders, from veggie chopped cheese to Nashville hot chicken, ensures those PBRs never get lonely. As always, movie-style popcorn and good vibes are generously doled out at no extra charge.
The crowd: Unmistakable, thanks to its yolk-yellow finish, this haunt draws its fair share of hipsters with flexible works schedules.
The vibe: Wallet-friendly sips and snacks brighten up weekdays at this casual spot.
The fancy hotel one: Nobu Bar & Lounge
The address: 25 Mercer St.
The drink deals: During Nobu’s Tanoshi Hour, daily this summer between 5-9 p.m., lubricate in the ultra-luxe hotel and restaurant’s dramatic bar and lounge with fan-favourite Lychee Martinis ($20), Toki Highballs ($15), wine ($9-$18) and draught beer ($13) all at a fraction of the usual going rate.
The food deals: Also discounted is an extensive menu of cold and hot snacks, including fresh sushi, meaning that you can make a meal of silken yellowtail jalapeño, crisp Wagyu gyoza, even morsels of chef Nobu’s legendary black cod, without batting an eye.
The crowd: Populated by the well-heeled masses, Tanoshi Hour’s real undisclosed perk is people watching that rivals the city’s best.
The vibe: Feel like a million bucks (without spending it) inside one of Toronto’s most striking spaces.
The patio one: Avling
The address: 1042 Queen St. E.
The drink deals: Claim a seat on Avling brewery’s blissful patio Tuesday-Sunday from 4-6 p.m., for a raft of draught beers, from hazy pale ales to juicy sours, for a reduced $6, plus affordable bottles of wine and cocktails, for $11.
The food deals: At this Feast On-certified spot, each of the menu’s elevated comfort foods is made with locally grown ingredients — including several from the lush rooftop garden. During happy hour, enjoy crackly King Cole duck spring rolls, buttermilk-marinated fried chicken sliders and maple sugar cookies recast as miniature, gelato-stuffed ice cream sandwiches, for less.
The crowd: You’ll have to compete with craft-beer enthusiasts and thirsty in-the-know locals if you want to kick back at this popular spot.
The vibe: Comfort food, craft beer and a sun-strewn patio deliver the ultimate happy-hour trifecta at this laid-back east-end watering hole.
The special-cocktail one: Café Zuzu
The address: 555 Dundas St. E.
The drink deals: Head to this lively Regent Park space for refreshing happy hour deals (4-6 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, and 3- 5 p.m., Friday to Sunday). For $5, there’s wine by the glass, crisp Pilsner and zippy zero-proof options. Double that, and cling to the restaurant’s signature limoncello-laced Amalfi as you mull your next moves.
The food deals: Complement your drinks with briny tidbits like citrus-marinated olives and tangy giardiniera, or more substantial options, like plump vegetarian panzerotto or saucy, meatball-crowned spaghetti.
The crowd: Tables at this restaurant tend to fill up fast with parents nursing a proclivity for effervescence as their kids face-plant Italian fare.
The vibe: Adopt a dolce-vita-style summer glow care of spritzes and plenty of snacks at this Regent Park destination.
The hip one: Sounds Good
The address: 1756 Dundas St. W.
The drink deals: On Saturdays and Sundays at Sounds Good, from 3-6 p.m., climb to the second floor of this multi-hyphenate space for $14 feature wine, $12 highballs and spritzes, and the potent combo of Miller High Life and your shot of choice for $14.
The food deals: A sampling of the team’s regular menu makes for delightful happy-hour snacking. Anything but pedestrian, it ranges from ravishing, corn-speckled potato croquettes to dashi-glazed whitefish crudo stained with chili-licked Saskatoon berry vinaigrette.
The crowd: No matter the hour, millennials crowd into this hip space to get their fix — whether they’re hankering for morning coffees, afternoon cocktails and snacks, or a dance party that stretches into daybreak.
The vibe: From the playlist to the happy hour menu, everything sounds good at this Dundas West listening lounge.
