Who has time for traditional happy-hour hours anymore, amirite? The hours between 4 and 8 p.m. are, for many of us, filled with work, commuting, and gym-going, except on those occasions when you're obligated to drink with coworkers. The real surprise and delight, especially in a town this expensive, is when you find yourself somewhere that offers late-night happy hour prices or special deals, giving you an extra incentive to stay for one more. Below, we bring you some well known and some little known late-night deals, in various corners of town.
440 Castro
There are constant happy hour specials in the always-drunk Castro, but some of the cheapest drinking can be done mid-week, until late, at the always bear- and daddy-friendly 440. On Tuesdays, all draft beers are $2, which means you can get pretty wasted for $10 (before tip). On Wednesdays, the two-for-one drink special that most bars in the neighborhood do before 8 p.m. extends all night, using the tokens pictured above, with different sized tokens depending on whether you ordered top shelf or well cocktails. Just beware that this isn't the most lady-friendly of the neighborhood's bars, and if you're a dude, make sure you're prepared to get a little manhandled and ogled, before the night is done. Jay Barmann
440 Castro Street near Market
Alta CA
Making sure Mid-Market workaholics get fed, Alta offers one of the only late-night food menus in the 'hood, served from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., which includes their most excellent cheeseburger. Also important to know, though, is that Sunday to Wednesday starting at 10:30 p.m. it's half off select glasses of wine and champagne. Not that we're encouraging drinking multiple glasses of champagne on a random Tuesday after 10:30, but just in case you need to. Jay Barmann
1420 Market Street near Polk
Cafe Du Nord
Cafe Du Nord, as old timers needn't be reminded, hasn't always been a champagne and oysters operation, having returned from a past life as a real venue in the form of a very fine restaurant. But back to the champagne and oysters. When they ring the bell at midnight, you can forget about the sticker shock on those admittedly bourgeois indulgences: Bottles of bubbly are half off, and oysters are too. — Caleb Pershan
2174 Market Street between Church and Sanchez Streets
Cockscomb
Late night happy hours are great, but late night happy hours with food are even better. In this regard, Cockscomb excels. Offering $1 oysters, Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., it's a tight window — but definitely worth it. With $5 happy-hour priced beers to wash it all down, the restaurant helmed by Chris Consentino is a perfect spot to either end your night or quickly recharge before heading back out into the world. Oh, and if the oysters aren't your thing, try snacking on the $3 pig ears. — Jack Morse
564 Fourth Street between Bryant and Brannan
Photo: Facebook
DOSA
Little known fact: At both DOSA locations, on Valencia and on Fillmore, they offer discounted wine ($7), beer ($4), and their Spice Route Cocktail ($8) from 9 p.m. until closing, in addition to offering the deal from 5 to 7 p.m. nightly. Also available are some appetizers like their vada pav ($4), just note that the beer selection is different at each location it's Kingfisher at Valencia, and Firestone DBA at Fillmore. Jay Barmann
1700 Fillmore Street near Post, and 995 Valencia Street near 21st
Hog & Rocks
Update: Hog and Rocks has retired their late night happy hour. SFist and the restaurant apologize for the confusion. After 10 p.m. at Hog & Rocks, meticulously made drinks that usually clock in at $12 return to regular old '90s prices. Well cocktails are $6 and a group of craft cocktails are $7 a piece, including a Nardini Manhattan (rye, carpano antica, and Nardini amaro), which you ought to try. Sadly, this is all just for one magic hour on most nights, as they'll cut you off at 11 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, however, you can keep 'em coming till 1:30 a.m.— Caleb Pershan
3431 19th Street between San Carlos and Mission Streets
Palomino
They take happy hour at Palomino pretty seriously, so seriously in fact that it not only goes all night but it has its own menu. Available at the bar and patio only (not in the dinning room), the happy hour runs until 11 p.m. nightly and features a wide selection of food and drinks. Cocktails are priced at $6 (well, $5.95, but whatever) and with beer and wine selections at $5. And on a nice night the patio stands out as a perfect spot to munch and sip. With ample options for vegetarians, and people who eat gluten free, it stands in contrast to your more typical greasy, late-night happy hour fare. — Jack Morse
345 Spear Street, between Folsom and Harrison Streets
Sakesan
"What is that Miami Vice bullshit?" I asked my friend as we passed the glossy neon splendor of Sakesan. "No, it's amazing!" he said, and he wasn't wrong — despite its Michael Mannish exterior, the sushi there is a Clement Street standout, and their sake list is bonkers. Sakesan's sake and beer prices are chopped (and oysters go for a buck each) during their 4-6 p.m. and 10 p.m.-12:15 a.m. happy hours, which run from Sunday through Thursday. Those two sets of happy hours are an excellent bookend to a night singing your ass off in one of their two karaoke rooms. Call in sick for work tomorrow, tonight's the night to sing "Heartbeat" at the top of your sake-drenched lungs. — Eve Batey
626 Clement Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
Photo: Yelp
Zingari
You know where it's not easy to find a cheap drink, ever? Union Square. Thus you should keep this in your back pocket: Touristy Italian spot Zingari offers a late-night deal in their Jazz Lounge from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., with well drinks, beer, and wine for just $6. Also, you get half price on bar apps, to help soak all that up. Jay Barmann
501 Post Street at Mason
