Happy Hour Chicago 2026, Best Specials by Neighborhood
By 312Deals Team · Updated July 2026
Looking for happy hour in Chicago? We track 3,924+ active happy hour deals across 1,823 Chicago bars, restaurants, and patios, ranked by neighborhood and updated daily. The cheapest drink right now: Hamms for $2.00. Most Chicago happy hours start at 4PM.
Best Happy Hours in Chicago by Neighborhood
Not all neighborhoods are created equal when it comes to happy hours. River North dominates with 487 happy hour deals, making it the go-to neighborhood for after-work drinks. Here are the top 10 neighborhoods ranked by number of happy hour deals:
| Rank | Neighborhood | Happy Hour Deals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | River North | 487 |
| 2 | Lakeview | 267 |
| 3 | West Loop | 251 |
| 4 | Logan Square | 235 |
| 5 | Lincoln Park | 225 |
| 6 | The Loop | 201 |
| 7 | West Town | 141 |
| 8 | Portage Park | 132 |
| 9 | South Loop | 120 |
| 10 | Wicker Park | 116 |
Cheapest Happy Hour Drinks in Chicago
Looking for the absolute cheapest drinks during happy hour? We track pricing data on 446+ drink specials across Chicago. The best deal we found: $2.00 Hamms at Cortland's Garage in Bucktown.
| Drink | Price | Venue | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamms | $2.00 | Cortland's Garage | Bucktown |
| Limoncello Fizz shot | $2.00 | Volo Restaurant Wine Bar | Roscoe Village |
| 12 oz domestic draft | $2.50 | Finley Dunnes Tavern | Lakeview |
| Domestic Tallboys | $3.00 | The Warehouse Bar & Pizzeria | Lincoln Park |
| Bud Light Cans | $3.00 | The Rabbit Hole Wrigley | Wrigleyville |
| PBR Cans (16oz) | $3.50 | Corcoran's Grill & Pub | Old Town |
| Miller Lite Pints | $3.50 | Corcoran's Grill & Pub | Old Town |
| Select drafts | $4.00 | Cortland's Garage | Bucktown |
| PBR bottles | $4.00 | ALIVE ONE | Lincoln Park |
| Craft Cans | $4.00 | The Warehouse Bar & Pizzeria | Lincoln Park |
When Do Chicago Happy Hours Start?
The most common happy hour start time in Chicago is 4PM. Most end by 6PM. However, times vary widely. Some bars start as early as 11 AM (all-day happy hours), while others offer late-night reverse happy hours starting at 9 PM or later.
Pro tip: Many Chicago bars offer the best deals during off-peak hours. If you can make it for a 3 PM start, you'll often find the deepest discounts and plenty of seating.
For more on Chicago's dining scene, see the Choose Chicago restaurant guide and the City of Chicago liquor license information.
Happy Hours on the Patio
Outdoor seating plus a happy hour, the best of a Chicago summer. These spots run their drink and app specials on the patio.
- Lucky Dorr Patio & TapWrigleyville
Teacher Appreciation Fridays
All day teacher Happy Hour — all beers $2 off with faculty ID.
- Cortland's GarageBucktown
Happy Hour
$2 Hamms, $4 Select drafts, $5 Burgers
- Compass BarLincoln Park
Happy Hour
$5 Well Drinks, Half Off Pizzas
- Corcoran's Grill & PubOld Town
Happy Hour
$19 Domestic Buckets, $3.50 PBR Cans, $4.50 Powers Irish Whiskey, $3.50 Miller Lite Pints, $8 Aperol Spritzes, $5 Fried Pickles
- Tortoise Supper ClubRiver North
Happy Hour - $1 Oysters & Half Price Cocktails
Half price Signature Cocktails, $1 Oysters and Cocktail Shrimp
- The KerrymanRiver North
Happy Hour - $4 Corona & More
$4 Corona, Corona Light, Michelob Ultra
- The Shamrock ClubRiver North
All Day Happy Hour
$17 Buckets of Beer (5 bottles), $6 Absolut cocktails, $4.50 Blue Moon Drafts
- Ayayay - Comida MexicanaThe Loop
Daily Happy Hour
Daily happy hour featuring discounted nachos, margaritas, tequila shots, and beer
- CommonwealthRoscoe Village
Happy Hour — Mon–Fri 4–6 PM: $6 IPAs + $6 Wines + $6 Cocktails
Weekday Happy Hour Monday through Friday 4–6 PM: $6 local IPAs, $6 house wines, $6 weekly craft cocktails.
Late-Night Happy Hours
The kitchen's open and the deals are still running. After-9 PM and late-night happy hours for the second-shift crowd and night owls.
- Ema - River NorthRiver North
Happy Hour
Happy hour featuring $7 mezze plates, craft beer, cocktails, and wine selections
- The Franklin RoomRiver North
Happy Hour
The Franklin Room happy hour runs Monday through Saturday from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. This River North speakeasy and tavern features deals on drinks during happy hour. The venue also offers oyster deals and is noted for having a late happy hour option. The Franklin Room specializes in classic American fare, fresh seafood, prime steaks and chops in a neighborhood tavern atmosphere. Specific pricing details are not listed on this page.
- Avli TavernaRiver North
Happy Hour
Discounted cocktails, beer, wine, and Greek meze (small plates).
- AvaspiLakeview
Avaspi Mediterranean Happy Hour
Anatolian-flair happy hour with Mediterranean small plates, $6 beers, $10 cocktails.
- BocaditosWest Loop
Happy Hour
Late happy hour available Sunday through Thursday from 8:30pm-9:30pm
- Elephant & Castle PubThe Loop
Happy Hour
$6 domestic draughts, $6 house wine, $6 share plates
- Atelier ChicagoRavenswood
Happy Hour
Tuesday-Thursday happy hour featuring $6 oysters, $12 wines and cocktails, plus small plates in the lounge
- Evanston Corner BistroEvanston
Happy Hour
Happy hour at Table to Stix with ramen, Asian small plates, beer and sake specials
- La CocinitaEvanston
Happy Hour
La Cocinita Restaurant offers a vibrant Happy Hour daily from 3-6PM, featuring a selection of drink specials and flavorful small plates. Stop by with friends for an after work hang and catch some futbol while you're there!
Reverse Happy Hours
The discounts that kick in when the dinner rush leaves, late-evening drink and appetizer specials at these bars and restaurants.
- Toast It IzRiver North
Vibes After 5
Reverse happy hour starting after 5pm where the workday ends and the vibes begin
Find Happy Hours Near You
Use our interactive deal map to find happy hours closest to your location, or browse deals by neighborhood. You can also search all deals by day, cuisine, or price range. For more ways to save, browse the full Chicago food & drink deals hub or our cheap drinks in Chicago guide.
All Chicago Neighborhoods with Happy Hours
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the best happy hours in Chicago?
- Chicago has 3,924 active happy hour deals across 1,823 bars and restaurants. River North has 487 deals, Lakeview has 267 deals, West Loop has 251 deals.
- When do happy hours start in Chicago?
- Most Chicago happy hours start at 4PM and end at 6PM. Times vary by venue and neighborhood.
- What is the cheapest happy hour drink in Chicago?
- The cheapest happy hour drink we found is $2.00 Hamms at Cortland's Garage. We track 446+ drink deals across Chicago.
- Which Chicago neighborhood has the most happy hours?
- River North leads with 487 happy hour deals, followed by Lakeview (267), West Loop (251), Logan Square (235).
About This Guide
This guide is based on data from 312Deals, which tracks 3,924+ happy hour deals across Chicago. Deals are scraped from restaurant websites and verified by our community. Data is updated weekly. Prices and times may change without notice, always confirm with the venue directly. Last updated: July 2026.