After a long day of classes, there are probably times (or all times…no shame here) you crave some refreshing drinks and fried munchies to compliment your drunken state.
This magical safe haven is called happy hour, and I’m going to tell you my top five local places I go to when I need some inspiration to keep me going on my undergraduate journey to a diploma.
1. Panama Joe’s
Happy Hour: Mondays to Fridays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Parking: Free street parking in neighborhoods or metered parking
Rating: 5 Nuggets (out of 5)
If you haven’t heard of Panama Joes, then you’ve been living under a rock. It looks like an old school Mexican cantina, minus the sombreros and bandaleros. This place always has drink specials going on, so it helps to follow them on Twitter and Facebook to snag some deals. During happy hour, appetizers are half-off and if you buy a drink, it’s $0.25 for any additional drinks. I recommend the fiesta platter because it comes with jalapeno cheese quesadillas, chicken bites, hot wings and barbeque skewers – the perfect fried, greasy goodness! The drinks are pretty strong, depending on what you get. Two margaritas are usually enough to give me a good buzz. PJ’s does get super busy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights so be sure to plan accordingly. Pre-game beforehand, and the wait won’t be so long!
2. Sushi Studio
Happy Hour: Everyday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Parking: Free parking lot shared with a sketchy motel. Get there early!
Rating: 4 Nuggets
When I first came here, I though, how in the world can a sushi place be here? Not classy! But then I went in, my perception changed a bit. It’s small and cozy, which helps the intimacy of your party. On the downside, that means it’s not really good for groups of more than five people. On the contrary, this place has all the specials! They have specials for all operating hours, so you can order quality sushi at a decent price. It’s $2 for a glass of draft beer and $8 for a pitcher. If you’re a fan of Japanese alcohol, you’re in luck because they offer Asahi, Sapporo, Kirin Ichiban and Kirin Light. Also, they have a list of special $6 hand rolls. Some seafood sushi originally at $4.15, such as salmon, albacore and shrimp are 50% off. Keep in mind that the selections are only limited to beer and wine. Also, there is no full bar.
3. La Creperie
Happy Hour: Mondays to Fridays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Parking: Free street parking in neighborhoods or metered parking
Rating: 5 Nuggets
Happy hour or not, I absolutely adore this place. What’s not to like about such a classy bohemian bistro bar with a hint of sophisticated, Victorian essence? It’s another small, cozy place with a live band playing to enhance your dining experience. On Mondays and Tuesdays, about 90 percent of the wine bottles are half-off, so you can enjoy an amazing dinner with a delicious glass. During their happy hour, it’s $3 for a martini that’s usually pretty strong. The crepes are on the pricier side, but it’s worth it. I usually only order their dessert crepes. My favorite, the Romeo and Juliet, contains strawberries, bananas and Nutella. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I like coming here if I’m trying to escape the typically rowdy happy hour crowds when I’m still looking for my alcohol fix and want to feel fancy.
4. Sababa Restaurant & Lounge
Happy Hour: Mondays to Fridays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Parking: Free
Rating: 5 Nuggets
This summer, I really got into Mediterranean food, so I was really excited to try this place that had so many good reviews. It’s conveniently located in a plaza, right next to a Bev Mo. The crowd is generally older, but that shouldn’t stop you from having a good ol’ mature and classy time. The happy hour choices are a bit limited, but good nonetheless. I ordered a drink called the Socialite, which is citron vodka, fresh raspberry juice, lemonade and lime juice topped with champagne for only $6. They also have $4 cocktails. I also ordered the chicken kabobs which also came with roasted red-pepper risotto and olive-date sauce. The sauce tasted very sweet, but I’m not really a condiment-kind-of-person so I didn’t use it with the chicken. Overall, it’s a pricier happy hour, but the food, atmosphere and service make it worth it. Shout out to my group’s server named Matt who let us keep ordering off the happy hour menu after 7 because a large party took over the lounge, which slowed down the service. We’re definitely coming back. On Sundays, they have bottomless mimosas!
5. Beach Club
Happy Hour: Mondays to Fridays from 3 P.M. to 7 P.M.
Parking: Free
Rating: 4 stars
So I hope I’m not the only one who’s never known of this place until now, but I recently discovered it thanks to a friend’s recommendation. It’s a sports bar next to Niko Niko Sushi, Wingstop, Yogurtland, you get the picture. They have Long Beach memorabilia hanging all over the walls, so I appreciated that festive pride they represent. I’m honestly not a sports fan, so I can’t really appreciate the bar for what it is. (But for the sport of drinking.) However, I love the drink and food specials. It’s $3.25 for domestic drafts; $4.25 for imported drafts pints; $3.50 for mixed drinks and $1.00 off all wine glasses. But what really got me excited was the food menu. They have a large selection of small plates of beef tacos, mini hot dogs, and nachos, among other plates. Just don’t expect any gourmet meal, since there’s nothing extravagantly special about the food. I just enjoy the low prices. I came in with a friend and we spent $25 for four beef tacos, two tostadas, two mini hot dogs, a Screw Driver and two cranberry vodkas. I consider this bar a level up from The Nugget (no offense), so I recommend this bar if you’re in the mood to eat and drink a lot for cheap, and you want to watch whatever sports game is happening that night.