Whether you’re out with friends on the weekend, or looking for a place to unwind after a long work day, there’s a veritable bevy of bars to pick your poison in Austin. And, as the city grows, the list keeps getting bigger! So if you’re wondering where to find the hottest happy hours in Austin this year, check out these great bars around the city that offer so much more than just a drink.

Backbeat – South Austin

Happy Hour: Tue-Thur from 4PM-7PM and All Night Sunday & Monday

A funky, throw-back style bar, Backbeat offers delicious libations with a mid-century flare along with killer rooftop views of S. Lamar and tasty bar snacks. Their extensive list of menus includes craft cocktails, wine, beer and super classy hors d’oeurve-style bar foods like Cauliflower Gratin and Red Snapper Crudo. The wide array of creative craft cocktails at Backbeat are categorized by flavor, intensity and ingredients, with Offbeat cocktails (oddball textures, flavors and spirits), Downbeat cocktails (brooding spirits, fortified wines and assertive liqueurs) and Upbeat cocktails (vibrant, fruity and light). Happy hour features at Backbeat include $7 off classic cocktails (normally $12), $1 off all canned beers, ciders and radlers, $2 off all bar snacks, wine, sherry and vermouth (by the glass) and 20% off bottles.

Coast Bar + Kitchen – Warehouse District

Happy Hour: Daily from 5PM-7PM

Located in the heart of downtown Austin, the hip and happening Coast Bar + Kitchen serves elevated, seafood-focused fusion fare from Chef Ruston Richardson, along with a wide array of premier wines from their in-house cellar and elegantly-crafted cocktails in a “bar forward lounge atmosphere”.  Blending coastal influences from southern California and the Texas Gulf, the seasonal menus at Coast Bar + Kitchen feature everything from delicate dishes like Lobster Toast and Tuna Tataki to full on decadence like the Coast Burger and Chimichurri Prawns. Some favorite specialty cocktails include Sailor’s Delight, with 512 Tequila, cranberry, honey and orange bitters and Bartender’s Breakfast, with Tito’s Vodka, house horchata and cold brew and Fisherman’s Painkiller with spiced rum, coconut cream, pineapple and orange juice.  Happy Hour offerings include 1/2 off select specialty cocktails, $2 off wine (by the glass), $1 off beer, $10 taco plates and $5 ceviche.

Porter Ale House + Gastropub – South Austin

Happy Hour: Sun-Thur from 3:30PM-7:30PM

Of course the list wouldn’t be complete without a “gastropub”, but this particular one in south Austin offers so much more than just a trendy concept. The popular Porter Ale House & Gastropub is a chef-driven, neighborhood style hangout inspired by the working-class pubs of England. Menus at Porter Ale House include an expertly-curated beer list with both imported and local brews, cocktails and wines on tap and pub-style snacks including beer cheese fondue, pierogies and charcuterie plates. This Ale House definitely specializes in beers, with a huge selection of flavors and styles on tap, but they also offer some excellent wines and tasty house cocktails including the Banana Nut Old Fashioned and Tito’s Mule. Seasonal food offerings at Porter Ale House include lunch, brunch and dinner, with favorites like Mac n’ Cheese Nugz, Pigs in a Blanket and Smoked Wings. But catch their happy hour and enjoy a long list of deals including $3 well drinks, $2 Lone Star and Tecate, $3 Truffle Popcorn, $5 Gorgonzola and Chipotle Hot Sliders, $2 off specialty cocktails and $1 beer and wine (by the glass). Check out the full Happy Hour menu for Porter Ale House & Gastropub here.

Royal Jelly – North Austin

Happy Hour: Tue-Sat from 4PM-7PM and All Day Sunday

Fairly new to the Austin gastropub scene, Royal Jelly is buzzing all over the city and quickly rising in the ranks  as one of Austin’s best and most trendy gastropubs. Whether it’s Thrillist or Austin Chronicle, people can’t stop raving over the amazing food, drinks and atmosphere of this ultra-swanky bar + kitchen + patio. Royal Jelly is definitely more of an after-hours type of hangout, as their open hours are Tue-Sun 4PM-11PM, but this post-modern, gourmet restaurant packs a whole lotta flavor and fun into those 7 hours. Take your pick from a selection of canned beers, beers on tap, select wines, craft cocktails or ciders and pair it with one of their devilishly delectable menu items like the Pork Belly Cubano, Braised Beef Cheek or Charred Octopus Panzanella. Featured specialty cocktails include the Austin Mule with Tito’s Vodka and the M’ole Fashioned with rittenhouse rye and mole bitters, and happy hour offerings include $5 Austin Mules, $12 a Cubano and any draft, $2.50 Lone Star and $2 off all wine, bites and snacks. Peruse more from Royal Jelly’s full menu here.

The Hightower – East Austin

Happy Hour: Daily from 5PM-7PM

Bursting onto the east Austin food scene in 2014, The Hightower offers elevated comfort food with a twist in an inviting indoor/outdoor space. This forward-thinking fusion food restaurant blends eastern European, Mexican and local flavors to create a New-Texan cuisine that features delicious foods like Grit Fried Chicken Tacos, Beef Tartare Tostadas and Corned Beef Short Rib. The delectable menus at Hightower range from brunch and dinner to dessert and drinks including wines, beers spirits and house-made cocktails. The Hightower also offers amazing happy hour specials every day of the week including $6 House Cocktails like the Frozen Tequila Fresa with strawberry shrub and tequila, $4 draughts, bottles and cans and $5 wine (by the glass) along with $6 select plates. Check out their full happy hour menu here.