The Happy Hour at the Old Canberra Inn included half a kilo of chicken wings for $10. Photo: Old Canberra Inn/Instagram.
Everyone is pinching pennies and watching their wallets right now. The hospitality industry is calling for people to support local businesses, but many of us can’t afford to be heading out for a drink so often. Cozzie livs, amirite?
The solution? Happy hour. Get out of the office before the sun goes down and enjoy the perks of an early drink.
Here are a few of our favourite happy hours around town.
Old Canberra Inn, Lyneham
While most happy hour menus stick to discounted drinks, the Old Canberra Inn branches out with a few snacks to keep you extra happy. $10 gets you half a kilo of free-range chicken wings, with your choice of sauce (there’s a spicy option that will make you sweat, but it’s worth it) or $10 for crumbed haloumi.
And you can get house wine, house spirits and Capital Brewing Coast or Trail Pale Ales for $7. And if you’re on the other side of Northbourne, then sister venue Dickson Taphouse has the same deal going on drinks.
On Friday and Saturday nights, OCI is also running a cocktail happy hour, which sounds dangerously good!
The wildly popular Wednesday night event draws crowds of nearly 600 to The Dock. Photo: Parisa Adatfar.
The Dock, Kingston
Many happy hours stick to cheap schooners, but at The Dock, they go big or go home. Tuesday to Friday from 5 to 6 pm, pints are the price of schooners, and a queen-sized wine is the price of a regular glass of vino.
The sports bar also hosts a Running for Resilience session on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm, which encourages exercise for good mental health. Participants can get a free drink once they’ve finished their run (and yes, you’re allowed to walk).
Happy hour, golden hour, and oyster hour all wrapped into one at Such and Such. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Such and Such, Civic
Bourgie wine bar/restaurant Such and Such does a cracker of a happy hour, especially if you’re an oyster lover like me. From 3 to 5 pm Tuesday to Friday, they serve oysters at $3.50 each (with a gorgeous mignonette dressing) along with $7 schooners and rotating drinks specials.
Prop yourself up at the bar, treat yourself to some people watching and shlurp away to your heart’s content. They’ve also extended the special to Saturday arvos from midday until 5 pm (shut up and take my money!)
The Duxton, O’Connor
Of all the happy hours I’ve seen, this one might just about take the cake for the cheapest offering. Monday to Friday, 3 to 5 pm: $5 schooners, $5 glasses of house red, white and sparkling. There are no food specials, so you’ll likely spend a bit extra on some chippies or a pizza, but for $5 schooners I reckon that’s still a bloody good deal (drink responsibly, you know the drill).
Wakefield’s has a fully stocked bar, and make sure to book ahead for your Margs and Marghs. Photo: Megann Evans.
Wakefields Bar and Edgar’s, Ainslie
This cluster of venues at Ainslie shops has the option of multiple happy hours, so if you play your cards right, you can start with discounted drinks downstairs at Edgars from 4 until 6, and then wobble up the stairs to Wakefields bar where margaritas (the drink) and margheritas (the pizza) are just $14 each.
The drinks at Edgars (Monday to Friday) start from $7 for wine and spirits, $8 for schooners, and there are discounts on other drinks too. I’m told you can get yourself a Guinness for less than $10. Bookings are strongly recommended for Wakefield’s Bar, Tuesday to Saturday.
Herbert’s at Evatt offers 20 per cent off their range of craft beers during happy hour. Photo: Herberts/Instagram.
Herbert’s, Evatt
At face value, the happy hour at neighbourhood bar Herbert’s at Evatt doesn’t seem like a game changer: Wednesday to Friday, 3 to 5 pm, 20% off tap beers and house wines. But what you’ve got to remember is that Herbert’s is showing off some of the most interesting beers in town.
Their taps are constantly rotating through a diverse range of craft and Australian beers. I like to think of myself as something of a craft beer connoisseur, but there’s always something on the menu at Herbert’s that I’ve never heard of.
There’s a good reason that craft beer costs more than the multinationals, so if your budget is tight but you’re looking to branch out to something a little more interesting than VB, then Herbert’s has you covered.
Similarly, To All My Friends in Cook serves $7 schooners of its independent craft beers during happy hour.
Canberra Southern Cross Club Tuggeranong. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Canberra Southern Cross Club, All Locations
Many folks point to this as the best value happy hour in town: half-price drinks. Well, technically 49 per cent off, but let’s not quibble about a single percentage among friends.
The offer does not extend to pints (the denizens of r/canberra still mourn their loss), but it’s probably better for your health anyway.
What’s your favourite spot to spend happy hour?
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
