Everyone likes a bargain. And the happy hour is among the best ways in which to celebrate this fine institution. The notion - or name at least - is derived from when sailors would be given a bit of time off to relieve some of the drudgery of their time at sea.
These days - while you might end up feeling a bit wobbly - it’s likely less to do with the swell of the sea than the tidal wave of drinks making their way into your constitution.
So, with that in mind, here are some of the best places in Manchester to take full advantage.
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Common
Common really rolls it out for happy hour. Sunday to Thursday, 4pm to 7pm, and all day on Monday too, for the off-duty hospitality crowd, it does £4 pints, £6 for a Spritz or a Marg, and £16 for a bottle of house wine. Throw in a shot - a chilli honey, a ‘wray and slay’ or maybe a pickleback - for just £2.50.
39-41 Edge St, Manchester M4 1HW
Crazy Pedro’s
Upping the crazy to whole new levels, Crazy Pedro’s happy hour runs from Sunday to Friday, 5pm to 9pm (generous), with two for one on their £12 cocktails, slices at just £2.50 a go and full size pizzas at £12 (aside from their £6 lunch deal, which bags you two slices and a drink, or a beer for an extra quid).
55-57 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BQ
Albert’s Schloss
Of course, this haven for good times and cabaret has a happy hour. It’s called ‘apres ski’ hour, however, and it’s 4pm to 7pm Monday to Friday, wherein selected cocktails are £6, prosecco by the bottle is £25 and pints of pilsner a fiver.
27 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR
Luck Lust Liquor and Burn
Happy hour at LLL and B is a straightforward proposition. It’s two margaritas for the price of one, all day, every day. That’s £5 a pop, to you and me for their standard classic marg, their Tommy’s marg or their frozen marg.
100-102 High St, Manchester M4 1HP
Pen and Pencil
NQ favourite the Pen and Pencil has a favourite happy hour too. From Monday to Friday, 5pm to 7pm, cocktails are two for the princely sum of £12, £4 for bottles of cold Modelo beer, £18 for a bottle of prosecco and £14 for the house wine.
Fourways House, 57 Hilton St, Manchester M1 2EJ
Nell’s
Another hard-to-ignore happy hour situation, Nell’s New York Pizza and Bar doesn’t have one, it has two. Sunday to Thursday 4pm to 7pm and all day on Monday, it’s £4 pints, £6 cocktails (including its famous margs) and £16 for a bottle of house wine. Then Friday and Saturday, 8pm till closing time, it’s £6 cocktails and shots for £2.50.
22 Minshull St, Kampus M1 3EF
10 Tib Lane
10 Tib Lane’s cocktails are world class, so to be able to get them at a discount should not be underestimated. Between 4pm and 6pm every day they’re open (Tuesday through to Sunday), drinks on the house cocktail list are £6, and oysters are knocked out for a pound each.
10 Tib Ln, Manchester M2 4JB
Bunny Jackson’s
Bunny’s has often done things the wrong way around, and bless them for it. Their happy hour is when other people’s is generally not - from 10pm to 11pm, when prices drop to £3 for a house pilsner, slushies for a fiver, and a bottle of prosecco for £17. And there are still those 25p wings and 50p hotdogs too.
1 Jack Rosenthal St, Manchester M15 4RA
Junior Jackson’s
Bunny’s underground sister bar on Oldham Street keeps its happy hour very simple indeed. From 3pm to 8pm every day of the week, every drink in the house is buy one, get one free. A happy five hours for all.
64 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE
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