Ding-dong, the $5 upscale cocktail is (not quite) dead

By Camper English

The ever-escalating quality of local cocktails has led to higher prices to accommodate the top-shelf spirits, farmers’ market produce, and homemade ingredients those drinks require. Along with that, happy-hour discounts have gone the way of Rose’s bottled lime juice. In fact, most of San Francisco’s best drinking spots—Epic Roasthouse, Bourbon & Branch, Absinthe, Jardinière, and so on—have never offered happy-hour specials. But then, they don’t need to. These venues are often packed by 6 p.m. without providing any incentives. Even so, there are a few fine drinking establishments in this town that boast an old-fashioned happy hour—but you may have to pry yourself away from your desk early to get to them.

Coco500
3–5:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri.: $6 cocktails, $3 tapas from a rotating menu. 500 Brannan St., 415-543-2222

Kuleto's Italian Restaurant
“Organic Happy Hour,” 3–5 p.m., Mon.–Fri.: $5–10 organic cocktails, plus discounts on organic beer and wine. 221 Powell St., 415-397-7720

Brick
5–6:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri.: $2 off draft beers, sig­nature cocktails, and wines by the glass. 1085 Sutter St., 415-441-4232

Season's Bar & Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
“Martini Mondays,” 5:30–7 p.m.: $14 gets you a signature cocktail and an appetizer. 757 Market St., 415-633-3000

Bacar
“Bacar break,” 4:30–6 p.m., Fri: Selected $5 wines by the glass, $1 oysters, half off some beers. 448 Brannan St., 415-904-4100

Poleng Lounge
4–6 p.m., Tues.–Fri.: Only well drinks and bottled and draft beers are discounted, but Adobo wings and Sriracha wings are 50 cents, and sweet-potato fries are $3. 1751 Fulton St., 415-441-1710

Oola Restaurant & Bar
5–6:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri.: $5 watermelon cosmo, $3 Spaten, $25/bottle Lindauer Brut sparkling wine, $2 ribs, $5 for six chicken wings, $3 fries, $4 parmesan truffle fries. 860 Folsom St., 415-995-2061

Rye
5:30–7:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri.: $2 off specialty cocktails, $1 off everything else. 688 Geary St., 415-474-4448