These 14 Chain Restaurants Have The Best Happy Hour Deals

The quintessential American workday used to look something like this: You clocked in around 9, left at 5, and when the day wrung you dry, you met a friend for happy hour. It was cheap food and discounted drinks with a bartender who knew how to commiserate with every "work sucks" story. Happy hour has since evolved, but the appeal hasn't faded. In a world where the price of eggs routinely dominates the news cycle, who can complain about $3 beer and $5 cocktails?

Whether you're unwinding after a long shift or stretching out your dining budget, these chain restaurant happy hours deliver serious value. They offer a wide range of deals, from classic bar appetizers at fast food prices to affordable craft cocktails mixed by experienced bartenders. Keep in mind that any prices mentioned reflect January 2026 pricing and are subject to change. Additionally, happy hour specials can vary by location. Always check with your local restaurant and confirm current offerings, times, and availability before you go.

Work got you down? Come slough off the bad vibes at BJ's. You'll find a happy hour menu stacked with specials on drinks and food. $15 is enough for you to splurge on BJ's classics. $7 will buy you an appetizer, like sliders, mozzarella sticks, or a personal pizza. For $4, you can get chips, house made guacamole, and salsa or a domestic beer. Or, stick with the BJ's spirit and try one of its handcrafted signature beers, which are on special for $5, excluding seasonal and specialty offerings and tall pours. 

The happy hour menu also includes $5 Dark Horse wines. If you want to taste one of BJ's seasonal or guest draft beers during happy hour, you can get $1 off the full price. BJ's happy hour runs Monday through Friday, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday through Thursday, from 9 p.m. to close. The deal gets a little better if you're a sports fan, as there are extended game day specials during the NFL season.

Sometimes, happy hour means burgers, brews, and a chance to catch the game. And then there's happy hour, the STK Steakhouse way. There might be cheering fans here, too, but this crowd yells for the DJ, not the team. STK promises fine dining in an atmosphere that is as energetic as it is habit-forming, and its happy hour menu is just as gourmet as you'd expect. Most U.S. locations offer a $3-$6-$9 deal starting at 2:30 p.m. every day. The deal ends at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 5:30 p.m. on weekends. An additional happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday, from 10 p.m. to close.

If you want a cheap bill, take advantage of the $3 crab & corn fritters or oysters on the half shell. Spending $6 expands your options to include the Lil' Brg & truffle fries, Wagyu meatballs, and short rib quesadillas. The foodie dream grows more indulgent with $9 bites. You can try the STK & frites and get a taste of what makes the restaurant famous, or stick with a classic like the STK Cheeseburger or crispy calamari. House wines are $9 a glass all day.

STK Las Vegas has a $7-$7-$7 deal (seven items for $7, seven days a week). It's more expensive than the typical STK happy hour menu, but it also offers more choices. For example, beyond the $7 tier, Las Vegas patrons can order $12 cocktails, a $14 miso glazed Chilean sea bass, or a 4-ounce filet mignon for just $29.

Cheap sushi often means grocery store rolls that might not be worth buying. Happy hour at RA upends that stereotype. Show up at RA between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on a weekday, and you'll find generous deals, ranging from $3-$12, that include cocktails, appetizers, and more. For $3, you can order a hot sake carafe or one of the healthiest appetizers you can find at a sushi restaurant: edamame. The $6 tier includes beer, mocktails, and items like the salmon nigiri or the spicy tuna roll.

If you're feeling fancy, multiple RA signature items are $9 during happy hour. Start with the blushing geisha made with lemonade, raspberry vodka, and black raspberry liqueur. Seafood fans can move on to the seared tuna or salmon avocado sashimi, while those avoiding fish might choose the Wagyu sliders. You can continue the fancy mood with a $12 Casamigos Emperor's margarita or a Viva Las Vegas roll full of battered imitation crab meat, spicy tuna, and cream cheese. And, if you really want to splurge, RA offers a Blue Samurai punch bowl that is perfect for celebrating for just $30.

The happy hour deal at Buffalo Wild Wings is simple: $3 to $6 bites offered from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. This is a great stop if you're eating with a big family and want to keep the bill small. Kids will love the $3 tater tots and adults can munch on the $3 chips and salsa. For $6, you can upgrade to the everything pretzel knots, which we ranked as the fourth best appetizer at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Drink options start at $4 for a tall house draft beer. You'll need to pay an extra $1 for Bud Light and an extra $2 for a Voodoo Ranger IPA. Those who like sweet drinks will appreciate the $6 strawberry margarita. Buffalo Wild Wings doesn't offer specific game day deals, so it's not the best happy hour for watching your team, despite the restaurant's status as a popular sports bar.

Yard House varies its promotions by location, however, most locations' offerings are pretty similar. Hungry happy hour diners can typically order pizza and select appetizers at 50% off. Draft beer, wine, and cocktails get $2 knocked off their total. At first glance, these deals might seem a little meager compared to others on this list, but the savings can grow pretty massive if you eat a lot or go out with a big group.

The discounted appetizers you can order include chicken nachos, classic sliders, Wisconsin fried cheese curds, and boneless or Gardein wings. The nachos are the most expensive option and can cost $16.49 at full price, while the cheapest choice, the cheese curds, can set you back $13.49. If your group ordered those two dishes alone during happy hour, you'd save $15 with the discount. Add a few drinks, and your savings go up even more. Most Yard House happy hours run from 3 p.m to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Some locations offer an additional happy hour with drink specials only, running from 10 p.m. to close.

Kona Grill sticks to the popular $3-$6-$9 pricing with its happy hour. What's different at this spot is the size of its bulging menu. Few chain restaurants offer as many happy hour specials as Kona Grill. You could eat here exclusively during happy hour and never miss the main menu because you have so many options. Since Kona Grill's happy hour menu runs all day Monday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday, and from 9 p.m. to close every day, you have the flexibility to enjoy these specials at any time of the day.

There's regional variation, but the menu commonly starts with $3 chicken satays and shrimp tacos. If you need a more substantial meal, the $6 menu tier includes a ¼-pound cheeseburger and fries, chicken fried rice, and multiple sushi rolls. The crab crunch roll could be a hit if you like the flavor meld of real crab, eel sauce, and Japanese mayo. The culinary highlight of the $9 tier might be the ribeye meatballs. To wash down the food, you can order a $3 Coors Light or sake shot. A few house wines are $6 by the glass, and select cocktails are $9. 

Bonefish Grill invites you to social hour every day from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. There are a few interesting food deals, such as the crispy cauliflower covered in an Asian fusion glaze or the $9 shrimp toast, which lets you savor roasted shrimp on a crostini with pesto butter. You can pair your food with affordable cocktails, as the social hour menu lists multiple $7 mixologist creations.

The blueberry lemon drop adds a blueberry purée twist to one of the best vodka cocktails you can order, the lemon drop. Go for the fresh $7 margarita if you crave a more traditional drink. Wine at Bonefish's happy hour starts at $6 per glass. Beer drinkers have the least to get excited about here because there's only a $1 discount on draft beers. This happy hour makes sense when you're in the mood for cocktails and a few light bites.

"Treat yourself" may as well be the motto at Fleming's Steakhouse. The restaurant offers fine dining even during its social hour. However, those luxury tastes come at some of the highest prices on this list. Fleming's social hour is for guests who are comfortable paying at least $15 for appetizers such as the bourbon and apricot glazed meatballs. An option that fine dining connoisseurs might recognize is the filet Wellington bites for $18.

The cheapest drink special is $9 for a glass of wine. Social hour cocktails are all $9, whether you order an olive martini or the Maker's Mark bourbon-based Time is Honey. Whatever drink you're in the mood for, you can order it daily. Fleming's normal social hour runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. During the winter holidays, some locations extend the promotion and start social hour at 11 a.m. on Thursday through Sunday.

Carrabba's fuses classic Southern Italian cuisine with flavors from the American South. On the happy hour menu, you can see that fusion in the $8.50 Calabrian wings. The dish spotlights Calabrian chile butter and crispy wings. Other discounted menu options include a zucchini fritte for $6 and a buttery shrimp scampi for $6.50.

The drink specials are more numerous. There are several $7.99 cocktails available, as well as $4 draft beers and $7 premium spirits. The espresso martini is brand new and the perfect cocktail for a boozy lunch. Some Carrabba's happy hours start at 3 p.m., which is a little late for most lunchers, but rules don't apply when your goal is to have a few drinks. Other locations start offering deals at 4 p.m. Either way, the happy hour promotion runs for three hours daily, giving you plenty of time to order a few items from the menu.

Bahama Breeze promises to take you from the humdrum and immerse you in a fantasy island atmosphere where music fills the air and the drinks keep coming. One of the restaurant's taglines is "Happy hour is always flowing in the islands." That's far from true, however, as most Bahama Breeze happy hours only last 120 minutes at a time. The exact hours vary by location, but a typical setup is happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday.

When happy hour is in full flow, you can expect half-off select appetizers and a host of drink deals. For food, a typical order might be whole Jamaican jerk wings or classic wings for $11.99. The drink specials are cheaper. Your server will bring you a draft beer for $4, a specialty cocktail for $6, and a glass of wine or sangria for $7. You can even order the trademarked and colorful Bahamarita, a frozen margarita with an attached cactus juice shot.

Unsurprisingly, happy hour at Joe's Crab Shack is a feast for anyone who loves seafood. "Seas the hour," as its motto says, and nibble on $4 popcorn shrimp or $6 peel 'n eat shrimp with Old Bay seasoning. If crab sounds more appealing, try the cheesy crab stuffed mushrooms for $5. A seafood-free happy hour is possible, too. Cajun garlic bread, beef sliders with fries, and Cajun chicken bites are all available at prices ranging from $3 to $6. 

We've talked about a few havens tailor-made for your cocktail cravings; now it's time to talk about a spot that will satisfy your beer urges. Domestic beer bottles are just $2.50 at this happy hour. A domestic pint of draft beer is $3. Choosing craft or imported beer instead only raises those prices by $1. Any non-beer drinkers who tag along on the trip to Joe's Crab Shack can sip on $4 to $5 wine and mixed drinks.

Enjoying cheesy, gooey pizza and a beer for $9 feels like something you could only enjoy when dining at a strip mall joint with no seating. At California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), you can pay that price during happy hour, and someone will serve the food directly to your table. The deal encompasses cheese, pepperoni, and BBQ chicken pizza along with a draft beer. Other notable happy hour food specials include $5 Mexican street corn and $8 dynamite shrimp.

CPK's happy hour starts at 3 p.m. on weekdays and lasts for three hours. The drink menu is large and varied, which means you can order beer, well drinks, wine, and signature cocktails for seriously discounted prices. You're free to order CPK's new mojito that bubbles with prosecco or the new bourbon peach smash that plays off the savory and sweet tantalization of fruit and bourbon. Or, stick with the familiar profile offered by the old fashioned. All three drinks are $8.

P.F. Chang's leans into the "light bite" happy hour philosophy. There's food on its 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. happy hour menu, which is offered Monday through Friday, but you may need to order multiple dishes to make a meal. Four half-priced appetizers are available, and each has a fairly small portion size. The wontons, dumplings, and ribs all come with three pieces. Ordering a happy hour lettuce wrap means you'll receive half a full-sized order.

The drinks side of the menu is what gives P.F. Chang's its position in this happy hour roundup. Having a mere $8.99 plus tax in your pocket allows you to relish a pink lotus cosmo or a zen margarita combining tequila, orange liqueur, and a float of Cointreau. Is that too costly? Pare down your expenses and stick with the select $5.99 beers and $6.99 wines. And, while you're there, take a free look at the unique mural that's inside every P.F. Chang's. They're designed to reflect aspects of the local community. 

Red Robin has the delicious honor of hosting the only happy hour on this list that includes milkshakes. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, thick, creamy milkshakes ordered at the bar are $3 off, as are a few appetizers and a 10-inch cheese or pepperoni pizza from Donatos, Red Robin's pizza partner.

Adding alcohol to your bill costs $4 to $6 per glass. The $4 domestic beers and small house margaritas will keep you happy if you don't care about fancy mixers or niche flavors. Bumping your spending up a dollar or two lets you try Red Robin fan favorites like the spiked, freckled lemonade. The fruity blend elevates traditional lemonade with fresh strawberries and Smirnoff Citrus Vodka. Or you could drink the dessert-like Tito's Blue Chill and let the tastes of Tito's Handmade Vodka, blue Curaçao, and fluffy whipped cream dance over your tongue. Craft beer and 6-ounce wine pours are available, too.

To put together these happy hour recommendations, we evaluated national chain restaurants that offer consistent happy hour menus. Affordability was the most important factor we considered. We specifically looked for restaurants with happy hour items priced under $10. We also reviewed the original menu pricing and ensured each happy hour offered real value. Variety played a major role in our selections as well. Menus offering discounts on multiple small plates and alcoholic drinks ranked higher than those limited to one or two specials.

Beyond pricing and variety, we considered how practical each happy hour is for different types of diners. For instance, restaurants like Yard House stood out for offering half-priced appetizers that can easily be shared by a group, increasing overall savings. We then factored in timing, favoring happy hours that run for several hours or include late-night options. Happy hour is best when it's flexible enough for after-work drinks and casual dinners.