The 40 best happy hours in Sydney right now

Have you been to Vermuteria yet? If not, you really should. This red-hued old-school bar has more charm than Matthew McConaughey’s character in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. And if you come between 5 and 7pm, you can get drinks from $9, and snacks from $12, Wednesday to Sunday.

Time Out tip: Love Vermuteria? (Us too.) Check out nearby sibling venues, The Hook and Piccolo Bar.

If you’re looking for a special spot in Parramatta, head to the sky-high cocktail and Champagne bar, Nick & Nora’s, on the 26th floor of V by Crown Parramatta. And if you go between Tuesday and Friday, 5-6pm, you can score a $5 glass of bubbles.

You can lap up the finer things in life thanks to Bouillon l’Entrecote's happy hour. Located a few hundred metres away from Circular Quay, Bouillon l’Entrecote is serving guests a French happy hour from 3-5pm, Monday to Saturday. Come for an $8 G&Ts, $9 wines and beers, and $12 French Martinis and Negronis. And we know you'll want some snacks too. Enjoy $5 baguettes, $15 cheese plates, $8 salami, $15 jamon and more.

The CBD’s Mexican cantina Centro 86 knocks out $12 Spicy Margs and $7 Angel Oro lagers from Tuesday to Saturday, 4-6pm. Centro’s Margs are made with tequila, a house-made spicy rattlesnake spirit, lime and passionfruit. Warning: they may bite.

The Bat & Ball Hotel is back, baby – the historic Cleveland Street pub has been taken over by the team behind Glebe's The Little Guy, Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn (RIP), so you're in good hands. They are knocking out $16 Negronis and Espresso Martinis all day, every day.

Time Out tip: During the week you can also score a cheap feed at The Bat & Ball Hotel. We're big fans of the $17 parmy on Wednesdays.

Get amongst the clouds and great offers at Sky Bar with their golden hour, going down from 4-6pm, Tuesday to Saturday (yep, a happy hour on a Friday and Saturday – we love to see it). Head up to the top of Shell House for $2 Sydney rock oysters, $15 smashable Margs and $15 prawn katsu sandos – all with a side of vibe.

Time Out tip: Want another one? Head downstairs to Menzies Bar and score Mini Martinis and fresh lobster rolls, both for ten bucks each, available Tuesday to Saturday from 4-6pm.

Classy cocktail haunt Employees Only has a new menu and lush outdoor space. And to celebrate they've launched a golden hour, where you can get up to 50 per cent off drinks and snacks, Tuesday to Saturday, 5-6pm. You don't need to ask us twice.

Ukrainian eatery Kyiv Social has launched Babu's Hour, featuring $6 snacks, wines and beer from 5.30-7.30pm, Wednesday to Friday. The menu includes traditional Ukrainian dip, herring on rye, dill-infused pickles, and Ukrainian bread with garlic butter. Drinks-wise, enjoy house wines and a Ukrainian lager brewed by Young Henrys.

It's hard to pick a favourite happy hour, but if we had to, Jane would be up there at the top. Take a seat at the charming marble bar and make the most of $10 Australianos, $15 Martinis and more (and admire the '70s-inspired coasters). Snacks are also on offer at a cheaper price, including the must-order lamb dumplings with saltbush, chilli and cool yoghurt. Jane's Australiano Hour goes down Mon-Thurs, 5-6pm, and Sat-Sun 4-6pm.

Happy hour at Marrickville's The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre looks like $5.99 schooners, $2 dim sums and a good time. It runs Monday to Friday, 4-6pm.

Like the sound of $2 freshly shucked oysters from NSW’s finest estuaries paired with a $6 G&T as a knockoff? Us too. Come along to this Surry Hills gem and get both from Monday to Saturday, 4-6pm. Plus, get $6 beers, $10 wines and $14 seasonal Spritzes. Yeehaw!

Time Out tip: Hungry? The Rover now serves up one of the best burgers in Sydney.

We’ve got a crush on Bar Conte, Sydney’s only dedicated Negroni bar. It’s got a warm, cosy vibe, with brilliant art and on-point Negronis. And we also love the happy hour, where salty snacks start from $4. When can you get this? Good question. Monday to Friday, 4-6pm. Plus, cocktails are from $12. See you there.

Feel like a drink on a school night? Head to Newtown’s celestial Martini den Bar Planet where $12 Martinis are poured all night long on Mondays. They go down a treat alongside the smashable salty-spicy popcorn.

Head on over to Enmore's Queens Hotel where you can snap up cheap drinks weekdays from 5-7pm. We're talking $7 tap schooners, house wine and spirits. And if you needed any reason to stay out on the weekend, Queens also has a late-night happy hour peddling $7 schooners, house wine and spirits from 10pm to midnight, on Fridays and Saturdays.

Maybe Sammy AKA the World's Best Bar (yes, it seriously is – you can read about it here) has a happy hour every Tuesday to Saturday from 4.30-5.30pm pouring Mini Martinis at $7. We're not saying that you can have three, but we're also not not saying that.

Love, Tilly Devine has been quenching Sydneysiders' thirst with natural wines since it opened down a Darlinghurst laneway in 2010. If it's been a while between drinks, come down on Monday to Saturday from 5-6pm for its happy hour. Think: Mini Martinis and Negronis, $10 mystery wine, $8 sardine sambos and more.

We love The Old Fitz so much they won Time Out Sydney’s Best Casual Drinking Venue Award 2023. So it makes sense it’s one of out fave spots to go during happy hour, too. It’s on every day, 4-6pm, and you can get $7 beers and house wines.

This Surry Hills stalwart will pour you a schooner or vino from $7.50 every weekday from 4-6 pm, perfect to enjoy alongside Forrester's huge Yorkshire pudding. On Monday nights, you can also get a $15 steak and chips, which is a bloody bargain in our books.

Expect tropical vibes with an Italian twist at Tucano’s, a funky bar in Surry Hills. During happy hour, Wed, Thu, Fri and Sun 5-7pm, get $8 beers and wine, fun and fruity cocktails from $12 and snacks from $5.

Newtown's basement bar Pleasure Club has a happy hour Wednesday to Saturday, 5-7 pm. Head down for $6 beers, $9 hot dogs – and vegan ones, too – and $15 cocktails, including a Spicy Watermelon Margarita, Strawberry Gum Margarita, White Chocolate Espresso Martini, Tropical Negroni, and Everything Martini. Yeehaw!

Everyone should be friends with a Harry. And in particular, the one in Surry Hills. The watering hole has a daily happy hour from 4-6 pm with $10 cocktails, $7 beers, $8 spirits and wine. Thanks, Haz.

Teddy is a modern Aussie bistro featuring riffs on nostalgic dishes, and it has a daily happy hour. Swing by from 4-6pm for $10 wines, $12 cocktails and $10-and-under snacks, including the Teddy jaffle, stuffed with stringy scamorza, saltbush and wild honey. Plus, on Sundays there’s an all-day happy hour, which you can get around if you’re parched and hungry in Potts Point.

Score pints for schooner prices at Newtown’s home of beer, Young Henrys. When? Monday to Friday, 3-5pm.

Get down to colourful Mexican bar El Primo Sanchez for their happy hour, which runs everyday from 5-6pm. Come for $7 beers, $12 wines and $15 highballs and boozy slushies.

The Charles Bar, the gorgeous European-inspired wine bar next to the brasserie, has a fun happy hour. Stop by Monday through Saturday from 4-7pm and enjoy excellent $16 cocktails, $8 beers and wine from $14 a glass. Cheers!

Bask in the sunshine at the Newport, admire the stunning views over Pittwater and take advantage of their midweek happy hour. From Monday to Friday, 4-6pm, get a range of $7 tap schooners, house wine and spirits, plus $14 Aperol Spritzes.

Give yourself the treat you deserve after a long day at work by hitting up the happy hour at Dove and Olive. From 4-7pm every weekday, have your pick of $7.50 house wine, beer and spirits.

Craft spirits distillery Hickson House Distilling Co has a hot booze offer. Come on down to the Rocks from Tuesday to Friday, 4-6pm, and snap up $7 beers, $8 wines and $15 cocktails.

Alfie's is from the Liquid and Larder team – they're the ones behind some of Sydney’s and the world’s best steakhouses: Bistecca and the Gidley, as well as sepia-hued bar and restaurant, The Rover. And they've got an ace happy hour in the bar area. Come for $16 Alfie’s Martinis, $6 G&Ts and more, from 4-6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Found inside an 18th-century cottage, Chippendale’s gin haven Gin Lane boasts more than 80 gins, including Tanqueray, Hendricks and Bombay Sapphire, alongside local offerings from Sydney gin-makers Archie Rose, Poor Toms and Manly Gin, as well as varieties from America, Sweden, Japan and more. So, if you’re a gin lover, you should check this spot out. Plus, every day there is a happy hour featuring drinks like $12 Mini Martinis and $9 G&Ts. The offerings and times change daily, but it’s all good stuff.

Whether you’re wanting to keep the party going or kick-start the night, Tio’s is your place. Snag $7 beers and seltzers as well as $12 classic Margs, from Tuesday to Saturday until 6pm.

Coined the 'RP Hour', the establishment has a happy hour with a distinctly classy, Rockpool twist. It's on from 4 to 6pm, every Monday to Friday, in the Rockpool Bar. Think: beers for $7, Spritzes for $10, Negronis for $12, a Coppertree steak with Café de Paris butter for $19 – plus more tasty bar snacks at prices that will make you happy.

You should come to The Paddington for its five-star rotisserie chicken. But we reckon you should also come for its happy hour, which includes $7 schooners, house wine and spirits, and cocktails from $14, every Tuedsay to Friday from 5-7pm. What's more, The Paddington also slings $15 cockails every Saturday night, 10pm to midnight. That's festive.

Morrison’s Oyster Bar & Grill is well-versed in happy hour chat. In fact, they are famous for their Oyster Hour, where you can get freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters for $1.50 every Wednesday, 6-7pm. Additionally, you can score $10 Negronis and Spritzes during happy hour throughout the week, 4-6pm.

Vibrant North Sydney restaurant and bar Rafi has a happy hour Monday to Saturday, from 3-6pm. Head over for cocktails from $12, $7 beer and wine and cracking $12 pizzas. These offers are also available at Rafi Sydney Olympic Park.

Love Margaritas? Us too. This Paddo taqueria shakes up $12 Margaritas from 4.30-6pm, Tuesday to Friday. Choose from the Classic Margarita or the spicy Tequila Mockingbird. 

Bar Elvina is a friendly and sunny neighbourhood bar and bistro in Avalon on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Head out for a surf, and make it in time for happy hour, 3-5pm, Wednesday to Friday. Enjoy snacks from $4 and cocktails from $12.

Marrickville’s excellent wine bar Where’s Nick has a happy hour on Tuesday to Friday, 5-6pm. We like the sounds of the $10 Limoncello Spritzes paired with $5 snacks. Plus, get Negronis and house wines for $10 too.

Barangaroo’s sultry cocktail and entertainment bar Cardea has a sexy happy hour. Think: beers starting from $6, wines for $10, and cocktails from $14. It’s available Wednesday to Friday, 4-6.30 pm, and Saturday 5.30-6.30 pm. Live music is a focus at Cardea, with a revolving line-up of local musicians on most nights. Even more reason to swing on down.