Music & Nightlife - Happy Hour Specials

Whether you're a proud resident of San Jose or one of those folks who regularly laments being stuck here, you have to admit that having a Tiki bar as cool as Smoke Tiki Lounge in the middle of Silicon Valley just plain rocks. Nothing says, "unwind" like giant fake palm trees, neon lights, super-mellow bartenders and cheap happy hour specials. Between 4pm and 7pm, take your post workday woes out to the back patio of this downtown San Jose happy hour hotspot and nurse them away with a cold one, grab a seat at the bar and order something strong, or just chill out in one of the cabanas with a few friends and awesome appetizers that run just $2.95 a pop. Live music begins at 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays.

Stop into downtown San Jose's new nightlife spot for happy hour salvation. Tanq, a new lounge on the ground floor of the Marriott hotel, is a sleek destination styled after an exotic fish tank. This post-work destination is within walking distance of downtown San Jose businesses like Adobe and Bank of America, not to mention museums, theaters and great restaurants.

If the name read, "Capers Eat & Drink Cheaply During Happy Hour," then the name would say it all. This upscale version of a sports lounge is an awesome hangout just about any time of day, but it's especially cool between the hours of 2-6pm, when the surprisingly amazing appetizers at the bar are only $3.95 and the well drinks, draft brews and house wines are only $3. Since Capers is obviously well aware that the beginning of the week is the hardest for just about everyone, they've taken great care to nurse our work-day woes with 2-for-1 martinis all day on Mondays and Tuesdays; and with a menu of martinis as good as this one, we all finally have a reason to stop hating the start of the work week. Happy hour in Campbell is officially awesome.

Though anyplace where you can get a burger for fewer than two bucks would work for us, Mission Ale House is especially cool. It's the kind of place where you can hang out for the duration of happy hour, which is always a fun time, downing cheap pints, eating unbelievably tasty grub and chatting with the bar staff. Be warned, though, Mission is also the kind of place that can suck you in - you'll go in for a happy hour cocktail and plate of honey barbecued wings, and the next thing you know it's 9pm and you're trying to find an excuse as to why you've been out so late on a work night.

Even though San Jose Bar & Grill touts itself as a sports bar, the clientele that finds its happy place here is made up of way more than just sports fans. Everyone and anyone, from punkers to rappers to hard-core dive bar drinkers can be found here from 4-7pm nursing a few brews and digging into appetizer plates of chicken sliders, burgers or chicken wings for the easy price of five bucks each. Both bottled and draft domestics run for only $3 during happy hour, and imported bottles and microbrew drafts run for $4. There are even pitchers of domestics for $12 if you're feeling especially frisky.

The Club at Brandon's Restaurant is as suave and sophisticated as can be. It's got that smooth business lounge feel, with big brown leather seats, dark brocade patterns and espresso wood furnishings. The bar is top-notch, offering a vast array of fine wines, single malts, cognacs, microbrews and primo imported beers. This Milpitas happy hour spot offers a light menu of specialty treats like gourmet pizza, sandwiches and salads, and the daily specials make it all a little easier on the wallet. Brandon's Restaurant and Club is located in the Beverly Heritage Hotel, so it's especially popular among travelers or business types who are attending events in the Bay Area.

Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge is one of the snazziest hangouts for nursing post-workday blues. Great happy hour specials give patrons a chance to relax with discounted specialty cocktails, brews and well drinks. This San Jose happy hour spot also continues the love with discounted drink prices starting again at 9pm Monday-Thursday, offering an inexpensive way to have a little late night fun during the week.

Downtown Sunnyvale’s elegant Tarragon restaurant features a menu of innovative, new American cuisine with Italian influences and an extensive wine list. Entrees include mouth-watering chicken, steak and seafood options, plus flavorful salads and starters are made with thoughtful choices of seasonings and sauces. A current Early Bird dinner special is also running – enjoy three courses of Tarragon’s fine dining for just $20 per person before 6pm daily.

A top choice in the Mountain View nightlife scene, Zen Lounge keeps the nighttime vibes alive with the Bay’s best DJs and a setting that’s sexy and plush. Asian décor surrounds guests as they visit the two full bars or hit the 800 square foot dance floor, and the state-of-the-art sound system delivers the hottest beats in the best way. While the bottle service here is fantastic, it might be the out-of-this-world happy hour prices that are the true highlight, since they give just about everyone the chance to affordably indulge in everything from Coors to champagne, martinis to tequila shots.

If you find yourself inspired to spend the rest of your days sitting on some tropical island drinking rum from coconuts and generally ignoring all responsibility, we say "rock on." But, if your reality sadly involves rent, bills and lack of plane fare, then we suggest you go find yourself some island-style love locally at the Bamboo Lounge. It may not have white sandy beaches, but it does have an island shack-style bar, a waterfall and a bamboo ceiling, not to mention cool happy hour specials and a menu of tropical drinks that would make Don Ho proud. Bamboo Lounge also has a great patio that's open year round, covered during the colder months.

With urban-chic style, premium libations, sleek low-slung designer furniture and an unbeatable rooftop patio, the Loft Bar and Bistro is arguably one of the coolest bar spaces in downtown San Jose. If you hit up the Loft during happy hour, you can find yourself some swanky couch digs outdoors or grab a seat at the bar and indulge in small apps, draft brews and house wine, all for under four bucks. If you stick around past happy hour, you'll find your night complimented by a soundtrack of DJ beats or live jazz. Really, it's tough to go wrong choosing the Loft Bar and Bistro as your San Jose happy hour hangout.

Mon-Fri 4-6pm
$3.25 Draft Beer
½ off selected Appetizers

A favorite neighborhood bar and brewery, this place is awesome for San Jose happy hour specials on yummy draft beers.

7-days a Week 3:30-6:30pm
½ off Appetizers
$1 off Draft Beer and Well Cocktails

Anyplace that runs happy hour seven days a week on Santana row is just plain cool in our book. The fact that Rosie's is an Irish pub makes it even cooler.

Mon-Fri 4-6pm
$3.50 20oz Pints of Draft Beer
$3.50 Well Cocktails
$3.50 Imported Bottle Beers
$2.50 Domestic Bottle Beers

A popular downtown San Jose hangout, O'Flaherty's is a great Irish pub for soothing workday stresses with cheap brews, strong cocktails and a cool, mellow atmosphere.

Mon-Fri 5-7pm
$5 Appetizers
$5 Specialty Martinis
$3 Draft Beers

A Vietnamese restaurant that doubles as a cool neighborhood bar with happy hour martini specials? Awesome.

Mon-Sat 4-9pm
½ off all Appetizers
$3 Well Cocktails
$3 Draft Beers

A huge, beautiful venue with an awesome sidewalk patio, Blue Chalk Café is a killer spot for Palo Alto happy hour specials.

Mon-Fri
$2.50 Draft Beers
$3.25 Well Cocktails

One of the coolest dive bars in Mountain View, the Office Bar wholly supports nursing your office woes with cheap drinks and pinball machines…and, if the drinking runs long, you can always say that you were at "the Office." Hey, we're writers, not comedians, okay.

All Day Every Day
$8.50 pints of Kamikaze - 4 shots in one glass

Any local can tell you that one kamikaze from the Black Watch will leave you feeling fuzzy and loving life. This place is a Los Gatos legend with one of the best happy hour deals in town.

Mon-Fri 12noon-7pm
$2 Draft Beers
$2 Well Cocktails

Why is Murphy's Law one of the best places for Silicon Valley happy hour celebrations? Because it's the only place in Silicon Valley to get a $2 Pint of Sierra Nevada!

Mon-Fri 3-7pm
$3.50 Draft Beers and Well Cocktails

Drinking in Campbell has never been as cheap as it is during happy hour at this fun and funky British pub.

Not only does the Hut have great deals on beer and well cocktails, it's a cool place to end your day shooting pool or chilling on the patio. Don't forget to put a dollar on the ceiling!