Every now and then we all need to leave the Hopkins bubble and get off campus to blow off some steam. Exploring Baltimore’s vast array of bars and restaurants is an excellent way to do so, but eating and drinking out can get really expensive really quickly.
Fortunately, many bars and restaurants across the city offer happy hour deals on both food and drinks meaning you can still go out and have fun without worrying about draining your bank account. Here are seven of our favorite Baltimore happy hours.
Minato
Photo courtesy of Minato Sushi Bar
Just a short JHMI ride away from campus in Mount Vernon (read: free transportation), Minato offers some incredible deals on both food and drinks. From 5-7 pm on Monday-Saturday, the sushi bar offers $3-$5 appetizers, while regular rolls and all special rolls are just $7 each.
Minato sweetens the deal with select beer, wine, sake, martinis, and cocktails, most of which are $5 and under. Basically what that all means is that you can get a lychee martini and a volcano roll for less than $12, and you don’t even have to open your Uber app.
The Brewer’s Art
Photo courtesy of The Brewer’s Art
Another Mount Vernon gem, The Brewer’s Art offers a sizable discount on their house-brewed draft beers. At $3.75 each (normally $6), they’re an especially great deal since many of their beers have a higher than average ABV (alcohol by volume) so you get even more buzz for your buck.
Balance out those strong drafts by splurging on Brewer’s amazing burger, which comes with a healthy portion of rosemary garlic fries. As an added bonus, Brewer’s offers their happy hour deal every day of the week, including all day on Sundays and Mondays.
Lebanese Taverna
Photo courtesy of Lebanese Taverna
The star of Lebanese Taverna’s happy hour is their $7 endless hummus deal. I repeat: endless hummus. If that alone doesn’t get the attention of any college student in their right mind, then Lebanese Taverna’s drink specials like $4 beers, $5 wines, $6 mixed drinks, and $7 specialty cocktails should do the trick.
For those looking for something a little more substantial to nosh on, they also offer a great selection of small plates like falafel, shawarma sliders, fried calamari, and wings, all in the $4-$7 range.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
Photo courtesy of The Oceanaire Seafood Room
Baltimore is known for its seafood, but seafood restaurants are notoriously pricey. The Oceanaire provides a solution to that conundrum with their happy hour specials, which include $6 fish tacos, $7 calamari, and $8 shrimp quesadillas and much more, as well as $4-$7 drink specials.
On top of their regular 5-7 pm Monday-Friday happy hour, they also have a “reverse happy hour” from 9 pm-close on Monday-Thursday and from 8 pm-close on Sunday nights, essentially doubling the chances you have to take advantage of these deals.
Bond Street Social
Photo courtesy of Bond Street Social
Many of Bond Street’s drinks run upwards of $10 a piece, so their $4-$6 happy hour drink specials are a relative bargain. They also offer a good selection of small plates, like their signature sliders, for $6 each.
Bond Street’s location right on the water also serves as a great place to watch the sun set over the harbor, and their indoor and outdoor fireplaces are guaranteed to keep you cozy.
Ryleigh’s Oyster
Photo courtesy of Ryleigh’s Oysters
If you like oysters, then Ryleigh’s is the place to be for happy hour, or “oyster hour” as they like to call it. From 3-10 pm on Mondays and 3-7 pm all other weekdays, Ryleigh’s offers $3 drafts and $4 wines to pair with their $1 oysters.
Not too big on crustaceans? Ryleigh’s also has a selection of small plates for $5 a piece. These specials can be found at their two locations close to campus, in Federal Hill and Mount Vernon, as well as at their Hunt Valley restaurant.
Sticky Rice
Photo courtesy of Sticky Rice
Ever dream of a world where you can order a bucket of tater tots for dinner as an adult and not be judged? Well Sticky Rice is here to help make that dream a reality, and for just $5 from 4-7 pm Monday through Friday.
If, for some absurd reason, a bucket of tots doesn’t pique your interest, all of Sticky Rice’s appetizers are half price during their happy hour, and they also offer $1 off beer (draft, canned, and bottled) and $3 rail cocktails.
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