Last updated: November 1, 2026
Happy Hour. We live for it. It usually gives us an excuse to hold off on getting home and putting on those PJS. Add in that everything from a cup of coffee to a cocktail is so expensive, and it feels good to find those moments of discounts.
The question is... who has the best happy hour in Santa Cruz?
How we define “the best”
The discounts. How much are you actually saving?
The options. A real menu, not two sad bar snacks.
The hours. Can a normal person with a job actually make it?
How we built this list
We posted a video asking you one simple question: who has the best happy hour in Santa Cruz? Over a thousand of you flooded the comments with your go-to spots. Then we did the fun part. We went out, ate the food, drank the drinks, and checked every deal ourselves. What’s left is our own curated list, built from your recommendations and our visits.
Our top six happy hours in Santa Cruz County
Pono Hawaiian Grill (Downtown Santa Cruz): the community favorite
Hula’s Island Grill (Downtown Santa Cruz): $8 tiki drinks and pupus, all day Tuesdays
East End Gastropub (Capitola): the $10 chicken Caesar pizza
After Hours (Downtown Santa Cruz): a cocktail bar hiding inside a coffee shop
Emerald Mallard (Felton): the $10 cheese skirt smash burger
Johnny’s Harborside (Santa Cruz Harbor): $2 oysters with a harbor view
1. Pono Hawaiian Grill
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz
Address: 120 Union St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 621-7448
Website: ponohawaiiangrill.com
Instagram: @ponohawaiiangrill
After all your comments, the large majority gave Pono the crown.
The good news: happy hour runs 3:00pm to 6:00pm, plus a late-night round Friday and Saturday from 9:00pm to 10:00pm. Every cocktail on the menu drops to about $8 to $12. Every pupu (that’s Hawaiian for appetizer) drops to $5 to $11.
The bad news: they’re closed Mondays. So plan accordingly.
When: Tuesday through Sunday
Time: 3:00pm to 6:00pm, plus 9:00pm to 10:00pm Friday and Saturday
What are you grabbing: A round of pupus and any cocktail on the menu
2. Hula’s Island Grill
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz
Address: 221 Cathcart St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 426-4852
Website: hulastiki.com
A locals’ favorite in downtown Santa Cruz, and their happy hour is pretty insane. $8. Say it with me. $8 for a huge lineup of pupus and tiki drinks. The sheer number of things under $10 is wild. The only problem? The schedule gets confusing. So let me help.
Mondays: 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Tuesdays: all day
Wednesday through Sunday: 3:00pm to 6:00pm
When: Every day, but make it easy and go Tuesday after work
What are you grabbing: Tiki torch wings, Hawaiian ceviche, and a Zombie
3. East End Gastropub
Where: Capitola (41st Avenue)
Address: 1501 41st Ave, Capitola, CA 95010
Phone: (831) 475-8010
Website: eastendpub.com
Instagram: @eastendgastropub
In my opinion, one of the most underrated restaurants in Santa Cruz County. It’s in a strip mall. It’s a little hidden. But anyone who’s been will tell you it’s one of the best dinner spots around. Pizzas, one of the best burgers in town, rotating entrées, and a full cocktail bar. And the movie theater is about five feet away, so it’s the perfect dinner-and-a-movie move.
Happy hour runs 4:00pm to 5:30pm every day they’re open. Heads up: they’re closed Wednesdays. Think $8 cocktails, $4 to $7 small bites, and a must-try chicken Caesar pizza for $10. I don’t care what else you order. Just get the chicken Caesar pizza.
When: Every day except Wednesday
Time: 4:00pm to 5:30pm
What are you grabbing: A dirty martini, the dirty martini olives, and the chicken Caesar pizza
4. After Hours
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz
Address: 1001 Center St #1, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (inside 11th Hour Coffee)
Phone: (831) 331-5292
Website: afterhourssc.com
Instagram: @afterhourssc
This one’s a true hidden gem. A cocktail bar inside a coffee shop. Head into 11th Hour Coffee in downtown Santa Cruz, and when that purple neon light flicks on, After Hours is open for business. And about ten feet away, Chubbs Chicken Sandwiches is ready to feed you some of the best fried chicken tenders around.
We’re talking $2 and $3 cans of beer, $6 shots, and $8 cocktails. Pair that with the tenders and you’ve got a great night for not a lot of money.
When: Wednesday through Saturday
Time: 5:00pm to 9:00pm
What are you grabbing: An $8 cocktail and a basket of Chubbs tenders (@chubbschickensandwiches)
5. Emerald Mallard
Where: Felton (San Lorenzo Valley)
Address: 6256 CA-9, Felton, CA 95018 (inside the historic Cremer House)
Phone: (831) 704-7654
Website: emeraldmallard.com
Instagram: @the_emerald_mallard
Chef Lance is the king of the smash burger in Santa Cruz County. Tartine, tartare, a rotating lineup of smash burgers (he once did a pastrami smash burger that was unreal). And he holds the throne at Emerald Mallard.
Thursday and Friday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm, you can get the cheese skirt smash burger. A perfectly smashed patty with the cheese spread out around it like the rings of Saturn. It crisps up into this crunchy cheese fan you have to conquer before you even reach the bun. It’s $10. And the $10 fried chicken sandwich? Also mandatory. Two happy hour items, both affordable, both among the best in the county.
When: Thursday and Friday
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
What are you grabbing: The cheese skirt smash burger and the fried chicken sandwich
6. Johnny’s Harborside
Where: Santa Cruz Harbor
Address: 493 Lake Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Phone: (831) 479-3430
Website: johnnysharborside.com
Instagram: @johnnysharborside
Johnny’s has been around a while, but Chef Jeff recently gave it a creative and delicious facelift. Wiener Wednesdays. Taco Tuesdays. And a fish program that makes total sense, because H&H Fresh Fish is literally right downstairs.
Happy hour runs Tuesday through Sunday (they’re closed Mondays), with tons of options. $2 oysters, $5 beers, $7 glasses of wine, and one of the absolute best burgers you’ll ever have for $10. It’s called Jeffrey’s Cheeseburger. You can’t miss it.
When: Tuesday through Sunday
Time: 3:00pm to 5:00pm
What are you grabbing: Five oysters and Jeffrey’s Cheeseburger for about $20
That’s the List (For Now)
So there you have it. Our top six happy hours in Santa Cruz County, as of November 1, 2026.
But this list isn’t set in stone. Menus change. New spots open. Somebody’s cooking up a $6 cocktail and a killer plate of bar bites right now that we haven’t found yet. So help us out. Got a happy hour that deserves a spot on this list? Drop it in the comments below. We read every single one, and the best recommendations just might show up in our next video.
The fine print: Double Meat Please is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or paid by any of the restaurants or businesses featured in this post. These picks are based on our own visits and recommendations from our community. Happy hour times, prices, and menu items can change at any time, so we always recommend calling ahead or checking each restaurant’s website or Instagram before you go.
About Double Meat Please
Double Meat Please is a Santa Cruz County food creator and local food news resource, covering the best restaurants, food trucks, pop-ups, happy hours, and new openings across Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos, Soquel, Scotts Valley, Felton, and Watsonville. From hidden gems and limited-time menu drops to the latest local food news, we’re here to help you figure out where to eat in Santa Cruz County right now.
For the hungry and the curious. Follow along on Instagram at @doublemeatplease
