Happy Hour!

For your happy happiness, a big list of happy hours.

Happy hour is indeed a happy, happy thing, and to facilitate your happiness, here are some good ones around town. We here at the Weekly are working constantly between the hours of approximately 5-7 p.m. to update this list for your happy pleasure; if you know of a happy hour that we’re missing, e-mail food@seattleweekly.com and we will get right on it. And hey, it never hurts to call first to make sure happy hour is still happy. Happy!

Lockspot Cafe Part sports bar, part hunting lodge, and part longshoreman’s tavern, the Lockspot might be your favorite neighborhood bar if you lived in Ballard. And this ain’t no hipster joint—it’s the real deal. The bartenders chat with the regulars and take long drags of their cigarettes behind the bar. The clientele, all sporty and Seattle-like, sit at wooden tables with old friends and watch ESPN on elevated TV sets. The fish and chips are fried to a T—deliciously golden and crisp on the outside, soft ‘n tasty on the inside. A tub of tartar and a domestic draft beer ($1.75 from 5-7 p.m. and midnight-2 a.m. daily) or a happy hour well drink ($2.25/$2.50 with juice) make it a meal. 3005 N.W. 54th, 789-4865.

Jack’s Roadhouse Happy hour at Jack’s Roadhouse is your typical cheap tacos and ‘ritas affair. For two bucks, you can feast on a couple of meat tacos, a cheesy quesadilla, or even cheesier nachos, and $3.75 will get you a tasty (albeit weak) Sauza Silver margarita. For two dollars more, you can get a shot of Sauza Silver in your Corona (ay-ay-ay!) What sets Jack’s apart from other happy hours on the Hill is the breathability factor. The space is vast, with good-sized booths and banks of French windows that open onto East Olive Way, creating a welcome breeze and a tricky I’m-indoors-but-it-feels-like-I’m-on-a-veranda effect. Happy hour’s from 5-7 p.m. weekdays and 5-9 p.m. weekends. 1501 E. Olive Way, 324-7000.

BALLARD

Acorn Eatery and Bar On the outdoor patio at the Acorn, lily padlike umbrellas stand over the tables, keeping the patrons cool, contemplative, and indifferent to their crummy view of McDonalds and Chevron across the street. Little pots of grass sit on each table, reminding everyone that nature does in fact exist. Good microbrews are on tap, and from 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, everything is dirt cheap: Pints and well drinks are $2.50, margaritas $3.50, and salads, pizza, and pasta range from $3 to $10. 9041 Holman N.W., 297-0700.

Azteca The cheesy, grande Mexican chains Ballard outpost has happy hour every day, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., offering $3 beers and a few Ameri-Mexican snacks for the same price. Ol鮠2319 N.W. Market, 782-7079.

Hirams at the Locks Tourists love Hirams for its amazing view of the Ballard Locks, but locals enjoy Hirams for a different reasonits twice-daily happy hour. While Midwesterners gawk at the pretty boats, Seattleites behold nearly half-price mahi mahi fish tacos, burgers, oyster shooters, and other specialties. From 4 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. daily, draft beers are $1 off regular price. Outdoor deck seating is ample but fills up quickly on sunny days, and whether you traveled from Finland or Fremont, the view is nothing to sneeze at. 5300 34th N.W., 784-1733.

The Peoples Pub Wouldnt things be better if every day was like Oktoberfest? Well, the gute life is now only a trip to Ballard away, courtesy of the Peoples Pub 4 to 7 p.m. happy hour every day of the week (except for Tuesdays, when the whole place is shut). All well drinks and most of the beerswhich include German favorites from Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, and Bitburgerare just $2.50 a pint, and house wines are but $3 a glass. And on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, appetizers (deep fried pickles! Jalape�oppers freshly made with goat cheese!) are 50 percent off. Prost! 5429 Ballard Ave N.W., 783-6521.

BELLTOWN

Axis New bar menu items include Jamaican jerked chicken wings with creamy dill sauce and the one-third-pound Angusburger on an Italian roll with choice of New York cheddar or Oregon blue. Happy hour pizzas from the wood-fired oven just $2.99, and nice appetizers like rock shrimp popcorn, steak salad, Thai wok-seared shellfish, and a prime rib sandwich and fries half-price, $4.50-$6. OUTDOOR SEATING! 5-7 p.m. daily and 10-midnight Tues.-Thurs. 2212 First, 441-9600.

Brasa goes extra-Spanish every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., with the flamenco guitar of Marcos Carmona and tapas-style appetizers-sherried mushrooms, seafood paella, grilled sardines, empanadas, flash-fried squid, and egg-and-potato-cake torta espa�passed dim-sum-wise and just $3 an item. 2107 First, 728-4220.

Cascadia For a fancy and happy hour or two, come here and sit at the gorgeous illuminated bar; the caf頡nd bar spring menu of “Ten Bites for Under $10” will most certainly be prepared to Cascadia’s exquisite standards, and includes beef tenderloin cheeseburgers, air-cured duck, penne pasta with truffle oil, and wine-braised chicken with new potatoes and spinach. OUTDOOR SEATING! Mon.Sat., 5 p.m. till close. 2328 First, 448-8884.

En A short and extremely worthwhile walk from downtown, En is a prime post-work retreat; happy hours Monday through Friday, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The house wines ($3.95) and imported beers ($2.95) dont mess around, and the modern Japanese appetizers (two-for-one during happy hour) will knock you on your ass if the drinks havent already. The food, like the decor, is exquisitely understated. The agedashi is enough to make a grownup cry, its tofu cubesgolden on the outside, silky soft on the insidebasking in a pond of salty fish-broth goodness. With all the good food and ample portions, the happy prices will make you feel like youre getting away with something. Get to know Wei, the owner. 2429 Second, 770-0250.

Ohana A menu of selected sushi nigiri, rolls, and hot appetizers for $2.50, sake for $2.50 and blue Hawaiian for $3.95. Great looking staff and patrons, great place. 5-7 p.m., 2207 First, 956-9329.

Tia Lous You mosey into Tia LousTuesday through Saturday between 5 and 7 p.m.ascend the stairs to the Lico Lounge, and take refuge in the cool, dark cantina or venture out to the gigantic rooftop deck and bask in the early evening sun. Hola, amigo, you say to the speedy, attentive waiter and, with a wink and a smile, you let him know youd like a margarita (just $3) and some chunky, juicy mini chicken tacos (also just $3). He delivers them to you speedily and attentively, and you partake of the fine food and beverage and are reminded of the time you spent on the coast of Mexico so many years ago. Youre surrounded by tables of geeky young graphic designers and glossy Belltown scenesters, but close your eyes and you can hear the surf in the distance. Happy now? 2218 First, 733-8226.

Toi Toi’s all posh: red walls, deep mahogany trim, and a bar inlaid with what the bartender describes as “deep-healing river stones.” The happy hour well drinks ($4) are stiff as the starched collars of the businessmen who come here for their end-of-the-day fix, and all Toi’s appetizers (which are so delicious they will make you insane) are half-price. Prawn spring rolls ($4.50) are incredible and almost an entr饻 pork tenderloin satay skewers ($2.75) are about the best happy hour snack you could ask for and perfectly complement the liver-numbing whiskey sours. Happy hour every day, 56:30 p.m. 1904 Fourth, 267-1017.

Wasabi Bistro Upscale bar and restaurant; happy hour with downscale prices. Sushi rolls, sushi, Asian-style chicken wings, tempura, etc. from $3-$6. $3 for beer, $4-$6 for cocktails, wine, and sake. OUTDOOR SEATING! 4-6 p.m. daily, 2311 Second, 441-6044.

CAPITOL HILL

The Broadway Grill Theres something weird and fun about getting drunk in the middle of the dayparticularly at the Broadway Grill. With Broadways bizarre foot traffic a mere stones throw away, the bar seems an oasis, and its got all the ingredients: real live tropical trees, hanging plastic fruit, midday game shows on the big screen, and good, stiff drinks. Happy hours from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with $1.50 draft beer, $2 well drinks, and $3 wines and call drinks; if you havent had your fill (or even if you have), you can come back for a second round between 11 p.m. and last call. Appetizers are half-price during happy hour Monday through Thursdaytry the Dungeness crab and artichoke dip, or the toasted baguette with Cambozola cheese, almonds, and tomato-basil salsa. OUTDOOR SEATING! 314 Broadway East, 328-7000.

The Capitol Club Harley: Ah, yes, its a fine evening, isnt it, Kensington? Kensington: The finest, my dear chap. I do so enjoy sipping a fine brandy on this lovely outdoor veranda. Harley: And these low happy hour prices are irresistiblethe aforementioned fine brandy [$6] and the delectable prawns you seem to be so enjoying [$8] are easy on an old boys bank account. Kensington: Yes, feels a bit like thievery! And the Pike-Pine scene is bumping this evening, isnt it, my good man? Harley: Mmmm, yes. Quite. Happy hours from 5 to 7 p.m. nightly. 414 E. Pine, 325-2149.

De Luxe Bar and Grill Three reasons to enjoy the De Luxes lovely outdoor seating area: 1.) The sounds of Broadway can drown out the less pleasant sounds of the Backstreet Boys and Celine that taunt indoor patrons; 2.) Its a narrow margin, but the distant smell of incense beats having cigarettes puffed in your face at the bar; and 3.) The De Luxe has charming baskets of flowers in fancy decorative cages for your viewing pleasure. Outdoors or in, at happy hour youll get 75 cents off domestic brews, $1 off Europeans, $3 well drinks, and a fine selection of appetizers under $4and the De Luxe is happy twice a day, seven days a week, 3 p.m.6 p.m. and 10 p.m.1:30 a.m. 624 Broadway E., 324-9697.

Galerias Not your usual Mexican place, Galerias is all big and fancy in a really good way. Happy hours every day from 3 to 5 p.m., with $3 margaritas and extremely delicious if pricey appetizerstry the shrimp quesadillas ($6.25). 611 Broadway E., 322-5757.

Honeyhole Capitol Hill’s sweetheart sandwich shop now has a full bar (what’s left without one now? Just Dick’s, maybe?), an expanded dinner menu (pasta, grilled chicken kebabs, steak, salads), and a new, sharper look. Happy hour here means $2.50 wells and drafts, and $3.95 appetizers (including the amazing-sounding bacon-and-cream-cheese-stuffed mushrooms). 5-7 p.m. every day. 703 E. Pike, 709-1399.

Manray If the Jetsons were two men who had sex instead of a family, theyd be the owners of Manray. The interior is stylish and futuristic, much like the deck of the starship Enterprise, with most occupants wearing clothes as tight as Picards jumpsuit. And Manray serves up $3.75 happy hour double (!) wells and $1.50 domestic beers all week long between 4 and 8 p.m. (till close on Sundays and Mondays). But whats the real reason to come here? A FREE BUFFET SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY DURING HAPPY HOUR! And if youre good-looking and male, the other patrons will be buying your drinks. OUTDOOR SEATING! 514 E. Pine, 568-0750.

Satellite Lounge Just up the street from the Comet is its more mature cousin the Satellite, with its pretty bar, interesting ironwork, and, well, terrible upholstery; but no matter, Monday through Friday from 5 to 7, enjoy $2.50 well drinks and $2.25 microbrews, and 50 percent off all appetizerswhich means calamari for $3.50, wings for $3.25, the mysterious “Deep Fried Goodness” for $3.25, and nachos or quesadillas for $2.65. 1118 E. Pike, 324-4019.

Tango Duck into Tango for an after-work drink and behold what may be the best mojito north of Havanasweet, minty, and the rum, mmm, the rum is light and smooth as hell. At $3.50 from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays, it may be the cheapest mojito around, too. Delectable pan-Latin tapas and $2 draft beers will also make you happy at this lower Capitol Hill hot spotthe green beans, pan-roasted and tossed in a warm North African harissa, are to die for. A good selection of tapas are half-priced for happy hour, so eat up. You wont need dinner. 1100 Pike, 583-0382.

Torero’s That odd open-air place in the top of the Broadway Market offers standard-issue Mexi-American happy hour snacks in the bar, perfect for an odd little dinner before a 7 oclock movie: $1 beef tacos, $2 nachos and quesadillas, the intriguing $1 bean dip, and happy-hour priced blended margaritas that come out of a big machine whose sole purpose is to constantly swirl them around. OUTDOOR SEATING! Bar only, Mon.Fri., 36:30 p.m. 401 Broadway E., 860-1363.

DOWNTOWN

Arena Bar at GameWorks Refreshingly, Arena Bar has the obvious down to a sciencefrom requisite bar fare like chili fries, chicken tenders, and nachos to the obligatory pool tables and bar games, like electronic football and golf. Its snappy motto, Eat, drink, party, and play, epitomizes obviousness: Its a bar, so isnt that the point? And Arenas happy hour prices are obviously fair, with half-price appetizers (all under $5) and drinks (thats less than $2 for domestic drafts, and $2.50 or less for house margaritas and well cocktails). Predictably, happy hours from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. 1511 Seventh, 521-0952.

Campagne Late-night light meals-petit cassoulet, calamari persillade, leeks in a truffle vinaigrette, lamb sausage with pepper confit-for $10 and under in the bar. OUTDOOR SEATING! 10 p.m.-midnight nightly, 86 Pine, 728-2800.

The Brooklyn From 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, this is where you can pretend youre rich and famous. At the bar, the bartenders treat you like Rockefeller. On the courtyard patio, the waiters treat you like Gates. Everything is woody, shiny, and classy in an 1890s kind of way, and the prices add to the charm. For $5 you can get a half-dozen of the best oysters in the city or (if you aint the hugest oyster fan) the best cilantro calamari. The amount of cilantro is so deliciously exact and the calamari so tender, it almost breaks your heart. Beer and wine are a little over $2.50 and well drinks a little over $3.50, meaning you can pretend here all afternoon if you want. 1212 Second, 224-7000.

Contour A coppery bar and tabletops in a dim, cool, high-ceilinged room; weird naked plaster bodies stuck on the wall (hey, thats his foot, OK?); Willie Nelson incongruously on the stereo; an extremely nice bartender; whats not to like? And Contours happy hour appetizers are not your basic bar foodtheyre unique, tasty, and practically free ($1.95!). The rosemary chicken strips and the spanakopita are really quite good; the zucchini fries with tzatziki are just adequate, but for $1.95, adequates just fine. Drinks, $2 Dos Equis and $3.50 well drinks, are adequate, too. Enjoy them in the outdoor seating area, idyllic for First Avenue people-watching and bus-exhaust-fume-inhaling. Happy hours every day from 4 to 7 p.m.; youll be home safe before the Club Contour late-night pimpin begins. 807 First, 447-7704.

Dragonfish This is where Paramount guests and Convention Center conveners come to drink beer and eat sushi. Everyone is 40, well dressed, and pretending they arent tourists, they just happen to be in a tourist bar. But its nice in its own way. Cool anime prints hang on the walls below pink and white oriental lamps, pachinko machines flash mesmerizing, and the service is friendly and sincere. The best deal is the sushi appetizers: Theyre all $1.95. Have a California roll while sipping on a pint of Kirin Ichiban, which, by the way, will run ya just $2.75. 722 Pine, 467-7777.

Elliotts Oyster House The bars typical corporate seafood house, all gleam and blond wood; the outdoor seating has geraniums and Argosy boats coming and going on the shiny Sound, dinging their bells. Throughout is a mix of business types and tourists from Eastern Washington (cowboy bootsdead giveaway) and, from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, a damn good happy hour. Have a happy hour martini in its own cute mini shaker for $3 or a beer for $2.50 ($3 micros); make a little dinner out of a couple $1 one-oyster poorboys or small salmon sandwiches with a healthy little plank of top-rate fish and spicy slaw on a good roll ($1.95). Calamari ($2.95) benefits mightily from being pre-soaked in buttermilk. Theres also mussels, clams, shrimp cocktail, and oyster stew for $3.95, and the amazing progressive oyster-on-the-half-shell happy hourtheyre 50 cents each at 3 p.m. and go up 20 cents each half-hour thereafter. Ding! 1201 Alaskan Way, Pier 56, 623-4340.

Fad�ish Pub Fad�hich is actually pronounced Fdoh, pours a mighty fine pint of Guinness ($4.75), and at least one of the waitresses is actually Irish. The Fad�ppy hour food is fairly Irishheavy on both meat and carbs, with no fewer than half the dishes containing potatoes. The mini potato pancake pizzas are tasty (if not Irish), and like all the bar fare between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays, a mere $2.50. Enjoy the sidewalk seating or join the boozing, sexed-up singles in the bar. 801 First, 264-2700.

The Green Room Everybody loves the swank-ish new lounge at the Showbox with its boss DJs and one of the best happy hours in town: $2 wells, $2 beers, and $2 appetizers, including authentic soft-tortilla tacos and other Mexi-type stuff. Those tacos are delicious! 5 p.m.-8 p.m. every day. 1426 First, 628-3151.

Harbor Place Happy hour here, sadly, does not extend to the giant outdoor deck, but install yourself in the lounge Monday through Friday, 3 to 7 p.m. (and till 1:30 a.m. on Tuesdaythe mind reels!), and load up on $1-off drinks of all sorts and $2 snacks. The foods unbelievable: a half-pound cheeseburger with little pots of condiments; nice, salty tempura onion rings or chicken nuggets; four tiny roasted turkey sandwiches with Gruy貥; and, unbelievably, more, all served on little square lacquered trays. The room is Typical Upscale Restaurantred walls, tan banquettes, rattan chairs, dark wood barbut with some weird prints of parrots and flamingoes on the walls and slow jams on the sound system. 96 Union, 652-9299.

Marcha Lets call it the Very Pleased Hour. It stops just short of happy: Wine, Dos Equis, and well drinks are $3.50 and under, which is nice, but a vodka tonic aint one of Marchas mint-laden mojitos or the toe-tingling sangria, which dont get the discount treatment. Still, Marcha manages to differentiate itself quite nicely from the buffalo-wings-and-cheese-sticks shtick of most happy hour pit stops with a quietly cosmopolitan atmosphere and a brief but piquant selection of tapas, from potatoes bravas (roasted, with aoli and a mysterious but yummy brava sauce) to fabadas (bean stew with chorizo and ham hock) and even mejillones (steamed mussels), all ranging from $1.95$2.95. Muy bueno for that. Happy hourwith sidewalk seating!Mon.Fri. 4:306:30 p.m., Sun.Wed. 10 p.m.close. 1400 First, 903-1474.

McCormick and Schmicks The McCormicks on First Avenue is all old-school and dark wood and mens-clubby, with, somewhat alarmingly, a sign telling how many days remain till St. Patricks Day. You are wise to arrive promptly at 4 (after which the power suits fill up the place) to get your discount carbsbeef taquitos with a very chunky, very mild salsa; chicken quesadilla with same; -pound burger with Tillamook cheddar; pita pizza (which sounds good, but isnt); and more. Its a very long, very breaded list; and, at $1.95 per item, ostensibly very affordable. Turns out its not as cheap as you might think: There is a drink-per-person minimum. Businessmen are bastards. Three locations; happy hour roughly 46 p.m. and 1012 p.m. seven days a week (call for particular locations). 1103 First, 623-5500, 722 Fourth, 682-3900, and 1200 Westlake N., 270-9052, LOWER QUEEN ANNE

Mortons of Chicago The drinks dont come cheap, but the sandwiches are free. One might ask why a Mortons patron needs to eat for free if he can afford to drink there, but Mortons understands its tough being rich and powerful. After a long day of power-brokering, suit-wearing types can take solace at happy hour in the dimly lit underground bar and cigar lounge. Alberto, the very pleasant Cuban bartender, serves up good drinks, stiff and to-the-point, and, oh, those delectable sandwichestender flanks of beef, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, and kissed by a housemade mustard and mayonnaise sauce on a sesame seed bun. 57 p.m., Mon.Fri. 1511 Sixth, 223-0550.

Nikko Free buffet of pot stickers, chow mein, and California rolls. Not too crowded, with great sushi. 5-7 p.m., 1900 Fifth, 322-4641.

The Oceanaire The place is all swank, the bars all gleaming, and the oysters are all extremely fresh, resting on a lovely bed of shaved ice awaiting your arrival. Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. you may partake of them (and their friends the shrimp) for half-price (that is, $.75$1.12 per oyster, $7.48 for shrimp cocktail). With the money you save, you can have a $120 glass of Louis XIII cognac. 1700 Seventh, 267-BASS.

The Owl n’ Thistle A classic Irish-American dive replete with Guinness posters, shamrocks, and so forth, and, lucky for you, a happy hour every day from 4 to 6 p.m. with $2 drafts and $2.50 well drinks. Find a sometimes-elusive waitress and order the supreme happy hour fish and chips ($2.95)two big fishes and thick-thick cut fries. And sit still: The seats in the booths have been known to fall off and send people tumbling to the ground before they’ve even got a buzz on. 808 Post Ave., 621-7777.

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery On a sunny afternoonfrom 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Fridaythe Rock Bottom is a nice place to be. Sitting out on the large patio, listening to mildly drunk businessman banter, examining the bizarre and terrifying Rainier Tower in front of you, you cant help but say to yourself, Its all good. And, even better, everything is $2everything: beer, wine, well drinks, and appetizers. The Peashooter pale ale and a huge plate of nachos will send you home warm, full, and only $4 poorer. And this equals happiness, which, of course, is what happy hour is all about. 1333 Fifth, 623-3070.

Typhoon! Happy! Hour! At! Typhoon! The bar is sleek, the yuppies are enjoying their after-work cosmopolitans, and, from 4 to 7 Monday through Friday, you are eating their highly praised Thai food for cheap and pondering that exclamation point at your leisure. Happy hour well drinks and bar appetizers are $2 each, including larb chicken. Larb! 1400 Western, 262-9797.

Waterfront The business suit set loves Waterfront, with its swank interior and fancy menu. Anyone else with eyes should love Waterfront, too, for its magnificent sweeping views of Puget Sound. Its not even on the water, its over itright over the top of it, on the end of Pier 70. And, from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, oysters are only $.50 apiece. Sit outside on the gigantic waterfront deck, cover your shirt with a white linen napkin, and shoot them back with a pint of beer ($3) or a well drink ($4). If youre looking for something heartier, try the tuna tempura with a spicy soy dipping sauce, the crispy fried calamari with soy mustard aioli and a sweet chili sauce, or the Dungeness crab cake with mango papaya saladall appetizers are 25 percent off. Then sit back and enjoy the view. 2815 Alaskan Way, 956-9171.

EASTLAKE

Dukes The boats outside the windows gently rock and the generic marine decor soothes; and Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., Dukes has $2.50 wells and Red Hooks, and $3.95 Duketailsa stupid, stupid name for six very tasty types of extra-strength kamikazes. Very nice appetizers, such as the delectable calamari steak strips, are half price; you can take them to the waterfronty outdoor seating and pretend youre the drunken sailor they wrote that song about. OUTDOOR SEATING! 901 Fairview Ave. N., 382-9963; also same happy hour prices at 7850 Green Lake Dr. N., 522-4908, GREENLAKE; and 2516 Alki S.W., 937-6100, WEST SEATTLE

Hooters Orange short-shorts, skimpy tank tops, $2 pints, $7 pitchers, and truly awful half-price appetizersboo-yeah! Youre at Hooters during happy hour: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The waitresses are ridiculously hot, and one of them, scarily, is way into Christian rock, following her attendance at an awesome Christian rock show featuring that guy from 98 Degrees. As if that wasnt disturbing enoughshe doesnt go into the mosh pit at Christian rock shows for fear of being groped. Holy crap! Where are the WWJD bracelets? [Eds. note: Our interns receipt from this happy hour had a note upon it in pink pen: Good luck with your band! Thank you! {big girly pink heart} Shawna. Now thats service.] 901 Fairview N., 625-0555; 550 106th N.E., 425-452-9930 (OUTDOOR SEATING!) BELLEVUE; 19800 44th W., 425-672-2900 (OUTDOOR SEATING!) LYNNWOOD.

Sams Steakhouse Liver likes alcohol, wallet likes money, stomach likes foodyou like happy hour at Sams Steakhouse. Well drinks are a thrifty $2.75 every day between four and six, and strong enough to steady your shaking hands; and theres lots of happy hour food, with great Buffalo wings and halibut and chips for $1.95. Ignore the aging UW crowd watching Britney shake her ass on the four T.V.s and concentrate on what Sams does best: cheap grub and strong booze. (Sadly, happy hour does not apply to those enjoying the extensive outdoor seating.) 2947 Eastlake, 957-7777.

FIRST HILL

Adobo Taco Lounge The Adobo is nice and dark, the service is nice and good-looking, and happy hour here is so nice they, um, do it twice, from 46 p.m. and 911 p.m. every day. Happy hour snacks for just $3 each include good shredded beef tacos with lots of spicy cabbage and a little sour cream, a very gooey cheese and bean dip, and a chicken quesadilla. No happy-hour drink specials, but a can of Tecate will only set you back $2.50, and the margaritas are reportedly great at any price. 909 Madison, 332-0772.

Vitos Revel in the dark red vinyl booths and general retro luxury of Vitos at happy-hour prices Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m.yes, until 9 p.m., which gives you plenty of time to enjoy many, many $2 well drinks or beers, as well as strangely Dicks-like cheeseburgers with a few yummy fries ($2!), serviceable mini-pizzas ($2!), and the ubiquitous wings ($2!). If youre still raring to go at 9, stagger a few doors up to the Adobo (see below). 927 Ninth at Madison, 682-2695.

FREMONT

Fremont Fresh Market The weekday Wine Bar happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. features free munchies along with your discounted glass of vino. Or choose a bottle of your own ($5 corkage fee) to accompany the $12.75 smorgasbord for four from the in-house deli. 3601 Fremont N., 363-3663.

Ponti Seafood Grill Half-price appetizers like Cajun barbecued prawns, grilled calamari, and wasabi ahi nori roll. All pints and well drinks $2.50. OUTDOOR SEATING! 4-6 p.m., 9 p.m. to close daily. 3014 3rd N. (S. end of the Fremont Bridge), 284-3000.

GREENLAKE

Luau Polynesian Lounge The second best thing about Luaus Hula Happy Hour is that its not crowdedon the contrary, Luau is surprisingly quiet from 3 to 5 p.m. every day, with prime outdoor seating available for the taking. The best thing about Hula Happy Hour (aside from its name) is that the alarmingly friendly employees are known to pass out free Otter Pops on occasion. Other really good things: Luaus Hawaiian cocktails ($4.50$5), the signature buckets of cute little 7-ounce Coronitas on ice ($5 for 3, $9 for 5, and $11 for 7), and the island-inspired pupus (appetizers), like guava barbeque ribs ($5) and Kahlua pork sandwiches ($8). Plus the tiki decor! 2253 N. 56th, 633-5828.

Tacos Guaymas Happy hour at the Green Lake location every day from 4 to 6 and 10 to 12 p.m., with island drinks for five bucks, microbrews for three, and well drinks for twoand the tacos at Guaymas are always cheap and always good. Cinco de Mayo? Big, big party is gonna be fun! 6808 Green Lake Way E, 729-6563.

INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT

Bush Garden With a faux pagoda roof over the bar and cushy vinyl seats with roller wheels, it’s cherry-blossom Japan meets American airport cocktail lounge, and the results are pleasing indeed. The 2-for-1 appetizer (including skewers of shrimp wrapped in bacon-now that’s a snack, people!) and sushi happy hour will make you extra-happy. Bar only, Mon.-Fri., 5-6:30 p.m. 614 Maynard S., 682-6830.

Rios Bar & Grill Happy hour at Rios is Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., with a selection of their good, authentic Filipino food for $4.50, including lumpia Shanghai, pork or chicken adobo, and the intriguingly named Lechon Kawali. Selected beers are $2, and a pitcher of Bud is only $4.50 ($5 for Hefeweizen if youre feeling fancy). 212 Fifth S., 652-4528.

MOUNT BAKER

The Rose Club So it’s not happy hourit’s still boss: Every Monday night is Ladies’ Night at this sweet little Mount Baker spot, with half-price bottles of wine (that’s any bottle), $2 beers, and half-price pizzas (including potato and roasted garlic, caramelized onion and goat cheese, and specials like spinach, feta, and artichoke heart). P.S.: Gentlemen are welcome and will receive the same special prices despite their genderits in HONOR of the ladies. 3601 S. McClellan, 725-3654.

PIONEER SQUARE

Diner Are you the type of person who likes to lounge in a red vinyl booth and watch Crossfire while simultaneously listening to 80s music? Of course you are. If youre also the type of person who likes to drink beer in the late afternoon, Diner is the place to be. Theres $2 domestics, $2.50 microbrews, and $3 imports Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., with a daily happy hour food special for $2.99 (e.g., Monday, hot dog and chips; Thursday, cheeseburger and fries). Want to drink with the kids? Diner also has a soda fountain happy hour between 3 and 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Drink a big, thick lager and watch those cute rug rats color the menu. 72 S. Washington, 340-8859.

Luigis Grotto Go down the steep steps, through the doors, and hang a left to get to the Vino Vino Lounge, home of indescribably odd atmosphere, Sopranos-esque service (except they dont shoot you), and one of the best and weirdest happy hours in town. Luigis is a labyrinthine underground place, aggressively decorated in homegrown Eyetalian style; the lounge has vinyl tablecloths and a stand-up cooler that you can see used to belong to Snapple. Happy hours Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with $2.50 martinis, Manhattans, and cosmos; $2.50 well drinks and beers; $3 wines; $3.50 plates of pasta (the meat sauce is good); and other cheap eats. Get a little drunk and well-fed for 10 bucks, Guido. 102 Cherry, 343-9517.

QUEEN ANNE

Hoyts Pub It is little short of astounding that something this blue-collar still exists on top of Queen Anne. Nice, drunk couples in Levis shoot pool and sing along with James Brown. Russian women sit in the booths discussing their lazy boyfriends. Libbyblonde, skeptical, and straight out of a Raymond Carver storytakes your orders. Its grand. All 20 beers on tap are $2.75 a pint from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the same goes for well drinks. Everything is the color of mahogany and soothing like the womb. If you get the munchies, all appetizers are $3.95. 1527 Queen Anne N., 284-2656.

Ozzie’s Roadhouse Despite a redecoration that mainly serves to confuse, Ozzie’s dives onward at the foot of Queen Anne. Happy hour here, 4 to 6 p.m., is a splendid way to begin a downward spiral of a night, with $2 wells and beers, and a $2 bar menu including wings, chicken fingers, and their ilk. The food’s not going to be anything to write home about, but you’re at Ozzie’s, so you’re obviously not too particular. 105 W. Mercer, 284-4618.

REDMOND

Celtic Bayou You crave jambalaya. She wants a heaping plate of bangers and mash. If this dilemma sounds frightfully familiar (and of course it does), the Celtic Bayou is the answer to all your prayers. Mostly its the food thats Cajun and the beer thats Irish, but the cross-cultural wackiness knows no strict boundaries here. Happy hour happens seven days a week from 4 to 7 p.m., during which two of the Bayous fine selection of Far West Ireland Brewing Company beers are chosen at random each hour to go for the low, low price of $2.50 a pint. Happy hour appetizer specials and outdoor seating sweeten the deal. The Bayous locationits tucked into a strip mall spitting distance from 520is also a godsend for those whove longed for a one-stop destination where you can drop off the dry cleaning, get a buzz, and buy a parakeet. Life is good. 7281 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E., Redmond, 425-869-5933.

Coho Caf鼯B> Appetizers for hearty appetites include smoked salmon quesadilla, harissa-spiced pork ribs, double-fried chicken wings, and rock-shrimp cakes, all $7.99. Dollar off draft beer, wine by the glass, and well drinks. OUTDOOR SEATING! 3-6 p.m. daily. 8976 161st N.E., Redmond, 425-885-2646.

ROOSEVELT/WEDGWOOD

Wedgwood Ale House The unusually erudite regulars may sit at the bar inside and discuss the ramifications of a depleting ozone (really, they do), but the outdoor seating is where its at for happy hour relaxation. Big picnic tables sit in perpetual shade. Nice people smoke cigarettes and talk about art. An occasional breeze blows your hair in a way that makes you feel like a happy child. From 3 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, its all perfect for enjoying a $3 pint and a huge plate of $3 spicy nachos (but be warned, this is the only happy hour snack). The service is quick and a soothing, amicable Wedgwood vibe pervades the air. Its lovely. 8515-A 35th N.E., 527-2676.

SEATTLE CENTER

Liquid Lounge Experience happy hour at EMP! It’s Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., you dont have to pay the $20 museum admission, and $3 will get you a well drink, or stuffed mushrooms, or jerked chicken wings, or pizza, or mini pulled pork sliders, or a hummus and olive plate with fresh flatbreadsand draft beers are only $2.50. F.Y.I. and/or warning: Happy hour is in full effect before Sonics home games and also afterward till close with a ticket stub. 325 Fifth N., 770-2777.

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT

The Irish Emigrant The Irish waitress, with a timbre of melancholy and fatigue, calls you hon and sweet while bringing you a $3 pint of Harp during happy hour (4 to 7 p.m., 7 days a week). Thank you, you say. You take a bite of your $3 Macho Nachos that are short on cheese but big on filling. The sun falls on your face out on the outdoor deck, and you look around at summer college students and off-the-clock painters sipping cold ones and talking about Professor Davis, Edgar Martinez, and the joy that comes with sunshine. The beer is good, and the $3 fare (from half-pound burgers to a beef stew that no one seems to order) is simple and does what happy hour food should: satisfies. And thats how you feel at the Emigrant: satisfied. 5260 University N.E., 525-2955.

Ivar’s Salmon House It’s like a trip to Tillicum Village, without the boat ride and with a full bar. Could it get any better, really? Yes! The bar is called the Whalemaker Lounge! And it has a great view of distant, forgotten downtown! And happy hour well drinks, draft beers, house wines, and appetizers (chowder with garlic bread! Calamari! Clam strips and chips! Caesar! And more!) are only $2.50! OUTDOOR SEATING! 3 p.m.6 p.m. and 910 p.m. Mon.Fri., 401 N.E. Northlake Way, 632-0767.