To sort through them all took some dedicated drinking. There are reverse happy hours offered twice throughout the evening, happy hours that start at 11 a.m., and wallet-friendly two-for-one deals. There's a little bit of something for every type of imbiber.
Here are the ten best happy hours in Fort Liquordale.
America's Backyard
100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale954-449-1025
myamericasbackyard.com
South Florida’s largest outdoor party is also home to one hell of a happy hour. Whether there are ladies hula hooping on the bar or that hot new DJ is spinning, The Backyard is always high-energy. Sure, it's also known as the collegiate crowd favorite for its outdoor atmosphere, club-style nightlife, and rowdy fans, but its giant swimming pool bar and equally large happy hour are major draws. While the main focus is here is nightlife from Thursday through Saturday, the daily happy hour goes from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring two-for-one drinks and a complimentary themed buffet with free happy hour bites.
Blondie's Sports Bar
229 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale954-728-9801
itsbetteronthebeach.com/blondies
Forget happy hours that only last a few hours. How about a happy hour that goes all day long? Blondie's Sports Bar isn't the classiest place on the Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard strip, but it does have one thing all the other top spots don't: the city's longest-running happy hour. Starting at noon and running until close at 2 a.m. (3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday), Blondie's let's you down domestic drafts for $2.75, import and craft brews for $3.75, and $6 cocktails any time of day while enjoying the oceanfront patio view or — because it really is a sports bar too — the full game arcade and pool hall at the back of the bar.
El Camino
17 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale561-865-5350
elcaminoftlauderdale.com
One of Delray Beach's most popular purveyors of tacos and margaritas, El Camino Mezcal & Tequila Bar, opened a second outpost in Fort Lauderdale this year. While the restaurant added a bottomless brunch to the mix — something the Palm Beach County location doesn't offer — it kept its other deals including a dueling happy hour. Early happy hour takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. daily with $2 tacos, $2 bottled beer, $4 draft beer, $3 glasses of wine, and $5 select margaritas and spirits. Then they do it all over again from midnight to close.
Louie Bossi's Ristorante Bar Pizzeria
1032 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale954-356-6699
louiebossi.com
Come happy hour, Louie Bossi’s is the place to be. The restaurant is packed to the hilt nearly every night of the week, but it’s the bar and lounge area that really gets jumping. It probably has something to do with $2 off specialty cocktails. More specials abound on different days of the week, with half-priced martinis on Mondays and $1.50 meatball sliders from 4 p.m. to close. On Wednesdays, get half-priced bottles of wine under $99 with the purchase of an entrée. Bonus points for the half-priced happy-hour pizzas, a secret that those in the know aren’t too quick to share. Happy hour is from 4 to 7 p.m. daily at the bar only.
Lulu's Bait Shack
7 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale954-463-7425
lulusbaitshack.com
If you’re looking to drink on the cheap after a day at the beach, Lulu’s Beach Shack at Beach Place is your spot. This fun and festive upstairs tavern on the city’s oceanfront strip offers a great happy hour with a prime view. You can order Creole/Cajun bar food plus fishbowl-sized cocktails any time of day, but the deals come into focus from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday with $2 domestic drafts, $2 house wine, $2.50 well cocktails, $3 house margaritas, and $1 off all bottled beer. On Wednesdays, have a glass or bottle of premium wines for half price from 7 p.m. to midnight. Last, get that drink in the souvenir glass so you can keep the good times going — at home.
One Door East
620 Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale954-368-6902
onedooreast.com
Quite literally “one door east” of its sister restaurant Valentino Cucina Italiana, One Door East opened in August 2016 with the goal of bringing impactful dishes and creative cocktails to the Fort Lauderdale food scene. The restaurant prides itself on sourcing as many local ingredients as possible and partners with local farms such as Swank Farms. Recently, One Door East released an enhanced cocktail program curated by mixologist Adam Ross, including the Amalfi made with Bombay Sapphire gin, house-made limoncello, basil, and fresh lemon juice. While all of the nine new cocktails are a must, go for the restaurant's unique dish and cocktail pairing: a popular dish that lends its star ingredients to a cocktail meant to be paired alongside it. Try the Antojito, a corn cocktail — made with house-roasted corn — that compliments one of the restaurant’s most popular small plates, the corn and brisket fritter served with chipotle aioli and lime. Visit during happy hour Monday through Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m., with specials offered again from 10 p.m. to close.
Rok:Brgr & TacoCraft
204 Himmarshee St., Ft. Lauderdale954-463-2003
jeygrroup.com
What’s better than a really good happy hour deal? A really good happy hour deal at two of downtown Fort Lauderdale's most popular spots. From 4 to 7 p.m. — and again from 10 p.m. to close — both Rok:Brgr (208 SW Second St.) and TacoCraft (204 SW Second St.) offer a stellar happy hour deal with $3 bottled beer, $4 draft beer, $5 glasses of wine or liquor, and $6 select cocktails. Both restaurants also offer up a great deal with their bar bites menu, featuring a selection of dishes all priced under $10 apiece. At TacoCraft it's $2 for chips and salsa or chicken and steak tacos. At Rok
Shooters Waterfront
3033 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale954-566-2855
shooterswaterfront.com
Since its debut in 1982, Shooters has earned a worldwide reputation as one of Florida's "must see" destinations. Well-known for its inviting indoor/outdoor dockside dining, pool and patio, and scenic boat watching, Shooters is the ultimate happy hour spot — especially when it's raining. While regular happy hour is in full effect Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., a special "When it Rains, We Pour" happy hour item becomes available during those pesky summer rainstorms. The drink features light and dark rum, gin, amaretto, orange and cranberry juice, and a splash of grenadine. Regular happy hour features different light bites including smoked-fish dip ($6), guava-chili chicken wings ($8), and lollipop lamb chops ($10). All drinks are also half-off, but only at the bar and surrounding high tables, including house wines by the glass and the Shooters Ale (regularly $7), an amber ale brewed for the restaurant by Biscayne Bay Brewing Company.
SuViche
401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale954-656-3663
suviche.com
Happy hour options abound on Las Olas Boulevard, but none is quite as bustling as
Township
219 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale954-338-4070
townshipftl.com
The creators of Yolo, Boatyard, Rooftop, TRP Taste, and S3 recently opened their latest concept on the outskirts of Himmarshee Village. While all these spots are great for happy hour, Township is offering up deals aplenty. That includes a spirited two-for-one happy hour that also pays homage to the downtown area's longstanding nightlife staple, Tarpon Bend. If you remember those wooden drink chips and want some of your own, try playing "Flip the Chip," a game where you bargain happy hour "chips" with the bartenders. Land on the tarpon side and get two complimentary drinks (but miss it, and you'll pay for your second drink). Township also offers a number of new promotions and items unique to the area, including men's and women's stein lifting competitions. "Beat The Bell" offers guests specials on select beer; prices start low and move to full-price as the day goes on. Either way, there's plenty of ways to save on those crowler-sized cocktails or 72 taps at two bars, all available to order in third-, half-, and full liter steins.
