How to Happy Hour in the Richmond Arts District
By: Emma North
It’s a new age for happy hours! If you are a big fan of discounted food and drinks then you have probably attended a happy hour. Before July 1, 2019 it was illegal for bars and restaurants to advertise their happy hour specials. Now prices, drink types, and hours as well fun happy hour slogans can be made readily available to prospective customers and can also be promoted. Happy hour advertisements can be posted through flyers, posters, social media and their website. With the changes in laws some restaurants like Bar Solita and Chez Foushee are even revamping their happy hours making them even more exciting for their customers.
These new laws make it much easier to find fun and affordable places to stop in for a drink or bite to eat. It might seem like a lot of work to research all of these newly shared hours, specials, and prices but no fear because we have listed some great places you can happy hour at in and around the Richmond Arts District.
Bar Solita: Walking into this tapas bar you instantly feel like you’re on vacation surrounded by the tropical decor and mediterranean food. The happy hour at Bar Solita is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every weekday. There are deals on cocktails, select wines, beer, and snackable foods like olives, pizza rolls, and wings. They offer $4 rails, $5 drafts, $6 classics, and $6 glasses of wine.
Julep’s New Southern Cuisine: Julep’s serves up upscale southern food inspired by major southern cities such as Atlanta, New Orleans and Savannah. Their $5 @ 5 Happy hour menu has $5 small plates and $5 drinks like wine glasses, draft beer, mixed drinks and their signature Jim Beam mint julep.
Bistro 27: Bistro 27’s “Five...Five ...Five ... after 5:00 p.m.!” means that all of their draft beer, glasses of wine, and appetizers are five dollars when you sit at their bar. These specials are offered Tuesdays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m..
Barcode: Barcode is Richmond’s LGBT Bar and Restaurant. They offer a happy hour everyday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Tarrant’s Cafe: Tarrant’s Cafe has it all including awesome happy hour deals throughout the entire day. Every weekday happy hour starts at 11 a.m. and their deals last all the way until 7 p.m.. These awesome specials include $3.50 Well Drinks, $5 Cocktails, $6 Martinis, $5 10 oz drafts and $6 House Wines.
Chez Foushee: While many restaurants offer weekday happy hours, Chez Foushee’s happy hour schedule is more tailored to a long weekend experience. Their $4 beer and $7 wine and $6 rail prices are available Thursday through Saturday each week from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.. Their new happy hour menu also now includes a build your own board option and small plates.
Rappahannock: The Rappahannock Oyster Company’s Richmond restaurant serves fresh oysters at their raw bar. They also serve up happy hour specials Sunday through Thursday each week from 3 p.m to 6 p.m.. For drink specials, they have $6 bourbon, $7 prosecco, $9 oyster shooters, $1 off wine by the glass, $4 canned beer. In addition to drinks they oyster and appetizer deals available.
Belle: Belle is a contemporary Southern restaurant with a selection of craft and classic cocktails. Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m to 7 p.m. They offer deals on beverages ranging from $6 select cocktails, $3 select highballs and bottled beers, $5 draft beers and glasses of wine. In addition to drinks they have $6 food specials and select 3 for $15 offers.
Wong Gonzalez: Wong Gonzalez serves a fusion of South Asian and Latin cuisines and they also serve up some killer happy hour deals. On Tuesdays through Saturdays 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. they have $5 margaritas, $3 highballs, $2 off draft beer, and $1 off draft wine and package beer.
Max’s on Broad: Max's provides guests with a very classy and enjoyable environment. They serve homemade French inspired dishes Everyday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Max’s offers $7 cocktails, $4 highballs, glasses of wine and beers as low as $3, and deals on a selection of hors d’ouevres.
Secret Sandwich Society: On weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. customers dining-in can order off an entirely separate happy hour menu. They offer a dollar off on all drafts, wine and cider with an extra dollar off on Virginia made drafts and ciders. In addition to this there are cocktail discounts and deals on food ranging from appetizers to whole sandwiches.
Switch: Switch’s Alice in Wonderland theme won’t stay the same forever so don’t miss out on their happy hour deals on their speciality drinks. According to their Facebook page, their happy hour is held Tuesday to Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.. They offer $3 off cocktails during happy hour, $4 beers, $5 wines, and $5 bar bites.
*All happy hour information has been gathered from the website or Facebook page for each restaurant. Restaurants may offer other specials that are not included above*
