Drinking in Hong Kong is not as expensive as you might think — as long as you take advantage of these cheap-as-chips happy hours. Take advantage of great drink deals and snacks at these popular Hong Kong bars and restaurants.
Cicada
Finally, Cicada is back! After closing its shutters on Shelley Street in 2014, this popular Asian tapas restaurant has reopened on Elgin Street — and yes it does boast the same awesome happy hour deals we’ve always known and loved. Although the new venue has more of a restaurant vibe, the $30 cocktails still draw the crowds. Wine is also from just $35 a glass, every day from 3-7:30pm.
47A Elgin Street, Soho, 2662-3882.
Stone Nullah Tavern
An open-fronted corner bar tucked up a side street in Wan Chai, Stone Nullah Tavern has fast earned a reputation for having THE cheapest happy hour in Hong Kong. Every weekday at 5pm all standard drinks are $1. Yup, just $1. Can’t find a dollar coin? Wait 20 minutes and the price becomes $2. Stone Nullah’s “Beat the Clock” happy hour sees the price of a drink double every 20 minutes — so be quick, or by 7pm you’ll be paying $64. Which by Hong Kong standards is still pretty sweet.
69 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, 3182-0128.
The Optimist
If your glass is always half full, then The Optimistic Hour at trendy Wan Chai watering hole The Optimist is the perfect happy hour for you. There are a range of drinks to suit every budget – with menus priced at $48, $68 or $88. Surprisingly there’s a good choice on the $48 menu: prosecco, bottles of Peroni, four enticing cocktails and some decent brands of spirits. However if Bombay Sapphire isn’t for you, $68 will get you a finer Tanqueray 10, or $88 a top-class Hendrick’s. Better yet, bar snacks start at just $48.
239 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, 2433-3324.
Room One
Stay classy while taking advantage of cut-price drinks at the swanky Room One. Every day is “Purple Hour” at The Mira hotel’s flashy cocktail bar: daily from 5-9pm house Champagne and a range of two-for-one cocktails. In real terms this means cocktails for $49, spirits from $43 and bottled beers at $35. If this isn’t enough, two-for-one extends from 4pm-1am on Sundays and Mondays — perfect for tackling the back-to-work blues.
118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-5888.
Lily & Bloom
If that salad didn’t fill you up at lunch, make a beeline for Lily & Bloom after lunch where free fries accompany some surprisingly cheap drinks. Better still, from 5-8pm, the first drink you order is just $5 from a select menu of cocktails, house red and white wine, plus beer. After that, it’s still only $45 a drink until 9pm. Did we mention the free fries are unlimited?
5-6/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, 2810-6166.
Wagyu Lounge
When your free-flow brunch comes to an end, Wagyu Lounge is a popular place next stop, with a happy hour that starts at 3pm and runs until 7pm every day. It’s one of the cheapest deals in Hong Kong with a menu featuring bottled beers and house spirits at $35, house wines and bubbles at $45, draught beer at $50 and house cocktails at $55. There’s also a cocktail happy hour with two-for-one drinks every Thursday, 6pm-1am. Or if you hang around late enough, happy hour for cocktails kicks in again with buy-one-get-one-free on Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm-1am.
3-5 Old Bailey Street, Central, 2522-1438.
The Tavern
The Tavern is an unassuming pub slash sports bar that’s a true local hangout. There’s always a deal on here: Monday through Wednesday it’s $40 all night on beers, house wines and spirits; other days of the week the deal is limited to 4-9pm. Bag yourself a spicy Bloody Mary during happy hour for just $60 — a veritable bargain. It’s also happy hour all day on weekends. Plus keep an eye out on The Tavern’s Facebook page for other one-off events where drinks drop as low as $20.
16A Elgin Street, Central, 2526-7737.
Posto Pubblico
Soho Italian fave Posto Pubblico has a new happy hour for 2016 that’s aimed at those of us with large appetites: $98 for all-you-can-eat charcuterie plus free-flow prosecco, beer and wine. Grab this deal on weekdays, 5-7pm.
28 Elgin Street, Central, 2577-7160.
Ned Kelly’s Last Stand
If you like your bars full of atmosphere, then the Kowloon institution that is Ned Kelly’s Last Stand should make it into your happy hour black book. It’s full of dark corners, often loud with the kick ass tunes of a live jazz band and serves a decent-priced pint. Every day from 11:30am to 9pm, draught beer will set you back $50-55. It’s pretty much about the best you’ll get for a full-sized pint and live jams in Hong Kong.
11A Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2376-0562.
Chôm Chôm
Crowds always pile onto the street outside Vietnamese restaurant Chôm Chôm — and with good reason, as the food is delicious. Pull up a piece of pavement or huddle at the bar for happy hour where $148 will get you a pitcher of Cay Mia punch: a fruity blend of vodka, sugarcane juice, wine, lemon, lychee, apple and orange. Not your taste? You’ll also get change from $150 for a jug of ginger toddy or draught beer.
58-60 Peel Street, Central, 2810-0850, www.chomchom.hk.
Ozu
A Japanese graffiti-strewn hole-in-the-wall on Hollywood Road, Ozu Bar is well-known for its $50 happy hour that includes a slew of drinks as well as food, every day between 4-8pm. The list of $50 booze is as long as your arm but includes its fair share of sakes, sake cocktails and Japanese whiskies. Wash them down with the ever-popular popcorn chicken, zucchini fries, sliders or skewers — again, all priced at 50 bucks.
1 Hollywood Road, Central, 5244-1417.
