As a matter of fact, Pennsylvania's happy hour scene has become increasingly vibrant, and it offers a plethora of deals that cater to various tastes and preferences – do you want to take off the edge with whiskey or sip a few glasses of your favorite red? Pennsylvania’s got it all for you. And did you know? This surge in offerings is partly due to legislative changes in 2024, which expanded the permissible duration of happy hours from 14 to 24 hours per week - allowing establishments greater flexibility to attract patrons (and make them extremely happy and satisfied!). So if you ever find yourself on a Pennsylvania street or neighborhood, in the happy hour hub of Philadelphia or the famous districts outside Philly, your choices are seemingly endless. Join us as we take a stroll along Pennsylvania’s brilliant cities - and experience its Happy Hour deals to the fullest.
Philadelphia: A hub of Happy Hour excellence
Philadelphia is the state's largest city, and it boasts a rich tapestry of happy hour specials that cater to both locals and visitors. Here are some standout venues that exude the best happy hour experience imaginable:
1. Wicked Wolf Philadelphia
Website: wickedwolfphiladelphia.com
Telephone: 215-627-1049
Address: 1214 – 1216 Chestnut Street
Known as both a sports club and pub and dubbed the "Home of the Half-Price Happy Hour," this Center City establishment offers the best of the best - half-price drinks and bar bites from Monday to Friday, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Patrons can enjoy cocktails, mixed drinks, beers, seltzers, wines, and a variety of appetizers at unbeatable prices. It also offers an astonishing total of 32 HDTVs along with a massive 16-square foot LED screen. The first floor is dedicated to three thriving bars, and the second floor features a mezzanine with stunning city views – and a secret hideaway bar. It’s also got a delectable menu that includes Wicked Nachos, Wolf Fingers, quesadilla, and flatbreads. But its drinks take center stage – don’t forget to try the Signature Cocktails that include the Cinnamon Spice Rum Punch, the Phillies Punch, and the delectable Friends with Benefits.
2. Oyster House
Website: oysterhousephilly.com
Telephone: 215-567-7683
Address: 1516 Sansom Street
Renowned for its seafood offerings (especially its oysters – what else?), Oyster House is a veritable institution in Philly, serving patrons for more than 40 years! It provides a happy hour from Tuesday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Diners, take note: Happy Hour is only offered in the bar area. But there are excellent Happy Hour deals – including $2 oysters and snacks and drink specials. Guests can indulge in oysters paired with oyster shooters (try the New Englander and Chihuahua) and $4 draft beers, making it a true haven for seafood lovers since 1947. The dinner menu is also superb – must-tries include the Seafood Tower, a mouthwatering combo that is filled to the brim with oysters, chilled lobster, clams, shrimp cocktail, seafood salad, and more, and the Lobster Roll, Fisherman’s Stew, and Maryland Crabcake are absolutely divine as well. For beverages, crowd favorites include Kelly’s Punch, the Bloody Caesar, and the Jet Set.
3. El Poquito
Website: elpoquito.com
Telephone: 267-766-5372
Address: 8201 Germantown Avenue
What’s more delightful than a taco truck and fresh-juiced margaritas? Inspired by the beachside taquerias and cantinas found in Baja Mexico, El Poquito exudes a happy and vibrant atmosphere all year round. El Poquito's happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Saturday till Sunday from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. It features $8.95 house and frozen margaritas, $4.95 draft beer specials and house wine, and $7.95 house sangria. But the best happy hour deal in our opinion is the Flaquita margarita at only $11.95 – a delightful concoction of tres agaves blanco, fresh lime, and agave nectar. The happy hour menu also includes discounted food items like nachos ($11.95), salsas and quesos (starting at $3.95), shrimp ceviche ($12.95), and guacamole ($9.95).
4. Bar-Ly
Website: bar-ly.com/happy-hour
Telephone: 215-922-2688
Address: 101 North 11th Street
Situated in Chinatown, Bar-Ly (which has the distinction of being Chinatown’s only sports bar!) offers a daily happy hour from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Bar-Ly’s happy hour features over 15 different cocktails, draft beers, and martinis. It also serves sake and sake bombs, imported beer bottles such as Asahi, Kirin Ichiban, Heineken, and Corona, but the star of the show are the martinis – they range from the Bar-Ly Pineappletini to the Luscious Lycheetini, the Forbidden Appletini, and the Pink Watermelontini. There are also cocktails, wine by the glass, and craft beer such as Angry Orchard and Dogfish 60 Minute IPA. If you feel a bit peckish, there is also a happy hour food menu featuring skewers, fries, sliders, dumplings, spring rolls, half banh mi hoagies, and more.
5. Enswell
Website: enswellphilly.com
Telephone: 215-398-5919
Address: 1528 Spruce Street
With the famous motto, All’s Well that Ends Well, Enswell has proven itself yet another Happy Hour institution right in the heart of Philadelphia. Happy Hour at Enswell extends from Monday to Friday at 4:30 pm to 6 pm, and it is the epitome of class and sophistication with genteel interiors that boast of old-world charm as soon as you enter. Its drink selection is filled with cocktails, both creative and classic, such as The Symposiarch, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Wake Me Up Inside, as well as signature drinks like martinis, manhattans, margaritas, and whiskey sours. If you want a fresh and fruity cocktail, look no further than the Reynosa, Buck’s Grog, Peaty Blinders, and Pear Naked Lady. For food, Enswell also serves up evening menu exclusives such as Plateau Royale, Escargots a’la King, and Duck Bolognese.
Statewide chains embracing Happy Hour
If you want something more within reach and not out of the way, there are also a lot of franchises and chains with locations across Pennsylvania that have enhanced their happy hour offerings. As you know, the new law allows bars and restaurants in the state to extend their chosen discounts for more hours each week – and of course, this means happy hour is extended, too! Under the previous law, happy hour can take up to 14 hours a week – but with the new law, restaurants and bars can have happy hour up to as much as 24 hours a week. Take a look at the chain bars and restaurants serving Happy Hour below:
1. Red Lobster
Website: redlobster.com
Telephone: 215-673-5750
Address: 9140 Roosevelt Boulevard E
In December of 2024, the popular Red Lobster restaurant franchise launched a weekday happy hour promotion which is available Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The promotion includes $5 ‘drink specials’ such as Classic Margaritas and Top-Shelf Long Island Iced Teas, alongside discounts on starters at $2 off like Lobster Flatbread, Crab Queso, and Seafood-Stuffed Mushrooms. Of course, you can always extend your happy hour to dinner, where specialties like the Lobster Roll, Lobster Flatbread, and the Create Your Own Lobster Lover’s Dream are always readily available!
2. Giuseppe & Sons
Website: giuseppesons.com
Telephone: 215-399-9199
Address: 1523 Sansom Street
Happy Hour at one of the most iconic and well-loved restaurants in the Philly area starts from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm every day, although happy hour is only served in the bar and lounge of Giuseppe & Sons. But it isn’t just known for its Italian-American specialties – its happy hour is a treat as well. The happy hour selection includes such classics as Vino Bianco and Vino Rosso at only $6 a glass as well as cocktails like Lend Lease, Limonata, and Hotel Nacional at just $7. The place also serves draft beer, but it also has starters, sandwiches, and even seafood for happy hour prices. That said, some crowd favorites include Shrimp Scampi ($9), Clams Oreganata ($8), Milanese sandwich ($7), and Ricotta Toast ($6). What a happy tummy indeed!
3. Harp & Crown
Website: harpcrown.com
Telephone: 215-330-2800
Address: 1525 Sansom Street
Harp & Crown is part of the famous collection of restaurants and bars by Michael Schulson, known as the Schulson Collective, and Harp & Crown is a fabulous mix of old-world charm and modern functionality. It is starting to make a name for itself as a premier eatery and bar in Philly, and its interiors are glamourous and quirky with chandeliers interspersed with club armchairs and vintage wallpaper. It also has a well-lit and well-stocked lounge – and even has a bowling alley underneath the main room! Happy Hour at the Harp & Crown runs from 4:00 pm to up to 7:00 pm, and it includes a happy hour menu serving great bar chow such as a daily pizza, Salmon Poke, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Lamb Meatball, and Mac & Cheese. The drink selection features the Sansom Soda and Sunset Kiss as well as featured wines and beer.
4. Prohibition Taproom
Website: prohibitiontaproom.com
Telephone: 215-238-1818
Address: 501 North 13th Street
If you’re looking for a gastropub with a relaxed, casual vibe in Philly, Prohibition Taproom definitely fits the bill. It has an outstanding collection of beer and cider, cocktails, and comfort food, and its menu is also regularly updated according to the season and the available ingredients. The bar has 12 taps overall, all overflowing with the best of American beers – and it even has a rotating brewery hand-pulled cask line. Happy Hour is from Monday to Thursday at 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and every Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The Happy Hour menu includes cocktails for only $9 such as the Cosmopolitan, Bees Knees, Mary Pickford, and New York Sour, while the draft beer selection includes Outlaw for only $3 and Wydnridge – Pineapple Mango for just $5. The red and white wines are $6, and snacks are available for only $6 to $7, including Hummus, Pretzel Bites, and Popcorn Chicken with Hot & Honey Sauce.
5. Brauhaus Schmitz
Website: brauhausschmitz.com
Telephone: 267-909-8814
Address: 718 South Street
Designated Philly’s Most Authentic Beer Hall, Brauhaus Schmitz lives up to its name in full. This beer hall first opened its doors in 2009, and it has one of the most impressive selections of authentic German beers – over 34 draft beers all in all – and over 50 beers in bottles. What’s more, it operates a restaurant serving German dishes and entrees. Its happy hour is from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm every Monday to Friday, where you can take advantage of $6 beers, $7 house wines, and $8 sandwiches. The food is excellent as well, so don’t forget to try out classic German comfort food such as Doner Kebab Flammkuchen (shaved beef and lamb, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a yogurt-based sauce), Laugenbrezel (Bavarian pretzel with Obatzda), and the Kasseler Rippchen (smoked pork chop, sauerkraut, roasted potatoes, and pork jus). Prost!
The impact of legislative changes in bars and restaurants across Philadelphia
The recent changes to Pennsylvania’s laws regarding happy hour or discounted rates for bars and restaurants have sparked a new wave of enthusiasm among both patrons and business owners. For one, the expansion of allowable happy hour durations has created new opportunities for the hospitality industry as it allows establishments to extend their promotional periods or introduce additional happy hour sessions throughout the day – as is the case with several of these bars and restaurants, which have extended their happy hour times from 4 to 7, or extended it to include the weekend. This increased flexibility has led to a noticeable boost in customer traffic, particularly during times that were previously considered slow or off-peak.
For restaurant and bar owners, the change represents a very strategic advantage indeed. Many businesses have capitalized on the opportunity by crafting creative promotions and tailoring their happy hour offerings to better suit their clientele. Some venues now provide longer discount windows on drinks and appetizers, while others have introduced late-night happy hour specials to attract a different crowd. As a result, businesses that once struggled with limited foot traffic during certain hours now have a better chance of maintaining steady revenue streams throughout the day.
From a consumer perspective, the shift has also been warmly welcomed, as it offers greater accessibility to budget-friendly dining and socializing experiences. Whether it’s a bunch of professionals unwinding after work, college students looking for more affordable outings, or groups of friends planning casual get-togethers, the extended happy hour options cater to a wider range of demographics. This, in turn, has fostered a more vibrant and competitive hospitality scene, with establishments striving to differentiate themselves through unique discounts, themed promotions, and enhanced customer experiences.
Overall, this policy update has injected fresh energy into Pennsylvania’s bar and restaurant scene. By increasing affordability as well as accessibility, the expanded happy hour regulations have strengthened the industry’s ability to thrive while simultaneously benefiting consumers who enjoy a livelier, more budget-friendly social environment.
Happy Hour in Pennsylvania in 2025
Pennsylvania's happy hour scene in 2025 is more vibrant than ever, offering a superbly diverse range of deals that cater to every taste and preference. If you are in the heart of Philadelphia, you can definitely enjoy half-price drinks at Wicked Wolf, indulge in fresh seafood galore at Oyster House, or sip margaritas at El Poquito – truly, there’s no shortage of fantastic options. And thanks to the expanded happy hour legislation, both local gems and statewide or even nationwide chains now offer extended discounts, making it easier than ever to find the perfect spot to unwind. So, whether you’re a long-time Philly resident or just visiting for a day or weekend, be sure to explore Pennsylvania’s happy hour scene - because in the Keystone State, it’s certainly obvious - the good times (and great deals) are always flowing!
