Every happy hour worth knowing in Silver Lake
Silver Lake has always done the after-work drink well, whether that's a natural wine on a patio, a stiff mezcal cocktail at a divey corner bar, or a cold draft at a spot that doubles as a live music venue. This is the neighborhood guide we keep updated so you don't have to scroll through five apps to figure out where to go at 5pm. Here's every spot worth knowing, block by block.
The Semi Tropic · 2122 Sunset Blvd
The Semi Tropic is the kind of bar Silver Lake does best: moody, a little tropical, and serious about what's in the glass. Their happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 4–7pm, with discounts on craft cocktails and local drafts. The bartenders know their stuff, the space feels like a grown-up hideaway, and the Sunset Blvd foot traffic means you can walk right in on a Tuesday and feel like you've found something. Get the mezcal drink, whatever they're calling it that week.
Bacari · 3626 W Sunset Blvd
Bacari is the wine bar answer to every Silver Lake happy hour question. Italian-leaning small plates, a patio that earns its reputation, and a wine list that rewards the curious. Happy hour typically runs Tuesday through Friday, 5–7pm, look for discounted glasses of natural and Old World pours alongside bar bites. It gets lively on weekends when live music kicks in. Come early for a seat on the patio; it fills fast once the sun drops behind the hills. Worth noting: they do brunch and take reservations for groups, so it's also your answer when someone in the friend group insists on "somewhere nice."
Black Cat · 3909 W Sunset Blvd
Black Cat is a Silver Lake institution, a queer-friendly, unpretentious bar that's been holding it down on Sunset for years. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 4–8pm (check their current hours as they've adjusted seasonally), with well drinks and beers at reduced prices. The space is spacious enough that you can actually have a conversation, the jukebox is good, and the crowd is reliably interesting. No attitude, no dress code, just a solid neighborhood bar doing its job.
Cha Cha Lounge · Sunset Blvd
Cha Cha is one of those bars that looks exactly like it sounds, covered in kitsch, lit like a party, and always a little louder than you expected. Happy hour here is genuinely cheap: daily from open until 8pm, with $5 wells and discounted beers. It's a Silver Lake classic for a reason. Bring cash, bring a friend who's fun, and don't overthink the outfit.
Bar Stella · Sunset Blvd
Bar Stella has a slightly more polished edge than its Sunset neighbors, think candles, a solid cocktail menu, and a crowd that leans date-night and industry adjacent. Happy hour typically lands Monday through Friday, 5–7pm, with discounts on select cocktails and wine. It's a good pick when you want the bar experience to feel like an occasion without it actually costing like one.
Bar Siesta · Silver Lake
Bar Siesta leans into its name, relaxed, neighborhood-facing, and good for a long slow drink after work. Expect rotating specials on beer and well drinks during happy hour hours. It's the kind of place you end up staying two drinks longer than planned, which is really the highest bar compliment there is.
Silverlake Lounge · 2906 Sunset Blvd
The Silverlake Lounge is a live music dive in the best sense, sticky floors, good shows, and a bar that doesn't mess around with pricing. On non-show nights, it's a laid-back spot to grab a cheap beer. On show nights, get there early and drink before the room fills up. Happy hour drink specials typically run in the early evening; call ahead on show days to confirm timing.
Los Globos · 3040 W Sunset Blvd
Los Globos is Silver Lake's salsa club and late-night anchor, but the early hours are genuinely underrated for a happy hour drink before the dancing starts. Margaritas and Mexican beers are the move. The space transforms later in the night, but from 5–8pm it's chill, the drinks are affordable, and you might accidentally stay for the whole evening.
Kettle Black · Silver Lake
Kettle Black is a neighborhood bar with a whiskey-forward personality and a no-nonsense approach to happy hour pricing. Draft beers and well drinks are reliably discounted in the early evening. The crowd is local and loyal, which is always a good sign. It's the kind of spot where the bartender remembers your order by the third visit.
Echoplex · 1822 Sunset Blvd
Technically a music venue first, but the Echoplex bar area is worth knowing about for pre-show drinks. On show nights, doors typically open 1–2 hours before the headliner, and that window is your happy hour window, cheaper drinks, good energy, and you're already exactly where you need to be. Check their calendar at theecho.com and build your Tuesday night around it.
A few neighborhood add-ons worth knowing
Ceviche Project (2524 Hyperion Ave), Not a bar, but their micheladas made with fresh shrimp stock are one of the best drinks in the neighborhood, full stop. Grab one with a bowl of classic Peruvian ceviche and call it a happy hour win.
Playita Mariscos (3143 W Sunset Blvd), Patio, cocktails, and groups: the trifecta for a low-key Friday afternoon drink with food that actually delivers. Mariscos-style cocktails and cold beers hit differently when the patio's got good light.
Cheese Store of Silver Lake (3926 Sunset Blvd), Yes, a cheese shop. But if you're planning a pre-bar hang at someone's place, this is where you build the board: artisan and imported cheeses, custom charcuterie assemblies, and staff who will absolutely talk you into something you've never tried before. Pick this up before you settle in anywhere.
How to use this guide
Most Silver Lake happy hours cluster in that 4–8pm window on weekdays, with some bars extending deals later on slower nights like Monday and Tuesday. The Sunset Blvd corridor from Echo Park to the reservoir is walkable enough that a two-bar evening is entirely reasonable. Start at Bacari for wine, end up at Black Cat for a nightcap, and figure out the middle when you get there. That's the Silver Lake move.
Hours and specials change, always worth a quick call or check of the venue's Instagram before you go. We update this guide regularly as deals shift.
Zooming out: every happy hour worth knowing in Los Angeles.
Citywide guides featuring this neighborhood: Every happy hour worth knowing in Los Angeles