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Happy hours in Santa Cruz, CA

In Santa Cruz, the lowest price on the list is $2 Oysters at Johnny's Harborside. Happy hour in Santa Cruz usually runs 3–6pm, and 59% run on weekends too. Explore 28 happy hours across 27 restaurants in Santa Cruz, plus 110 specials at 38 restaurants. The top 10 menus are below.

  • 27restaurants
  • 28happy hours

Top 10 happy hours in Santa Cruz

  1. El Jardin Restaurant

    655 Capitola Rd
    Santa Cruz, CA 95062

    Happy Hour

    Cantina and patio only

    • Daily · 3–6 pm
    • Tue · 3–9 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Bean Dip$6.00
    • Nachos with Chicken, Steak, or Pork$10.00
    • Nachos with Cheese$9.00
    • Quesadilla with Chicken, Steak, or Pork$10.00
    • Quesadilla with Cheese$9.00

    and 7 more on the map

    Spirits

    • All Well Drinks$8.00

    Cocktails

    • House Fresh Margarita$9.00

    Beer

    • All Beers$1.00 off

    Wine

    • House Wine$8.00
    • Sangria$8.00
    • Happy Hour Bogle Chardonnay$7.00
    • Happy Hour Bogle Essential Red Blend$7.00
  2. Gilda's

    37 Municipal Wharf
    Santa Cruz, CA 95060

    Happy Hour

    Dining room and bar

    • Daily · 2:30–6:30 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Cup of Chowder50% off
    • Onion Rings50% off
    • Calamari50% off
    • Fried Zucchini50% off
    • Mozzarella Sticks50% off

    and 3 more on the map

    Wine

    • Wine$8.00

    Cocktails

    • Margarita$8.00
    • Bloody Mary$8.00
    • Caribbean Bird$8.00
    • Cloudy Peach$8.00
    • Smoke N Smash

    Beer

    • Draft Beer$8.00
  3. Venus Spirits Cocktails and Kitchen

    200 High Rd
    Santa Cruz, CA 95060

    Late Night Happy Hour

    • Mon–Thu · 8–9 pm

    1 more happy hour on Mon–Fri

    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Focaccia$6.00
    • Chips + Dip$8.00
    • Venus Fries$6.00
    • Five Mac + Cheese$10.00
    • Wayward Chicken Wings (six)$13.00
    • Venus Burger$16.00

    Cocktails

    • House Negroni$10.00
    • Gin + Tonics$10.00
    • Martinez$10.00
    • Beach Don’t Kill My Vibe$10.00
    • El Ladrón Margarita$10.00
    • Old Fashioned$10.00
  4. Back Nine Grill & BAR

    555 Hwy 17 at Pasatiempo exit
    Santa Cruz, CA 95060

    Happy Hour

    • Daily · 3–6 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Coconut Prawns$7.00
    • Ginger Prawns$7.00
    • Prawn Cocktail$7.00
    • Pork Skins$10.00
    • Veggie Skins$10.00

    and 10 more on the map

    Cocktails

    • Margarita$8.00

    Wine

    • Joel Gott SB$6.00
    • Sea Glass Rose$6.00
    • Back House Cab$6.00
    • Camelot Chard$6.00
    • House Pint Gris$6.00

    and 2 more on the map

    Beer

    • Discretion Shimmer Pils 16oz$6.50
    • SCMB Pacific IPA 16oz$6.50
    • SCMB amber 16oz$6.50
    • corralitos Hazy IPA 16oz$6.50
    • corralitos blond Ale 16oz$6.50

    and 10 more on the map

    Spirits

    • Vodka$6.00
    • Rum$6.00
    • Tequila$6.00
    • Coco Rum$6.00
    • Whisky$6.00

    and 5 more on the map

  5. Johnny's Harborside

    493 Lake Ave
    Santa Cruz, CA 95062

    Happy Hour

    • Daily · 3–5 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Cocktails

    • Martini$9.00
    • Well Cocktail$7.00

    Beer

    • Shimmer Pilsner — Discretion Brewing Co$5.00
    • Amber — Santa Cruz Mt Brewing Co$5.00
    • Mai Tai IPA — Alvarado St Brewing$5.00
    • Hazy IPA — Humble Sea$5.00
    • Modelo Especial$5.00

    Spirits

    • Jameson$6.00

    Food

    • Oysters$2.00
    • Jeffrey's Cheeseburger$10.00
    • Smoked Mushroom Banh Mi$16.00
    • Crispy Local Fish Taco$5.00
    • Mom Taco$4.00

    and 4 more on the map

    Wine

    • House Red Wine$8.00
    • House White Wine$7.00
  6. Crow's Nest Restaurant

    2218 E Cliff Dr
    Santa Cruz, CA 95062

    Breakwater Happy Hour - Upstairs

    • Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri · 3–6 pm
    • Wed · 3 pm–close
    • Sun · 7–9 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Cocktails

    • Well margaritas
    • Well bloody marys

    Beer

    • Pint beers

    Wine

    • House wines

    Spirits

    • Well drinks

    Food

    • Dungeness Crab Cakes — Single or Double
    • Buffalo Wings$10.48
    • Burrata Crostini$9.98
    • Famous Smoked Salmon — Regular or Captain
    • Our Award-Winning Calamari$13.48

    and 7 more on the map

  7. Eathookandline

    105 Walnut Ave
    Santa Cruz, CA 95060

    Happy Hour

    • Mon · All day
    • Wed–Sun · 4–5 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Oysters - Chef's Choice$2.00

    Cocktails

    • Pink's Margarita$12.00
    • Solstice Spritz$12.00

    Non-alcoholic

    • Garden Grove (NA)$10.00

    Beer

    • Discretion Brewery Pilsner$8.00

    Wine

    • NV Poggio Costa Prosecco Rose (glass)$11.00
    • 2025 Quinta do Ermizio (glass)$12.00
    • 2023 Bodegas Pinuaga Tinto (glass)$12.00
  8. Cafe El Palomar

    2222 E Cliff Dr Ste 100
    Santa Cruz, CA 95062

    Happy Hour

    • Mon–Fri · 2–5 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 24, 2026

    Food

    • Grilled Chicken Taco$4.50
    • Shredded Chicken Taco$4.50
    • Shredded Beef Taco$4.50
    • 1/2 Quesadilla$9.00
    • 1/2 Nachos$9.00
    • Chicken Flautas$9.00

    Spirits

    • Well Drinks$8.00

    Cocktails

    • House Margaritas$8.00
    • Fresh Lime & Agave Margarita$10.00
    • Mini Slushy$8.00

    Beer

    • Beer$7.00

    Wine

    • House Wine$7.00
  9. Ristorante Italiano

    555 Soquel Ave Ste 150
    Santa Cruz, CA 95062

    Happy Hour

    • Mon, Wed–Fri · 4:30–6:30 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Fried Calamari$11.99
    • Garlic Bread$3.99
    • Artichoke Hearts$10.99
    • Stuffed Polenta$7.99
    • Fried Raviolis$8.99

    and 3 more on the map

    Beer

    • Peroni, Italian Lager (pint)$5.00
    • Peroni, Italian Lager (mug)$7.00
    • Scrimshaw, Pilsner (pint)$6.00
    • Scrimshaw, Pilsner (mug)$8.00
    • Stella Artois, Belgium Pilsner (pint)$6.00

    and 3 more on the map

    Cocktails

    • Margarita$5.00
    • Moscow Mule$6.00
    • Manhattan$7.00
    • Gimlet$7.00
    • Mojito$6.00

    and 9 more on the map

    Wine

    • Pinot Noir (glass)$6.00
    • Montepulciano (glass)$6.00
    • Sangiovese (glass)$6.00
    • Cabernet (glass)$6.00
    • Chardonnay (glass)$6.00

    and 2 more on the map

  10. The View Restaurant & Bar (at Chaminade Resort & Spa)

    1 Chaminade Ln
    Santa Cruz, CA 95065

    Daily Happy Hour

    • Daily · 3–5 pm
    See on the map

    Updated Oct 25, 2026

    Food

    • Bar Menu food20% off

    Beer

    • Beer20% off

    Cocktails

    • Cocktails20% off

    Wine

    • Wine20% off

We read each restaurant’s own website for its happy hours and specials, usually about once a month; this page was last updated October 25, 2026. Restaurants change their offers, so check with the restaurant before you go.

See all 27 happy hour menus in Santa Cruz on the map

Friends toasting at an outdoor restaurant

Menus, times and prices

See every happy hour menu in Santa Cruz.

Every happy hour in Santa Cruz, with its menu, times and prices, on one map.

Happy hours in Santa Cruz: questions

When is happy hour in Santa Cruz?

El Jardin Restaurant runs it daily, 3–6 pm and Tue, 3–9 pm. Gilda's runs it daily, 2:30–6:30 pm. Venus Spirits Cocktails and Kitchen runs it Mon–Thu, 8–9 pm. Choose Now on the map for the ones on right now.

What is the cheapest happy hour deal in Santa Cruz?

The lowest price on the list is $2 Oysters at Johnny's Harborside, then $2 Oysters - Chef's Choice at Eathookandline and $3.99 Garlic Bread at Ristorante Italiano.

Where can I get happy hour food in Santa Cruz?

El Jardin Restaurant, Gilda's, Venus Spirits Cocktails and Kitchen, Back Nine Grill & BAR and 6 other restaurants have food on their happy hour menu.

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