Why it's here: A $29 steak-and-lobster lunch twice a week, plus $12 half dozens of oysters every day.
The Board Room channels Chicago's Rat Pack era from an unassuming Alameda del Prado strip mall, and its Prohibition Lunch is one of the best-value splurges in Marin. On Mondays and Thursdays, $29 gets you a grilled filet mignon with Jack Daniel's bone marrow reduction, a large broiled lobster tail with melted butter, a fully loaded baked potato, seasonal vegetables and soup or salad. Quantities are limited, it's dine-in only and there's no sharing, so get there early.
Happy hour runs every day (3pm-6:30pm weekdays, 5pm-6:30pm weekends), with the oyster bar's daily selection at $12 a half dozen or $24 a dozen, $10 classic cocktails, $8 well drinks and $2 off drafts. Bites include a street taco trio ($14), crab cake ($21) and surf & turf ($19).
Insider tip: Slide the bookcase to find The Speakeasy, the hidden bar next door.
Why it's here: $9 margaritas and $4.75 tacos off an oak-wood grill, every weekday.
Chef Bernardo Robles brings the flavors of Oaxaca and Puebla to the Ignacio shopping center, and Mamita's weekday happy hour is the easiest way to taste them. From 4pm-6pm, Monday through Friday, the cocktail list drops to $9: classic and Diablo margaritas, palomas, mojitos and more. Wines by the glass are $7.50.
On the food side, tacos are $4.75 each (carne asada, chicken, carnitas or grilled veggies), guacamole is $7, and ceviche mixto, queso fundido with chorizo, flautas, sopecitos and Mamita nachos all land between $9 and $12.
Insider tip: Grab a seat on the patio and work your way through the 60-plus tequilas and mezcals.
Why it's here: Three tacos for $9 every Tuesday, plus weekday lunch specials.
The Patiño family's Old Town cantina serves traditional, home-style dishes from across Mexico on handmade tortillas. On Taco Tuesday, from 2pm to 9pm, three tacos are just $9, and weekday lunch specials run Monday through Friday from 11am to 2pm (holidays excluded).
Pair your tacos with one of El Rey's margaritas, made with all-natural ingredients (the house recommends them on the rocks or straight up), or try a michelada or the signature El Rey Drop.
Insider tip: El Rey also hosts karaoke nights with DJ La Chiquis starting at 9pm; check the restaurant's Instagram for upcoming dates.
Why it's here: Trivia on Tuesday, all-ages bingo on Wednesday.
Trailhead is San Marin's neighborhood hangout, with salads, burgers, pizza, milkshakes and a solid craft beer and wine list. Midweek is when it really comes alive.
Tuesday Night Trivia starts at 6:30pm: meet your neighbors, show off what you know and play for prizes. On Wednesdays, all-ages Bingo kicks off at 6pm, so bring the kids, grab a burger and a shake, and settle in for a few rounds.
Insider tip: Bingo starts promptly at 6pm, so arrive a little early to order and grab your cards.
Why it's here: Wednesday trivia, a rotating food-truck lineup and fresh HenHouse beer on tap.
HenHouse Brewing's Novato Record Room on Grant Avenue is Old Town's go-to taproom. Every Wednesday from 6pm-8pm, HenHouse and North Bay Trivia host Trivia Night, so round up your team and claim a table.
The tap list changes often, ranging from hazy IPAs and crisp lagers to barrel-aged stouts and dry ciders. There's no kitchen, but a rotating lineup of food trucks parks outside; check HenHouse's food truck calendar before you go.
Insider tip: The Record Room opens at 2pm on weekdays and 11am on weekends.
Why it's here: A two-item combination lunch with all the fixings, Monday through Saturday.
SushiHolic's Combination Lunch is a Vintage Oaks favorite. Pick any two items (mixed tempura, chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki, gyoza, a California roll or a tuna roll), and they come with miso soup, salad and white or multi-grain rice for $19. Make one of them tuna or salmon sashimi for $23.
Prefer to let the sushi chefs decide? The Sushi Mori plates pair five pieces of chef's-choice nigiri with a tuna or California roll ($22-$23), and the chirashi bowl is $28. All lunch plates come with miso soup.
Why it's here: Something on almost every night, plus kids eat free on Sundays.
Finnegan's Marin, Old Town's Irish pub and American bar & grill, keeps the calendar full. Monday is open mic (8pm), Tuesday brings the Brainstormer Pub Quiz (7:30pm), and there's live music on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Happy hour runs daily from 3pm-6pm at the bar.
Sunday is family night: kids 12 and under eat free from the kids' menu with each adult entrée. Sunday brunch starts at 10am, too.
Why it's here: Kids under 10 eat free on weekdays, plus $16 to-go sandwiches and burgers.
Toast's big, bright Hamilton Marketplace dining room (designed by architect Stanley Saitowitz) is a natural for family breakfasts and lunches, and through October 31 it's even easier on the wallet. Monday through Friday from 9am-3pm, kids under 10 eat free with the purchase of two adult entrées (dine-in only).
Ordering to go? Burgers and sandwiches are $16 (add fries for $3), and on Tuesdays it's buy one pizza, get the second 50% off. To-go specials are ordered in person.
Insider tip: These deals end October 31, so go soon.
Why it's here: A weekday happy hour with New York-style pies, six big screens and an arcade.
Vinny G's brings New York-style pizza and craft cocktails to South Novato Boulevard, and its happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 3pm-6pm. Pair a signature margarita or an old fashioned with a hand-stretched pie: the Chicken Pesto is the customer favorite, and The New Yorker is loaded with ham, pepperoni, bacon and house-made meatball.
Six flat-screen TVs mean you'll never miss a game, and the old-school arcade games and pinball keep the kids (and the kids at heart) busy.
