Why it's here: The earliest start in town and the longest bar-snack menu.
The Mayflower's happy hour starts at 2pm, so it's the move when the workday ends early. There are 18 taps, booths paneled in smoked glass, and soccer on the screens. Beer is $1 off across the board, and beer-and-liquor combos are $2 off. Cocktails are $8, including a Slane Irish Lemonade, Tito's Sea Breeze and an Old Forester Rye Old Fashioned.
The snack menu goes deep: $5 Fries with Curry Sauce, $6 Mozzarella Sticks and Battered Mushrooms, $7 Onion Rings, $8 Wings or Sliders, and $9 Chili Cheese Fries. If you're staying for dinner, the Fish & Chips and the Mayflower Chicken Curry are the regulars' orders.
Why it's here: A $20 pizza-and-pint deal, seven days a week.
Every day from 4pm to 6pm, this family-run spot on B Street pairs a pizza with a pint for $20. Go for the Mustache Pizza, the house's top seller, with a thin crust made from 24-hour-aged Caputo 00 dough. It's finished with Parmesan and fresh basil.
If you can't wait until 4, local draft beers are $5 from 11am to 4pm. If you're hungrier, add the Buttermilk Fried Chicken or a cup of Clam Chowder. It's a good stop before or after a beer at Freewheel Brewing across the street.
Why it's here: A trattoria bar with $5 beers and sliders for under $10.
Out front of the Villa Inn on a quiet stretch of Lincoln Avenue, Cafe Villa has a space-age interior and a full bar with a good whiskey shelf. From Tuesday to Friday, 4pm to 6pm, beers are $5, glasses of wine are $6 and mixed drinks are $7.
The bar bites are discounted too, and the beef and fried chicken sliders are the reason to grab a stool. On Wednesday, come for happy hour and stay for the $39 three-course Prime Rib Dinner, which includes salad, dessert and a glass of wine.
Why it's here: Two happy hours, one of them for night owls.
California Gold looks like an old saloon, with plank floors, historic fixtures and a grand mahogany bar. The cocktails run toward pre-Tiki-era classics. Golden Hour runs every day from opening until 6pm.
Reverse Golden Hour, Sunday through Wednesday from 9pm until close, is the one late-night happy hour in this roundup. The menu rotates often, so ask what's pouring. Regulars swear by the Flying Cloud and the Honey Ryder, and the boilermakers are a good deal.
Why it's here: A tequila happy hour from one of San Francisco's best-known bartenders.
Johnny Metheny, better known as Johnny Love, named this Fourth Street bar after the classic tequila highball. The back bar holds more than 40 tequilas. Happy hour runs daily from 4pm to 6pm, with discounted cocktails, beer and wine.
Start with a Ranch Water, obviously, then try the Sierra Madre or the High Plains Drifter. Alexis Volpe's mural covers one wall, and the game is on with the sound up. Weekends bring live music.
Why it's here: Happy-hour bubbles at picnic tables in a backyard patio.
Chef-owner Fabrizio Cercatore's pinsa-and-gelato spot took over the former Perry's space on Lincoln Avenue. From 4pm to 6pm every day, head out back: Mimosas and Bellinis are $8, and draft beer is $5.
Grab a picnic table and pair a vermouth spritz with the Bruschetta Mista. Or order a Pinsa Margherita to try the light, Roman-style crust made with wheat and rice flour. Finish with a scoop of pistachio gelato.
Why it's here: Happy hour with fairway views at Peacock Gap.
RangeCafe is the clubhouse bar and grill at Peacock Gap Golf Club, and you don't have to golf to come. From Sunday to Thursday, 3pm to 6pm, drinks and appetizers are discounted, including Chico Tacos, Spicy Wings and Kettle Chips.
The room has a central bar, booths all around and a fireplace corner. For a fuller meal, the Baja Fish Tacos and the strawberry shortcake with homemade biscuits are the classics.
