best happy hours in santa rosa
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I find myself googling this topic a lot. Best Happy Hours in Santa Rosa. And by a lot, I mean every other week when we want to get adventurous and try somewhere new. And there are lists out there, but most of them are out dated (so much turnover in this area lately) and they cover everywhere in Sonoma County. Plus I wanted a list that told me how the happy hour was; like yea I get they are offering it from 3-6pm monday-friday, but is it a good one? Is it just draft beer on happy hour or can I get a nice glass of wine? In that case, is it just drinks or can I snack my way until dinner too? I mean, are there truffle fries?
So I’m specifically limiting this list to the city of Santa Rosa, mostly because I find myself not wanting to travel too far at 3pm on a Friday, but also because right now that’s where I have the most experience. I’m not making a “best” list without speaking from experience. So here goes — the best happy hours in Santa Rosa, California.
jackson’s bar and oven
3:00pm - 6:00pm | Monday - Friday
I don’t even want to take a guess at how many times I’ve been to happy hour at Jackson’s. It’s basically my go-to place. I love it because their menu is simple and delicious and they serve the same portion sizes for happy hour as they do on their regular menu — they don’t cut the portion in half and claim it’s a happy hour special. Those places are the worst. So for drinks, they offer $2 off draft beer, $5 glasses of their house red and white wine, $7 glasses of sparkling and some cocktails for $5 — they usually have a happy hour cocktail that changes every week. They like to get super fancy with those, so if you’re in to that sort of thing I definitely recommend trying it. If not, their house red (usually Murphy Good Pinot Noir) isn’t bad; especially for $5. And for food, you can basically eat dinner at happy hour 🙌🏽. They serve a margarita pizza (bomb dot com) for only $8 (same one on their dinner menu that typically runs $15), wings for $7, $6 for prawn tacos or 3 oysters, and $4 truffle fries. YOU HAVE TO ORDER THE TRUFFLE FRIES #cerriously. They are the best thing on this planet. Okay fine, they aren’t that good, but they are v delicious. All in all, if you’re ever in the mood for happy hour and don’t want to think about where to go, go to happy hour at Jackson’s Bar and Oven.
starks steakhouse
3:00pm - 6:00pm | Monday - Friday
Starks’s Steakhouse is another go-to of mine. So much so I kinda burnt myself out on it for a while therefore it’s been few months since I’ve been back. However, if you’ve been wanting to go to Stark’s for dinner and just can’t get yourself to spend the $45 on a steak a la cart, their happy hour is for you! It’s just as delicious — the food is amazing — and it’s very reasonably priced. They offer about ten food items that are all priced at $6. Some of my favorites include the not so mini burger (it’s basically the size of a regular burger and just as tasty), truffle fries (though they serve them with a shiracha aioli that I don’t love), buttermilk onion rings (fyi, they are the size of donuts), and the prime rib bahn mi sandwich. Also the tuna tartare tacos are supposed to be delicious I just don’t each fish. For drinks, you can get their happy hour white or red wine for $6 (I can never remember what it is, but I definitely enjoyed both), cocktails from $5-$7 and one kind of beer for $2.75 🤔 I know, I don’t know why they even bother. Pro tip: if you’re trying to go here on a Friday, make sure you (or someone in your party) get’s there right at 3pm, this place gets to be a mad house and there is a waiting list to sit down by 3:30pm.
la rosa
4:00pm - 6:00pm | Monday - Friday
I always considered La Rosa to be Chevy’s more sophisticated older sister. It’s basically the same restaurant, but La Rosa’s food is slightly…better. There I said. The skirt steak just melts in your mouth 😋. They offer house margaritas for $6, well cocktails and house wine for $5 and domestic beers for $4. I typically always go for a margarita here (the prickly pear, though not on happy hour, is my all time fav). Food consists of small bites and range from $3.50-$6. Most of it is around $5 and the same items just with or without meat — for example, a cheese quesadilla is $3.50 and one with chicken or steak is $5. My go-to food items are the chicken taquitos, steak quesadilla, and steak nachos. You can never have too much steak here. Pro tip: if you go here in the summer they consider half of their outside patio to be part of the bar, so you can happy hour outside!
perch and plow
3:00pm - 5:00pm | Friday - Sunday
This place has started to become one of my new favorites. They are located very conveniently in Courthouse Square and their happy hour hours are perfect. They also have a delicious menu that includes everything from $10 fish tacos or cheeseburger to $6 garlic fries or chicken wings. Also their mac + cheese is amazing! Perch and Plow also knows how to make a tasty cocktail and they have seven different ones on their happy hour menu. Honestly if you are looking for a cocktail during happy hour, Perch and Plow is the place to go. Last time I went I got the berry drop and the margarita — both so good and both $9 each. You can also get a beer or a glass of wine for $5.
Do you have a favorite happy hour that isn’t on this list? Let me know what it is — I always like to try new places!
