Happy Hour in Halifax

With more bars per capita than anywhere else in Canada, you're bound to find a drinking haven to match your style and budget in Halifax. Many bars in the city offer happy hours and specials that go easy on your wallet-pretty much every day of the week there's a great deal on food and drink somewhere. Here are some of the best bars in Halifax to experience happy hour.


Durty Nelly's

For those hankering for an authentic Irish pub, you'll find a great one in Halifax: Durty Nelly's is massive and very fun, handily located on Argyle Street in downtown Halifax, in a long strip of bars and restaurants. Live music usually is featured on the nights when karaoke or their massively popular quiz night isn't happening. Drink specials that save you a buck or more off bar shots and beers are offered from 4PM to 6PM every night except Saturday. There are no food specials, but portions here are generous (and the rib-sticking traditional Irish food is very good) and reasonably priced.

Durty Nelly's Authentic Irish Pub
corner of Argyle and Sackville streets
Halifax
www.durtynellys.ca
902-406-7640

The Bitter End

If you're in the mood for somewhere sophisticated, then The Bitter End is a good choice. You'll find fancy drinks a plenty, and the food menu is pretty darn good (their nachos are served with a sundried-tomato spread that is divine). They don't have a happy hour so much as one great big happy night, Martini Mondays, where select martinis are $6.25 and a local DJ spins the hippest tunes. The place gets pretty packed with sexy young things, so get there early if you want a table.

The Bitter End
1572 Argyle St.
Halifax
www.bitterend.ca
902-425-3039

Your Father's Moustache

This massive bar has one of the best rooftop patios in Halifax, with fire-pits and heaters to keep you warm when needed. The 'Stache, as locals call it, is fun and very popular with Halifax's student population. You'll find pretty standard pub fare here and you can try the local delicacy of deep-fried pepperoni, which sounds awful but tastes amazing. Thursday nights are wing night, where you can buy 40c wings, and the wings here are known for being plump and juicy. Their happy hour runs from 4:30PM to 7PM Monday to Thursday and 4:30PM to 8PM on Fridays, during which time you'll score a selection of bottled beers for $4.75 and well shots for $4.25.

Your Father's Mustache
5686 Spring Garden Road
Halifax
www.yourfathersmoustache.ca
902-423-6766

Split Crow

You'll find a Halifax institution, the Split Crow, on the corner of the very quaint cobbled Granville Street. A good time will always be had in this traditional Nova Scotian drinking hole, and usually a Celtic-influenced house band will be there to provide the soundtrack. The drink specials here are legendary: Not only is there a happy hour where the drinks are very reasonably priced between 4:30PM and 7PM Monday to Friday, but the Split Crow takes it a big step further with its Power Hour-on Saturdays from 4:30PM until 5:30PM, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9PM and 10PM, you can buy a draft beer for $2.50.

Split Crow
1855 Granville St.
Halifax
www.splitcrow.com
902-422-4366

The Foggy Goggle

If you aren't into deep-fried fare and prefer microbrew to mass-produced, then you'll appreciate the differences at The Foggy Goggle. This fairly intimate bar attracts an artsy/tekkie crowd and has regular open mic and comedy nights, as well as hosting DJ sets and bands. Happy hour here runs from 3PM until 7PM, and usually involves a buck or two off beers. Food and drink specials run all night every night. The food is hand made in house and very good, but consequently you need to wait a little longer than you would at a bar where the food comes from the freezer, into the deep fryer and onto your plate. (Try the absolutely delicious lobster mac and cheese.)

The Foggy Goggle
1667 Argyle St.
Halifax
www.thefoggygoggle.ca
902-444-1414

Photo, Nova Scotia Economic and Rural Development and Tourism