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Plates of olives and fried snacks sit on a black marble bar top surrounded by cocktails.
A selection of happy hour snacks at Strega Italiano.
Brian Samuels Photography

Boston’s Best After-Work Dining Deals

Boozy happy hour specials are a no-go in Massachusetts, but there are food specials aplenty at Greater Boston restaurants and bars

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A selection of happy hour snacks at Strega Italiano.
| Brian Samuels Photography

Due to a statewide happy hour ban that dates back to 1984, Massachusetts restaurants and bars can’t offer time-specific alcohol deals that are popular in many other areas, although there’s a renewed effort to repeal the ban. But for now, those seeking affordable after-work fun can find plenty of food-related specials around town, including dumplings, pizza, sushi, and more.

Celebrate the end of the work day with this collection of some of the Boston area’s best weekday evening food deals. (Boston’s plentiful $1 oyster deals are not included in this map; consult the Ultimate $1 Oyster Guide for those.)

This map was originally published on July 10, 2017; it is updated periodically, and the date of the most recent update appears above.

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Earls Kitchen & Bar

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This Canadian chain has a location at Somerville’s Assembly Row and another at Boston’s Prudential Center; it features an eclectic comfort food menu with global influences.

On the happy hour menu: Discounts on a few menu items, such as crispy shrimp sushi tacos, truffle fries, Buffalo cauliflower, and crispy ribs

Schedule: Weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to close; plus, brunch happy hour from open to noon on weekends

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar

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This subterranean Harvard Square staple has been open since 1971; it serves pub fare, sandwiches, soups, salads, and more.

On the happy hour menu: Entire menu is half-priced during happy hour

Schedule: Daily from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Restrictions: $4 minimum beverage purchase per person; not available on the patio — inside tables and bar seats only; dine-in only; no doggy bags

La Famiglia Giorgio's Restaurant

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Around since 1990, this North End restaurant is the type of place where a diner can embark on a six-pound lasagna challenge or a three-pound chicken parm challenge. Or, perhaps a less painful meal: the after-work three-course special.

On the happy hour menu: Three courses and a glass of wine (Montepulciano or pinot grigio) for $30 — garden salad, choice of one of several pasta entrees, and mini cannoli

Schedule: Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.

The Hill Tavern

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A classic Beacon Hill pub, open for over 25 years.

On the happy hour menu: $6 appetizer specials, including chili tots, Buffalo fries, nachos, chicken tenders, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Dine-in only

Chart House

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Located on the waterfront, this upscale seafood-and-steak chain offers nice views.

On the happy hour menu: A variety of apps priced from $4 to $10, including fried artichokes, sliders, fish tacos, lobster tartare, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Strega Italiano

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At glitzy Italian restaurant Strega Italiano’s locations in Boston’s Back Bay and Seaport, as well as Woburn, there’s a happy hour menu in effect for summer 2022. (Most Strega locations came under new ownership in 2020 — they are now under the same parent company as Smith & Wollensky — but Strega founder Nick Varano retained ownership of the North End location.)

On the happy hour menu: Light bites such as zucchini chips with spicy Calabrian chile aioli; truffle fries with parmesan; and more; plus $2 oysters

Schedule: Daily from 4 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Available in the bar and lounge only

Plates of olives and fried snacks sit on a black marble bar top surrounded by cocktails.
A selection of happy hour snacks at Strega Italiano.
Brian Samuels Photography

Scorpion Bar

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Part of the Big Night hospitality group, Scorpion Bar is a flashily decorated restaurant and nightlife venue. There are a variety of weeknight specials to spice up after-work visits.

On the happy hour menu: $1 wings, $20 all-you-can-eat tacos, a $19 meal (tacos, a churro, and beer), and more, depending on the day

Schedule: Weeknights starting at 5 p.m. (view the website for full details)

While this venue — also part of Big Night — is primarily known as a nightclub, there’s a large Asian-inspired food menu, too, with specials fit for the happy hour crowd a couple nights a week.

On the happy hour menu: On Mondays, all-you-can-eat sushi for $39 per person (choose from this menu); on Tuesdays, an all-you-can-eat selection of appetizers, entrees, and maki for $49 per person (choose from this menu)

Schedule: Mondays and Tuesdays, starting at 5 p.m.

Yard House

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This chain features a giant beer list. In addition to the Fenway location, other Massachusetts locations include Boston’s Back Bay, Burlington, Dedham, and Lynnfield.

On the happy hour menu: Half-priced pizzas and select appetizers, including poke nachos, chicken lettuce wraps, boneless wings in multiple flavors, blackened ahi sashimi, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

Barcelona Wine Bar

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This tapas chain has local outposts in Boston’s South End and Brookline, with Cambridge coming soon.

On the happy hour menu: Under-$10 snacks like mini churros, beef tartare, salmon crudo, green garlic deviled eggs, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from open (4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. Friday) to 6 p.m.

Banyan Bar & Refuge

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At this South End restaurant, which serves a pan-Asian-inspired menu, happy hour means dumplings.

On the happy hour menu: $1 dumplings

Schedule: 4 to 6 p.m. daily

Overhead view of pan-seared dumplings on a wooden board, garnished with parsley and sesame seeds.
Banyan’s dumplings.
Banyan Bar & Refuge

Tasca Restaurant

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Steps from the Green Line, this longstanding Spanish restaurant is a comfortable favorite for tapas. Stop by on a Tuesday for tapas happy hour.

On the happy hour menu: A selection of $5 tapas, including beef empanadas, patatas bravas, pollo al ajillo, boquerones, and more

Schedule: Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Dine-in only

Ginger Exchange

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This delivery and takeout staple with locations on Mission Hill, near Symphony Hall, and in Watertown is also worth visiting for sit-down meals, particularly during happy hour. Ginger Exchange offers an extensive sushi menu and a variety of noodle and rice bowls that draw influence from various Asian cuisines. (There’s an Arlington location, too, but that one is an “express” location especially geared toward takeout and delivery.)

Mission Hill and Watertown locations

On the happy hour menu: 25% off appetizers and $4 select sushi rolls

Schedule: Weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Dine-in only; only available at the bar and bar tables

Symphony location

On the happy hour menu: Appetizer deals nightly and $0.50 dumplings on Tuesday nights

Schedule: Nightly from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and after 9 p.m., plus Tuesdays after 9 p.m. for the dumpling deal

Restrictions: Dine-in only; only available at the bar; $6 drink minimum per person

Bright yellow fried wontons stuffed with crab sit on a white plate surrounding a little red bowl of dipping sauce.
Crab rangoon at Ginger Exchange.
Ginger Exchange

Local 149

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This cozy neighborhood spot in South Boston offers different specials each weekday, and with dinner service beginning at 4 p.m., that makes it a good spot for after-work deals. There’s trivia on Mondays and Tuesdays, too.

On the happy hour menu: $5 burger melts on Mondays, $3 tacos on Tuesdays, $27 three-course steak dinner on Fridays, $2 oysters every weekday, and more

Schedule: Every weekday from 4 p.m.

Earls Kitchen & Bar

This Canadian chain has a location at Somerville’s Assembly Row and another at Boston’s Prudential Center; it features an eclectic comfort food menu with global influences.

On the happy hour menu: Discounts on a few menu items, such as crispy shrimp sushi tacos, truffle fries, Buffalo cauliflower, and crispy ribs

Schedule: Weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to close; plus, brunch happy hour from open to noon on weekends

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar

This subterranean Harvard Square staple has been open since 1971; it serves pub fare, sandwiches, soups, salads, and more.

On the happy hour menu: Entire menu is half-priced during happy hour

Schedule: Daily from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Restrictions: $4 minimum beverage purchase per person; not available on the patio — inside tables and bar seats only; dine-in only; no doggy bags

La Famiglia Giorgio's Restaurant

Around since 1990, this North End restaurant is the type of place where a diner can embark on a six-pound lasagna challenge or a three-pound chicken parm challenge. Or, perhaps a less painful meal: the after-work three-course special.

On the happy hour menu: Three courses and a glass of wine (Montepulciano or pinot grigio) for $30 — garden salad, choice of one of several pasta entrees, and mini cannoli

Schedule: Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.

The Hill Tavern

A classic Beacon Hill pub, open for over 25 years.

On the happy hour menu: $6 appetizer specials, including chili tots, Buffalo fries, nachos, chicken tenders, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Dine-in only

Chart House

Located on the waterfront, this upscale seafood-and-steak chain offers nice views.

On the happy hour menu: A variety of apps priced from $4 to $10, including fried artichokes, sliders, fish tacos, lobster tartare, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Strega Italiano

At glitzy Italian restaurant Strega Italiano’s locations in Boston’s Back Bay and Seaport, as well as Woburn, there’s a happy hour menu in effect for summer 2022. (Most Strega locations came under new ownership in 2020 — they are now under the same parent company as Smith & Wollensky — but Strega founder Nick Varano retained ownership of the North End location.)

On the happy hour menu: Light bites such as zucchini chips with spicy Calabrian chile aioli; truffle fries with parmesan; and more; plus $2 oysters

Schedule: Daily from 4 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Available in the bar and lounge only

Plates of olives and fried snacks sit on a black marble bar top surrounded by cocktails.
A selection of happy hour snacks at Strega Italiano.
Brian Samuels Photography

Scorpion Bar

Part of the Big Night hospitality group, Scorpion Bar is a flashily decorated restaurant and nightlife venue. There are a variety of weeknight specials to spice up after-work visits.

On the happy hour menu: $1 wings, $20 all-you-can-eat tacos, a $19 meal (tacos, a churro, and beer), and more, depending on the day

Schedule: Weeknights starting at 5 p.m. (view the website for full details)

Empire

While this venue — also part of Big Night — is primarily known as a nightclub, there’s a large Asian-inspired food menu, too, with specials fit for the happy hour crowd a couple nights a week.

On the happy hour menu: On Mondays, all-you-can-eat sushi for $39 per person (choose from this menu); on Tuesdays, an all-you-can-eat selection of appetizers, entrees, and maki for $49 per person (choose from this menu)

Schedule: Mondays and Tuesdays, starting at 5 p.m.

Yard House

This chain features a giant beer list. In addition to the Fenway location, other Massachusetts locations include Boston’s Back Bay, Burlington, Dedham, and Lynnfield.

On the happy hour menu: Half-priced pizzas and select appetizers, including poke nachos, chicken lettuce wraps, boneless wings in multiple flavors, blackened ahi sashimi, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

Barcelona Wine Bar

This tapas chain has local outposts in Boston’s South End and Brookline, with Cambridge coming soon.

On the happy hour menu: Under-$10 snacks like mini churros, beef tartare, salmon crudo, green garlic deviled eggs, and more

Schedule: Weekdays from open (4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. Friday) to 6 p.m.

Banyan Bar & Refuge

At this South End restaurant, which serves a pan-Asian-inspired menu, happy hour means dumplings.

On the happy hour menu: $1 dumplings

Schedule: 4 to 6 p.m. daily

Overhead view of pan-seared dumplings on a wooden board, garnished with parsley and sesame seeds.
Banyan’s dumplings.
Banyan Bar & Refuge

Tasca Restaurant

Steps from the Green Line, this longstanding Spanish restaurant is a comfortable favorite for tapas. Stop by on a Tuesday for tapas happy hour.

On the happy hour menu: A selection of $5 tapas, including beef empanadas, patatas bravas, pollo al ajillo, boquerones, and more

Schedule: Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Dine-in only

Ginger Exchange

This delivery and takeout staple with locations on Mission Hill, near Symphony Hall, and in Watertown is also worth visiting for sit-down meals, particularly during happy hour. Ginger Exchange offers an extensive sushi menu and a variety of noodle and rice bowls that draw influence from various Asian cuisines. (There’s an Arlington location, too, but that one is an “express” location especially geared toward takeout and delivery.)

Mission Hill and Watertown locations

On the happy hour menu: 25% off appetizers and $4 select sushi rolls

Schedule: Weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

Restrictions: Dine-in only; only available at the bar and bar tables

Symphony location

On the happy hour menu: Appetizer deals nightly and $0.50 dumplings on Tuesday nights

Schedule: Nightly from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and after 9 p.m., plus Tuesdays after 9 p.m. for the dumpling deal

Restrictions: Dine-in only; only available at the bar; $6 drink minimum per person

Bright yellow fried wontons stuffed with crab sit on a white plate surrounding a little red bowl of dipping sauce.
Crab rangoon at Ginger Exchange.
Ginger Exchange

Local 149

This cozy neighborhood spot in South Boston offers different specials each weekday, and with dinner service beginning at 4 p.m., that makes it a good spot for after-work deals. There’s trivia on Mondays and Tuesdays, too.

On the happy hour menu: $5 burger melts on Mondays, $3 tacos on Tuesdays, $27 three-course steak dinner on Fridays, $2 oysters every weekday, and more

Schedule: Every weekday from 4 p.m.

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