Monsoon Cafe

Ahhh...Monsoon. My go to happy hour in Los Angeles. Located on the ever-so-touristy 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica and part of the Global Dining family, Monsoon has a happy hour menu guaranteed to leave your belly and your wallet happy.

Happy hour takes place daily between 4pm and 7pm. Select beers, wines, cocktails and assorted sushi rolls are available for under $5. I am in the process of getting the menu and will post it as soon as I can.

The outside patio provides a full view of the spectacle that is the Promenade. If the no legged man doing acrobatics or the blonde girl from Kentucky singing pop songs and doing cartwheels or the little old man singing "Achy Breaky Heart" over and over again doesn't provide enough entertainment for you, stop by on Wednesday nights where after 7pm Monsoon provides free salsa lessons and live bands after 10pm.

Monsoon Cafe 1212 3rd St Promenade (Cross Street: Wilshire Blvd)
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Joseph's Cafe of Hollywood

As an Angelino, it's almost imperative to stay away from Hollywood during the day. Filled with tourists, traffic and let's not even mention the monstrosity that is Hollywood and Highland which apparently now they are trying to do the same with Hollywood and Vine (thank you W hotel). So I would understand that the prospect of going to Joseph's Cafe on Ivar during rush hour might make any self-respecting person in L.A. run for their local dive bar and huddle in the corner with a Jack on the rocks.
Don't you rush to judgment though, this restaurant that lives in the shadow of the "uber hip" White Lotus is a happy hour haven. Don't believe me? First, check out the menu:

Drink Specials
All Martini's & Margaritas $5
Well Drinks $4
Domestic Beer $2
Import Beer $3
Draft Beer $4
Wine by the Glass $4

Tapas & Apps
All Menu Items are $5
Calamari - fried or sauteed
Olive Plate w/Monchego Cheese & Jamon
Garlic Mushrooms
Garlic Shrimp
Skewers - Chicken, Fish or Lamb
Tuna Carpaccio
Pizza's - Margherita, Veggie or Meat
Rolled Tacos - Fish, Chicken or Beef
Chicken Quesadillas w/pico de gallo
Guacomole & Chips
Shrimp Cakes
Falafel Plate w/Tomatoes
Spanikopita
Saganaki (flaming goat cheese)


Secondly, it's quiet and on the end of Ivar so you can find on-street parking easily.
Third, it's really pretty and I said to go. That should be enough, I think!


Joseph's Cafe. 1775 North Ivar Hollywood, California 90028.

The Penthouse @ The Huntley Hotel

One of my favorite happy hours in L.A. used to be at Toppers in the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica. The drink specials weren't great and they didn't have the best bar menu in the city...but the views were spectacular PLUS all the chips and salsa you could eat!
When I learned that it had closed and was being replaced by a new restaurant called The Penthouse, I eagerly awaited it's opening to see if the happy hour tradition would continue. A call today to the hostess crushed my dreams. I was told they have a wonderful lounge menu but alas, no happy hour.

*sigh*

In any case, here is a lovely review by EaterLA.


The Penthouse 1111 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA 90403

Welcome

This will be an ever changing site, so please check back often. As I'm new to this whole blog thing, I'm hoping that with the more I learn, the larger this will grow.
If you know of a great happy hour in your area please e-mail me at stacyd@gmail.com!

Happy drinking!

Stasha