Happy Hours: It’s 5 o’clock somewhere – especially in Sonoma

Sonoma Valley’s got more happy hours than you can shake a swizzle stick at.|

Most Sonoma restaurants host 'happy hours' in late afternoon before guests come in for dinner, often to keep staff working and to attract bargain hunters for a late afternoon or pre-dinner treat and drink.

Some of us who migrated to Sonoma from San Francisco might remember Paoli's, an early standard for happy hour appetizers. Happy hours started in San Francisco during the gold rush when bars served boiled eggs and an occasional cheese transported by steamship from what is now Marin French Cheese Co.

Many singles and couples used to stream into Paoli's after work in the financial district for what were substantial appetizers served for free. Paoli's hoped guests would buy lots of drinks to go with the free food, and singles hoped to meet someone special while noshing. Some slipped in the side door, munched on a free pre-dinner dinner and then back out the side door.

On the other hand, some restaurants see happy hours as a way to lure customers in to try their food and offer miniatures of some of their tastiest menu items. Chefs try new items not on the menu, and others just offer their menu appetizers at lower than normal prices.

Cocktails, 'well pours,' wine by the glass, and even iced tea and sodas are major profit sources for restaurants these days, when a glass of iced tea or soda water costs about $4.

Here are some of the best happy hour deals around the Valley matching food quality with price, listed alphabetically.

Around Sonoma Plaza

B&V Whiskey Bar & Grille

Oysters on the half shell with mignonette sauce, beef brisket, chicken or pulled pork sliders, Mary's free range chicken wings, ahi poke chips, Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir battered onion rings, and garlic or truffle fries. $3 to $6. 3 to 6 p.m. daily. 400 First St., E., Sonoma. 938-7110.

La Casa

Sixteen-ounce margaritas and small appetizers abound, including soft tacos with five meat choices, cheese quesadilla, jalapeño peppers (four pieces), nachos, tasty beans and cheese fundido dip, beef or chicken flautas all at $3.50 each, or a five-item sampler for $15. 4 to 6 p.m. 121 E. Spain St., Sonoma. 996-3406.

Plaza Bistro

Food includes Caesar salad, three or four potato skins with cheeses, bacon, and green onions, beef, salmon or pulled pork sliders, basket of foccacia. Each $6. 4 to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Full bar. 420 First St., E., Sonoma. 996-4466.

Murphy's Irish Pub

Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays with regular price 'bar bites' include mussels, fish tacos, crispy calamari, ham and cheese croquettes, fried goat cheese, shishito pepper, chicken wings, frickles and 3-chili popcorn chicken ($7.95-$17.95) 464 First St., E., Sonoma. 935-0660.

Mary's Pizza Shack

Both the Mary's on Spain Street and the Boyes Hot Springs restaurant have happy hours, but only Mary's on Spain Street has a full bar. Their new happy hour menu features garlic bread, a one-topping pizza slice, regular fries, Buffalo blue fries, bacon Parmesan or garlic fries, pesto breadsticks, 'he and she' meatballs, chicken wings and mozzarella sticks. $4 to $7. Monday through Friday 3 to 6 p.m. Sonoma Plaza: 8 W. Spain St., Sonoma 938-8300 and 18636 Sonoma Highway, Boyes Hot Springs. 938-3600.

Swiss Hotel

The historic Swiss Hotel, loaded with great photos and local memorabilia, offers a bar menu instead of calling it happy hour. Fried calamari, signature baked meatballs, baked baby brie, soup, butternut squash ravioli, antipasto platter, burgers with fries, salads, and pizzas. $7 to $24. Full bar. 18 W. Spain St., Sonoma. 938-2884.

El Dorado Kitchen

The lounge menu is only served in the bar area and includes oysters, steamed mussels, ahi tuna tartare tacos, burrata, chicken quesadillas, burgers with fries, beef carpaccio and a charcuterie plate, all in a vibrant atmosphere. $12-$32 405 First St., W., Sonoma. 996-3030.

The Girl & the Fig

All-day and late-night menu includes loads of local and French cow and goat milk cheeses, and charcuterie selections and platters, heirloom radishes, duck liver pate, grilled asparagus and salads. $7-$48 110 W. Spain St., Sonoma. 938-3634.

Maya Restaurant

Happy hour bargain margaritas, well drinks and wines. Carnitas, chicken or steak sliders, 'really good nachos,' Panucho with Yucatan-style tostadsas stuffed with black bean puree, cabbage with same meats and sides of guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo, or a soft corn tortilla with same meats. $3 to $6. Monday-Friday, 4 to 6 p.m. 101 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 935-3500.

Oso

Cocktail bargains celebrate newish full liquor license. Small bites include oysters, Caesar salad, deviled eggs with Dungeness crab, Gulf shrimp cocktail, hummus plate, mole braised pork shoulder tacos, and ceviche with avocado and cilantro. $2.50 per oyster to $10. 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 9 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 931-6926.

HopMonk Tavern

Fun, loud and busy Biersch tavern with large portions all the time. Happy hour foods include housemade chips, fish tacos, cheese quesadillas, pork or beef sliders and carnitas tacos. ($3 to $3.75. 691 Broadway, Sonoma. 935-9100.

Sonoma Grille & Bar

Housemade beer, cocktails and wines $3 to $6. One of the best for garlic fries, Monterey Bay calamari, green or Caesar salad, barbecued oysters, fried clams and mussels, vegetable flatbread, shrimp cocktail, chicken wings, Bar cheeseburger, antipasti and cheese platter, oysters. $6 to $20 Monday through Friday, 3 to 5 p.m. Full bar. 165 W. Napa St., Sonoma. 938-7542.

Rest of Sonoma Valley

Mi Ranchito

All appetizers except seafood 30 percent discount from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Full bar. 19315 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma.

Reel & Brand

New owners Kevin Kress, managing partner, and Jeff Spencer, CPA, have a new menu and happy hour goodies, having lowered the prices and lengthened happy hours. Baskets of fresh-daily fish tacos, spicy shrimp tacos, crispy marinated chicken wings with housemade ranch dressing, sticky ribs and fries, a $5 burger with $3 extra for fries, a fried white fish sandwich, and one-piece fish & chips. $3 to $9 Full bar. 2 to 6 p.m. daily. 401 Grove St., Sonoma. 343-0044.

Salt & Stone

Both a bar menu and a happy hour menu, which overlap. Great choices of salads, quarter-pound burgers, crispy curry calamari, raw and cooked oysters, cheese and charcuterie plate, gelato or sorbet with sugar cookie, and truffle pommes frites. Everything $6 on HH menu. 2:30 to 5:30 Monday through Friday. Full bar. 9900 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. 833-6326.

Tips Roadside

Afternoon 'Sips & Bits' include burgers, carnitas, cubed tri-tip, fried chicken, Reuben with house made pastrami and slaw all on challah, French roll or biscuit, five kinds of sliders, tomato soup, and green salad. ($4 to $14) 2 to 5 p.m. Full bar. 8445 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. 509-0078.

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