Best Happy Hour Restaurants in Midtown-Times Square
17 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
The Three Monkeys
Three‑floor pub with lively drinks deals and reliable comfort bar food.
Notable Picks
8.5
A three‑level British‑Irish style pub offering hearty bar fare and lively happy hour deals; locals and visitors alike gather here for drinks after shows or work nights. Known for generous portions and 2-for-1 appetizers during happy hour. A go-to for casual nights out near Midtown.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fish and Chips, Buffalo Wings, 2‑for-1 Appetizer Special
What Makes it Special: Three‑floor pub with lively drinks deals and reliable comfort bar food.
#2
Bond 45
8.3
Stylish bi-level Italian from restaurateur Shelly Fireman, directly across from Hamilton's Richard Rodgers Theatre. The lavish antipasti bar and Broadway set designer-styled interior honor the building's Ziegfeld Follies history with thin-crust pizzas and specialty veal chops.
Must-Try Dishes:
Vegetable Antipasti Bar, Chicken Parmigiana, Artisan Thin Crust Pizza
What Makes it Special: Prime Hamilton theater location with all-day breakfast and late-night happy hour
#3
BXL Cafe
8.3
Vibes:
Brewery & Beer Garden Republic
Happy Hour Hotspots
Business Lunch Power Players
Comfort Food Classics
A Belgian beer café in the heart of Times Square with moules-frites as the real draw. The frites are thick-cut, extra crisp, and paired with mayo-forward sauces the way Brussels intended, making this a true fry-first stop.
Must-Try Dishes:
Moules-Frites, Belgian Frites with Aioli, Carbonade Flamande
What Makes it Special: Proper Belgian-style frites and mussels with a deep beer bench.
8.3
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A polished, full-service Mexican spot built for Midtown crowds, with reliably strong tacos and a deep agave program. The menu leans modern but keeps flavors grounded—think well-seasoned steak and shrimp tacos, plus a guac bar that’s actually worth ordering. Best for a longer sit, cocktails, and pre-show pacing rather than a sprint meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Steak tacos, Baja fish tacos, Guacamole trio
What Makes it Special: Guac bar + mezcal focus paired with dependable Midtown-friendly tacos.
8.2
Amor Loco brings a polished, Theater District-friendly take on Mexican comfort food with strong margarita energy. The menu blends classics with a little NYC flair—nachos, enchiladas, shrimp tacos—served in a colorful, upbeat room. It’s an easy pick for groups who want festive without committing to a full rooftop party.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tacos de camarones, Enchiladas suizas, Sopa de tortilla
What Makes it Special: Broadway-adjacent Mexican with a cocktail-forward, festive feel.
#6
Calle Dao
8.2
Calle Dao Bryant Park is a Cuban–Chinese fusion restaurant paying homage to Havana’s historic Chinatown with dishes that mix wok cooking, soy, and tropical flavors. Diners pair mojitos and rum cocktails with plates like Cuban fried rice and noodle dishes in a packed, vintage-leaning Midtown room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cuban fried rice, Mushroom noodles, Lobster noodles
What Makes it Special: A Cuban–Chinese concept near Bryant Park blending Havana flavors with Chinatown-style stir-fries and rice dishes.
8.2
A Bryant Park-adjacent fast-casual counter built around smash-style Certified Angus Beef patties, tots, and a tight “burger + beer” lane. The move is simple: go double if you want real beef-to-bun balance, add tots or fries, and keep toppings focused so the char and salt stay in front.
Must-Try Dishes:
Double smash cheeseburger, Tater tots, Burger of the Month
What Makes it Special: Smash burgers plus fries/tots in a quick-service, beer-friendly setup.
8.1
Uncle Paul’s Pizza is a busy corner operation by Grand Central offering by-the-slice pies, full pizzas, wings, pastas, and cold beer. It’s a step up from bare-bones slice counters, with plenty of indoor seating and a menu that works for casual lunches, game-watching, or informal group dinners. Regulars value it for hearty portions, reliable delivery, and broad topping options.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cheese or pepperoni pizza by the slice, Specialty pies like BBQ chicken or white pizza, Uncle Paul’s Buffalo wings
What Makes it Special: Lively Grand Central–area pizzeria with a full menu and beer-friendly atmosphere.
8
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Family-owned since 1974, Maggie’s Place is a classic Midtown Irish restaurant and cocktail bar where the burger has become a staple alongside shepherd’s pie and fish and chips. Regulars rely on it for post-office pints, burger-and-beer specials, and a menu that quietly overperforms expectations for a busy mid-block pub.
Must-Try Dishes:
Maggie’s Burger with classic fixings, Angry Burger with blue cheese and hot sauce, Wagyu Baby Burgers with bacon, pear-onion chutney and brie
What Makes it Special: Long-running Irish pub where the burger menu rivals the hearty comfort classics.
Opened in 2015, this two-level Stout outpost near Grand Central pairs a long Irish-leaning beer list with garlic-Parmesan chicken wings and other pub plates. After-work happy hour packages and sports-forward events turn it into a reliable spot for wing platters, draft beer and big games before the train.
Must-Try Dishes:
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, Cheddarwurst Sausage, Brown Butter Grilled Cheese
What Makes it Special: A large Irish pub and sports bar steps from Grand Central where weekday happy hour and game-day events frequently feature shareable wing platters.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Connolly’s 47th Street is a family-run Irish pub spread over multiple floors, capped by a casual rooftop level used in good weather. Midtown office workers and theatergoers rely on it for pints, TVs and hearty plates like fish and chips or shepherd’s pie, with the rooftop offering open-air seating more about atmosphere than skyline drama.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fish and Chips, Shepherd's Pie, Corned Beef and Cabbage
What Makes it Special: Traditional multi-level Irish pub with a seasonal rooftop deck steps from Grand Central and Rockefeller Center.
7.9
A laid-back, deck-style outdoor lounge built for a quick round and a warm-weather hang (or bundled-up winter sip) with Bryant Park energy all around. Food is straightforward bar fare—best when you prioritize drinks, one hot item, and keep expectations calibrated.
Must-Try Dishes:
Turkey chili, Sliders, Old Fashioned
What Makes it Special: A year-round-feeling outdoor lounge right on Bryant Park.
7.9
A Midtown tavern that’s more food-forward than it looks, with a menu designed for sharing and a bar program that keeps the room busy past dinner. Come for classic crowd plates—wings, mac, dips—and treat it as a reliable stop for groups who want comfort food and drinks without committing to a formal meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wings, Return of The Mac, Artichoke Dip
What Makes it Special: A share-plate tavern menu that pairs well with cocktails and groups.
7.8
A Bryant Park-area sports bar with the space and screens you want, plus wings that do the job when you’re here for drinks first. Treat it like an after-work watch spot: happy-hour pints, wings as the shared plate, then call it before the late crowd stacks up.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken wings, Big soft pretzel, Burger
What Makes it Special: Big-room sports-bar energy with straightforward wings and beer pacing.
#15
The Independent
7.7
A snug, stylish bar-restaurant that works as a pre-theater basecamp when you want something more composed than the usual Times Square chaos. Come for cocktails and a couple of warm, shareable bites—this is a vibe-and-pacing win more than a destination dinner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bavarian pretzel sticks, Wings, Burger (bar-style)
What Makes it Special: A cozy, cocktail-forward room tucked into Midtown’s theater orbit.
#16
Bryant Park Cafe
7.7
An open-air, cocktails-and-snacks café play where the atmosphere does most of the work—ideal for a casual park-side reset with your dog at your feet. Treat the food as supportive (tacos, lighter mains, dessert) and keep the order tight for best results.
Must-Try Dishes:
Battered shrimp tacos, Mediterranean chicken entrée, Carrot cake
What Makes it Special: Bryant Park’s casual outdoor café with dogs allowed.
7.6
Mexicue’s Midtown outpost turns its barbecue-meets-Mexican concept into a lively Broadway bar for tacos, bowls, and strong margaritas. It’s less about purist regional Mexican and more about fun, shareable plates and happy hour energy a short walk from Bryant Park.
Must-Try Dishes:
Burnt ends chili queso, Nashville hot chicken tacos, Brisket or carnitas bowls
What Makes it Special: Smoked meats, tacos, and cocktails blend barbecue and Mexican flavors in a buzzy Midtown bar.