Found Treasure: 5 (Very) Happy Hours in Monterey

July 5, 2024 – The best special in town is called…“The Special.” 

In fact, The Special proved so successful at delivering on its name that watering holes across Philadelphia adopted it—to the point many locals call it “the city-wide special.”

But there’s only one Bob & Barbara’s Lounge who can claim real credit for introducing it, not that this stops others from trying.

The Special, BTW, is a shot of Jim Beam and a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon for $5 flat. 

Cash-only Bob & Barbara’s, meanwhile, sits on South Street in the thick of Philly’s vibrant Center City neighborhood, with a timewarp PBR sign in front dating to the days “hipster” had more to do with Harlem and jazz than beards and flannel.

B&B’s interior delivers with similar historic decor and a padded leather cushion ringing the bar, where barkeep Butch tops off your bourbon when he learns it’s your virgin visit.

Steeled by that value and a genetic longing for a discount, I gathered five of Monterey’s best happy hours in honor of The Special’s $5 tag.

This handful of happy hours are different on a flood of fronts. 

One sits on the ground floor of a sparkling waterfront hotel. Another tucks hidden in plain sight on Fisherman’s Wharf. Yet another occupies a massive spot in a shopping center.

One does white tablecloth fine dining, one leans old-fashioned fish house, one conjures Hawaiian fusion that’s 10-plus restaurant iterations in the making.

But each enjoys at least one thing in common: an under-appreciated, and notable—if not standout—happy hour, with its specific sort of verve. 

C Restaurant + Bar • Cannery Row

My favorite of the five—and a Found Treasure all its own—leads this list. 

At C, a premium ocean backdrop meets a glowing setting and comes with masters of the craft at the controls, namely barkeep Luis Salinas, who’s been there since the place opened in 2008, and Food and Beverage Director Joe Valencia, who’s now decades into a decorated hospitality career.

The HH menu clicks in 4-6pm Monday-Thursday with $10 big-style small plates (like Niman Ranch smoked pork shoulder sliders, chorizo risotto arancini, Sonoma duck croquettes, fried green beans and calamari), $8 Santa Cruz Vodka cocktails, $8 craft drafts (from Alvarado Street Brewing, Humble Sea Brewing, Dust Bowl Brewing, Lagunitas and more), and $9 wines on tap (from Toad Hollow, Miner and Sterling, to mention a few).

Friend of Found Treasures George Peterson, who directs dive safety at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, encouraged Valencia to develop the happy hour program when Valencia came on board. 

Now Peterson uses The C as an A+ space to hang post quitting time.

“A great rotating selection of craft beers, local wines and bites with an incredible view,” he says. “And you get to hang out with Joe and Luis. It’s a great happy hour.”

More at thecrestaurant-monterey.com.

Peter B’s BrewPub • Custom House Plaza

Here the happy hour(s) go down daily, in a double-barreled and dog-friendly way. 

Craft beer and cider pints by savvy brewer Natalie Mika, well cocktails, and draft wines are all $7 from both 4-6pm and 9-10pm, weekends included. 

Things like wings ($13, down from $18) and crispy cheese curds $8 (normally $13) get $3-$5 rebates. 

And perhaps happiest of all, the concurrent 4-6pm Yappy Hour on the heated outdoor patio rolls out three “bark bowls” including Ground Beef Meat Roaff, Turkey K-9 Casserole, or chicken with quinoa (wait no dog pun?), for $6 instead of the normal $8.

Woof. 

More at portolahotel.com/dining/peter-bs-brewpub.

Abalonetti • Fisherman’s Wharf

Not far from Peter B’s sits another dog-friendly destination with a seven-item locals menu, Monterey Bay’s most robust antipasto bar, and the most prolific—and house-cleaned—calamari program around, with the preparations ranging from char-grilled filets to sautéed Siciliano-style with white wine, garlic and parsley.  

The since-1951 dockside spot also does old-school deals with the same price point as Bob & Barb’s: $5 for house wines, margaritas, and draft beers like 1066 Pale Ale, Monterey Wheat and Fat Lip Amber. 

Better yet, it goes all day, every day.

More at abalonetti.com.

Cibo Ristorante • Old Monterey

A final dose of $5 magic, from yet another time-honored outpost smack dab at the center of downtown. 

At Cibo’s 4-7pm daily happy hours, which see a bump for Tuesday farmers markets and last all night on Thursdays, White Claws, house wines, well drinks, draft beer and bottled beers all run $5 a pop.

Bonus elements: Live music happens relentlessly, and snacks like crispy cheese ravioli, meatball sliders and mini pizzas drop to $9-$10.

When I called to verify prices and get a quick thought from staff, the bartender was too busy tending to customers to say anything more than, “It’s a very good crowd, sir.”

More at cibo.com.

Kona Steak and Seafood • Del Monte Center

The latest project from Bill and Teresa Lee could’ve earned lead billing here because its crowd-pleasing formula of island-style comfort food and umbrella drinks includes a unicorn of a happy hour that lasts six hours (3-9pm) every day of the week. 

So it flows at Kona, with an asterisk: To tap in, guests hole up in The Zen Den, which has its own relaxed space off the main dining room, complete with tropical sconces, a 12-by-8-foot “Road to Hana” oil painting and its own back bar stocked with stylish glassware. 

The discounted beverages start with wines by the glass for $9 ($2 off), and include high-voltage signature drinks like the Kona Mai Tai, Kona Pain Killer and Pineapple Moscow Mule for $11-$12, down from the minimum $17 for tiki drinks in the main arena.

There are also craft drafts for $8.50, well drinks for $9, and $11 margaritas, lemon drops, martinis, cosmopolitans, old-fashioned, highballs and splits of sparkling wine.

The savings on pupus are similarly modest, but helpful. Things like crab rangoons ($14), crispy fries stack ($9) and tempura seabass and chips ($20) come in at an average of $3-$4 off.

Same for Kahlua pork sandwiches with fries and Haleiwa baby back ribs (both $16 for a hefty portion). 

“We just like to create the same vibe and atmosphere that we enjoy on vacation,” Bill Lee says. “If we can make vacation something we’re doing every day, that makes life better.”

Aloha to that.

More at konamonterey.com.

A closing note: I seek to do similar and ongoing happy hour spotlights for other places, across Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties. Please share any of your favorites via mark@ediblemontereybay.com. Let’s take specials tri-county wide.