How do you improve the taste of a cocktail? Slash the price of it, of course. In this economy, when pints in some bars have jumped the £10 mark, and cocktails can easily come in at £20, happy hours continue to be a saving grace.
In the borough of Hackney, where you’re rarely far from someone stirring up something sublime, some of the best bars are giving us good reason to clock off promptly. From cut-price classics to the welcome addition of affordable bar snacks, these happy hours make a strong case for getting your round in early. Here’s where to find them.
Swift Shoreditch
Having come in at number six in the UK’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars awards in 2025, it goes without saying that the team at Swift is capable of conjuring some excellent cocktails. Head to its cavernous, lively branch just off Old Street to sample its famous nutmeg-dusted Irish coffee, as well as its takes on Garibaldis, Lemon Drops and Bloody Marys for £7 each before 6pm every day.
Elliot’s
At one of Hackney’s best neighbourhood restaurants, the beginning of the working week is an excellent excuse for a Martini or two. Best known for its natural wines and wood-fired cooking, Elliot’s in Hackney serves the searingly cold cocktail for £6 all night long. Simply take a seat at the bar and tell the team how you like it – whether that’s with vodka or gin, wet, dry or dirty, and with an olive or a twist. Make it a happy meal with an order of chunky chips.
Easy-8
Ever heard of the Michelad Guide? The knock-off Michelin Guide dedicated to Micheladas – the Mexican beer cocktail made by mixing lager with fresh lime juice, salt, hot sauce and sometimes Clamato (a tomato juice-based drink) – awarded lively dive bar Easy-8 two “tarros”, meaning that it serves “a standout Michelada with real flavour, balance, and personality. The kind that brings back good memories and makes you order another.” On Thursdays between 6pm and 8pm, the hard-to-come-by hangover cure is either available for £5, or on a two-for-one deal at its regular price of a tenner. There are also bargain deals on Modelo and Margaritas, as well as £2 tacos.
Ridley Road Market Bar
Can’t find Club Tropicana? Ridley Road Market Bar is a close second. This cheerful, unpretentious Dalston fun factory is all about tropical drinks served with a side of camp and ’80s tiki charm. Unlike George’s Michael’s paradise, here the drinks aren’t free, but they are two for £12 between 6pm and 9pm, Tuesday to Friday. Much of what goes into them comes from the market outside, too.
The Marquee Moon
The team behind The Cause and All My Friends knows how to party, and this Dalston restaurant, cocktail and hi-fi bar by the same gang serves up two good reasons to go out midweek. On Wednesdays, make a meal of it with £2 oysters and two-for-one classic cocktails as well as fun, inventive concoctions such as a Mezcal Fashioned, Green Velvet and Dirty Negroni. Plus, Thursdays promise £6 Margaritas all night.
