New Las Vegas Happy Hour Deals Heating Up This Summer

^{Cabo Wabo at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood just introduced a weekday happy hour featuring $7 dishes and half-priced drinks from 2 to 5 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Cabo Wabo Cantina)} 

Las Vegas happy hour isn’t a new concept. Bars and restaurants offering discounted food and drink during slow hours have been around for years. But the idea seems to be taking off this summer, with more bars and restaurants launching new happy hour deals every few days.

Happy hour discounts are a great way to offset high prices for food and drink in Las Vegas, especially on the Strip. Sure, you might have to adjust your eating and drinking schedule to take advantage of the discounts, but the money saved can go toward a casino budget.

As with everything in Vegas, not everyone shares the same view of what makes a good happy hour. Sometimes we're looking for a discount at a great restaurant, and other times, we're just looking for something cheap.

The newest happy hours in Sin City include everything from $3 drinks to $19 burgers. Both are discounts, but they might be best for different people. 

Here are some of the newest Las Vegas happy hours this summer.

Bottled Blonde at Horseshoe

Bottled Blonde is actually in front of Horseshoe Hotel and Casino and has a great view of the Bellagio Fountains. The tall standalone building has weekday happy hour and discounted weekend drink specials.

Weekday happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. and offers $3 beer, shots, and spirits. There are also $1 wings. An enterprising guest can get a beer and six wings for under $10 — a solid deal any day of the week.

Sunset Sessions is their long-weekend evening drink-discount deal from 6 to 9 p.m, Thursday through Sunday. During this time, guests can order bottomless margaritas and spritz for $29. While this isn't "cheap," it's another good deal with margaritas normally running $18 on the menu.

Cabo Wabo at Planet Hollywood

Cabo Wabo is technically part of the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. It’s adjacent to the north entrance near Paris. 

This week, the restaurant and bar debuted a weekday happy hour featuring $7 dishes and half-priced drinks from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cocktails are around $14, and beers are less than $10, according to the menu on Yelp.

These are solid prices for this part of the Vegas Strip.

Ocean Prime 

Ocean Prime is located at 63 City Center between The Cosmopolitan and Aria/Crystals Mall. The steak and seafood restaurant recently expanded its happy hour to every day during the summer, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Everything available on the lounge menu is 50% off. This is an upscale restaurant, so the prices and discounts are substantial. 

Some bargain food items include the wagyu cheeseburger discounted to $11.50 and short-rib sliders for $8.50. Half-off beers brings prices down to $5 or $6, while premium cocktails like a Woodford Old Fashioned are around $11.50.

The Tiki Bar at Excalibur

Let’s forget the fact that The Tiki Bar is an anachronism at the medieval-times-themed Excalibur. Tiki drinks are always fun, and this is one of the few casinos with a bar dedicated to the cocktails.

Excalibur's Tiki Bar has happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. daily. Tiki specialty cocktails and frozen daiquiris are $8, while beers are $5 or $6.

This is a fun way to cool down and kick-start a night out in Las Vegas. 

COTE at The Venetian

Magic Hour at COTE inside the Palazzo Tower at the Venetian was introduced earlier this year. From 5 to 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, guests at the bar can enjoy discounted drinks and snacks.

This is typically one of the more expensive new restaurants in Las Vegas, and this happy hour won't appeal to everyone. I considered visiting COTE because of a significant discount during Restaurant Week in June, but still haven't made it in for a visit yet. I might finally stop by Magic Hour to have a snack.

The Magic Hour menu includes drinks between $10 and $14, while snacks are each a lucky $8.88. This isn’t the cheapest happy hour, but it’s a great way to sample one of the hottest restaurants in Las Vegas this summer. 

Oscar’s at Plaza

Oscar's at the Plaza in downtown Las Vegas just launched an "All Day Happy Hour" Monday through Thursday until Aug. 27. Happy hour is limited to the bar from 5 p.m. when Oscar's opens, until closing time at 10 p.m.

The $5 domestic beer and $8 well drink prices aren't spectacular for the area, but there's a great discount on one of the best steakhouse burgers in Las Vegas.

"Oscar's Famous Burger" is $19 during happy hour, a $5 discount from regular prices. It's $24 if you're not sitting in the relatively large bar area.

The luxe burger plus a beer or cocktail for less than $30 is less expensive than just the burger at most steakhouses around town.