Grab a booth at Bar Pincer and $6 will get you a vermouth highball, a G&T, a glass of house wine or a lager. For big spenders, it’s $12 for a Negroni. There’s also a raft of snacks under $10 – but you should push the boat out on the $18 Normandy burger with dry-aged beef, gruyere, dill pickle and sauce Hubert. Daily 5pm–6pm

Book the beautiful round table for Jane’s Australiano hour, featuring spritzes for $8 Martinis for $10. Plus, VB stubbies (“the very best”) and G&Ts for $6, glasses of vino for $8, and more. Snacks are on the card, too – oysters with desert lime mignonette ($2 each), grilled sardine gildas ($6) and Jane's signature ’roo tartare ($15). Daily 5pm–6pm.

Hit Sydney's favourite Catalonian-inspired bar at “aperitiu hour” for a rotating selection of $5 tapas, including plates of cured meat and pintxos. Plus, Spanish beers for $8, wine and vermouth for $10, and cocktails for $12. Wed to Fri 5pm–6pm and 3pm–5pm on weekends.

Tio’s, with its signature decor of religious paraphernalia, is always a vibe-y spot to toast the good health of your amigos. It’s also a nonstop fiesta of $10 Margaritas, available in a different fruit flavour each week. Think blueberry and hibiscus or pineapple and ube. Tues to Sun till late

This dapper cocktail bar is a regular entrant on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. The best way to get across the wares without breaking the bank (or getting boozed) is to go at happy hour for $7 mini cocktails. If you visit on Saturday, the bar is shucking $2 appellation oysters until sold out. Tues to Sat 4.30pm–5.30pm.

Sydney’s late-night temple to cheese, wine and hip-hop is serving $12 Negronis and $8 Americanos daily. Plus, top shelf cheeses from around the world, sliced-to-order salumi and decadent cheese toasties. Daily 5pm–6pm.

Experience a Sydney institution for a steal during “RP Hour” at Rockpool's stately bar, with $12 classic cocktails, $7 beers, and highlights from the venue's incredible wine list for $15. There’s also a $15 snack menu featuring a chorizo dog, fish po boy, and a fancy BLT. This one’s for the walk-in crowd only. Mon to Fri 4pm–6pm.

Freda’s is up there with Sydney’s best date spots. Make an impression with $10 Negronis and spritzes, and $6 schooners of Grifter beer. If things are going really well, take advantage of that 10 per cent discount on selected bottles of wine. Wed to Fri 4pm–6pm

This swanky cocktail bar becomes a bargain basement at the pointy end of the week. A raft of $10 cocktails includes two types of Margarita (spicy or Tommy’s), a Coconut Espresso Martini and a classic Negroni. A cool $7 gets you a G&T, Asahi, wine or prosecco. Thurs to Sat 5pm–7pm

A Wagyu cheeseburger (with fermented chilli) for $10 – need we say more? We should, because you can also grab a Tommy’s Margarita for $12, and glasses of Moet or top-shelf Chandon for $15 at this subterranean basement bar. The live jazz soundtrack is on the house. Wed to Fri 5pm–7pm

Shell House is one of Sydney’s most impressive openings of the last 10 years. If you hit Menzies Bar on street level, there’s an equally impressive happy hour involving $10 mini Martinis and lobster rolls. Stick around on Tuesdays for live jazz from 7pm. Tues to Sat 4pm–6pm

Shady Pines calls its happy hour deal “world famous”, and while we can’t quite attest to the veracity of that claim, we will admit it’s solid. Dodge the peanut shells on the floor to get to the bar, where you’ll find $6.50 house spirits (with a mixer), $5.50 tins of Coors lager, and some of the best $12 Negronis and Margaritas around. Daily 4pm–6pm

Frozen cocktail slushies for $12. House beer, wine and prosecco for $5. Throw in a plate of fish tacos and you’ve got yourself a weekday winner at this southern Cali-inspired spot. Mon to Fri 5pm–6.30pm

Classic or spicy Margarita? That is forever the question at Tequila Mockingbird – but there’s a way to do both for a steal. Pull up at the bar, balcony or breezy al fresco area for cracking versions of both for a mere $12. Tues to Fri 4.30pm–6pm

This versatile pub guarantees a good time no matter when you visit. But if you hit the public bar from 4pm, there’s tap beer, craft options by the bottle, and house wine going for $7 a pop. Mon to Fri 4pm–6pm

We love this Manly Bistro – but even more so for its daily-changing $10 snacks and draught cocktails at happy hour. If you come on Monday, you can also get a bowl of mussels and a glass of wine for $35. And on Sunday, it’s $35 for a plate of hibachi-grilled snacks. Daily 4.30pm–6pm

Hit this Italian stallion at aperitivo hour for $8 Peronis and house wines, and $10 house spirits. If you’re going large (relatively speaking), there are $10 mini Martinis and $12 spritzes, Negronis and Espresso Martinis. Plus, complimentary snacks to keep you going. Tues to Fri 3pm–5.30pm

Shake off the sand and slide into Merivale’s beachside stunner for $6 schooners, house wines and spirits. It’s a ground-floor affair you won’t want to end. Mon to Fri 5pm–7pm

You don’t have to hit Club 77 at midnight to have a good time. The daily “happiest hour” has you covered with $10 cocktails (or a Red Bull and vodka), and $5 house beer, wine and spirits. Fortify yourself with a 77 Dog for $5. Mon to Fri 5pm–7pm

Inner-city cantinas don’t get much better – or do they? Try $6 house beers, wines and spirits every day during the week. Mon to Fri 5pm–7pm

Bar Mammoni has the Italian laneway vibe dialled in just right – but especially at aperitivo hour. Come for $10 snacks such as marinated olives with house-milled sourdough ciabatta, whipped ricotta; and crostini with red pesto and pickled eschallot. There’s also a solid list of cocktails and spritzes going for $10 each. Thurs to Sat 4pm–6pm.

For the classiest happy hour in town, head to Golden Age for a spiced Negroni ($15) or a yuzu spritz ($12), then stay gold with $8 wines and beers, plus a short edit of $5 snacks including popcorn and smoked almonds.

Avalon’s breeziest wine bar is shucking appellation oysters for $4 each – to go with $15 Margaritas, $12.50 Aperol Spritzes, $10 wines and $6 tap beers. Yes. Daily 4pm–6pm

This New York-inspired neighbourhood bar will sort you out with two “Donny’s favourite” cocktails for a cool $20 every day of the week. Plus, $8 house drinks. Daily 5pm–7pm

From morning coffees to afternoon aperitivo, Corretto has you covered. If you’re coming for the latter, happy hour involves $10 cocktails, $5 house wine and beer, and $20 jugs of rosé sangria to really dial up the Mediterranean vibe. There’s also live music from 5pm to complement the killer beachside vantage point. Daily 3pm–6pm

The more casual counterpart to the opulent Charles Grand Brasserie is serving up mini prawn cocktails for $10, Southside cocktails for $12, and glasses of Moet & Chandon for $15. With three hours to enjoy the spoils, this one’s happier than most. Mon to Fri 3pm–6pm

Grab a spot out the front of this Med-inspired bar for the best after-work deal in North Bondi. By that we mean $8 beers, $9 wines, $15 frozen Margs and more. It’s also running taco Tuesdays and $35 all-you-can-eat mussel Wednesdays. Tues to Sun 4pm–6pm

Sustainable, colourful and multifaceted Rafi turns it up every Thursday night with cocktail and beer specials, plus live DJs plugging in from 5pm. Thurs 4pm–6pm

A cool $8 goes a long way at Bopp & Tone’s weekday happy hour. Tap wine, bottled beer and prosecco await you in the gorgeous dining room or breezy covered terrace. Mon to Fri 4pm–6pm

There’s no velvet or faff at this humming diner from the team behind Bistecca and the Gidley. Order a Riverine sirloin steak – butchered and aged in-house – and it’ll be on your table in 15 minutes. The brutalist, art-filled space also packs in a bar with the energy of east London, and serves what might be the coldest Martini in Sydney.