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A really happy hour

By Janie Ho | Special to amNewYork

3:23 PM EDT, June 5, 2008

Happy hour at the Sequoia, in the South Streeet Seaport, overlooking the East River and the Brooklyn skyline. (amNY)

Do you ever long for the smell of beer-soaked floors at your local happy hour? Neither do we.

After a hard day on the job, you deserve to go somewhere as intoxicating as your $5 frozen daiquiri. Luckily for you, the city is full of after-work venues that'll take you to a place other than the typical dive, where you usually pound Buds.

So, put away that BlackBerry and let the real games begin.

Hudson Beach Cafe Like a Chuck E. Cheese for young professionals, Hudson Beach Cafe is an urban oasis set among volleyball sandpits, softball and soccer fields. Its best kick? Sunset views of the Hudson River. The casual bi-level barbecue -- one level with the water, the other perched above on a vista-packed cliff -- begs for some after-work games. When you're done playing, grab a seat at the bar or patio, have a burger, split a pitcher and help some out-of-towners feel a little less homesick. (Riverside Park at W. 105th St.; 917-370-3448; Drinks and beer starting at $6)

Spotlight Live Sure, disco-balled Spotlight Live is cheesy, but sometimes a little dose of over-the-top is good for you. The four-story glitzy Times Square karaoke lounge hosts a rooftop happy hour with a view that's hard to beat. The venue also makes it easy to hook up -- literally. Tables come with personal touch screens for finding songs and text-messaging other tables. So, after some comfort food from Iron Chef winner Kerry Simon and at least a few drinks, belt out a few chords of your own. After all, what's a little singing between friends and a Jumbotron over Times Square? (1604 Broadway at 49th Street; 212-262-1111; Buffet and 2-for-1 drinks Thursdays 5-7 p.m. with $10 cover. Mention Jaclyn's or Conquest's guest-list for free admission before 7 p.m.)

Wildwood Barbecue There's no happy hour here per se, but the surprisingly down-to-earth prices at this month-old B.R. Guest (Dos Caminos, Blue Water Grill) restaurant will take you down South in just minutes -- sans soaring jet fuel prices. With its woodsy, rustic barn setting, the city's newest favorite 'cue joint greets the after-work crowd with 50 regionally brewed beers and a slew of classic bourbons. Grab one at the 50-foot-long bar, open-air counter or at one of many plasma TV-facing bar tables. Hill Country's own "Big Lou" Elrose heads the pit of all-natural meats, and salads and BBQ sandwiches go for $10 to $15. And with a staff as sweet as its tea, Wildwood will get your friends in hoedown mode in no time. (225 Park Avenue South at 18th Street; 212-533-2500; Beer starting at $4 and pitchers (serves 8 people) at $24; specialty drinks $11)

Sequoia You might as well take a dive with the markets. Get nautical with prime views of historic ships and seaport revelers at Sequoia -- the perfect downtown drink spot with a breeze. Facing wooden planks and live concerts, the backdrop is enhanced by none other than the Manhattan skyline, which is just steps away. Taking your mind off meetings and reports is a no-brainer here, but if you still need help, try a cheap pina colada. That should do it. (89 South Street Seaport, Pier 17, near Fulton Street; 212-964-0707; Happy hour daily from 3 to 7 p.m.; $4 draft beers, $6 frozen drinks)

PS 450 Dark and classy, PS 450 is Murray's Hill's answer to the upscale bars and clubs of the Meatpacking District -- without the snooty doormen. The sleek, modern bar, comfy banquets and street-side tables are a perfect contrast to the candlelit back rooms. There, you can catch the game on plasma TVs, order some food, or listen to DJs 'til the wee hours. Note: Eastsiders won't find the traditional frat-boy-grown-up here -- unless he's playing the role in a suit and tie (which suits us just fine). (450 Park Avenue South, between 30th and 31st streets; 212-532-7474; Happy hour on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and all day on weekends; $4 draft beers, $6 apple martinis and cosmopolitans)

Patroon With festive paper lanterns and a canopied bar and grill, this wood- planked rooftop is perfect for laid-back mingling. Dotted with lounge sets and patio tables, the bar hosts a fun crowd that is low-key despite the hoards of suits and iPhones. But the devices make for great conversation starters ... and maybe the sharing of some light fare. Try the grilled Angus sliders or maple baked ham and brie on cranberry pecan bread. (160 E. 46th St., between Lexington and Third avenues; 212-883-7373. Rooftop open daily from 4 to 11 p.m.)

Bryant Park Cafe The popular outdoor cafe nestled under towering trees and skyscrapers plays sibling to chic and pricey restaurant Bryant Park Grill next door. Located on the terrace of Bryant Park's urban oasis just one block from Times Square, the Cafe boasts an American-style food and bar menu at bargain prices considering its landmark setting. Still having trouble forking over cash? Come Mondays this June, the park offers free drive-in style movies on the lawn. (The Upper Terrace at Bryant Park; W. 42nd Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues; 212-840-6500. HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival every Monday from June 16 to August 18 at 5 p.m.)