Until recently, New Hampshire bars and restaurants were not allowed to advertise liquor prices or drink specials in public spaces. Signs promoting “happy hour” deals in windows or entranceways were prohibited, along with advertisements in newspapers or on the radio. Businesses could post signs about happy hours within their premises, but only if they were not visible from the street or sidewalk.  

A bill recently approved by the state Legislature now eliminates most of those restrictions. Senate Bill 120 allows licensed bars and restaurants to promote drink specials, except for on billboards and other large platforms. Municipal governments can still ban such promotions in individual towns or cities, but unless they do, businesses are free to let their customers know about martini specials, reduced wine prices, beer discounts and other daily deals on alcoholic beverages.

That’s good news for local businesses looking to attract customers. It’s also good news for thirsty patrons looking to enjoy a beverage on a budget. 

While some groups worry that happy hour promotions could lead to increased alcohol consumption and underage drinking, the new law came with the blessing of Eddie Edwards, chief of enforcement at the state Liquor Commission. 

“Advertising drinks at a reduced price is not associated with underage drinking,” Edwards said.

He noted that while happy hour deals could encourage people to order more drinks than they would at full price, businesses will be closely monitored, and repeat violators could have their rights to advertise rescinded. Excessively low drink prices that pose a danger to public health and safety, such as nickel beers, will not be tolerated, he added.

But Edwards said the vast majority of New Hampshire bars and restaurants operate in a responsible fashion, and they should be permitted to advertise reasonable deals that might boost their business. Most of the violations that occurred under the old law resulted from misunderstanding the rules, he said.

In the spirit of the new legislation, here’s a brief look at some intriguing happy hour deals and drink specials around the New Hampshire Seacoast that go beyond the ordinary, offering unique beverages and multiple deals. Numerous pubs in the area offer an array of daily or weekly specials on beer, wine and cocktails, often with accompanying deals on appetizers and other menu items, and so this is not a comprehensive list—think of it more a few sips of something new and delicious. Readers are reminded to check with individual businesses to learn about other deals. Additional, more detailed information is available at www.seacoasthappyhour.com or www.seacoastbarscene.com.

the delicious capybara... err, caipirinha: Brazo offers drink specials on most weeknights from 5 to 7 p.m., often with half-price apps. Tuesday features half-price caipirinhas, the national cocktail of Brazil, made with cachaça (sugar cane rum), sugar and lime. On Mondays, the Latin restaurant serves $5 specialty mojitos, Wednesdays bring half-price glasses of wine, and Thursdays offer half-price specialty cocktails. Bring some friends on Saturdays, when the restaurant serves pitchers of sangria for $20. Brazo is at 75 Pleasant St., Portsmouth.

brace for the hurricanes: All night on Thursdays, the 106 bar offers tasty $5 Hurricanes that pack a punch. Originally concocted in New Orleans, the Hurricane is a delicious pastel beverage composed of rums and fruit juices with a dab of grenadine. The restaurant also offers $5 burgers on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. 106 Kitchen and Bar is at 106 Penhallow St., Portsmouth.

follow the angry frogs: The Barley Pub does not serve hard liquor, but they make up for it with a diverse selection of beers. Every weekday, select drafts are served at $3 a pop. It’s easy to tell which brews are on special, as the corresponding taps are marked with little green frog toys with mysteriously pointy teeth. Happy hour runs from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, and 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. The Barley Pub         is at 328 Central Ave., Dover.

is this my Mai Tai or your Mai Tai? Blue Latitudes offers all-day drink specials every Monday through Thursday, which can often be enjoyed on their outdoor deck. On Mondays, Mai Tais are $3.50. Tuesday is ladies’ night after 5 p.m., with $5 Citron cosmos. Wednesdays feature $2 draft beers and half-price bottles of wine. And Thursdays come with $3.50 margaritas. Blue Latitudes is at 431 Central Ave., Dover.

it’s like a zorse: Thursday night is “winetini” night at Bonta’s lounge, with an appetizing array of specialty martinis and wine by the glass priced at $6 from 5 to 7 p.m. They also offer items from their stuzzichini small plate menu at a reduced price of $5 to $12. Bonta is at  287 Exeter Road, Hampton.

run, monkey, run! Directly across the street from Brazo, The Green Monkey offers various drink specials on certain weekdays. On Wednesdays, you can get a glass of wine and an order of wontons for $10 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. During the same hours on Thursdays, bottles of wine are offered at half price. On Saturdays from 5 to 7:30, four specialty cocktails are available for $7, including the house favorite Monkey Rum Runner.The Green Monkey is at 86 Pleasant St., Portsmouth.

by the bucket The tavern at The Old Salt offers cocktail specials every weekday from 3 to 6 p.m. They serve Three Olives vodka drinks on Mondays, 007s on Tuesdays, martinis on Wednesdays, margaritas on Thursdays, and Sea Breezes on Fridays, all for $4. The bar’s happy hour also features domestic bottles for $2.50, drafts and imports for $3, or buckets of five beers for $13. The Old Salt is at 490 Lafayette Road, Hampton.

drinking with an hourglass: For a late-night fix, Rj’s offers $1 domestic drafts and well drinks after 9 p.m. on Tuesdays. They present a “beat the clock” deal on Fridays—domestic drafts and well drinks start at $1 at 8 p.m., but the price goes up $1 every hour. They also serve $3 well drinks on Wednesdays and discount pitchers of Bud on Thursdays. RJ’s Bar and Grill  is at 83 Washington St., Dover.

like they do in Sweden: In addition to half-price apps every Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., Rudi’s lounge offers several exotic specialty cocktails at half price on Tuesdays, as well as half-price wines on Wednesdays and $5 Svedka martinis on Thursdays. They also serve $3 draft beers on Mondays and Fridays.Rudi’s is at 20 High St., Portsmouth.

dirty ginger pear chai espresso: Located beneath Poco’s Bow Street Cantina, Two Ceres Street serves a mean martini, and they’re on special every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 5 to 7 p.m. Espresso, hot & dirty, ginger pear, chai and Ceres Breeze martinis are $5 during happy hour. You can also get a glass of wine for $5, or a half-price bottle of wine with the purchase of an antipasto platter. Two Ceres Street  is at  2 Ceres St., Portsmouth.