There’s “Manic Monday,” and then there’s when Tax Day falls on a Monday. Like some sort of sad joke, your tax returns are due on the most overwhelmingly blah day of the week—but L.A.’s restaurants and bars have you covered. Between a few giveaways and pick-me-ups like cheap drinks, these Tax Day specials are so good, they’re almost guaranteed to cheer you up (even if you owe the government some big bucks this year). Here’s where to celebrate, commiserate and generally just be thankful you got through Monday.
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
Need a little sweetness after this year’s filing? Astro is offering a sampler box of its mini doughnuts—including crème brûlée, peanut butter and jelly, maple bacon, and vanilla—at both its DTLA location and its new outpost in Santa Monica. (And if you’re snagging it Downtown, there’s even curbside pickup, because who has time to worry about parking when there are doughnuts to eat?) The price of this deal? Why, $10.99, of course.
Photograph: Courtesy Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
District
If you’re trying to celebrate big (or drown your sorrows), DTLA’s District restaurant is offering half-off bottles of California wine all day and night on Monday—and these guys open at 6:30am. Plus, your money’s supporting California vintners, so it’s win-win.
Here and Now
Arts District spot Here and Now has a few specials comin’ your way, and they’re available beyond Tax Day itself. Next Tuesday to Friday, April 16 to 19, stop by for $4.15 shots, and when you buy one Catoctin Creek old-fashioned, you’ll get the second one for just $1. We know where you’ll be next week.
Highland Park Bowl
Nab $1 old-fashioneds in one of Highland Park’s most fun bars from 5 to 8pm (and hey, if you’re especially in need of a Tax Day distraction, we recommend the bowling here, too).
Idle Hour
Head to NoHo’s iconic Idle Hour bar, where they’ll be pouring $1 Moscow mules on the patio and in the barrel-shaped barroom from 4 to 7pm (or while supplies last).
Jane Q
The ground-floor restaurant in Hollywood’s Kimpton Everly Hotel is giving you some real bang for your buck: Find a personal pizza with draft beer to wash it all down, all for just $10.40 on April 15—which is great any way you slice it.
La Cuevita
Highland Park’s moody mescal-focused dive is offering $1 tequila presses and Mexi mules (which swaps vodka for mescal) from 5 to 8pm on Tax Day, but if mojitos are more your thing, the bar’s got its weekly Monday Mojito special running, too—meaning mojitos in a range of flavors for only $6 until 8pm.
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Oldfield’s Liquor Room
This Culver mainstay is slinging $1 old-fashioneds on Monday night from 5 to 8pm or until the well runs dry. Our advice? Get there early.
The Pie Hole
Look, maybe you got your taxes done weeks ago, or maybe you were up late on Sunday night finishing them. Whatever the case (but especially if the case was the latter), all six L.A.-area locations—meaning the Arts District, Hollywood, Glendale, Venice, Long Beach or Pasadena—have you covered on Monday because they’re giving away 16-ounce cups of drip coffee with every purchase.
Thirsty Crow
One of Silver Lake’s favorite watering holes is about to become even more popular, thanks to its $1 old-fashioneds from 5 to 8pm on Monday (while supplies last).
Wood and Water
Over in Sherman Oaks, gastropub Wood and Water is running happy-hour drink prices all night long at the bar, which means you can find $8 signature cocktails—we’ve got our eye on the classic martini—plus $5 house wines, and $5 craft beer on draft at any time.