Happy Hour at Ceiba

The saddest time of day in Washington is 7 p.m., when most happy hour specials end and prices shoot back to normal levels, where cocktails all seem to start at $10. And don't even think about getting discounted cocktails after 9 p.m. -- unless you're going to Ceiba. Happy hour specials at the sunny restaurant and lounge steer clear of rail drinks and puts such tropical drinks as pisco sours and dark and stormys in your hand for a mere Lincoln.

Ceiba's stable of "signature drinks" includes mojitos, caipirinhas, pisco sours on Wednesday, the chef's red or white sangria, margaritas and one of the best dark and stormy cocktails in D.C. From 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 3 to 6 on Saturday or 4 to 9 on Sunday, and again from 9:30 to close Monday through Thursday or after 10 p.m. on Friday or Saturday, take your pick of any one of those drinks for $5. The only caveat is that these deals are only offered in the bar or the couch-filled lounge, and those seats fill up quickly.

If those times aren't convenient, Ceiba offers a "Signature Cocktail of the Day" for $5 from 11:30 to last call: Mojitos on Monday, caipirinhas on Tuesday, pisco sours on Wednesday, sangria on Thursday and margaritas on Friday, plus Dark and Stormy cocktails for $5 all day, every day.

-- Fritz Hahn (Updated July 8, 2011)