Valerie: Midtown’s Gin Bar With a Serious Happy Hour
Valerie is a Midtown cocktail bar and restaurant at 45 West 45th Street — half a block from Bryant Park, walking distance from Times Square and Rockefeller Center. The full kitchen runs lunch through late night, but the bar is the main event: 100+ gins from around the world, a serious signature cocktail program led by Beverage Director Marshall Minaya, and freezer-door martinis served below freezing.
It’s the rare Theatre District spot that works equally well for a quick after-work round and a full sit-down dinner — and the 4–7pm happy hour is one of the better-value windows in the neighborhood.
The Happy Hour
Weekday happy hour at the bar runs Monday through Friday, 4–7pm:
- $13 cocktails — Spanish G&T, Negroni, Royal Pimm’s Cup, Gimlet, Sazerac
- $11 house wines — red, white, rosé
- $7 select drafts — Radeberger, Gun Hill, Brooklyn Lager, Guinness
- $1 oysters — East Coast, freshly shucked
- $16 cheese & charcuterie boats round out the food side.
Groups of 8+ should book ahead through the private events page. Solo seats and small groups walk in, but the room fills fast after 5pm.
The Bar: 100+ Gins and Freezer-Door Martinis
The gin library is the reason to come even outside happy hour — over 100 labels spanning Japan, Ireland, Vietnam, Brooklyn and the Catskills, organized by region and annotated with tasting notes. Signature cocktails run $19 and earn it: the Hurry Up & Wait (Bluecoat & Neversink gins, pear, apple, elderflower tonic), the Off the Record (Michter’s rye, Balvenie 12, flamed orange), and the freezer-door martinis ($28–$30) — six-ounce bottles served below freezing.
The Food
Executive Chef JC Colón runs a modern American menu that punches above typical Midtown bar food, open from lunch through late night. Order the truffle fries (duck fat, parmesan, truffle aioli, $15), the ahi tuna tartare ($26), the lobster mac ($31), or the strip steak frites at dinner ($48). Sunday brunch adds gin shrimp & grits and a Dutch baby — with live jazz.
The Room
A polished space on 45th between 5th and 6th: warm lighting, a proper bar, and room for private and semi-private events through The Blushing Bar. The bar stays open to 2am Tuesday through Saturday — one of the better late-night options in the neighborhood for after-theater drinks.
Who Valerie Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| After-work drinks | $13 cocktails and $1 oysters 4–7pm in central Midtown |
| Work team outing | Private and semi-private group bookings via The Blushing Bar |
| Pre-theater dinner | Theatre District adjacent; full dinner menu from 4:30pm |
| Date night | Dim lighting, a serious cocktail list, and actual food |
More NYC Happy Hours
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The Midtown Sports Pub Group With a Real Happy Hour
The Campbell · Midtown
Grand Central’s Hidden 1920s Cocktail Bar
Boucherie NYC · Midtown
A Grand Parisian Brasserie & the Green Hour
Valerie FAQ
Does Valerie have a happy hour?
Yes — Monday through Friday, 4–7pm: $13 cocktails, $11 house wines, $7 select drafts, and $1 oysters.
Where is Valerie?
45 West 45th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan — half a block from Bryant Park.
Do I need a reservation for happy hour?
Walk-ins work at the bar, but groups of 8 or more should book ahead through the private events page.
What are the hours?
Happy hour Mon–Fri 4–7pm; dinner nightly from 5pm; the bar runs to 2am Tuesday through Saturday.
Happy hour times and deals last verified June 2026. Details can change — confirm with Valerie before visiting for a specific deal.