Commonwealth Happy Hour. Downtown

Start with a $5 craft cocktail. The bartenders here treat classics seriously, and at that price you can work through a few without thinking twice, which beats the $4 draft or $6 wine if you came for the drink-making. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 4 to 7pm, on Fremont East downtown.

Commonwealth spreads across three floors, each with its own feel: a dim ground-floor lounge, a hidden second-floor bar behind a working laundromat, and an open-air rooftop. The rooftop is the move during those daylight hours, with views over the old neon and the Fremont canopy a few blocks west. It's outdoors, so summer afternoons can be punishing and spring and fall are ideal.

Food holds up its end. Tacos run $3 and sliders are $5, enough to keep you grounded through a few rounds. The crowd skews local, with service-industry folks getting off shift and tourists who did their reading. Smoking is allowed inside, so the rooftop has the better air.

Arrive near 4pm to grab rooftop seating before the after-work wave. Weeknights are quieter and your better shot at the second-floor speakeasy, which has limited access by design. It's a short walk east from the Fremont Street Experience. Confirm current hours before you head over, since downtown bars adjust their schedules often.