Happy hour is alive and well in the Downtown Sacramento area on Thursday nights.

While there are countless restaurants offering discounts on food and drinks for varying days and times, eight of the grid's Thursday happy hours stood out from the pack.

Heading off the list is the Dragonfly Japanese restaurant. Located at 1809 Capitol Ave. and voted "Best New Restaurant" by SN&R, the Dragonfly offers some impressive deals during happy hour. Running from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m., the restaurant offers half-off sushi rolls, $2 sake bombs, $3 drafts and half-off well drinks.

Another good place to kick back and enjoy some good deals on food and drinks is Level Up Lounge at 2431 J St. Their happy hour runs from 5 to 8 p.m.

"Everything is $2 off," said manager Suleka Lindley. "A beer is $2 domestic, $3 premium and well is $4.50. Appetizers are $4 to $6, which include hot wings, sweet rice, lettuce wraps and the sweet rolls, which people like to get a lot."

Another laid-back spot with a great happy hour is the Fat City Bar and Cafe, which offers half-off on any appetizer on the menu. Patrons can enjoy discounted tomato basil crostini, chicken pot stickers, sweet chili chicken wings, garlic fries and crab and artichoke dip, to name a few.

One of the best happy hours in town goes to Il Fornaio Restaurant and Bakery at 400 Capitol Mall. While the $1 off drafts and well drinks and $6 glass of wine may draw people on its own, Il Fornaio's biggest appeal is its free table of appetizers from 5 to 7 p.m. These complimentary samples include pizza, Italian rolls and deviled eggs, among other finger foods.

For those interested in a little more exotic flavor for their happy hour, the Kasbah Lounge at 2115 J St. offers just that. There's a long list of discounted food and drinks, including $3 Armenian beer, $3.50 sangria and $12 pitchers, $4 white wine and $4.50 red, $5 mojito, $6 habibi, $2 hummus and pita, $2 marinated olives, $3 french fries and $3 chicken wings. Deals run from 5 to 7 p.m.

Another spot with some foreign appeal is de Vere's Irish Pub at 1521 L St. Their happy hour runs from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and offers food and drink specials, including $3 to $5 appetizers on chips and dip and sausage rolls, $3 house drafts, $4 well drinks and $4 cider. The pub offers a wide selection of Irish beers on tap, which is their biggest draw during happy hour. This includes Guiness, Smithwicks, Harp, Murphy's Irish Stout, Stella Artois and de Vere's own Irish Lager and Red Ale, among many other beers.

For people wanting more of a variety of foods, McCormick and Schmick's restaurant on 1111 J St. is a good place to be from 4 to 6 p.m. Although they do offer good deals like the $1.95 California roll among other sushi entrees, a $1.95 pan-fried mozzarella and a $3.95 quesadilla, their best offer on the menu is an old American favorite.

"We're famous for our $2.95 cheeseburger with fries, which is something that's been in the company for a long time," said manager Richard Kyle. "We've also got sushi, and we're adding more. We got egg rolls, we got chicken wings, quesadillas and other things."

And for the lovers of microbreweries who enjoy trying the local ale, Brew It Up! Brewery & Grill on 801 14th st. brews many of their own ales and lagers, all at a discount during happy hour. Drafts, ciders, house wines, cocktails and well drinks are $1 off from 4 to 6 p.m and 10 p.m. to midnight. Also, all appetizers, including fries, onion rings and taquitos, are $3, with $5 burgers and $10 pitchers offered during the late happy hour.

Other happy hours for Thursdays, as well as any day of the week Downtown can be found at sacmix.com