There is, of course, nothing good about tough economic times - except, maybe, one thing. Let's hear it for the reinvigorated happy hour.

No one's saying it wouldn't be easier, more lucrative and far less nerve-wracking to run a restaurant in flush times. And no one's saying restaurateurs wouldn't get more sleep.

But leaner wallets have forced restaurants in Sacramento and up and down the state to push creative marketing and service ideas, and, maybe best of all for diners, rekindled that semi-faded institution that is the happy hour.

Even more - and this has been particularly strong in Sacramento's central city, where residents and restaurants live side by side - it's powered a generally new concept: the weekend happy hour, good food and all.

"Happy hour is back in people's consciousness," said Marcus Marquez, owner of L Wine Lounge and Urban Kitchen in midtown, which recently added "endless pizzettas" for $12 on Sundays. (Tuesday to Saturday happy hours run 4 to 6 p.m. with $6 wines and food specials for $3 to $6.) "I'm really glad to have the concept back. It's good for all of us."

L Wine Lounge opened in April 2007, just in time for the economy to unravel. Marquez has counted 22 restaurants in downtown and midtown that have opened since then. All are still going.

"There are so many good operators who seem to be on the same page," he said. "Everyone is competing hour-by-hour to get business, and things like weekend happy hours increase traffic for everyone."

"We've always had happy hour on Saturday and Sunday, but now we've put muscle behind it," said Terri Gilliland, owner with her husband, Ron, of Lucca in midtown and Roxy on Fair Oaks Boulevard. "The economy has forced us to really market it." (Happy hour at both spots run 3 to 6 p.m. daily except on Sunday, when Lucca's is 4 to 6 p.m. - with $3 to $5 drinks and food.)

Happily, food is better

Happy hour, of course, has never gone away. Loads of restaurants and bars, from Spataro, Mix Downtown, Streets of London or McCormick & Schmick's in the central city, to Bonn Lair in east Sacramento, to Piatti's on Fair Oaks Boulevard to BJ's Brewhouse in Folsom, regularly hop after work.

What has changed since the years when happy hour meant a discount Long Island Iced Tea and platters of nachos and bean dip is the food quality has gone up and hours have expanded.

Zinfandel Grille on Fair Oaks Boulevard, for instance, recently added all-night Wednesdays to its regular happy hours (3:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekdays, 4 to 6:30 p.m. weekends) and $4.50-a-glass wines to the $3.50 drink specials and $3 to $7 food items.

A time to be creative

Weekend happy hours, on the other hand, had been rare since there's no after-work crowd to lure. That's changed in the past two years in California, and particularly in Sacramento, because the central city here has gotten more eateries and residents, and because restaurant owners felt the need to offer bargains.

"Restaurateurs are entrepreneurs, and when times are tough, the tough get creative," said Jot Condie, president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association. "The prominence of happy hours, and of weekend happy hours, is something we're seeing statewide."

He said Sacramento's core district has continued to grow, even during the slow economy, partially because it reached a critical mass of residents and popularity, but also because restaurants in the area have adapted well.

"Corporate spending in restaurants has diminished," he said, "but we're seeing restaurants focus on the locals with increased service and with things like happy hours."

Service is serious business

Both Gillliland and Marquez said that defines their outlooks.

"Boy, you have to take customer service seriously," Gilliland said. "Pushing happy hours is a part of that. We want people to get real value."

"We're truly doing our Sunday pizzettas for the people who live around here," Marquez said. "We see some locals almost every day and wanted them to have something on Sundays. And that's good for business, too.

"We're lucky we opened during these times. We learned so much," he said. "On the other hand, I cannot wait for the day we have a normal economy."

Call The Bee's Rick Kushman, (916) 321-1187. Listen to him Tuesdays at 8:40 a.m. on NewsTalk 1530 (KFBK).