When you drink on the cheap in Toronto, you often (but not always) have to forgo fancy cocktails in lieu of daily specials and discount brands. From dive bars to student haunts and long-standing establishments, these places offer the chance for you to let loose without loosening your purse strings too much.
Here's where to find cheap drinks in Toronto by neighbourhood.
ANNEX
Labyrinth Lounge has solidified itself as a top student drinking destination with its ultra cheap specials. Mugs of beer, select mixed drinks, and bar rail shots are usually $3.50.
BAYVIEW & LEASIDE
You'll find a pint of something or other on special daily for $5 or $6 at McSorley's Saloon.
BLOORCOURT
Wolf Like Me is a self-proclaimed dive bar that makes "dark, loud, cheap" its mantra. $8 negronis and pitchers of beer for $18 are menu staples, plus look forward to cheap shots and doubles on Fridays.
BLOORDALE
Happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Bar Neon attracts locals with $5 draught beers accompanied by buck-a-shuck oysters.
CHINATOWN
The main appeal of The Red Room is undoubtably its cheap drinks. This beacon for cash-strapped crowds pours pints for $5 or less and pitchers from $12. It'll even pour half pints for those really counting their pennies.
CITYPLACE
At Macho Radio Bar Tex-Mex bar, you can grab a 14-ounce pour for $5. More enticing still are the daily discounts that see pitchers of sangria sell for $20 on Sundays, margs for $5 on Mondays and shots of Tromba for $5 on Tuesdays.
CLUB DISTRICT
Bar 244 bills its self as fun, casual and affordable, which practically makes it a unicorn in this neck of the woods. Mixed drinks and domestic beers are always $3 while imports are $4.
CORKTOWN
Lucky Clover Hour at Black Irish Whiskey Bar lasts from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every weeknight. On special during this extended happy hour, find domestic bottles, Bushmills and Jose Cuervo on for $4.50, rail drinks offered for $5.25, domestic pints for $5.50, and house wines on for
$6.50.
THE DANFORTH
The Linsmore Tavern is a bonafide dive bar where bottles for less than $5 are the norm and Labatt 50 sells for $1.50 for a seven-ounce pour.
DUNDAS WEST
The Lakeview is a 24-hour diner where the drink specials might just outshine the eggs. Draught specials are $2 for a seven-ounce pour while Caesars, mixed drinks, wine and pint specials are priced at just $4.
FINANCIAL DISTRICT
Unwind after work with drinks and nibbles on weekdays at The Merchant. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays enjoy a $5 glass of Peller Estates Cab-Merlot or Chardonnay with complimentary fruit and cheese, on Tuesdays opt for $2 tacos with $4.50 Modelo Especial, Wednesdays are devoted to $5 Kona Big Wave Golden Ale with $2 sushi... see the pattern forming?
HIGH PARK
The Bar With No Name is a laid back hangout where enticing daily drink specials include $10 pitchers on on Mondays, $3.50 bottles on Tuesdays and $3.75 tall cans on Thursdays.
JUNCTION
3030 Dundas West often offers featured tallboys for $5, though the standard price for a pint is closer to $7.50. Regular winners for budget-conscious consumers include a range of carefully crafted cocktails for $10 and at least a couple wines by the glass for $6.50.
JUNCTION TRIANGLE
Boo Radley's is the kind of local watering hole that always offers cheap drinks. No need to wait for daily specials; domestic bottles for $4, wines by the glass from $6, and mixed drinks for $7 are the norm.
KENSINGTON MARKET
Five dollar Dark 'n Stormys, beer, wine and rail drinks offered every Monday at the Handlebar make this Kensington Market music venue a perfect place to kick off a new week.
KING EAST
Shots of Wild Turkey are always $4 at the Pacific Junction Hotel. Meanwhile pitchers, priced just over $13 and buckets of Palm Bay for $20 will surely get you buzzed on a budget.
KING WEST
Underground Garage is like the Coyote Ugly of Toronto, where the music is loud and vodka sold for $3 a shot is to blame bad decisions like hanging your bra up at the bar.
KOREATOWN
Pour Boy is an inviting neighbourhood pub where proper pints of Amsterdam sell for $4.75. Wine by the glass goes for $5.25 and two-ounce cocktails cost only $8.25.
LESLIEVILLE
Climb the dark staircase to Bill Hicks Bar to claim your reward in the form of cheap tall cans ($5-ish, PBR for less) and mixed drinks ($4-ish).
LITTLE ITALY
Bistro 422 is one of the most inexpensive watering holes on College where mixed drinks come in mini pitchers garnished with a straw.
NORTH YORK
You can score some cheap sake ($5.50 for three ounces) to go along with your udon at MeNami. Cocktails are commendably priced from $8 and up. Try the Matcha Druken Tea featuring a blend of hot sake, melon liqueur and Jack Daniels.
QUEEN WEST
The daily specials at Wide Open are astoundingly cheap, not to mention available every night of the week. Even on Fridays and Saturdays, when most bars don't bother offering discounts, Wide Open serves pitchers of beer for $15 and mixed drinks for $5 all night long.
RIVERSIDE
An Sibbin Pub offers drink deals throughout the week including highlights like 32oz. jugs of Steamwhistle for $9 on Mondays, $5 tall boys, spirits and house wines on Thursdays $4 Caesars during brunch on weekends.
PARKDALE
Mezzrow's pours generous shots, one and three quarter ounces to be exact. The standard selection of spirits will set you back just $6, while the premium booze costs just a dollar more. Domestic beer for $16 per pitcher and cocktails for $8 or less round out the inexpensive menu.
SCARBOROUGH
Taco Wednesdays doesn't have a nice ring to it, but tacos and $5 Coronas and margaritas make the promotion passable at Rally Sports Bar. Visit Thursdays for $5 bar rail and $4 Beaus and Mill St. Organic (12-ounce pours), or really any night of the week to find some sort of drink special.
ST. CLAIR WEST
Four dollar shots of tequila, $5 cervezas and $6 Cheladas are the second best reason to take a trip to Tenoch. The menu of tortas, tacos and Mexican comfort foods is of course number one.
WEST QUEEN WEST
There's something for every budget at The Dogs Bollocks, a British-style tap house. Standard bar rail drinks cost $5.25 and mini-pitchers (equivalent to three drinks) costs just $12.
YONGE & BLOOR
There's lots to like at WAbar, the pimped out rec room and self proclaimed Asian sports bar that draws crowds with daily specials including BOGO shots on Wednesdays, $3.50 mixed drinks on Sundays and $5 beers on Mondays.
YONGE & GERRARD
Lou Dawg's gets good grades with Toronto's student population for its budget friendly menu featuring $5 shots of Jack, Jameson and Jager every day of the week.
What did I miss? Add more cheap drinks to the comments.
Lead photo of Wolf Like Me by Jesse Milns.
by Liora Ipsum via blogTO
No comments:
Post a Comment