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A visit to New York can be expensive, as the glitzy city (like many such popular destinations around the world) has a high cost of living. However, having a drink at one of the Big Apple’s stylish bars doesn’t have to break the bank!

There are actually cheap bars located all over the city, often in the vicinity of the New York hostels so travelers can save splashing out on a cab or metro fare, too. One thing to note, though, is that bartenders expect to be tipped around $1.00 for every drink served – something which should be factored into your budget.

For starters, try the ACME Bar & Grill on Great Jones Street. This bar also serves food and the happy hours on Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 19:00 offer both half-price appetizers and drinks!

Next, there’s the Blind Tiger Ale House on Bleecker Street. The happy hours here run almost all day long, from noon to 20:00 on Monday to Friday.

Boxcar Lounge, on Avenue B near 11th Street, is small and cozy but can get very busy in the evenings. Drinks at this bar specializing in cocktails cost just $5 until 22:00 during the week, or until 20:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Village Idiot on West 14th Street is your very own Coyote Ugly, complete with girls dancing at the bar. Beer is incredibly cheap, costing between $1.50 and $3.00, with pitchers $5.50.

Corner Bistro is a great place to go if you’re in the West Village. Here, a mug of McSorley’s costs $2 and the burgers - which are highly regarded - will leave you craving more.

Seventies-themed Welcome to the Johnsons is located on Rivington Street. Budweiser is 2 from 15:00 to 21:00 Mondays to Thursdays, and 13:00 to 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Complementary snacks are also available.

Mars 2112 on Broadway may be silly and full of gimmicks, but its great fun. What’s more, it’s cheap - drinks are half price from 17:00 to 21:00, seven days a week.

On the Brooklyn side, Magnetic Field is great on a Tuesday for its all-day happy hour.

Meanwhile, Fiddlesticks on Greenwich Avenue is a good place to for a touch of peace or relaxation. Here, all the drinks (except martinis and shots) cost $3.

Finally, the Thirsty Scholar on Second Avenue is warm and familiar – the sort of place where the bartender will remember your name. Drinks are very cheap, costing between $3 and $5 each.

If you’re just visiting New York and are keen to enjoy some of these recommended hotspots, check out a New York hostels map before heading off to pick a great cheap stay on the doorstep of the city’s best budget bars!

By: Scottyn

Before settling down and becoming a copywriter for HostelBookers.com, Paul Scottyn travelled extensively and stayed in numerous New York hostels and cheap bars.

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First-time visitors might find Bangkok a bit overwhelming, especially when finding a nice place to dine. A dizzying array of Bangkok restaurants is located around town, with all kinds of food imaginable. Most of the upscale places usually have an extensive menu of drinks so you can sip a glass of wine and dine on good food at the same time.

Praised for their remarkable services, sumptuous food and jaw-dropping views of the city and the bewitching Chao Phraya River, Sirocco (tel: +66 2 624 9999) on the 64th floor of the State Tower on Silom road and Vertigo (tel: +66 2 679 1200) on the 61st floor of Banyan Tree Hotel on Sathorn road are definitely two of the best rooftop venues in Bangkok.

Serving first-class Mediterranean and Italian cuisines respectively, Sirocco and Vertigo are always booked up so it’s a good idea to give them a call to reserve your table and secure your ultimate dining experience.

Rooftop bars are also available at these two venues, offering a wide range of very yummy but pricy cocktails and imported wines. If these places sound like they might burn a hole in your pocket, there are plenty of less expensive choices among Bangkok’s bars and pubs.

Thai cuisine is definitely a must try once you are in Thailand. Although you might claim to have tasted Thai dishes before in your home country, there’s nothing quite as fun as seeing your friend sweat like a pig after a spoonful of authentic, spicy tom yam kung in a Bangkok restaurant. Of course, you can always ask the cook to tone down the spiciness.

Typical Thai dishes can be found in every single local Bangkok restaurant across the city. However, those wishing to dine on Thai cuisine in an elegant style should try Baan Khanitha (tel: +66 2 675 4200) and Blue Elephant Cooking School & Restaurant (tel: +66 2 673 9353), both featuring royal, mild and garnished Thai dishes in a remarkable, upscale atmosphere.

Bangkok also has a full range of other Asian venues including Japanese, Chinese and Indian restaurants where you can eat. Japanese food lovers should try Tsu (tel: +66 2 656 7700) at JW Marriott Hotel and Keyaki at the Pan Pacific Hotel (tel: +66 2 632 9000), serving real Japanese food and fresh sashimi. Dim sum and other Chinese dishes can be found at the China House at the Oriental Hotel (tel: +66 2 659 9000) and at Bai Yun at the Banyan Tree Hotel (tel: +66 2 679 1200).

For those into spices and curries, Indus on Sukhumvit 26 (tel: +66 2 258 4900) and Royal Indian in the old town (tel: +66 2 221 6565) have an array of Indian dishes to please your palate, while live Indian music, silver-star services and scrumptious authentic Indian grub can be found at Rang Mahal at Rembrandt Hotel (tel: +66 2 261 7100) and Tandoor at Holiday Inn Hotel (tel: +66 2 238 4300).

Steak fans can also find a plenty of steakhouses in Bangkok however there are only a few worth trying. The most well-known for their mouthwatering yet pricy steaks is New York Steakhouse at JW Marriot Hotel (tel: +66 2 656 7700). For a family-styled steakhouse, try Great American Rib (tel: +66 2 258 5942) for its homey atmosphere and yummy ribs.

Italian cuisine is quite famous among locals and as a result, you can find Italian venues everywhere in the city. Some of the most notable ones include the 11-year-old Gianni Ristorante (tel: +66 2 252 1619) and Biscotti (tel: +66 2 255 5443) at the Four Seasons Hotel for their authentic Italian dishes with a creative twist. Meanwhile, Scoozi Pizzeria (tel: +66 2 391 5113) and Bella Napoli (tel: +66 2 259 0405) are famed for their pizzas and pastas.

If you want to find French food at a Bangkok restaurant, your best bet is to try one of the French eateries in the larger hotels. Bangkok’s old favourite is Le Normandie at the Oriental Bangkok Hotel (tel: +66 2 659 9000), while Le Vendôme (tel: +66 2 662 0530) on Sukhumvit 31 is a renowned newcomer and possibly the only good French venue not situated in a hotel. A few fine German restaurants are scattered around Bangkok. Bei Otto (tel: +66 2 262 0892), the oldest German restaurant in Bangkok, serves a wide range of German beers, bakery items and yummy German grub.

Even though most restaurants aren’t open into the early hours to serve starving party animals, you can always find countless street vendors with their mouthwatering street treats including BBQ chicken, meatballs and kebabs along Sukhumvit and Silom roads. Soi Nana (Sukhumvit soi 4) is very famous for its variety of tasty kebabs.

With a number of restaurants around town, no tourists will ever go hungry in Bangkok. You also don’t have to worry too much about your weight as there are so many things to do in Bangkok that you will burn your calories in a flash. By activities, we mean shopping, of course!

This article was written by Andy Burrows

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