Blue & Gold Tavern
79 E. 7th St., nr. First Ave.; 212-473-8918
This old standby boasts $5 shot-and-beer specials (the Dirty Hipster = Jägermeister and Pabst Blue Ribbon) until 1 a.m. PBRs are plentiful, and mixed drinks run as little as $3 all night long.
Blarney Cove
510 E. 14th St., nr. Ave. A; 212-473-9284
At a place where a dude named Popeye tends bar, how much do you expect drinks would be? Trust this bastion of East Village grime to keep its Bud and shots at dirt-cheap prices, no matter how high the rents climb.
Continental
510 25 Third Ave., at St. Marks Pl.; 212-529-6924
After its stage was gutted, Continental refocused its hook to low-cost booze: Everything served, including frozen mudslides and margaritas, is under $5. Tap beers can get as low as a buck on certain nights, and five shots of anything can be had for a mere $10.
Rosemary’s Greenpoint Tavern
188 Bedford Ave., nr. N. 7th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-384-9539
This Williamsburg institution’s main draw amounts to a Bedford Avenue blue-plate special: 32 ounces of Bud in a giant Styrofoam cup for only $3.50. Bonus: much easier to smash Styrofoam into your forehead.
Turkey’s Nest Tavern
94 Bedford Ave., at N. 12th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-384-9774
You’ve got to love a place where the bartender actually laughs at you for asking—at a very non–happy hour—if the twenty you gave him for four beers is enough.