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As credit crunches, and exchange rates plummet, it's time for fancy cocktails to step aside for our old favourite: cheap beer.
Here is a round-up of some of the cheaper places to buy a round of drinks.
Photo by Shanghai Sky
Tasca
A Mediterrenean restaurant above Judy's on Lower Tongren Lu? Believe us, it's there, and the generous portions of Nachos and other drinking food are tasty enough to soak up the 15RMB large Tigers. Open 24 hours a day, this place could get messy if the late-night City Diner crowds ever find it.
78-80 Tongren Lu near Nanjing Xi Lu, 3F (take the lift from street level) 021 6289 3602
C's
A long-time favourite, C's is worth another mention here because of their continuing fight for the cause of cheap drinks, as well as the fact that the name makes it almost impossible to find using Guanxi. Beer 10-15RMB per bottle, add another 10RMB for a refreshing shot of Vodka.
685 Dingxi Lu, South of Yan'An Lu, (in the basement, past the Buddha statue) 021 6294 0547
The Bulldog
Ex-British bastion, this bar now dishes up 2-4-1 drinks all day, every day. The catch? A large Tiger costs 50 60RMB. Still, it's cheaper than any other place in this part of town to watch the football with a cold beer in hand.
1 Wulumuqi Nan Lu, near DongPing Lu. 021-64667878 Website
Blue Frog
Happy Hours are only cheap when you don't stay on for a few more after the deal ends (and when was the last time you did that?), but the Blue Frog serves up 25RMB standard pours and beers all day and night on a Tuesday, so you can leave your watch at home.
(Angry sociopaths please note: This offer is only valid inside the restaurant)
Many locations (Tongren Lu, Super Brand Mall, Xu Jia Huia....) click here for a full list
Exit
Buzzing bar in the 528 Kangding Lu enclave, Exit is a little off the beaten path for a beer, so you might as well stay for a couple. 25RMB for a large beer.
528 Kangding Lu- 150 0082 6259
Harley's
Xu Jia Hui's original basement bar, 25RMB beers served with a little sass and a game of darts by the all-female bar crew.
265 Nan Dan Dong Lu, near Cao Xi Bei Lu - (in the Basement- follow the smell). 021 5424 7317
Any more tips? Leave us a comment!
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I was told by a friend who went to Bulldog last night that the 2 for 1 special now only applies after midnight.
I was there a couple of weeks ago and they still had the 2-4-1 deal.
I'm in the middle of checking now...
the large tiger (or carlsberg) is 50rmb at the "dog" :P
ok ok, to clarify things, 2-4-1 is always at the bulldog, every day, every hour!!!! between 12am and 1 am we feature a daily "beer snob" which features 20rmb on selected imported beers!!!
C's isn't so hard to find on Guanxi. I know it sounds hard to believe given the short name, but typing in "C's" into the message actually gives you the desired results.
Bulldog- yes, Tigers are 60rmb, but so are Long Island Iced Teas. And the last time I ordered one, they were pretty stiff mixes.
Blue Frog- just came from there, and all beers are 25rmb, including (the normally 60rmb) Grolsh and Stella Artois.
Ah the murky, fast-shifting sands of cheap drinking.
The last Tuesday I was in the Blue Frog, you could only get Tiger and Carlsberg on the cheap.
Rick, it seems you really know your stuff- sending "C" to Guanxi (like I normally do) does NOT give good results.
and still no complaints from the guys in the photo. They're good sports.
How about Windows Scoreboard and Windows Too? They're pretty cheap too!
Cheap, and evil