Inexpensive drinks on the strip?

As I'm planning out my upcoming trip to Vegas (from my onslaught of threads, I'm sure you can tell that there's been a lot of planning going on), I came to realize something kind of unsettling... I actually cannot remember the last time I paid for a drink in Las Vegas, that I wasn't seated in a restaurant for. Because of this, I don't know what alcohol costs, in such contexts as getting something from one of those bars with to-go containers, or even from bars in general.

Further skewing my perceptions, I've run into extreme high/lows of pricing in the times that I've seen drink pricing or paid for drinks. For example, I've paid $18 for a slushie margarita and $12 for a small draft beer. But then I've also paid $2.50 for a large draft beer, and $3 for an Amaretto on the rocks.

I'm not going to be playing a great deal on my upcoming trip, so I am expecting to pay for several drinks. In preparation for this, I'd just like to know where one might go to find inexpensive alcohol on the strip. Downtown is loaded with options, so I'm covered there. But I don't want to go up to a random bar in the Linq, order a rum and Red Bull (my signature cocktail), and be rang up for $25 because a shot of rum is $15.99 and Red Bull is $8.99, and I just didn't know any better.

So, any suggestions would be much appreciated. Whether that's specific names of specific places (Casino Royale?), or strategies to find not-arm-and-a-leg bars, or even advice to just buckle down, play for a bit, and claim my "free" drink with the possibility of coming out ahead, any insights would be wonderful.

 

I know what you mean, prices are all over the place it seems.

I have seen images of drink menus and listened to a couple podcasts that put the crafty cocktails in the sixteen dollar range.

We seem to have been taken pretty good care of playing VP and tipping at the bars, but if I am out and feeling like cruising the Strip and not playing to get drinks I am a flask type of guy. Kind of low class I suppose, but augmenting a big cup of soda while wandering between bar top VP sessions seems to work for me. This of course requires buying a bottle somewhere so that is sort of a hassle.

I am not a cheap drunk, I just like to get drunk for cheap

 

casino royal $1 michs., Stage door behind Cromwell has $1 PBR and 2-3 dollar shots

 

I have no problem getting Ketel One and Red Bull at The Cromwell comped on the floor. The ABC store at the Miracle Mall in Planet Hollywood always has a good deal on 24OZ beers of some variety.I know what you me about sticker shock on drinks prices. I was eating with a buddy at BurgR and asked if we could get a top shelf margarita instead of their Jalapeno version. I was a little surprised when I got the bill and it was $24 bucks which was 6 bucks more than their signature one.

Mark .

 

The 5 o clock bar in Margaritaville Casino has nickel beers from 5-6pm

 

Happy Hours you must seek - Yoda

 

I try not to plan my entire trip on attempting to save money by drinking for cheap....but I always do...because I HAVE to. If Im not getting comped drinks or at some hole-in-the-wall bar, its a Walgreens/CVS/ABC Store for me. I really dont mind buying an affordable bottle of booze at ABC and making drinks in there room here and there. I need to bring my contigo so my drink stays super cold. Outside of Happy Hour your random drink specials, hard to drink cheap on the Strip unless your gambling or going to one of the stores mentioned above.

 

get the CITYZEN app for up to 5 beers free daily. Sometimes good deals on Groupon. Stage Door $1 bottle of Pabst and jumbo dog $2. Good lunch for $3. LVA Ellis Island 3 rounds of drinks for 2 people (Or 6 for yourself?). CR as mentioned. Most boyds have the $3 bottles of beer.

 

In general, casino bars on Strip have horrible pricing. If there isn't a sign that there are cheap drinks, assume your wallet is in for pain.

Casino Royale for basic beer and stuff, find happy hours like 5 o clock, Cromwell has a drink special during the day on weekdays (read the signs to confirm it is still there)

Don't be afraid to duck into ABC stores, CVS, and walgreens. It's not great for mixed drinks but it's an easy way to find tall boys of beer for $3 and stuff like that.

If you want hooch, it's a lot harder unless you're willing to drink in the room/make your own in the room and carry it around

You could always do the craps challenge - go to a very busy table. Look like you're playing. Order a free drink when the waitress walks by.

Also, don't be afraid to do something like sit at the bubble craps game at TAG with a $20 in there. You don't have to be playing, just put your card and $20 in. They'll serve you.

Actually, the last one is about my best secret in LV, and I almost hate to give it out. They will serve you craft beer for free if you pretend to play bubble craps there

 

my friend who owns Fuel Bar in front of ballys has had a thing going on for the two years they have been open...get some cards from one of the fuel bar guys on the strip handing them out...its Buy One, Get One

the offer is for any drink except for don julio 1942 or the big slushie cups...whatever you buy, you get the exact same drink for $9, its a flair bar so you get a show and a very strong drink

 

https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?threads/my-updated-happy-hour-list.132592/

 

This is very useful! Thank you for sharing.

There's a very specific time I'm planning to get the drink that prompted this thought, and that time is going to be in the 10:00 pm-ish range on a Monday, walking down from V/P to Aria. Looks like there's plenty of options that will do. It seems crazy that I have to make a posting to a forum just to get a rum and Red Bull for ~$10 and not $25. But between this list of happy hours, and the sound advice to not go for anything that isn't advertised (that is, "no prices = high prices"), I think I can pull this off.

 

I can confirm this works. And the table is always empty, though they just moved it again. Waittress service is very fast too since only covering a small area and the bar is 20 feet away.

 

by again do you mean they moved it further from the Strip within the TAG area? That was my experience. It is towards where the hologram blackjack game used to be.

 

Try asking before you buy how much it will cost, always worked for me

 

Under the Eiffel Tower on the North Side there is a little general type store with buy one get one half off tallboys. They were running that deal the last two times we were there. Stay away from the open bar on the South side it's casino prices.

There is a little store up by Harrahs that you can enter from the street that sometimes has 2-1 Tallboys or sales on but it might be hit or miss.

We hit the ABC Store at PH as well and grab some mini's and tallboys.

 

My issue with that, is it comes across as embarrassingly cheap. If I ask "how much for a rum and Red Bull?", and I'm told it's $17.99 plus tax, how is it going to look when I say "no thank you"? Obviously it's way too much to pay. But walking away makes it look like I can't afford it. I can, but I don't want to pay that when I can buy an airplane bottle of rum for $2.99, and a can of Red Bull for $3.99.

It's logical to ask, but it looks really bad, especially in a city like Vegas.

 

[QUOTE="

You could always do the craps challenge - go to a very busy table. Look like you're playing. Order a free drink when the waitress walks by.

Also, don't be afraid to do something like sit at the bubble craps game at TAG with a $20 in there. You don't have to be playing, just put your card and $20 in. They'll serve you.

Actually, the last one is about my best secret in LV, and I almost hate to give it out. They will serve you craft beer for free if you pretend to play bubble craps there[/QUOTE]


And you wonder why they want to add verification systems for cocktail service.

 

You have to think that its not odd to walk around wit a water bottle. I have one where the whole top comes off so you can put ice in it. Bada bing, instant gigantic portable cocktail container. Its blue well so cant tell whats in it. Take a flask with some extra booze and all you then need is a mixer like soda 7 up, whatever.

 

And you know these people to be embarrassed? If you refuse to pay $18 for a cocktail the bartenders are probably thinking "that's a smart man". The last thing I'm worried about is walking away from a bar full of people I'll never see again