The Dog’s Bollocks
817 Queen West, 647-350-6496, dogsbollockspub.com
Start at the Dog’s Bollocks (get your mind out of the gutter – this just means “the best” in Brit-speak), where you can cop a cocktail or pitchers of beer for $10.99 while spying on passersby in the late afternoon sun. (I did my fair share of day-drunk leering in university and refuse to believe I was an anomaly.) Rolling with a crew? Grab an Amsterdam mega-pitcher (that’s 8 pints, people) for $29.95, and in case you’re no math major, that’s less than $4 a pint.
Hours: Daily 11 am to 2 am
Patio: Nada, but the open front counts as a pseudo-patio
Washrooms: In basement
Templeton’s, Kensington Market
319 Augusta
Pleasantly greased, skip down to Templeton’s, the classier sibling of Red Room, Nirvana and the regrettably defunct Green Room. The space formerly known as Burger Bar is now hawking some of Kensington’s cheapest libations. Bottles and cans at $4.50 throughout the week ain’t shabby, but the specials are where it’s at, rotating between $12 pitchers of mojitos (Mondays) and sangria (Sundays) – yes, words in every student’s humble cocktail lexicon – $3.75 shooters (weekends) and $5.50 double Caesars (Thursdays).
Hours: Daily 11 to 2 am
Patio: Right on Augusta
Washrooms: On ground floor – and really clean!
Ein-stein
229 College, 416-597-8346, ein-stein.ca
Post-Kensington, crawl into College’s basement. Ein-stein’s hasn’t changed much in the past 17 years, and that’s part of its charm – besides the discount booze, that is. Shabby pool tables, suspiciously large wings and $10 house pitchers (supplied by Great Lakes) make for a helluva time on a dime. Any premium pour – including a smattering of single-malt Scotches – is $4.75, always. Drown exam anxiety in $2 Jäger (Tuesdays) and $5.75 doubles (Mondays).
Hours: Daily 11 am to 2 am
Patio: Out front, usually packed with inebriates
Bathrooms: On the main floor
The Madison
14 Madison, 416-927-1722, madisonavenuepub.com
Amble up Spadina to a series of old Victorian mansions on Madison, where you find U of T’s most raging pub party. Domestic bottles and rail drinks go for $3.50 on Thursdays, with daily drinks in the frugal zone of $4.50. Hit up the Maddy on the first Tuesday of the month to celebrate its 30th anniversary with $3 pints and mixed drinks. Remember, the learning curve for freshman pickup tactics levels with every economical pint.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 am to 2 am, Sunday 11 am to midnight
Patio: Yes, complete with bar
Washrooms: Many throughout
Sneaky Dee’s
431 College, 416-603-3090, sneaky-dees.com
Now that you’ve found a date, it’s time to shut it down over beer and nachos at the one and only Sneaky Dee’s, the cultural institution that’s been watering and feeding thrifty Torontonians since the late 80s. Everyday “cheap” $3.75 pints, “regular” pints for $4.75 and $3 bottles of Pilsner might make this your home away from residence. Open till close, the kitchen pumps out Tex-Mex to keep you afloat in Sneak’s sea of cheap booze. Go earlier for the legendary upstairs shows or return the next morning for a gloriously greasy breakfast and a Caesar or two if you didn’t get enough the night before.
Hours: Monday and Tuesday 11 am to 3 am, Wednesday and Thursday 11 am to 4 am, Friday 11 am to 4:30 am, Saturday 9 am to 4:30 am, Sunday 9 am to 3 am
Patio: Tiny but there
Bathrooms: In the charmingly grimy basement
Everywhere else
You don’t have to keep it central to drink on a budget. Check out these other student-friendly spots scattered around the city.
Studying at the Centennial College campus on the east side? Check out the Black Swan (154 Danforth, 416-469-0537) for cheap pints and improv comedy. Or try the Only Café (972 Danforth, 416-463-7843, theonlycafe.com) for decently priced craft pints and general awesomeness.
If you’re at Ryerson, Ram in the Rye (Ryerson Student Centre, 55 Gould, ryersonstudentcentre.ca) has a sprawling patio and daily specials, and the Artful Dodger (10 Isabella, 416-964-9511, theartfuldodger.ca) is a cozy, decently priced pub.
The Underground (4700 Keele, 416-736-2100) is the campus hot spot for York Uni-goers. Or if you’re studying at George Brown’s Casa Loma campus, get to know the LAB Lounge (298 Brunswick, 416-925-7775) for $3 drink specials and an escape from the Brunny, or the Pour Boy (666 Manning, 647-343-7969, pourboy.ca) – the double-entendre says it all.
If you want to drink out west, the Lakeview (1132-34 Dundas West, 416-850-7005, thelakeviewrestaurant.ca) offers daily drink specials and 24-hour diner food to sop it all up. Or head to the Crooked Star (202 Ossington, 416-536-7271) for modest drinks and a chill, intimate vibe.
That’s a Toronto night within allowance parameters, children. Please enjoy responsibly.
