We all know that the price of alcoholic beverages in the big city has increased, but by how much?

According to many New Yorkers, including myself, a good time is always had with a fun adult beverage. Unfortunately, prices have skyrocketed with many of the great pleasures in life, including alcohol. Though this hasn’t stopped sales on the pleasurable thirsty Thursday at some of the best spots throughout New York City, it is still costly to have a night out on the town. 

So how do we continue to live our lives to the fullest when we’re out in the city for a night? 

We keep calm and drink on, with some education, budgeting, and knowledge.

When Beers Were $5 And I First Stepped Foot into the Nightlife Scene

When I first experienced going out to the bars in the city with my friends, we could get Michelob Ultra’s for about $5.00 at our local spot in Manhattan. Now, the price for a Michelob could be upwards to $10.00 at Bounce Sporting Club, a place I frequented when I first started drinking. 

Also, who drinks those anymore? 

No offense to any readers who do. To each its own right. 

Not to mention, our tastes has evolved and we now enjoy the finer things in life such as... the famous espresso martini. These could cost up to $25.00 at Mr. Purple in Manhattan. It was also more cost effective when we started going out when we were younger because we would pregame. 

Pregaming was always the best way to get some of the drinks flowing in our bodies earlier and it would mean we didn’t have to buy as many drinks once we went out. 

We had it all planned out, or so we thought. 

Pregaming and going to local bars were fun, but eventually we grew comfortable and it became montontous. 

As the years came and went, my friends and I decided to broaden our horizons and hit the big apple. 

Discovering Promoters and Being Able to Get into the Very Best Spots in Town  

The word “promoter” brings back so much nostalgia. I instantly smell the cranberry vodkas we used to consume.  My girlfriends and I hit the big apple running. We frequented places such as Lavo and 1 Oak. These nights started around 10:00 pm and wouldn’t finish until the sun was starting to rise. The girls and I would dress to the nines and come in with some of the most popular promoters of these clubs. If you were ever a city goer, you know exactly what it means to go out with a promoter. 

Going out with a promoter equates to free drinks all night long. This was both a blessing and a curse.

Gone are the days where people got free drinks, but I do think this will come again.

What Draws Me Into the Nightlife and What I Enjoy Most About Drinking

Now that I’ve stopped to think about why I like to drink alcohol, I think it has a lot to do with the social component. I’m sure many people pose the question to themselves, “Do I like the taste of alcohol or the social aspect?” 

I mean for me, it is a little bit of both. Alcohol has such a mixed reputation; it's either loved or hated. 

Why must it be this way? 

I strongly believe in the phrase, “everything in moderation”. 

That is how I view my relationship with alcohol as an adult. 

I don’t overdrink, but I don’t restrict myself or have a bad relationship with alcohol by any means. 

I understand how alcohol has negatively impacted some people's lives, but everyone's situation with this substance is different. 

My job has a happy hour once a month and it really is such a nice time to debrief with co-workers that I don’t usually see and have a nice, tasty adult beverage after a long work week. I, for one, am not a shy person and don’t need alcohol to be social, but I know some people do. It is nice though to see some usually type A and uptight coworkers/people get a buzz on and let loose. 

The Massive Breakdown in the Nightlife World Created by the Pandemic

The city during the pandemic was a big NO for me. I saw what was once the city that never slept go into a “coma” if you will. NYC was literally a ghosttown and the night life at night clubs was nonexistent. Many, if not all bar owners had to limit the capacity to less than half of what their venue could handle and masks had to be worn at all times. This was a big let down for many patrons. 

I’m sure some people still went and obeyed these new restrictions, but this was just not fun for me. One thing that became fun after the pandemic got better was the outdoor seating situations. At this time, many nightclubs/bars created outdoor spaces in order for patrons to be able to enjoy their favorite spots in a safer way. Thankfully, this brought in a lot more business for these bars/clubs, which was a serious worry for some places. This is one thing I saw that the bar/nightclub industries kept up with after the pandemic was over, which is great. 

The Glorious Recovery of the Nightlife Scene Thanks to the Efforts of Every Single Member in the City 

It’s 2023 and it is as if the pandemic never happened. 

Hallelujah. 

I know that could be a controversial statement, but it's truly great to see the world up and running again. Businesses suffered, especially bars/clubs so it is great that the scenery is back like we didn’t have a three year pause. 

I was just at Common Ground in the Meatpacking industry and the line was long and well worth the wait. At this moment waiting in line, I knew we were back in business. 

It was crowded in there; the DJ was loud and bumping and I felt alive again and in my nightlife element. Some things that I am pleased to see post pandemic are all of the bars/nightlifes’ outdoor seating situations. Bars/clubs that never had an outdoor seating area now do and it is here to stay. 

As spring/summer is on the horizon, this is a great addition to enjoying your favorite spots and being able to do so outdoors. I notice many bars and clubs are running promos, allowing for free bottle service with certain purchases in order to bring in revenue. This is a great tactic and gets lots of people in. More money is spent when places throw in offers.  

It’s refreshing to know that the pandemic is way behind us and bar/nightlife is back like it never left. So, I’ll see you all at pHD rooftop this spring! 

The Sticker Shock We Experienced When We Went Back Out to the Clubs 

As we all know and have seen, the cost of drinks have skyrocketed over the past few years. According to an article in the New York Times titled, Nightlife Inflation: The Cost of Going Out Is Going Up, with rising costs of alcohol, food, maintenance and so on, patrons are paying for it, literally. 

One patron stated, “New York is known as an expensive city, and drink prices are not exactly set in stone. But Mr. Keller said the surprising bar tabs of recent months have left him wondering if he can continue to justify his nights on the town.  

I’ve had a similar experience to Mr. Keller when I recently frequented the House Of Yes in Brooklyn. The funny thing is that this club is also featured in this article for its rise in prices. My friends and I purchased six vodka sodas and our total was $120. That comes out to $20 a drink. 

We were SHOCKED! 

But, still we paid. 

We enjoy our nights, yet the moment we see the damage that is done to our credit cards, cash, etc in the morning, it really makes us rethink our nightlife choices.  

The Stark Difference in Prices of Alcoholic Beverages from Before the Pandemic to Now 

Some bars in Brooklyn, Tribeca, and the Upper East Side have nearly doubled the costs of their drinks and food in comparison to the past. 

Bohemian Bar in Brooklyn now costs $15 for the “Butterfly,” which is vodka, fresh ginger, butterfly pea flower, lime, and seltzer. This used to cost $11.50 in 2019. Their cheeseburger now costs $19 and used to be a nice $10.50. 

Primo bar in Tribeca costs upwards $27 for an espresso martini. This price USED to be a whopping $12. 

And lastly, Bar Felice which is found in the Upper East Side, now sells a glass of sauvignon blanc for $27, you read that correctly. These used to be $18 a glass.  Want a pasta dish with that wine? You used to be able to get a nice penne alla vodka dish for $22 and now you can fancy one for $32 a dish. Hopefully you eat before you get there, as these portions are small and seemingly got smaller as the prices rose. 

As seen, prices have skyrocketed over $10 on both food and drinks, which makes me wonder. If we go into another inflationary period or some sort of recession again in the future, will drink prices go up even further?

“Drinks aren’t only increasing in price in New York,” says Leonard Kim of AdvisorCheck. It’s happening across the country. In Los Angeles, when I was 21, a beer at a fancy place would cost between $5-$7, and a cocktail would cost between $12-$18. Those prices stayed steady for quite some time until about half a decade ago when I was 33 years old. You would have a lot more difficulty finding a $5 beer at a nicer venue and the $12 drinks started to creep up to $15. Now after the pandemic, beers at the low-end venues are around $7, more commonly $9 or up, and cocktails at a simple rooftop are going for $23 at EP&LP, when there are many other nicer venues out there (and some that are charging more as well), Leonard continued. 

The aforementioned New York Times article even states that some bars won’t give patrons a lime with their drink if they don’t request it. This just goes to show how much the bar/restaurant industry has been affected and how they try to save in any ways they can. Owners have outwardly spoken out about how even napkins and cup prices have grown extremely expensive in the past few months. 

The Negative Impact that the Cost Increases Are Putting on People Who Love to Go Out

At grocery stores, the cost of alcohol has not shifted as much, however, due to the rise in prices on alcohol at venues in New York, this can have a negative impact on some or many New Yorkers. For example, regulars who frequent their favorite bar/club every weekend might have to limit their visits to once or  twice a month. 

I certainly took a step back on going out every weekend due to the rise in prices. Many people would rather stay home and make the cocktail themselves than face the anxiety of an expensive bill on one night out. 

A media company noted that, Some regulars are cutting down, though. Connor McInerney, 26, who works at a media company, said the steeper cost of a night out means he is staying home more. “There’s a whole lot fewer two-night weekends and more one-night weekends,” he said. This just goes to show the effect the rising prices have on New Yorkers. 

Some Things to Minimize Costs When Going Out

There are numerous ways  that people can save in order to budget their spending when going out for drinks. This seems like something that is specific to your life situation: for example, I have a few friends who work for recruiting companies that don’t have to pay for these types of outings. These friends are able to use their company card and expense divine and luxurious lunches, dinners, and drinks. This is a great situation if you have the career that allows for this luxury. 

The Financial Landscape Is Changing — You Need to Meet with a Financial Advisor to Stay Ahead

With the rise in prices on alcohol and basically everything else in our world, we have to take control of our finances. We can’t spend our money recklessly, yet we can’t save every penny and never truly enjoy life. I’ve recently spoken with a financial advisor on what I should be saving vs spending, debt to income ratios, and overall balance of spending as a 26 year old in NYC. It was quite an enlightening experience. 

This is highly recommended for a successful grasp on your finances. I want to be able to enjoy my espresso martinis guilt free. You should be able to as well. 

If you already have an advisor, make sure you’re monitoring them with your free AdvisorCheck membership. If you don’t have one yet, it’s imperative that you get one as soon as possible. You can use the tools at AdvisorCheck to search, research, compare and pick out the financial advisor that best fits your lifestyle. We look forward to seeing you as a member. 

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Written by Jenna Ciallella

Fact checked by Luke Jara

Reviewed by KJ Kim

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