As Celebrity Mixologists become more and more of a thing City-wide, exotic ingredients and recruiting A-list bartenders are driving cocktail prices up, up, up. But you don’t have to resort to beer or house wine just yet–you can still get an excellent cocktail for under $10. Here are 9 great spots to get an equally intricate cocktail without breaking the bank.
1. The Woodstock off the Highline serves their version of an Old Fashioned–the $10 Hey Joe, consisting of Evan Williams Black and pumpkin syrup with spicy garnishes.
2. Botanica in Nolita has taken a new spin on a Moscow Mule with its $9 Ginger Yum Yum, with rosemary-infused vodka and ginger beer at its base.
3. Super Power is a Crown Heights tiki bar that makes a Galangal Daiquiri for $10. Think fresh and light, not the sugary concoctions served pool-side at all-inclusives.
4. 169 Bar has been serving it up in Chinatown since 1916. Known for its $9 Raw Oyster Bloody Mary shooter, you can also go fruity with their equally cost effective Sangria with brand-soaked apples afloat.
5. The Drift in Greenpoint has a backyard where you can sip a $9 Refresco under the sun. Tequila, fresh watermelon, agave, lime, and chili flakes over ice.
6. The Cobra Club is typical Bushwick, not settling for just a bar, but rather combining a yoga studio, coffee shop, and community center into its offerings. Oh, and the Devil Lock, a spicy Margarita with jalapeno-infused tequila for $10.
7. The Bad Old Days House Punch can be procured for $9, and it’s different every time. Stacks of games and shelves of books make this Ridgewood dive bar a great place to kick back and relax.
8. Skylark in South Park Slope has a new take on a Salty Dog–their $9 Salty Studebaker with basil-infused vodka and fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.
9. Visit Do or Dive in Bed Stuy and order That Coffee Thing for a mere $7. It’s a coffee slushy spiked with either whiskey or brandy.