While Chicago has its fair share of delicious cocktail lounges popping up city-wide, never forget: you don’t have to take out a loan to have a good time! But some ways to get drunk cheap are better than others. And now that summer’s on the horizon, Chicagoans can step outside to enjoy the weather, go for a run, and, uh…find more creative ways to drink. Trying to spend less than a (soon to be) Tubman on drinks? Here are the five best—and most Chicago—ways to legally get the job done:
Millennium Park Summer Concert Series
Get out and enjoy some culture and a picnic at the Pritzker Pavilion! Millennium Park has an incredible free concert series you can’t miss out on. Beer and wine are allowed at the Pritzker Pavillion/Great Lawn, but no hard liquor. Bring a bottle of wine and get your buzz on while cradled in the dreamy Chicago skyline.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Drinking Game
Why leave your apartment when you could play a drinking game on your stoop? Lakeview Edition: drink every time you see a fit n’ busy mom in Notre Dame gear; a group of drunk bros yelling about the Cubs (drink double if it’s before noon!); a nervous young dad with a stroller and a labradoodle.
BYOB Sushi
So technically this one isn’t under $15 if you’re buying dinner, but BYOB sushi is one of my favorite, inexpensive ways to drink in Chicago. Bring a six-pack to Wicker Park’s Coast Sushi Bar, North Center’s Anna’s Asian Grill & Sushi Bar or Lincoln Park’s Nori—you won’t regret it, I promise.
$1 PBR Mondays At Longman & Eagle
Need I say more? Mondays at Longman are not for the faint of heart.
Happy Hour! It’s Legal Again!
Holy cow! In case you missed it, happy hour was re-legalized in Illinois last July! So now you have no excuse to go straight home after work, no matter how badly you need to watch How To Get Away With Murder. Find great deals all over the city here.
And Saucey, Of Course
Don’t even bother to leave the house—just use Saucey to order-in your favorite booze. It’ll be at your front door faster than Cubs fans can say, “Well, there’s always next season!”
Wow! This is going to be great. I would love to get drunk without spending too much. And $15 is really a big wow! Thanks for sharing your tips. Now I know that getting drunk need not to be expensive. But since you can get drunk with this amount, I hope you’ll only do this once in a while. Don’t make it a habit.