Two 22 year olds in New York City want to know some great places to go out at night on a student's budget
 

This is the first time me and my girlfriend will be up in NYC being over 21 so we want to go out every night but not sure where to go. We're staying at the Milford Plaza Hotel right in Times Square so we need possibly some places in or around there that won't charge us $10 for a draft. If any has any ideas it would be appreciated.

Get out of Times Square. It is tourist hell and New Yorkers avoid it like the plague.

Head down to the East Village. There are zillions of great bars on St Mark's Place between 3rd & A, for example, with "normal" priced drinks.

Search Shecky's, East Village, for bars that look good to you:

www.sheckys.com

Enjoy!

Times Square is incredibly unNew Yorky - really tourist central.

For more fun places - and much better prices - try either the village/east village (around NYU) or the upper west side (near Columbia) which hve a lot of great eating optinons and bars for students or similar on a budget.

Just be really careful where you go - and don;t try for any of the truly trendy places - or you will blow your week's budget in a couple of hours ($20 plus drinks and buying a $300 bottle to get a table - as well as high entrtance fees).

Please Please treat yourself to a Sabretts hot dog or two--with relish and all!!! We left NY 8 years ago and I have to order them via airmail to fix the "need"-- also do White Castle- I know I know!! people rollin' eyes... but nothing beats a Whitecastle after hitting a few pubs!!!!! but both are food within budget and easy to get too

Sushi Samba 7 is a fun place. Great music. Contemporary and interesting decor, nice rooftop, decent (but still upscale) prices on the menu. Draws at lot of twenty-somethings. In Greenwich, I think.
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Sushi Samba is on 6th Avenue in the Village, but it is expensive -- definitely NOT for a student's budget.

Sushi Samba has a young vibe, and might be good for a drink, especially if the rooftop is open. But cocktails are probably $10. As they are at lots of places in NYC. The menu is on-line.
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Stay at a hostel (with other students) and use the $aving$ on other entertainment.

http://www.hiayh.org/

Cheap eats can be found at Grey's Papaya or its competitor Papaya King. 2 hot dogs & a drink for about $3. Check out the Manhattan board at http://www.chowhound.com for more cheap food options.

Sign up on the e-mail list at http://www.myopenbar for the latest info on open bars around the city (these are usually promos run by different beverage companies to promote new products, but free booze is free booze). You'll meet lots of 20-somethings at these things.

Off the top of my head, cheap drinks can be found at McSorley's (they only serve beer) on 7th St. near 3rd Ave. or Jonathan Swift's pub on 4th St. near Bowery (these are both walking distance from St. Mark's Place) has a good happy hour with free brie & crackers.

Definitely hit the east village and the area around NYU in Greenwich village for pubs & bars. There's a place called the Alligator Lounge in the East village where they give you a free pizza with EVERY drink you order! ACE bar is fun...lots of pretty cheap places down there!

Is it far to get from Milford Plaza (Times Square vacinity) to East Village or St. Mark's Place?

subway ... shuttle to grand central, then 6 train to Astor Place ... easy

Definitely go down around the NYU campus. There are a ton of bars on Bleeker between Broadway and 6th Ave. and beyond - you can't go wrong down there. The Lower East Side also has a hopping bar scene. There are also a bunch of cheap bars & restaurants on 2nd avenue from about Houston to 14th St. and beyond. Pick up a copy of Time Out magazine when you get here to get an idea of music and the club scene if you're into that. You can find it at any newsstand. Have fun!

Or you can take one train from Times Square (R , N, or W line) and get off at 8th St--you're only one block further away than the 6 train at Astor Pl.