The City by the Bay is known throughout the world for so many of its magical characteristics.  Being inexpensive, however, is not one of them.  But San Francisco is also a place that caters to all walks of life, including those that don’t want to plop down $15 per drink at a fancy lounge or club.  You can save those places for the tourist, because any local will tell you that there are a bevy of dive bars and cozy cafes in town to serve you crafty cocktails or magnificent microbrews at bargain basement prices.  Yet the following establishments all have a certain je ne sais quoi–so you can pour like a prince(ss) for the price of a pauper… Toronado (547 Haight Street) The Bay Area’s proudest dive bar is also home to the most extensive collection of craft brews you’re likely to find anywhere.  And best of all, they’re all [...]

In this exciting new series, I will be bringing you the best deals on booze from major cities throughout the country. Times are tough and for a lot of us that means $14 cocktails are not always an option.  But fret not, for there are still many ways to get your rocks off while saving some shekels for less meaningful expenditures not starving and/or paying rent.  Let’s kick things off in a place that is notoriously regarded as one of the most expensive cities in the world: Des Moines, Iowa…Kidding, I’m talking of course about the Big Apple.  Believe it or not, with such limitless options in the city’s biggest metropolis, there are plenty of ways to booze in New York without badly bruising the bank account.  Here are among a few: Blue and Gold Tavern (79 E 7th. Street): Home of the Dirty Hipster–a shot of Jaeger and a PBR for only [...]

more from our friends at SF City Dish… 1) Free Pizzetta at the Cosmopolitan in SOMA Valid Daily (thru September 18th) 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon-Fri) 5pm – 9:30pm (Saturday) Cosmopolitan Restaurant Lounge 121 Spear St. @ Howard Today’s Dishout takes you to one of the snazziest, jazziest restaurants in SOMA.  The Cosmopolitan Restaurant Lounge is giving away a free order of their popular Grilled Pizzetta for lunch, happy hour, and dinner! This mouthwatering treat is topped with asparagus, applewood smoked bacon, Vella “Mezzo Secco” & soft egg. It’s perfect for sharing, but after one bite, you probably won’t want to. This Dishout is a $9.50 value. / GET THIS DEAL NOW /

more from Kevin over at SF Citydish… 1) Get SF’s Best Onion Rings for Free at Darla’s Valid Daily (thru August 31st) 10am – 10pm (lunch & dinner) Darla’s 822 Irving St. @ 8th Locals already know that Darla’s serves some of the best burgers in town. But the unsung hero of this quaint cafe’s menu is their super crispy onion rings. These bad boys are fried to perfection and perfect for ketchup-dipping. Best of all, these onion rings are delightfully fat-free! Ok, that last part was a slight exaggeration. But come on, people! How can you pass up free onion rings?! Hold off on that diet until the following week. This Dishout is a $5.00 value. / GET THIS DEAL NOW /

More from SF CITYDISH 1) Farmers Market Cocktail Night Wednesday, July 7th. 5:30pm – 7:30pm. CUESA Kitchen San Francisco Ferry Building More Info There’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on this Wednesday at the Ferry Plaza. SF’s best mixologists will be pouring mouthwatering drinks at the Farmers’ Market Summer Cocktail Night. This fun event, presented by The Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), will bring you an eclectic array of spirits mixed with flavors of summer produce. Participating bartenders include: Kate Bolton (Wexler’s), Greg Lindgren (Rye), and Ethan (15 Romolo), and many others. There will be plenty of tasty hors d’oeuvres by restaurants like Tacolicious, Comstock Saloon, and Bix. For $33, guests can enjoy 2 full-sized signature whiskey cocktails + 8 sample-sized drinks. Make sure to take a cab home. 2) New $21.95 Martini Lunch at Urban Tavern Daily: 11:30am – 2:30pm (month of July) Urban Tavern 330 [...]

More from Kevin over at SF City Dish… 1) World Cup Soccer Party/Buffet at Iluna Basque Thursday, June 17th. 11am – 2pm. Iluna Basque 701 Union St. Powell RSVP HERE You’ll get a kick out of this deal! Head over to Iluna Basque to watch France play Mexico in the 2010 World Cup next Thursday, June 17th at 11 a.m. Top Chef contestant Mattin Noblia will be providing a $15 buffet that includes food from both France (stew, croquettes and hors d’oeuvres) and Mexico (tacos, tostadas, chips & salsa). Drinks from Mexico (Mexican beer and margaritas) and France (red and white wine) will be available for purchase. All attendees must preregister and prepay here (using your Twitter ID).

More from SF CityDish…. 1) SummerTini at The Galleria Join SF’s best chefs at SummerTini 2010 on Friday, June 4th at the Galleria. This annual culinary extravaganza features specialty hors d’oeuvres from 20 local restaurants, live jazz by the San Francisco Bourbon Kings, signature martinis, scotch bar, and enticing auction items, including the opportunity to dine with the SF Chronicle’s food critic, Michael Bauer. All proceeds from the evening benefit Episcopal Community Services’ culinary training program for homeless adults. WHEN: Friday, June 4th. 6pm – 9pm WHERE: The Galleria 101 Henry Adams St. Buy Tickets Here – http://www.ecs-sf.org/events/summertini.html

by Kevin Blum, City Dish SF 1) Brazilian Night at Pisco Lounge Wednesday, May 26th. 6:00pm – 12:00am Pisco Latin Lounge 1817 Market St. @ Octavia Pisco Latin Lounge is turning up the heat this Wednesday night. Enjoy complimentary Sagatiba Cachaca drink specials and giveaways from 6pm – 7pm. After 7pm, there will be $5 Sagatiba cocktails and a hot DJ! Muy caliente! 2) $20 Greek Food & Wine Every Wednesday at Mezes Every Wednesday. 5:30pm – 10pm Mezes 2373 Chestnut St @ Divisadero Every Wednesday, the Greek shall inherit the earth! Join Mezes Restaurant in the Marina for Piatela Wednesdays. Diners can choose from three huge Greek platter options. And if you sit at the bar, they’ll treat you to complimentary wine tasting! Guests can choose from the Veggie Platter ($20), the Meat Platter ($25), and the Seafood Platter ($25). Delicious Greek food and free  wine? Sounds like the [...]