If there’s one thing more difficult than UCLA classes, it’s trying to party like Paris Hilton with the budget of a broke college student. And no, having money isn’t a matter of just “stopping being poor,” as Ms. Hilton once put it.
Due to their, relatively speaking, low-cost high-benefit nature, broke students turn to frat parties to satisfy their socialization needs. Ah, frat parties. How I don’t miss them. Frat parties accomplish two major goals of going out: a) getting drunk and b) not spending any money while doing so.
However, if you are a guy who did not buy into the Greek system, over-the-hill (i.e. an upperclassman) or anyone who would rather sit at home and do nothing than set foot onto cheap-beer-stained floors, then you’re basically up a creek without a paddle when it comes to socializing, right?
Not necessarily. Despite how expensive the Los Angeles social scene can be, there are actually places to go that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. As a 23-year-old fifth year student, you can imagine I have had my fair share of both the frat and bar scenes, so you can trust that I have become quite a pro at “party pinching.” Here are some of the top places I have found where you can party like a cheapskate.
Bars, Happy Hours and Drink Specials
Rocco’s Tavern
O’Hara’s replacement (RIP O’Hara’s), Rocco’s Tavern offers a wider selection of higher quality drinks than its predecessor. While O’Hara’s was a typical dive bar, Rocco’s is nicer, cleaner and well, more bougie.
Since it is conveniently located right here in Westwood Village, you can bypass transportation costs – a definite money sink in this town.
Unfortunately, with higher-quality drinks comes steeper prices. The trick to saving money at Rocco’s: pay $2 extra to upgrade your drink to a large, have the bartender split the drink in two and share it with a friend. This turns your regular-sized $12 Moscow Mule into a $7 one. They also do have happy hour everyday from 3 to 7 p.m. You can have your cake and save money too. However, I would shy away from actually ordering cake at Rocco’s, as the food prices are kind of ridiculous.
Mom’s Bar and Lounge
The self-proclaimed “Best Bar on the Westside,” Mom’s Bar and Lounge is your quintessential dive – no cover charge and just a hop, skip and a brief Uber ride over to Santa Monica. The drinks are already stupidly cheap as is, but the bar claims to have “LA’s best happy hour,” offering $1 off any drink and a free basket of chips during the hours of 4 to 8 p.m. every night.
Another plus is that if, for whatever reason, you find yourself in LA and needing a place to hangout on Christmas day or other major holidays, Mom’s has got you covered since it is open 365 days a year. Nothing makes the holidays happier than getting drunk economically!
[Related: Bar Necessities: Mom’s Bar ]
Cabo Cantina
Let’s not neglect Cabo Cantina. What would a list of cheap places to go out be without Cabo Cantina? Essentially an extension of the UCLA frat scene – the booze is clearly from the lower shelf – the Brentwood Cabo Cantina is definitely the most popular of these inexpensive joints among students. With other locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood, they have got cheap partying on lock.
It is nearly impossible to get a table on Taco Tuesday – totally understandable since their deals are pretty unbeatable: $5.95 for all-you-can-eat tacos. Plus, every night from 4 to 8 p.m. and “late night” – after 10 p.m. – is happy hour, which means a two-for-one drink special. Speaking from experience, tacos and margaritas are almost never a bad idea for an otherwise dull Tuesday night.
Not to forget that they also are great for weekend brunch – Friday through Sunday they offer $9.95 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys if you order food for a minimum of five dollars. Tip: order the Muchos Nachos and split them with a friend. A plate of nachos (meat added) totals to about $12; bottomless included, your brunch is about $16 (not including tax and tip). Any other brunch place would cost you that much in mimosas alone. Great prices on food and drinks and “laid-back” security – Cabo Cantina is where it’s at.
Shows and Venues
The Echo & Echoplex
Located in the oh so hip borough of Echo Park, The Echo & Echoplex are great for cheap concerts, if concerts are your thing. Come see bands “before they’re huge” the venue’s website claims. Apparently the Rolling Stones have played there in the past – no big deal. Normal concert ticket prices range, but some go for less than $15, which is a steal. One possible downside, however, is that most of the concerts are only for those 21 and up.
The Echo regularly hosts the “Monday Night Residency” event, which they boast as having boosted the careers of some vaguely recognizable names like Foster the People. Oh, and did I mention that this event is free? Odds are you have never heard of the bands playing but hey, it’s something fun and cheap to attend. See you guys Monday at the Molochs’ show.
The Clubhouse
If you like improv shows, the Clubhouse has got your back. A “quaint” place in the center of Hollywood, the Clubhouse is home to many of LA’s amateur sketch comedy acts. Emphasis on the amateur. But the entry’s free, the booze is free and there’s no age limit. I can attest that the acts do get funnier with each beer you consume.
The Clubhouse is nonprofit and volunteer-run, so cash donations are very welcome. So, if you have it in your budget to throw a dollar their way when you grab a beer, my conscience suggests you do so. But besides that and a slightly pricier Uber, a Saturday night spent at the Clubhouse is far cheaper than say, a bougie night of clubbing at Nightingale Plaza.
As much as we love to fantasize about a “work hard, play harder” type lifestyle, let’s face it – it’s just not monetarily feasible to go out every single night. But just because we are learning to manage our money doesn’t mean we are condemned to a hermit’s existence. Even the poor deserve to have a social life and it is possible to do so while saving money. This is why I impart this “bar-gain” hunting wisdom on you all. Stay tuned for even more inexpensive hot spots.