13 cheapest bars in Singapore for affordable drinking

Affordable bars for drinking are few and far between and it doesn’t help that everything from the cost of food to transport to utility bills seems to be constantly rising. Our salary though… well, not so much!

You can thank me later because I have searched high and low to compile this master guide of the 13 cheapest bars in Singapore for affordable drinking. They all either have cheap drinks that won’t burn a hole in your wallet or offer attractive happy hour deals for a relatively economical post-work de-stress session with your friends or colleagues.

1. Pilcrow

We start off this list with a place that does not exude the typical bar vibe. Pilcrow is a dessert and cocktail bar situated along the hip streets of Boat Quay.

If you’re feeling a little peckish before getting in the mood of letting your hair down over some booze or cocktails, you can choose from their selections of 10-inch sourdough pizzas ranging from Spicy Hawaiian (S$18) and BBQ Chicken (S$18) to enjoy all by yourself or to share with a friend.

Their bar bites include Salted Egg Popcorn Bowl (S$8) and Popcorn Chicken (S$10) which will go well with beer or their cocktails.

Speaking of which, Sethlui.com readers are entitled to an exclusive 1-for-1 promotion for all their cocktails just by flashing this article— yes, you’re welcome!

Be wowed by their range of interesting (and really pretty) cocktail concoctions, like the floral Butterfly Tonic (S$22) which contains lavender-infused gin, butterfly pea and tonic water (guaranteed to satisfy all gin and tonic lovers).

There’s also their sweetened rendition of the classic old fashioned, the Flint & Steel (S$24). It contains rye whiskey and chocolate served with a toasted marshmallow on top— how quirky and cute!

60 Boat Quay, #01-01, Singapore 049848
+65 8869 6866
Mon to Thu: 6pm – 11.30pm
Fri & Sat: 6pm – 12am
Closed on Sun
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2. The Ranch

Located not far from Aljunied MRT Station lies The Ranch, a western food and wine bar establishment serving good food at wallet-friendly prices without any GST surcharge. It’s a nice place to get together with a bunch of good friends to chill the night away.

Besides serving a range of western mains, pastas and pizzas, the menu also boasts a plethora of bar bites for you to choose from. Select from their tantalising snacks such as the Ranch Boxing Chicken (S$7), Sotong Balls (S$7) and Chick-Me-Up (S$11) (which is a plate of prawn paste fried chicken wings served with Thai chilli sauce).

The Ranch holds their happy hour from 12pm to 7pm daily, where you can get pints of Tiger beer, Heineken and Guinness at just S$10+ each— what a good deal!

71/73 Lorong 27 Geylang, Singapore 388191
+65 6747 0788
Daily: 11.30am – 12am
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3. Symmetry

Though Symmetry‘s usual menu is really pricey, you’ll be shocked to see they have real sweet happy hour deals!

On Sundays and Mondays, happy hours are all-day! From Tuesdays to Saturdays, it lasts till 6pm. There will be discounted prices on house pour wines, beers and spirits from S$10.

Cocktail lovers, head on down on Wednesdays from 6pm onwards. They’re offering 1-for-1 cocktails. With fancy names like Bugs Bunny (S$24) and Rocket Science (S$22) (which has gin, rocket leaves, watermelon, cucumber and lime in it), you can try their wide range of drinks at only half the price!

With such awesome drinks in your hand, wouldn’t it be perfect if you had some great bites to pair them up with? They have 7 kinds of snack items on the menu which will leave you craving for more. Give the Pulled Pork Croquettes (S$18) a go, which come with nashi pear remoulade, jalapeno and pickled cabbage.

If you’re looking for something to munch on, they also have Lobster Nachos (S$18) and Potato Fries (S$16) too.

For location, contact number and opening hours, refer here.
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4. Atrium Bar 317

Bright and chic on one side, cosy and subdued on the other, Atrium Bar 317 is a popular drinking hole located inside Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium on Outram Rd.

If you can get away from the office early any day from Monday to Friday, make the most of the extra time off by heading here. It’s Happy Hour between 4pm and 7pm and all house pour wines, beers and spirits cost just S$9++ per glass.

Really want to stretch your dollar, ladies? The Ladies’ Night: Free Bottle of Prosecco promotion was created just for you. Come on down on the last Thursday of every month between 7pm and 9pm with 3 lady friends and get a complimentary bottle of Prosecco. (Offer limited to one bottle per night, per group of 4 ladies).

All drink and no food is a recipe for a terrible mood— Wednesdays are for big eaters with the 1-for-1 Pizza special. This offer is available all day long for dine-in customers who order a Margherita, Hawaiian or Vegetarian pizza.

With a food and drink menu that’s always evolving, Atrium Bar 317 is a treasure trove of discovery for the intrepid connoisseur. 5 interesting new cocktails have just hit the counter.

Three are gin-based. Spicy Basil Gin Gin Mule ($18) is a product of Gin, Lemon Juice, Pepper Syrup and Ginger Beer; The English Garden ($20) contains Gin, Elderflower Liquor, Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice & Apple Juice; while Gin, Matcha Powder, Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice, Honey Syrup and Egg White are whipped together to create Matcha Cloud ($18).

You may want to sip a Hazelnut Espresso Martini ($20) that combines Vodka, Frangelico, Kahlua & Freshly Brewed Espresso. Margaritas get a twist, too, in the Grapefruit Ginger Margarita ($20) that uses Tequila, Cointreau, Grapefruit Juice, Lemon Juice and Ginger Syrup.

Finger foods such as Fried Spiced Potato Wedges served with Guacamole Dip, Grilled Satay, Chicken Wings, Cheese Platter, BBQ Pork Bun and Pork Dumpling with Wolfberries are available all day to accompany your tipple.

Keep up-to-date with the latest offers and events at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium on their TikTok channel.

317 Outram Road, Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, Lobby Level, Singapore 169075
+65 6733 0188
Daily: 11am – 12am
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Brought to you by the folks behind Symmetry, Xiao Ya Tou is a modern fusion restaurant and bar that is tucked away on Duxton Hill. Known for their eclectic brunch offerings, they’ve transformed Western cafe staples into quirky dishes with an Asian flair.

Expect to find local favourite dishes zhuzhed up in interesting ways like Puff Beancurd Pockets (S$18), which are stuffed with charred eggplant, chickpeas, lime, onions, chilli, jalapeno and herbs. There’s also Crispy Otak-Otak Rolls (S$15) which are shaped like mini spring rolls, and served with white achar and tamarind peanut sauce— sounds so yummy!

Xiao Ya Tou’s happy hours are from opening till 3pm daily, where you can enjoy discounted prices on house pour wines, beers and spirits from S$8.

They also have a thing called “happiest hour” from 3pm to 5.30pm daily, where house pour beers, wines and spirits go at just 2 for S$16! How much happier can one get?

6 Duxton Hill, #01-01, Singapore 089592
+65 6226 1965
Mon: 3pm – 11pm
Tue to Thu: 11.30am – 11pm
Fri: 11.30am – 11.30pm
Sat: 10am – 11.30pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm
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6. Baden Restaurant & Pub

Established in the 1990s, Baden Restaurant & Pub is a Bavarian-style place located in the heart of Holland Village. The whole interior is done up in heavy teak wood, resembling a Teutonic country tavern. They were the first pub in Singapore to serve Erdinger on tap.

Their menu has a wide selection of German dishes such as Beef Goulash With Laugen Roll (S$9.90) and Wursteplatte – Funf (a platter of 5 different types of sausages) (S$39.90). If you’re looking for something light, give their snacks like Deep Fried Mini Squid With Thai Chilli Sauce (S$12.90) and Onion Rings With Homemade Tartar Sauce (S$10.90) a go.

Happy hour at Baden Restaurant & Pub lasts all night long from Sundays to Tuesdays, and till 9pm for the other days of the week. You can get draft beers like Erdinger Weissbier 300ml (S$8), Guinness 250ml (S$8) and Heineken 500ml (S$10).

They’re currently offering a 1-for-1 promotion till the end of 2022, where you can enjoy Monkey Shoulder Whiskey (S$18++ per glass, S$295++ per bottle) or Hendrink’s Gin (S$20++ per glass, S$325++ per bottle) at half the price.

42 Lorong Mambong, Singapore 277696
+65 6463 8127
Mon to Thu: 2pm – 1am
Fri to Sun: 2pm – 2am
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7. The Jolly Roger

The Jolly Roger is a warm cosy neighbourhood bar that’s nestled within the residential Hillview neighbourhood. This is probably one of the few bars that serves The Full English Breakfast (S$21), all-day, everyday.

The menu also features wholesome mains such as The Jolly Chicken Burger (S$20), Bangers and Mash (S$19), Grilled Salmon (S$19) and Bacon Carbonara (S$16).

Jolly Roger’s happy hour is from 11am to 8pm. Chill out with your mates over draught beers like Paulaner Helll’s Lager (S$12) and Guinness Draught (S$13). You can also indulge in their range of whiskies from Glenmorangie like the Glenmorangie 10YRS (S$10 per glass) and Glenmorangie 14YRS (S$13 per glass).

15 Chu Lin Road, Singapore 669907
+65 8874 7123
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 12am
Fri to Sun: 11am – 12am
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8. Yen Izakaya Premium 円居酒屋

Yen Izakaya Premium located at Jalan Besar serves a variety of Japanese delights like ramen, curry rice, donburi and gyoza. They also have various kinds of skewers which are grilled to perfection, such as Toriyaki (chicken) (S$5.90 for 3 pieces), Salmon Mentai Yaki (S$5.90 for 2 pieces) and Leek Miso Yaki (S$3.90 for 2 pieces).

They also have a wide array of side dishes, 18 types to be exact. Indulge in munchies such as Edamame (S$4), Mentaiko Fries (S$4.50), Cold Tofu with Sesame Dressing (S$4) and Oyster Age (S$7.50) (which are yummy giant battered oysters).

They have a range of sake from Kobe, but I would like to focus your attention on their beer and gin instead, which are wallet-friendly. Their daily happy hour is up till 8pm, where you can get Draught Suntory Premium Malts Pilsner Beer (570ml) (S$10) and Draught Suntory Premium Malts Black Beer (570ml) (S$10). The Suntory Gin Sui is going for S$10 per glass as well.

They also have another outlet at Sin Ming called Yen Izakaya, which is a scaled-down version of their premium outlet.

Yen Izakaya Premium
100 Tyrwhitt Road, Jalan Besar Stadium, #01-05, Singapore 207542
+65 9613 2615
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm

Yen Izakaya
11 Sin Ming Road, Thomson V Two, #01- 12/13, Singapore 575629
+65 9613 2615
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm
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9. Tango’s

Tango’s is a bar perched on the slopes of Holland Village with decent prices for food and drinks in light of steep competition in the area where there’s an abundance of bar spots. So you can expect pretty affordable price tags on food and of course, sweet happy hour deals.

They’re currently having a 30% off lunch promotion from 12pm to 3pm daily. Dig into their range of tapas which pair really well with booze. The menu includes Tango Wings (S$14), Whitebait (S$12) and spicy Chilli Crab Dip (S$12) (which comes with fried mantous for you to dip into the shiok chilli crab sauce)— you’ll forget that you’re in a bar for a while.

They’ve also got 1-for-1 cocktails, martinis, and shooters every day from 12pm to 5pm.

From 12pm to 9pm daily, it’s happy hour at Tango’s. Let your hair down with fun cocktails like the Singapore Sling (S$16), Sangria (S$12) and Waterfall (S$18) (which is a blend of kahlua, galliano, brandy, sambuca, blue curacao and milk).

35 Lorong Mambong, Holland Village, Singapore 277692
+65 6463 7364
Daily: 12pm – 10.30pm
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10. The Store 

The Store located at Neil Road is an unassuming neighbourhood hangout at first glance, but head on inside and you’ll realise that it’s actually a cosy, unpretentious spot that whips up great food and drinks with a warm and personal touch.

If you’re got time on your hands or have taken a half day off from work, head down on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 4pm to 6pm, where they have a special [email protected] menu. What’s so special about this menu, you may ask? Well, a couple of appetisers which are Sour Dough with Guacamole and Baba Ganoush and Tortilla Chips with Cheese and Corn Salsa are going at just S$11!

Five kinds of cocktails are included in this exclusive S$11 promotion as well. They include Tommy’s Margarita, Strawberry Collins (which is a concoction of London dry gin, fresh lemon, strawberry puree and fizz) and Sours (Whisky/Vodka/Rum) (a tangy cocktail of fresh lemon, simple syrup, bitters and the spirit of your choice).

11 Neil Road, Singapore 088809
+65 8731 1883
Tue to Sat: 4pm – 12am
Closed on Mon & Sun
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11. Little Saigon

Located by the riverside at Clarke Quay, Little Saigon wants its patrons to chill out in Vietnamese-style. It’s adorned with classic Vietnamese lanterns and exudes a mesmerising sexy vibe while you savour modern Vietnamese cuisine and sip on wicked cocktails.

Its menu is refreshingly unique, combining the authentic taste of Vietnamese favourites with both new and traditional party fare. Indulge in fresh spring rolls like Thit Heo (S$9), which contains marinated minced pork, carrot, radish, black fungus, jicama, and thin rice vermicelli.

Or perhaps try the Goi Khe Thit Bo Tai (S$12), a refreshing beef and starfruit salad with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables.

Sip on their interesting range of Asian cocktails, like the Lemon Basil Martini (S$16) and Miss Saigon (S$16) (a vodka cocktail containing lychee liqueur, sweet and sour mix, and cranberry juice).

During happy hour from 5pm to 9pm happening on Sundays to Thursdays and from 5pm to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, get 50% off all Asian cocktails, wines by glass and draft beers (Heineken/Tiger). Beers end up at around S$8, and Asian cocktails, from S$8 to S$9. With this, you’ll be able to try a variety of cocktails without having to burn a hole in your wallet— consider it a successful night out!

3E River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, #01-02, Singapore 179024
+65 6337 5585
Sun to Thu: 5pm – 12am
Fri & Sat: 5pm – 2am
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12. KPO

KPO is a popular drinking spot located in a refurbished post office building located in the heart of Orchard Road. Relax and enjoy the view of lush greenery in the day, or a warm and cosy ambience at night.

You better head over on an empty stomach as there are loads of scrumptious food for you to feast on. Some must-tries include the crispy deep-fried Brussels Sprouts (S$14) which are super addictive and the Prawn Toast (S$15), which are filled with mashed prawn and sesame-coated before they are deep-fried— sinfully delicious!

Happy hour promotions at KPO run daily for the whole day until 8pm which includes a 15% off all premium bottles. Besides that, you can enjoy 1-for-1 on selected premium bottles on ladies night every Wed, from Chivas 18 to Martell Cordon Bleu.

Draught beers like Kronenbourg 1664 Lager and Asahi Super Dry Black are going at S$11 each and a handful of red and white wines are only S$12 per glass during happy hour.

1 Killiney Road, Singapore 239518
+65 8339 5368
Mon to Fri: 2pm – 12am
Sat: 4pm – 12am
Closed on Sun
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13. Stickies

With five outlets across Singapore, Stickies pride themselves in offering the cheapest drinks in town— we shall let you be the judge of that. Customers dining here can indulge in a myriad of activities such as pool, darts and PlayStation 4 games. I’m in!

Besides bar snacks such as Cheesy Curly Fries, Onion Rings and Spam Fries (S$10 each for half portion), they also have dishes with cute names containing Singaporean slang words which we would only understand.

Names like Chao Chee Black Wings (S$15 for 8 pieces) and Ho-Jiak Platter (S$52) (which is a huge platter of bar bites consisting of onion rings, chicken wings, tater tots, curly fries, spam fries and truffle fries served with four different kinds of dips)— perfect for sharing amongst a big group.

At Stickies, you’re blessed with the permanent promotion of their draught beers and bottled beers, with their Beer O’Clock (BOC) and Half O’Clock (HOC) happening at 3pm – closing daily. What does this mean?

For all of the draught beers and bottled beers priced as BOC, they are priced by the time. So if you head down at 5pm, they will all be priced at only S$5 each. For the half pints that are priced as HOC, it will only cost you S$2.50— such an awesome bargain! Tempting enough?

To make a reservation at any of their outlets, you can call +65 9862 4080.

For a list of locations, contact numbers and opening hours, refer here.
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