Especially budget friendly happy hour

I usually don't participate in happy hours for three reasons

a) I don't work a 9-5 job

b) I have s#$% to do

c) I don't find drinking for drinking's sake entertaining or a good use of my limited daily calories

That said, for the first time in 4 or 5 years I went out for happy hour. That's when I came across a bar that had 1995 beer prices.

Japas 55 (55th between Broadway and 8th) is a karaoke bar that runs a half price drink special on all alcohol in the bar between 5-7 on Fridays and Saturdays. That means Sapporo, Heineken - Chambord, if that is what does it for you - is half off. A japanese or chinese beer will run you $2.50.

photo credit: Japas55

....and the bar runs public and private room karaoke and is attached to a restaurant (bar upstairs, restaurant downstairs). I can't attest to the quality of the food, but other patrons seemed to enjoy it. The prices are very reasonable as well.

Despite a killer drink special, nice staff and fairly comprehensive songbooks, the bar is more or less completely empty between the hours of 5 and 7 (it gets very busy in the later hours). This really means that public room karaoke is just about as private as private room karaoke. Best thing is, at this time of day you don't really have to sing or listen to anyone else sing. The traffic is so slow between these hours, that there are long breaks between songs.......so if the only thing you want is a cheap, imported beer in a public place, you can get your kicks for $2.50 and move on to some other activity.

....which is what I did last week.