NYC Intern Summer: A Happy Hour Survival Guide

There truly is nothing like summer in the city. After spending an entire summer in the “Big Apple,” we took away two things: you need to be prepared to spend money (a lot of it), but you can achieve your goals of saying yes to everything while still on a budget. Summer in New York City is the season of interning, and we at The Edge learned that besides work, interns take happy hours very seriously. It is a great way to meet new people your age from all over the country and bond over your 9-to-5.

If you want to take happy hours to a new level, The Edge is here to share the must-hit spots and specials to impress your new intern friends, all while respecting your budget.

First up we have Ten Degrees, which has an amazing buy-one-get-one free deal from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. This bar is super vibey located in the East Village. It offers a huge selection of various cocktails and wines. We recommend Night RiderCold Brew Martini, which is a huge hit on nights when you feel like staying out on the town.

Next up we have the famous Rudys, which is located in the heart of New York City: Times Square. This iconic bar with a huge pig statue in front serves $3 pints and $12 pitchers of beer, along with a free (that's right, we said FREE!) hot dog with every purchase of alcohol. This is a must-hit spot and has a super fun vibe to go with your friends!

Continuing right along with the free food, we have The Charleston. This is a spot a little off the beaten path, located in Brooklyn. They offer FREE pizzas until 7 p.m. along with super cheap drinks and an arrangement of different shots. Who doesn’t love a free New York pizza?

Next, if you're craving Mexican food (who isn't), you just have to try out El Coco which has $5 margs all day. They have the cutest margs (and cheap ones at that!). We love their $4 tacos. You can also get a whole meal with drinks for under $30, which is practically unheard of in New York City. This is a must-hit pregame spot for the girlies to spill the tea and enjoy the yummy food!

Last but not least, we have Bar 9, which is a lively dueling piano bar with a bunch of weeknight specials. Starting on Mondays, they offer $10 lobster mac and cheese and $4 house wines. On Tuesdays, they have three-dollar Coronas and on Wednesdays, there are $2.50 Miller Light bottles and $9 soft shell tacos! Friday is their famous happy hour with $3 Tito’s, Jack Daniels or Captain Morgan drinks from 5-9 p.m., making it the perfect post-work spot. Plus, who doesn’t love some live music?

These are just a few of our favorite spots we hit this summer, proving that you most definitely CAN do New York City on a budget if you do your research and know the ins and outs of the city that never sleeps.

Let us know if you have any other favorite spots, or if you’ve been to any of the spots we recommended @theeedgemag. Cheers! :)