The Best Cheap Mixed Drinks To Order At A Bar

It's easy to run up a hefty bar tab if you're not careful. Premium drinks and high-end wines can easily go for $15 a pop, and we never seem to be able to order just one when we're out with friends. Before you know it, the bar tab exceeds your budget, and you might have to pick up a $5 fast food meal on your way home for dinner. Luckily, we know a few ways to make sure you don't end up there without having to ask the bartender for whatever's cheapest — that's definitely one of those things you should never do at a bar. If you really want to drink on the cheap, beer (especially draft beer) is likely the best deal. That said, you can still find some mixed drinks at your price point if you're in the mood for a cocktail. 

You'll get the bar's best pricing during happy hour, but don't be afraid to ask the bartender what's on special once happy hour ends. No matter what you do, stay away from drinks with multiple alcohilic ingredients (especially if they contain more than one liquor you've never heard of before) and try to order from the well — the cheapest booze behind the bar. If you don't know how to get started, try ordering one of these cheap mixed drinks. They taste delicious, and they won't break the bank, either. As always, drink responsibly and have your Uber app ready to get you home safely.

Mojitos are ridiculously delicious because they're super simple in concept but complex in flavor. They're made by crushing refreshing mint leaves to bring out their essential oils. Mix that with citrusy lime, a pinch of sugar, and white rum. Top it off with crushed ice and soda water, and it creates a thirst-quenching drink that's perfect on a hot summer day. Unfortunately, this is one of those drinks that will make the bartender hate you (they're kind of a pain to make), but the mint and lime has so much flavor that this drink will taste fantastic even if you use inexpensive rum

We would be remiss if we didn't offer a disclosure on the mojito: If you're at a dive bar, you'll want to skip this one. This is one of those cocktails that requires really fresh ingredients to taste great, so you may want to ask the bartender if they have fresh mint and lime behind the bar. According to Money, mint only lasts about a week, and you might end up with bacteria from spoiled mint in your drink if the bar doesn't go through it quickly enough.

If you're in the mood for whiskey, bourbon, or rye, look to the Old Fashioned. It's a simple drink made with whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water, but it will make inexpensive whiskeys taste significantly better than ordering them on the rocks. It's also a good drink to sip slowly, so you can drink one for every two beers your friends order. If you want to make the drink go a little further, ask the bartender to use crushed ice instead of a giant cube. It'll melt more quickly and water down the drink. You could also ask for a splash of soda water, too, if the flavor is too strong for your liking.

Traditionally, an Old Fashioned is made with a sugar cube dotted with a few drops of Angostura bitters. If you add a splash of water and crush the cube with a cocktail muddler, it will completely dissolve into the whiskey. Today, many bars use simple syrup instead of a sugar cube because it's easier to incorporate into the drink, preventing any gritty sips. No matter what you do, don't ruin this cocktail by asking for sugar substitutes like Splenda or Stevia; the sugar's purpose is to balance out the spicy alcohol flavor, and the cocktail just won't taste the same with artificial substitutes.

Gin has a love-it-or-hate-it kind of reputation. Some people dig its citrusy, piney flavor and aroma while others find drinking it to be akin to chewing on a handful of pine needles. If you're not a gin fan, you'll want to skip right past this drink; there's really no covering up gin's assertive flavor by mixing it with the eclectic flavors in tonic water. You could always order a vodka tonic, but the gin and tonic is one of our favorite cheap mixed drinks to order at a bar. 

There are some great gin brands out there, and most of them won't break the bank like tequila or whiskey. Many bars use New Amsterdam as their well gin, which is not only super inexpensive but it's also an award-winning gin. It received excellent scores from Beverage Testing Institute and Wine Enthusiast, and it also earned medals at San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Mix a gin like this with the bitter-sweet flavors of tonic water, add in a spritz of fresh lime, and you'll be drinking on the cheap all night long.

Margaritas might be featured at Mexican restaurants, but almost every bar you visit has everything they need to whip up this classic drink. You don't need to be drinking top-shelf tequila with fancy additions like Grand Marnier to make a margarita taste great, either. There are a ton of cheap tequilas out there. If you choose one that's made with 100 percent agave (like Milagro or Sauza), you'll save a ton of money and still get a great tasting drink. Keep in mind that many people find that "mixto" tequilas that aren't made with pure agave (like Jose Cuervo Gold) can lead to headaches the next day, so you'll have to decide for yourself if it's really worth it to go super cheap here.  

If you happen to be at a bar with fresh lime juice, all the better. Margaritas are often made with sours mix, a concoction made from sugar and citrus juice. Unfortunately, commercial sours mix also has a ton of additives and preservatives, and it can taste cloyingly sweet. If your bartender mixes up your margarita with real lime juice and a splash of simple syrup, that cheap marg will taste so much better.

When you think of a daiquiri, you probably think of the frozen slushy varieties served up poolside at exotic beach resorts. The classic version of this cocktail couldn't be further from the frozen variety, and it can be made on the cheap, too. Most drinks that use rum as their base are a great target for budget cocktails. Even the inexpensive bottles taste sweet and delicious, and there are a ton of value rums that taste more expensive than they actually are. 

A classic daiquiri is the perfect way to feature rum because it's so simple. The bar only needs three ingredients to pull it off: white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. Most establishments serve the drink up in coupe glass so it looks fancy, but you can always ask for it on the rocks to make it last longer. We'll leave you with a word of warning about this drink: It's really easy to fall in love with the sweet-and-tangy flavor of a classic Daiquiri. So be sure to sip slowly to make your drink last!

Mimosas are one of the best cocktails to whip up for brunch, but it's not unheard of to order one in the evening. In fact, when mimosas were originally introduced in the United States, they were served at nightclubs to help people cool off after a long night of dancing. It wasn't long before they became a brunch favorite because they're easy to drink and just as simple to make; it's just equal parts orange juice and Champagne.

Champagne doesn't exactly have a reputation for being cheap, but most restaurants aren't using the expensive stuff to make a mimosa anyway. The experts at VinePair actually advise against using pricey bottles. Once you mix it with sweet and tangy orange juice, you won't be able to taste the expensive bubbles anyway. That means you can order a mimosa with less-expensive Prosecco or Cava. This is one of those drinks that's worth asking the bartender if they have any specials, too. If the bartender had any leftover bubbles from brunch service, you may be able to get this drink at a great value.