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Overview
Australian pubs are a cultural icon unto themselves and remain the same across the country: the same smells, the same carpet, the same atmosphere, the same locals, but all with their unique quirks. As we've grown up, so too have our beloved Aussie pubs and what they mean to us. For us, gone are the days when the family meal at the local pub was the height of fanciness (chicken nuggets or fish and chips? Coke or lemonade? The first niggling sensation of FOMO) and now come the days of adulthood, where a cheap meal at a local pub is a financial necessity now and again.
Now, with the advent of gastropubs and celebrity chefs, the bar has been raised for pub fare and thankfully most venues have hurdled over it instead of limboing underneath. Triumphantly, this means that for all the students out there, and anyone struggling on a budget, a cheapie pub dinner can actually be a delightful experience without breaking the bank. Without further ado, let us take you through the definitive guide to pub grub: seven days of cheap pub eats. Some of them even include beer in the price.
MONDAY
There's a reason Monday has so many sad songs written about it: the first day of the typical working week has the potential to be incredibly grim. You're back in the workyard, probably a little hungover and the weekend is a faint memory. Cooking your own dinner is obviously out of the question so head into Fortitude Valley and drown your sorrows at the Flying Cock — they've got a $5 steak offer (with drink purchase). Wash it down with a James Squire One Fifty Lashes pale ale and grab some $3 sides. Or if your guilty pleasure is fried chicken you can head over the Yard Bird for wings ($15 for 12) or wander down to The Brightside to sample the buzzy new menu by Lucky Egg and grab the six wings and blue cheese dipping sauce for $11 (with $6 mozzarella sticks on the side if you've really had a terrible Monday).
TUESDAY
Tuesday is, without a doubt, the best day of the week to be on a budget because pretty much everyone else is too. Payday Wednesday is only hours away, but right now you've got practically no funds. Luckily, pubs put on some really good meal deals to save you from settling for instant mi goreng. Head on down to Southbank after work and stop in at the Fox Hotel for a $19 300gm Darling Downs porterhouse steak with unlimited fries (yes, unlimited — you can really clean up here). Or head upstairs to the Dandy's rooftop and order the Thai barbecue tiger prawn charcoal grilled skewers with coconut, coriander and crispy shallots (2 for $8). While you're in the area, check in at The Charming Squire while you can (it gets so busy on the weekends you'll be lucky to get a table) and split an order of the hot crispy chicken wings with a mate for $17 (you won't regret it).
WEDNESDAY
Hump day is another prime night for a hearty pub meal — it feels like you've been at work since you were born but actually it's only Wednesday. Stay local and stop in for a low-key meal at the German Club in East Brisbane. $14 will get you a huge serving of Frikadellen — German rissoles served with mashed potato and veggies or $16.90 for the veggie paella (the beer is really cheap too but remember you'll have to sign up for an associate membership for $5). Or you can scoot over to the Morrison on Stanley Street for their lunch specials where you can grab one of their famous 300 gram steaks with generous sides for $19.90 (if you've got some spare cashola left over, you can add a blue cheese, apple, walnut and rocket salad with a balsamic glaze for $5). And forgo dessert and instead grab a James Squire Jack of Spades porter (chocolate and coffee flavours are perf as a digestive).
THURSDAY
In pubs across the country, Thursday is traditionally 'student night' because apparently students simply cannot wait until the weekend to get on the sauce. Pub-lined Boundary Street in West End is the perfect place to take advantage of it. For good beer, pool tables and a relaxed vibe, check in at Archive and throw some dosh at the chicken wings. On Thursdays, you can grab a kilo of the things for $22 (with two Stone and Woof Pacific Ales thrown in) which is definitely enough tasty, crunchy meat for two moderately hungry peasants or one super hungry peasant (with leftovers). The Boundary over the road does a fantastic $10 lunch menu (options include Thai beef salad, mushroom risotto, penne bolognaise, beef and red wine stew and more — beggars don't always have to be choosers) and dinner mains are 2 for 1 on Thursdays, so the whole menu is your oyster (without actually doing oysters).
FRIDAY
When Friday night rolls around, those of us on a budget have to seriously plan ahead, otherwise you'll find yourself drunkenly buying a family-size New York Slice pizza with your entire paycheck. If you don't want miss out on social gatherings with your fancier friends, suggest dinner at the Bavarian Bier Café. It may be a bit expensive but they've recently redone the menu with some cheap burger and hotdog options ($11 cheese burger and $10 hotdogs) and you can trust that the Germans know how to handle their meat. And for a classic pub menu, the Stock Exchange will do right by you. They have a broad share menu and reasonable mains: try the beer battered fish and chips for $19 or if you're feeling super flashy, the pork belly with rum baked apple and coleslaw ($22).
SATURDAY
On a Saturday night, the pub is really the only place to be (even if you're on a budget) but you've got to chase the good deals otherwise you'll wake up the next day with a hangover, an empty wallet and a deep sense of regret. The Royal Exchange in Toowong does a 2 for 1 meal deal between 11.30am and 8.30pm and boasts a tight range of steaks ($24-$30) and seafood (crispy skin salmon $25 and chilli prawn fettuccine $23) which are cheap as chips with the 2 for 1 deal. Plus, often on Sundays they do 50c wings. For a slightly more upmarket vibe, head down the road to the Regatta and be strategic in your ordering. Try the Mob Boss Bagel (prosciutto, roasted peppers, melted brie cheese, tomato chips & aioli for $14.90) or the pan baked nachos from the courtyard menu ($14.90).
SUNDAY
The Sunday session means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some it's a great excuse to drink and for anyone on a budget, it's a great chance to eat big for cheap. The Normanby puts on one of the biggest Sunday sessions in town and, because on Sundays the place is teeming with footballers and football fans, they serve up generous portions. Grab the chicken schnitty with chips and Greek salad ($21.50) or the mushroom risotto with parmesan ($20). If big crowds get to you, head to the Transcontinental down the road on George Street and grab the cheap as sliders ($15.50 for two, served with chips and aioli) and avail yourself of the comprehensive beer menu to wash it all down.