MONDAY
Monday is the night to head out with your ladies and get that martini craving filled. Hit The Fireside (1500 Brunswick Street, 423-5995) for $5 martinis, or head over to The Bitter End (1572 Argyle Street, 425-3039) where you can enjoy one for $6.25. Both classy venues have such an array of mixes to choose from, everyone's sure to find something to enjoy and if you're a fan of squiggly candy, be sure to The Bitter End's famed sour apple martini topped with a gummy worm. After you're sufficiently martini'd up and feeling loose, grab your friends and hit up The Paragon Theatre (2037 Gottingen Street, 420-0015) for a free night of open mic or Cheers Bar & Grill (1741 Grafton Street, 421-1655) for Rock Star Karaoke.
To get a different type of evening, visit Pogue Fado (1581 Barrington Street, 429-6222) for Monster Mug Mondays. Starting at 9pm buy a 32-ounce mug of domestic beer for $8 (or an import for $9). Don't miss out on 25-cent wings from 7:30-9:30pm, and enjoy the mellow acoustic styling of the Ryan and Pete show.
TUESDAY
If you're in the mood to work your cranium while giving your liver some exercise, head on down to Rogues Roost (5435 Spring Garden Road, 425-1593) or Rock Bottom Brewery (5686 Spring Garden Road, 423-2938) for Trivia Night. Trivia runs from 10pm-12am. Both places have a microbrewery so you can try out some local favourites. And get there early, seats fill up fast! Or if you're not sure of your facts and want to enjoy some great music, go down to The Old Triangle (5136 Prince Street, 492-4900) to take in a local Celtic act or band. And not only on Tuesday---there's someone playing every night of the week.
For a good time in the north end, try out Gus' Pub & Grill (2605 Agricola Street, 423-7786). Tuesday is their themed DJ night, so you never know quite what tunes you're going to get, and the drink specials are pretty impressive: $3.50 for well shots, bottles or two glasses of draught. For a different type of DJ entertainment, check out Bar Biz Tuesdays at Mosaic (1584 Argyle Street, 405-4700). Amateur DJs from the service industry get a chance to show their stuff in this monthly competition for prizes that features fun music and a dance friendly atmosphere. The evening also features Relax drink prices from 10pm-2am with domestic beer and bar shots at $3.75, vodka at $5.50, Red Bull mixes and Jägerbombs for $6 and Hornitos Tequila for $5.75.
WEDNESDAY
It's student power night at The Dome (1726 Argyle Street, 422-6907)! Get free cover all night with your student ID, dance till you drop to DJ CU$, scope out some hotties and get yourself ready to chat 'em up with $2.75 bar shots, local beer, shooters and cocktails.
Or, if you're in the mood for some good eats and beer to wash it down, Halifax Alehouse (1717 Brunswick Street, 423-6113) has a pitcher and 10 wings for $11.50 from 4:30-10pm, followed by musical entertainment from 11pm-3:30am. Or one of the great student pubs, the Split Crow (1855 Granville Street, 422-4366) does Power Hour on Wednesdays: between 9-10pm you'll get $2.50 draught, and there's plenty of tasty grub to enjoy it with.
THURSDAY
Thursday night is wing night on Spring Garden Road. You can visit Your Father's Moustache (5886 Spring Garden Road, 423-6766) for some tasty morsels. The Pub gets unbelievably packed with people ready to get messy so get there early and be prepared to wait. Or across the street, head downstairs to Oasis (5675 Spring Garden Road, 422-2227) where the wings are 30 cents a piece, pitchers of Bud and Bud Light are $10, taxes included, and best of all, it's karaoke night! In between songs, try out some pool, foosball or shuffleboard.
After you've had your fill, if you're in the mood for a sure thing, check out The Seahorse Tavern (1665 Argyle Street, 423-7200) where you can either dance the night away to some of the best rock, soul and funk in town or just sit in a corner with friends and listen to the upbeat, smooth grooves of the Mellotones. It doesn't take long for the crowds to come, so if you're not planning to stay on your feet all night get there before 11pm to guarantee yourself a table. You can also check out Absolut Thursdays for a free show, and vodka samples at The Carleton (1685 Argyle Street, 422-6335).
For a more artistic evening, head on over to The Company House (2202 Gottingen Street, 404-3050) the third Thursday of every month: Word iz Bond presents SPEAK!, a spoken word event with open mic and a monthly feature. The show usually starts around 8pm, so if you feel like stepping up on stage, get there early to sign up before the words start flowing.
FRIDAY
If you're a student and you like mixing your philanthropy with getting a buzz on, Pacifico (1505 Barrington Street, 422-3633) on fundraiser Friday nights is the way to go. Buy a ticket through stands set up at a university and you can usually get two complimentary drinks to get you started, then party the night away in their upscale atmosphere and mix of top 40, rock and lounge music in three separate sections of the club.
If it's not a fundraiser night, go for a bite and some pre-party drinks at Niche (1505 Barrington Street, 423-6632) upstairs, keep your receipt, and you're covered at Pacifico.
To experience a different type of party, and free entrance with your student ID, head over to Reflections Cabaret (5184 Sackville Street, 422-2957) where Reflections and Z103.5 present Full Throttle Fridays with DJ NOLUV. Reflections is a no-labels nightclub where all are welcome, whatever your tribe, style or gender preference. If you feel like ditching Hali for your evening out, for some fun across the harbour visit Celtic Corner (69 Alderney Drive, 464-0764). Happy hour drink specials are from 5-7pm (50 cents off regular price) and you can listen to some live, Maritime-style music late into the evening.
SATURDAY
If you're a woman and you want to save a few dollars, ladies get in free at The New Palace (1721 Brunswick Street, 420-0015) all night long! And everything, all night, every night, is $2.50 (barshots, shooters, domestic beer and Redbull). (Also, students have a free cover all night on Wednesdays.) Or hit Maxwell's Plum (1600 Grafton Street, 423-5090) and take in the NHL games from both coasts on one of the HDTVs.
If you're looking for a milder evening, enjoy some Irish charm at Durty Nelly's (5221 Sackville Street, 406-7640) for Happy Hour from 4-6pm---in winter, that's after dark---where you can enjoy $1.25 off all Irish family pints, $4.50 domestic bottles and well shots (tax included) or 25 percent off a variety of appetizers. Also, you can hit it up a little later in the evening for the live, Irish-style entertainment that'll get your feet tappin' at 10pm.
SUNDAY
For some end of the weekend fun The Lower Deck's (1869 Upper Water Street, 425-1501) Signal Hill Sunday is sure to get you movin'! While checking out the venerable local group, enjoy the friendly atmosphere and chance of either grooving all night (9:45pm-1am) to this cover band that plays everything from "Brown-Eyed Girl" to "Crazy Train," or head to the second floor where well shots are $4 and a DJ is spinning the top 40 hits from 11pm-2am. Students with ID pay no cover during the school year.
And Bubba Ray's Sports Bar (5650 Spring Garden Road, 405-4344) will be hopping all day and into the night with the NFL games and highlights on more than 30 screens.
If blues is more your scene, visit Bearly's House of Blues and Ribs (1269 Barrington Street, 423-2526) for its Sunday Night Blues Jam. The music gets going at 8:30pm with their house band, featuring guitarist Brad Conrad. Blues musicians from all over the city come to share their talent each week, creating a unique night with varied artists and combinations of musical styles and skill.
Don't be surprised to hear other genres as well, ranging from good ol' Johnny Cash to The Ventures. Enjoy it all with Bearly's 40-cent chicken wings.
