Champagne Taste, Beer Budget, No Problem

We all have champagne taste but unfortunately, most of us are on a beer budget. That shouldn’t stop anyone from living like a baller and if you plan on hitting Atlantic City for the World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship, these value plays will help stretch every dollar you spend. Trust us, you can have your champagne and your beer too, you just need to know where to look.

Izakaya Mondays

Fine dining can be expensive but Borgata’s best restaurant opens the week with deals everyone can afford. The Izakaya Mondays menu might be a trimmed down version of the real thing but with $7 rolls and appetizers, those small plates can go a long way. Add in $7 cocktails and $3.50 beers and Izakaya is the perfect place to start the party. Once you finish dinner and drink, as long as you’ve spent over $30, your Izakaya receipt gets you complimentary admission to Borgata’s nightclub, Premier. Talk about killing two birds with one inexpensive stone…

Borgata Comedy Club/Gypsy Bar

While the Borgata is home to some world class musical and comedy acts, like Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke and Lewis Black all scheduled to perform over the next month, there are live performances across the Borgata almost every night. The Borgata Comedy Club is home to nightly acts, with affordable $20 tickets, and Gypsy Bar is home to some of the East Coast’s best live bands.

Boogie Nights

Everyone likes a throwback and at the Tropicana, you don’t have to throw down big money to have a good time. Shake your groove thing and light up the dance floor every Thursday when Boogie Nights goes back to the ’90s. $5 admission, $5 drink specials and half-priced bottles might make this the cheapest Thirsty Thursday on boardwalk.

White House Subs

While there are plenty of excellent dining options all over Atlantic City, none have a history with the town like White House Subs. The original location has been in business for nearly seven decades and is world-famous for quality-made, fresh New Jersey subs. The best part, the subs are relatively cheap and filling. Sidebar, my stomach is growling dreaming of a White House cheesesteak.

Atlantic City Beach & Boardwalk

Beach season in New Jersey only lasts a few months, May until September, but there is no better place to be during the summer. As a native New Jersian and beach bum, I am obviously biased but the Atlantic City beach and boardwalk is covered with great food and drink deals during the summer. A trip to the beach is also free, meaning you can save your budget for when the sun goes down.