The South U Student Stack
Cheap apps, cheaper beer, and a route you can walk in ten minutes.
The whole South U stack runs on student math. Half-off apps in the afternoon, the campus happy hour window, then a $3 domestic drafts run after 7pm. You can do this for under 25 dollars and still eat. Built for a Tuesday that did not ask to be interesting.
The route, stop by stop
South U- 01
The perk: Half off apps Monday to Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
Go in during the weird afternoon window when the Jug is mostly empty. Order two shared apps at the half-off price. This is the seated part of the night. Use it to actually talk.
See the verified deal → - 02
Getting there: 1 minute walk, same side of South University
The perk: 25 percent off drinks and food during daily happy hour
Slide into the Charleys happy hour. Order a single round and a smaller plate. Charleys is loud by 5, which is perfect for keeping the night moving. Do not park here.
See the verified deal → - 03
Getting there: Walk back to 1204 S University
The perk: $3 domestic drafts nightly after 7pm
Back to the Jug for the nightly $3 domestic deal. The crowd now is completely different from the afternoon crowd. Same bar, different bar.
See the verified deal → - 04
Getting there: 30 seconds, 1220 S University
The perk: $3 well drinks and $2 domestic pints, nightly
Close the night at Leprechaun. Dollar math is simple: $2 a pint. Stay for one, stay for three. This is the spot that turns the stack from a crawl into a night.
See the verified deal →
Why this stack works
All four stops sit on one block of South University. Total walking distance is under a thousand feet. Total spend lands around 25 to 30 dollars a person even if you lean into every round. If you want a cheaper, more honest version of an Ann Arbor night out, this is the stack.
The deals behind the stack
All deals →The Brown Jug
Half off apps Mon to Thu 2pm to 4pm. $3 domestic drafts nightly after 7pm.
Good Time Charley's
25% off drinks and food during daily happy hour.
The Brown Jug
Half off apps Mon to Thu 2pm to 4pm. $3 domestic drafts nightly after 7pm.
The Blue Leprechaun
Student pricing nightly. $3 well drinks, $2 domestic pints.
Frequently asked about this stack
How long does the The South U Student Stack actually take?
About 9 hours end to end, though every stop has a natural exit if you need to bail early. The route is walkable and designed so that even if you skip a stop, the rest of the stack still holds together.
Which days of the week does the The South U Student Stack work?
Monday through Thursday. Every deal referenced has its own active window, and we picked days where all of them overlap. If the calendar doesn't line up, swap to one of the related stacks listed at the bottom of the page.
How much should I expect to spend on the The South U Student Stack?
Estimated savings alone are around $22 per person versus walk-in pricing, but actual spend depends on how many rounds you order at each stop. Our rule of thumb: one round and one shared plate per stop keeps the whole evening comfortably under $60 per person.
Are the deals on this page verified?
Yes. Every linked deal references a specific source URL and carries a last-verified date on its own page. We refresh the full deal dataset on a rolling monthly cadence and immediately after a reader flag.
Can I reserve ahead for any of these stops?
For happy hour bars, usually no. Happy hour pricing typically requires bar seating. For the sit-down meal stops (Sava's, Mani Osteria, Zingerman's Roadhouse), Resy or OpenTable are the move, especially on weekends.
Other stacks to try next
All A2 Deal Stacks →The Main Street Happy Hour Crawl
Four stops, two blocks, one long golden afternoon.
The Broke and Hungry Wednesday
Three discounted kitchens, one pint, under thirty dollars.
The Away-Game Saturday Stack
Charleys for the first half, Jolly Pumpkin for the second, HopCat to close.