I paid $8 for two beers, a light and a dark ale, which I was surprised by. I'm not a huge beer drinker, but even that seemed pretty inexpensive to me.
The beer prices have crept up over the years, of course. When Business Insider's Sarah Jacobs visited in 2017, the beer cost $5.50. She noted that the beer cost only a dime per mug in 1940, and in 1966, two of the half-pints cost 35 cents.
Other guests also appeared to be surprised by their orders. When one guest ordered a light and a dark beer for himself and someone else, they seemed surprised when they were each handed two beers. The bartender then explained that they always give people two beers each. The beers are much smaller than your average pint. According to Eater, each mug holds roughly 6 ounces per glass — a US pint holds 16 ounces — which makes each drink easier to finish and carry around the bar.
I enjoyed both the light and the dark ale, though I preferred the light, and thought they went down smoothly. I could see why someone would want two at a time.
Part of the charm of McSorley's, in addition to the low prices, is the lack of choice. In a city like New York, I'm accustomed to lengthy drink menus with steep prices. I actually enjoyed the lack of choice, which made ordering fast and simple.