Top 5 Most Bizarre Places To Find Booze Slideshow

Fast-Food Restaurants

Burgers and beer are a classic combination. No surprise, then, to see fast-food chain Burger King serving beer at its Whopper Bar spin-off in South Beach, Fla.

While you won't find beer served at regular Burger Kings or Whopper Bars in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or New York, the South Beach Whopper Bar serves up Anheuser-Busch and Miller Coors beers in aluminum bottles for $4.25. Or, plunk down $7.99 for a Whopper combo with beer instead of soda.                                                                          

Also in South Florida, two SONIC Beach locations — in Homestead and Ft. Lauderdale — serve about 25 varieties of beer and 10 wine choices, along with the brand's burgers and signature shakes. "SONIC Beach locations serve beer and wine on the patio to customers 21 years of age or older at the Homestead location and indoors at the Fort Lauderdale location," said Nancy Robertson, vice president of communications for SONIC in a statement. "We hope customers will choose to spend an extended period of time with their families and friends at both SONIC Beach locations." The company does not have plans to serve wine and beer at other locations: "There is no intention to extend beer and wine offerings to SONIC Drive-Ins," notes Robertson.                                           

Perhaps not to be left out, Starbucks has started serving beer and wine in a small number of locations in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Atlanta, with Chicago on the horizon for 2012. So what drinks can you order along with your decaf? Stores in Washington State and Oregon offer local beers — like Dead Guy Ale and Stella Artois lager — costing about $5 each. Wines hail from the Pacific Northwest as well, including a Barnard Griffin Fumé Blanc from the Columbia Valley, an Erath Pinot Noir and an organic wine, Snoqualmie's Naked Riesling, for between $7 and $9 a glass.

Growlers at Pharmacies… and Gas Stations

While pharmacy chains often offer domestic canned beer and inexpensive wine, several Duane Reade locations in Manhattan are chasing after craft beer fans by offering an in-store growler bar service. That's right, you can get a growler filled while you wait for prescriptions.

"Our Brew York City growler bars have been a welcomed and distinct amenity in each store location we've introduced this innovative concept," said Jackie Burrell, director of merchandising operations at Duane Reade. "Wonderfully fresh, local craft beers are available daily with 'wet' tastings offered early evenings Friday and Saturday at all four growler bar locations."           

You can find the Brew York City growler bars at two Duane Reades on the Upper West Side, one in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and one in Union Square. If simply grabbing beer is on your agenda, Duane Reade also carries an array of bottled craft and seasonal beers. Are more pharmacy bars in the works? "We plan on expanding BYC in neighborhoods where this popular offering makes sense," says Burrell.

Growlers aren't just a trend in pharmacies. If you've got to get your tank filled up in Charleston, S.C., you may also be able to fill up a growler of beer. Expanded from the popular service in Buffalo, N.Y., 13 Sunoco gas stations now offer an expanded craft brew selection in Charleston, along with the growler-filling service known as the "craft beer exchange." Available in a 64-ounce glass growler size, only store employees have a key to fill up the growlers, which must remain sealed by state law. Highlighted beers feature picks from three Charleston-area breweries, like Holy City Pluff Mud Porter, along with Sweetwater Pale Ale and Ruthless Rye IPA — selections vary by location and season — but don't even think about drinking and driving.

Drive-Thru Liquor

Who knew there was an award for Best Drive-Thru Liquor Store? The Phoenix New Times in Arizona awarded one such distinction — twice — to Jerry's Liquors in Tempe. The Phoenix New Times wrote: "The government can take away our right to privacy, free speech, and reproductive choice, but damn if they'll stop us from grabbing a 40 for the road."

Well said! A vintage-looking liquor shop, Jerry's caters to Arizona State University students (their main campus is located nearby) and those who simply don't feel like getting out of their car for a beer or spirits fix, offering rock-bottom prices and a wide selection of beers and liquors.

Prefer to grab a mixed drink instead? Pull through the drive-thru daiquiri stand at one of four Daiquiris and Creams locations in Louisiana. Think the practice is illegal? Louisiana law actually allows customers to purchase premixed alcoholic beverages at drive-thrus — as long as they don't drink them while behind the wheel. The chain sells daiquiris in flavors like Electric Lemonade, Piña Colada, and "Jungle Juice."

Hospitals

Heres to your health! While many hospitals remain hush-hush on their official alcohol policies, several studies in recent years have asserted that up to half of teaching hospitals in the U.S. serve alcohol if a doctor orders it to patients.

Indianas Parkview Ortho Hospital is one such hospital that allows alcohol (with doctors approval, of course), and its not the only one. According to the Association for Healthcare Foodservice, a Tennessee-based medical center, "Many hospitals distribute alcoholic beverages wine, beer, and other liquors based on physician orders," says Association for Healthcare Foodservice president-elect Beth Yesford. "Depending on the facility, this benefit is fulfilled by the pharmacy or by the foodservice department," notes Yesford. At some hospitals, it seems that drinking is simply doctors orders.

Barber Shops and Hair Salons

Looking for a shot with your shampoo? Plenty of hair salons and barber shops are serving up beer, wine, and even cocktails to customers. Talk about multitasking! At Beauty Bar in Manhattan, "Martinis and Manicures" are on offer seven days a week until 11 p.m.; $10 gets you a manicure and a martini of your choice. Beauty Bar has nine locations nationwide; check their website for availability and other beauty and beverage services.

And while it sounds like a pretty girly activity, barbershops are getting in on the action. At John Allans Club (with locations in New York City, Toronto, and Chicago), $65 scores you the Full Service: a haircut, manicure, shoeshine, hot towel, and a beer (or coffee/tea or soft drink). Those who opt to join the club (for about $800 a year) can store their own bottles of booze at the barber shop just in case you want a tipple with your trim. (Alcohol is not served, however, at the Saks Fifth Avenue location in NYC.) Blind Barber, located in Culver City, Calif., and New York City, is also a fully functioning bar with specialty drinks, like the Strawberry Fields signature. And Portland, Ore., is home to a handful of boozy barbershops: Y-Chrome, Bishops Barbershop, and Antonios Barbershop, for starters.