It's a public space where you can drink alcohol for relatively cheap.

IDK, maybe it's not as common as I think it is, but personally I often feel a weird urge to just get the fuck out of my apartment and be in a public space. Even if I don't actually socialize or do anything interesting, just nice to like, be out of my room. And sometimes that takes the form of a walk in the park or whatever, but later in the day I guess I just like getting a beer in a cool little basement room with mood lighting.