My first question is who suggested the venue?
Then when it was suggested, there's nothing to stop either person from checking it out and sussing the pricing out online. If you can't afford to go then suggest another more affordable venue.
Expecting the man to pay is very old fashioned and from my experience really doesn't apply with online dating. Some people meet up with A LOT of potential partners in RL for a drink or dinner and then decide that's it. I would always expect to go Dutch or to buy a round. It's nothing less than treating your potential partner nicely.
It's expensive business meeting people for drinks.
IMO She was wrong and rude in her assumptions.
He was very wrong, aggressive and attempting to be controlling in his reaction.
All that should have happened is that he should have slunk off home and learnt a valuable lesson about communication and over stretching yourself financially in your choice of venue.
She should have slunk off home and thought long and hard about leaving home with no money to visit somewhere she either can't afford or has no intension of paying for.
Her behaviour disgusts me almost as much as his. It's 2013. Men and Women are equals, if you want to be treated as such then act it.
Grrrr! 