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Order what you want. The bartender should be happy to serve you whatever you ask for.
I was in a divey bar in Honolulu, picked because I just wanted a drink and sandwich. The YELP reviews mentioned a great place, but several people wrote of a "moody" bartender.
I went in, it was very divey with many locals. Exactly what I was looking for. He asked me what I wanted, I said "Old Fashion". He said "we don't do that here", I'll make you a whiskey sour. I chuckled a bit, drank my drink, had one of the best sandwiches I've had in a place like that, and thanked him, paid/tipped, and left.
I was not offended, it was a fun experience. Pretty funny in fact. But "some" bartenders are not as happy as you might think....
(I actually had a good time. I would have stayed longer, but was tired and one and done was enough for me.)
"Fine... I'll take a whiskey sour, no lemon, with a dash of bitters"
I don't think he would have been super-happy if I did that. You kinda had to be there, it was not a bad situation, not confrontational at all, but I made the immediate decision to "go with the flow" and used my time to decide if I was going to hang out or not. I probably would have sat there and drank a few (cool vibe actually), but after one I decided i didn't need another drink. (Been slowing down lately, and enjoying feeling great in the AM.)
If it's a full bar, order what you like. I'd say they provide the menu as a crutch for newbies who would otherwise not order anything.
not so much a crutch as an inspiration.
as in, "I dunno if I'll have a drink...oh, wait, they have mango lilikoi margaritas! I love lilikoi, I gotta get that!"
...but then order a house margarita because it's the best way to judge the quality of liquor. And it's cheaper.
I’m usually not a big mixed drink fan. I prefer a cold beer (standard American lager, an international lager/Pilsner, or a quality American microbrew) or a glass of red wine. So, I will order these even at a nice bar.
Bars are different than restaurants. While a bar may have a cocktail menu it still almost certainly has the ingredients for most common, and even uncommon, "regular " drinks.
I don't drink now but I never went wrong with rum/coke or gin/tonic with occasional forays to 7 and 7 or Tequila Sunrises (a personal note-the road to Hell is paved with Tequila Sunrises. And Black Russians.).
I was in a divey bar in Honolulu, picked because I just wanted a drink and sandwich. The YELP reviews mentioned a great place, but several people wrote of a "moody" bartender.
I went in, it was very divey with many locals. Exactly what I was looking for. He asked me what I wanted, I said "Old Fashion". He said "we don't do that here", I'll make you a whiskey sour. I chuckled a bit, drank my drink, had one of the best sandwiches I've had in a place like that, and thanked him, paid/tipped, and left.
I was not offended, it was a fun experience. Pretty funny in fact. But "some" bartenders are not as happy as you might think....
(I actually had a good time. I would have stayed longer, but was tired and one and done was enough for me.)
I can see that. Just like people enjoyed being insulted by Don Rickles (back in the day) I can see that an "Oscar the Grouch" bar tender could be entertaining for a while.
Until I REALLY wanted that Old Fashioned.
My personal favorite bar tender of all times was a guy from one of the countries that used to be part of USSR. He was very deadpan and never looked you in the eye but he told 'serial jokes'.
He would have people at the bar chuckling and really having a good time.
And he made a good Manhattan.
I would give you a couple of his jokes but they would probably get me banned by a mod or two.
Last edited by grampaTom; 01-11-2023 at 04:34 AM..
When it comes to a full-service bar, menus are more like suggestions/nudges than limitations. Cocktail menus are mostly a) an accessory to the establishment's theme, and b) an aide for the indecisive.
I've worked with grumpy bartenders, they're a pain in the neck. For customers as well as co-workers. If you don't like your job, go find another one. Or else be pleasant.
I was in our local spaghetti joint, full bar service. Ordered a Brandy Alexander for dessert.
Waiter (young) had no idea, bartender (young) had no idea. I found the recipe online, showed him my phone, he made a delicious BA!
Always good to expand mixology skills
Order whatever you want. A good bar, barman will mix even odd combinations for a customer on request.
If you ask nicely and tip well pretty much any drink order is fair game.
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