I have been on this journey as an amateur for like 2 years now and when I go to a cocktail bar I like to look at the wall, and order off menu.

I’d like to ask about how this comes across:

Let’s say I order something with like 4 ingredients, and they gather them all and make my drink. Then, when I go back, they ask if I want another and I order something completely different, and I keep ordering different, (sometimes lesser known) drinks throughout the night.

Do bartenders find that annoying? Am I being a pain in the ass?

I have been given free drinks a couple times for introducing the bartender to something new, so maybe not?

  • @Samsonreturns
    22•4 days ago

    If you are sitting at the Bar Top and it is not terribly busy, I will gladly make you what ever you want. And let you sample about anything within reason. Any good bartender should be able to talk shop about cocktails.

    Typically, when someone orders a drink, you put what they are drinking into the speed-well so one could quickly make them a second. I would assume that if you wanted me to gather several ingredients, that I should keep them handy for your second drink. So you’re just asking for a lot of actual labor for 1 drink that maybe difficult to make for what the bar is actually set up to make.

    I make TONs of martinis/Manhattans/Old fashions/vodka sodas. So I can make any of those in seconds. To make something like a sazerac or a paper plane or last word? I can do it, but I’m minutes, not seconds. If it’s a busy Friday night, and I am making 20-40 drinks every 15 minutes. I am going to put a low priority on making something very complex. Monday night when there are 10 people in the restaurant, yeah let’s come up with some new shit.

    Read the situation and most importantly tip wells if you feel like your asking for a lot

  • VanthEnglish
    3•3 days ago

    If it’s not busy, no, I never cared and usually enjoyed it. If it is busy, yes, annoying. Large tips make up for it partially.

    And clock the vibe of the bar. I worked at a place where anything more complicated than a screwdriver would get you side eye. I worked at another bar known for artisan cocktails; the mistake there was to be overly prescriptive to the bartender and not let them make you their own take on a drink.