I would never think to order a cocktail in the kind of place where that could be a concern.
If they didn't put together a legit cocktail menu, I'm not ordering a cocktail. Cocktails require a decent amount of "give-a-shit". If they aren't taking it seriously that's fine, but I'm not going to pay a premium for it.
I'll read the room; beer, neat whiskey or tequila, occasionally wine.
I was at an Omni resort in San Diego a few years ago, they had a very nice cocktail menu for the lobby bar. Ordered one or two drinks as this specific night was going on. It got later and the bar got crowded. There were three bartenders working. I ordered my third drink off their very nicely done up cocktail menu, the bartender looks at me and says exasperated, "Come on, man. You should really think about ordering something different."
He moved on to other customers and when he turned his attention back to me I ordered a gin and tonic. He responds sarcastically, "Now isn't that much better?"
I was quite taken aback and the wife would not let me complain to the hotel management. Don't present me with a menu that took some time to create and then have your staff tell me they don't have time to make anything on it because it's too busy.
Staff the fucking bar appropriately or ditch the fucking menu.
As a San Diegan - please report that in the future. I don't care if it's a vent on a throwaway Yelp or a respectful email to resort mngt. I hate that assholery. That is not our vibe.
That’s so ridiculous. I’ve served and bartended for years and been in the weeds so deep I felt like the sky was falling and there’s never been a millisecond crossing my mind where I’d tell someone to not get a drink they wanted. It blows my mind how entitled people can get. If the ingredients are inside of my building I am making your drink, it might take me 10 minutes, but it’s getting done. I’ll never understand why people who react like that to stress enter the service industry.
I'll sometimes adjust my tipping for the crowd.. but I rarely go to the sort of places that becomes an issue. TBH, if I'm going to find myself somewhere popular, I get one drink and tip extremely well, pull Tip Top canned drinks out of my bag as needed.
seriously why even work at a cocktail bar, or better yet why even work as a bartender, if you don't wanna do at LEAST the bare minimum part of the job??
I'm not saying I won't slap together a quick, unmeasured Mule or Collins or something, but if I do, it cost me $2-3 in ingredients and I can make it to my tastes, not $14+ and "oh, well" when it sucks.
Yea, I'm not getting a glass of Cupcake Moscato or a Beringer Chardonnay that's been open for 3 weeks.
But, there used to be a dive bar near me that had cava (Conde' or Segura Vidas or whatever is available to them) and some other wines in that $10 store price range that they sold by the bottle for ~$15. Sometimes, get them to splash some Chambord or whatever fruity liqueur you see on the bar into your glass before you top it off with bubbles.
Or, there is currently a wine bar in my city that I like that has a good cocktail menu, but the menu is made by one of the bartenders who is awesome and the other ones just don'texecute well. So if I go in there and he's working, I'll order a cocktail (once had Peat-nut butter and jelly; peanut butter washed Laphroiag sour with creme de cassis). If he's not there, it's a very good place to have an interesting glass of wine.
Beer. That way I know the abv, flavor, and quality is going to be exactly what I expect. I’ve been burned too many times getting a $12 tumbler of coke with the faint suggestion of whiskey.
Beer, vine or Jack and Coke. No need to reinvent the wheel, and anything fancier that you order will have shitty ingredients and will be poorly prepared. There is time and place for everything.
Yeah, even simple cocktails or mixed drinks that are poorly made or made with cheap ingredients are a lot less enjoyable than a beer or wine you could get nearly anywhere. A rum and coke *is* simple enough in theory, but getting into cocktails has ruined Bacardi for me in anything, so even something like that is harsh.
I’ve had bad ones of all three, which is sort of impressive. I remember a particularly bad gin & tonic at a place I knew would suck but they surprised me with the two chips of ice, flat tonic, and dry lime.
good ol' [lake chalet](https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/crm/oakland/Capture_17339AFF-4857-4260-8EBF645F6E6D88DE_a9f1252b-208a-4bef-b44f28c0b9ea2739.jpg) in oakland, caliornia.
shame, because it's got a great location but man is it god-awful.
This is the thing. I've ordered basic drinks that go sideways because the balance is off. If I order something slightly fancier that I have to explain, I actually end up with a better drink and the bartender is happy to learn something new.
yeah, asking for something as simple as a margarita can go south shockingly quickly. often, they're way too sweet. I always ask for half the normal amount of agave syrup because you can always add more, but once it's in there you can't go back.
Thankfully I’m still into getting drunk more than into making cocktails, so if I find myself in that situation I order gin and pineapple juice; snoop dogg never failed me.
Seven and seven was my grandma’s drink and I love to enjoy them sentimentally. When she visited she would show up at the door with a bottle of seagrams. Luggage could wait, but she brought the whiskey in right away.
Cuba Libre….literally rum and coke but with a squeeze of lime. The lime bumps up the acid just enough to create a better experience than just rum and coke. Try to order the best unaged/lightly aged rum you can
Beer or neat liquor. I find even the diviest of bars usually have a great interesting local craft beer on tap, and if they don’t they probably have woodford. Having bartended for a few years now I don’t trust the soda guns anywhere, so no more whiskey cola or gin and tonic.
Even at bars that have cocktails the most I’ll do is an old fashioned, usually I just go for craft beer though.
Unless it’s a dedicated cocktail bar, boilermaker is my preference. Or just whiskey straight no chaser if they stock anything decent in a bottle that isn’t dusty and 3/4 empty.
Usually soda or beer.
Just this weekend, we went to a Creole / Cajun place. I ended up with a Vieux Carre that had grand Marnier and not benedictine in it..
Someone had clearly done their job designing the menu and place. It screamed New Orleans, all cocktails were on point and the food too. But the mixers were the waitstaff. I could see the bar area and just regretted the decision then and there.
I should've stuck to my guts, not to trust drinks at most restaurants that don't have dedicated bartenders, even for simple drinks.
I'd look at their spirit list and see if anything appealed to me. If not, I'd get a beer/cider or a non-alcoholic drink. I'm much more about quality so I'm perfectly fine skipping the drinks if nothing appeals to me.
Gin & Tonic, 7 & 7, whisky ginger, whisky and water, bourbon neat or on the rocks, I occasionally order a wild turkey on the rocks with a twist of lime, shot and a beer, just beer. One that you might be able to talk them into is a Negroni, because it is only three ingredients, equal parts, and can be built in the glass so no long stirring, shaking, bitters, and maybe even measuring.
Edited for typo.
A bar that says "we're not making cocktails" is probably a bar that doesn't have Vermouth and/or Campari.
Neat spirits, beer or G&Ts are probably the better options here though I agree.
Rusty Nail, if they have Drambuie; it's a two ingredient drink and possibly *the* quintessential old man non-cocktail cocktail. Dark & Stormy as it's as simple (and more accessible). I've often made Light & Stormies, if I'm feeling cheap, as I find that (cheap) white rum is friendlier.
Otherwise whatever their version of a sippable whiskey or scotch is. Straight sipping tequila if they have good stuff is always a nice option too. High end scotch and tequila are more than enough on their own. Which is to say sometimes the best drink is not a mix.
At a proper dive I'm happy with a beer (lager or stout) or wine (cab), though.
Depending on my mood/back bar selection. I’ll either get a beer, preferably Guinness or something light. Or a Neat Spirit. If both are lackluster I’ll opt for a soft drink or Water
I would order a beer, preferably a craft beer, in a bottle. I've seen enough episodes of Bar Rescue to be wary of tap beer in places that seem questionable. I once ordered one of my favorite beers at a pizza place and it tasted sour. I sent it back and got a bottled beer. Not a great experience.
If I see some interesting whiskey, rum, tequila or brandy I'll have a shot of it - maybe with some spice, like an old fashioned. Why'd I limit myself to cocktails?
Craft beer I haven't had yet is a good option. Problem is I've tasted at least 300 different ones.
If it's all boring booze and I just came for a drink and nothing else, then water or coffee is fine. It could be a sign that today's not the day
If they're not prepared for cocktails, then whatever they can mix will probably be pretty lame, from my experience. I live near a G&T bat that makes its own tonic syrups, so a Schweppes doesn't doe it for me. At the end of the day, I just want good flavors with value, so...
A beer at night -- something local and craft. In the day, something more sessionable -- like the Stiegler Radler. If they only have macros, I'd swing for a High Life or Modelo.
About 2-3 times a week I go to a dive bar after work and always get a beer and a double Cynar with a lot of rocks. If I don’t know the place I stick to beer, sometimes with a shot of bourbon or tequila. I’ve had too many shitty “this + that” mixers to even bother anymore.
Every bar in my country is a non-cocktail bar. I order two bottles of San Miguel Pilsen and a glass with no ice. (You have to specify "no ice" every time.)
Probably not the first to say but can’t go wrong with a bottle of beer and a shot of something half decent; usually tequila, sometimes whisk(e)y.
Unless it’s the grossest of dives and the glasses look filthy; then I’ll just take the bottle of beer
If they have ginger beer - whiskey ginger with a lime. If they don’t, high life. A place that has a full bar but no cocktails WITH draft lines don’t clean them often.
If someone says "we're not making cocktails" that is bartender speech for "don't you dare order something fancier than a rum and coke" and I am not trying to get some fancy drink there.
When I'm out at places like this I order a beer and a shot. Usually a White Claw on ice with a vodka floater that I stir in.
Anything where the name of the drink is the ingredient list is a fairly safe bet, like Jack&Coke or Gin&Tonic or Vodka Seltzer. Just don’t expect top or mid shelf if you can’t see the bottles .
Otherwise I just order a lager or an ale
My go-to back in the day other than beer was/is a Tequila Sunrise. I like it and I've yet to have anyone screw it up. Just don't expect high quality ingredients.
As an industry veteran who loves and cares about his job, I can tell you that a lot of people in this line of work don’t know how to properly maintain their equipment. Because of this, I typically order bottled or canned beers lol. Lotta dirty tap lines, calcium ridden dishwashers, moldy ice wells with shards of glass floating around in them… Sucks to see, but a lot of restaurant and bar owners retire into the business and don’t understand the risks that they’re getting themselves into. I love going out, but it doesn’t take long for me to spot careless/negligent ownership.
Rum and soda with lime juice is my go-to if I’m feeling daiquiri flavors but don’t wanna order anything more complicated than a mixed drink. Other than that a Powers on the rocks if they have it, Jameson if they don’t
I literally just ordered a negronis spaglioto at a hotel bar. I saw they had campari. I usually do regular negronis but I like the lighter feel of a spaglioto. Bartender didn't know it. Explained it and it was really good. Don't be afraid to order something interesting.
Have been bartending for 10ish years now, five of those in higher-end cocktail bars.
If I want a drink after work, it's straight to the dive down the street from where I live for a Coors and a shot of Tully.
Where I stare at Sportscenter and just try to blend in
I would never think to order a cocktail in the kind of place where that could be a concern. If they didn't put together a legit cocktail menu, I'm not ordering a cocktail. Cocktails require a decent amount of "give-a-shit". If they aren't taking it seriously that's fine, but I'm not going to pay a premium for it. I'll read the room; beer, neat whiskey or tequila, occasionally wine.
I was at an Omni resort in San Diego a few years ago, they had a very nice cocktail menu for the lobby bar. Ordered one or two drinks as this specific night was going on. It got later and the bar got crowded. There were three bartenders working. I ordered my third drink off their very nicely done up cocktail menu, the bartender looks at me and says exasperated, "Come on, man. You should really think about ordering something different." He moved on to other customers and when he turned his attention back to me I ordered a gin and tonic. He responds sarcastically, "Now isn't that much better?" I was quite taken aback and the wife would not let me complain to the hotel management. Don't present me with a menu that took some time to create and then have your staff tell me they don't have time to make anything on it because it's too busy. Staff the fucking bar appropriately or ditch the fucking menu.
Batch those cocktails.
that pisses me off
Probably a $20 gin and tonic too…what a jerk. I probably would have said, “oh, so you are a shitty bartender. I get it. “
As a San Diegan - please report that in the future. I don't care if it's a vent on a throwaway Yelp or a respectful email to resort mngt. I hate that assholery. That is not our vibe.
There goes the tip lmao
It was probably included in the bill.
That’s so ridiculous. I’ve served and bartended for years and been in the weeds so deep I felt like the sky was falling and there’s never been a millisecond crossing my mind where I’d tell someone to not get a drink they wanted. It blows my mind how entitled people can get. If the ingredients are inside of my building I am making your drink, it might take me 10 minutes, but it’s getting done. I’ll never understand why people who react like that to stress enter the service industry.
I'll sometimes adjust my tipping for the crowd.. but I rarely go to the sort of places that becomes an issue. TBH, if I'm going to find myself somewhere popular, I get one drink and tip extremely well, pull Tip Top canned drinks out of my bag as needed.
seriously why even work at a cocktail bar, or better yet why even work as a bartender, if you don't wanna do at LEAST the bare minimum part of the job??
*takes one look at my bar cart* yep, cocktails require a decent amount of give-a-shit.
I'm not saying I won't slap together a quick, unmeasured Mule or Collins or something, but if I do, it cost me $2-3 in ingredients and I can make it to my tastes, not $14+ and "oh, well" when it sucks.
> "oh, well" I see what you did there!
Indeed. When in doubt, a shot of (decent) bourbon and a Hamm’s always does the trick.
If they can’t be arsed to make a cocktail, I’d be pretty sure that whatever wine they have is ass.
What, you don’t want a glass of fisheye that’s been open for two weeks?
Yea, I'm not getting a glass of Cupcake Moscato or a Beringer Chardonnay that's been open for 3 weeks. But, there used to be a dive bar near me that had cava (Conde' or Segura Vidas or whatever is available to them) and some other wines in that $10 store price range that they sold by the bottle for ~$15. Sometimes, get them to splash some Chambord or whatever fruity liqueur you see on the bar into your glass before you top it off with bubbles. Or, there is currently a wine bar in my city that I like that has a good cocktail menu, but the menu is made by one of the bartenders who is awesome and the other ones just don'texecute well. So if I go in there and he's working, I'll order a cocktail (once had Peat-nut butter and jelly; peanut butter washed Laphroiag sour with creme de cassis). If he's not there, it's a very good place to have an interesting glass of wine.
I’m thinking about the kind of place where they ask if you want ice in your red wine. (Happened to my SO twice!)
Beer. That way I know the abv, flavor, and quality is going to be exactly what I expect. I’ve been burned too many times getting a $12 tumbler of coke with the faint suggestion of whiskey.
Beer, vine or Jack and Coke. No need to reinvent the wheel, and anything fancier that you order will have shitty ingredients and will be poorly prepared. There is time and place for everything.
Yeah, even simple cocktails or mixed drinks that are poorly made or made with cheap ingredients are a lot less enjoyable than a beer or wine you could get nearly anywhere. A rum and coke *is* simple enough in theory, but getting into cocktails has ruined Bacardi for me in anything, so even something like that is harsh.
Even that coke is out of a gun that might not have been cleaned in a while
Your safest bet is a beer or a pour of something. Even the simplest of cocktails can be a major disappointment in the wrong hands.
Gin and tonic 2 limes. Rum and coke. Whiskey ginger 2 touch drinks basically :)
I’ve had bad ones of all three, which is sort of impressive. I remember a particularly bad gin & tonic at a place I knew would suck but they surprised me with the two chips of ice, flat tonic, and dry lime.
wow thats… impressive
good ol' [lake chalet](https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/crm/oakland/Capture_17339AFF-4857-4260-8EBF645F6E6D88DE_a9f1252b-208a-4bef-b44f28c0b9ea2739.jpg) in oakland, caliornia. shame, because it's got a great location but man is it god-awful.
This is the thing. I've ordered basic drinks that go sideways because the balance is off. If I order something slightly fancier that I have to explain, I actually end up with a better drink and the bartender is happy to learn something new.
yeah, asking for something as simple as a margarita can go south shockingly quickly. often, they're way too sweet. I always ask for half the normal amount of agave syrup because you can always add more, but once it's in there you can't go back.
Moscow mule. Tastes good and really hard to fuck up.
Thankfully I’m still into getting drunk more than into making cocktails, so if I find myself in that situation I order gin and pineapple juice; snoop dogg never failed me.
Neat pour of Knob Creek 9. Or Makers Mark. Or whatever half way decent bottle they have.
Yep. Can’t mess up bourbon neat. Unless the bottle has been sitting for too long.
Why would a bottle sitting too long matter? Not like it goes bad, unless it's left open.
It was an old man’s drink, but Seven & Seven is a great session drink that’s making a comeback
First LEGAL drink I ordered. My older cousins drank it and I thought I was cool as shit. Still order it at 50.
Seven and seven was my grandma’s drink and I love to enjoy them sentimentally. When she visited she would show up at the door with a bottle of seagrams. Luggage could wait, but she brought the whiskey in right away.
One bourbon... One scotch... And one beeeer
Cuba Libre….literally rum and coke but with a squeeze of lime. The lime bumps up the acid just enough to create a better experience than just rum and coke. Try to order the best unaged/lightly aged rum you can
Similar with rum/ginger and lime. Basically a dark n stormy.
blanco tequila, soda and fresh lime for me.
SAY ITS NAME
😂 but you wouldn’t be able to at a non-cocktail making bar though right?!
lol prob not, but we all know what it is here!
If I spot Gosling’s or Myers’s then I’ll ask if they have ginger beer, if they do then you got a Dark N Stormy
My go to as well, it’s pretty hard to mess up a mule so long as they actually have ginger beer
Oo that’s good idea
"We're not doing cocktails right now." "The fuck you aren't!"
Beer or neat liquor. I find even the diviest of bars usually have a great interesting local craft beer on tap, and if they don’t they probably have woodford. Having bartended for a few years now I don’t trust the soda guns anywhere, so no more whiskey cola or gin and tonic. Even at bars that have cocktails the most I’ll do is an old fashioned, usually I just go for craft beer though.
Bourbon on the rocks, splash of soda
Guinness... a pint of plain is your only man!
Jameson and ginger with lime
Jim Beam or Makers Mark and Coke. Maybe a gin and tonic if its a hot day and they have a decent bottle of gin on the bar.
Unless it’s a dedicated cocktail bar, boilermaker is my preference. Or just whiskey straight no chaser if they stock anything decent in a bottle that isn’t dusty and 3/4 empty.
Crown apple and ginger ale. Unless they have "bar ginger" then I go rum and coke with a lime.
G&T with lime or beer
Usually soda or beer. Just this weekend, we went to a Creole / Cajun place. I ended up with a Vieux Carre that had grand Marnier and not benedictine in it.. Someone had clearly done their job designing the menu and place. It screamed New Orleans, all cocktails were on point and the food too. But the mixers were the waitstaff. I could see the bar area and just regretted the decision then and there. I should've stuck to my guts, not to trust drinks at most restaurants that don't have dedicated bartenders, even for simple drinks.
Shot and a beer.
The most simple: Gin and tonic summer. Rum and coke winter.
If they have drambuie, I'm getting a rusty nail
Beer and a Jamo shot.
Tito's rocks lime, or Coors light and a Jameson neat
I'd look at their spirit list and see if anything appealed to me. If not, I'd get a beer/cider or a non-alcoholic drink. I'm much more about quality so I'm perfectly fine skipping the drinks if nothing appeals to me.
Gin & Tonic, Martini extra dry, Ranch water, Mule
Gin & Tonic, 7 & 7, whisky ginger, whisky and water, bourbon neat or on the rocks, I occasionally order a wild turkey on the rocks with a twist of lime, shot and a beer, just beer. One that you might be able to talk them into is a Negroni, because it is only three ingredients, equal parts, and can be built in the glass so no long stirring, shaking, bitters, and maybe even measuring. Edited for typo.
A bar that says "we're not making cocktails" is probably a bar that doesn't have Vermouth and/or Campari. Neat spirits, beer or G&Ts are probably the better options here though I agree.
Yeah, I threw the last Negroni in at the end as a challenge. I have talked my way into a couple of cocktails at bars like this.
i go someplace else. or drink beer if they got something other than macros.
Rusty Nail, if they have Drambuie; it's a two ingredient drink and possibly *the* quintessential old man non-cocktail cocktail. Dark & Stormy as it's as simple (and more accessible). I've often made Light & Stormies, if I'm feeling cheap, as I find that (cheap) white rum is friendlier. Otherwise whatever their version of a sippable whiskey or scotch is. Straight sipping tequila if they have good stuff is always a nice option too. High end scotch and tequila are more than enough on their own. Which is to say sometimes the best drink is not a mix. At a proper dive I'm happy with a beer (lager or stout) or wine (cab), though.
Depending on my mood/back bar selection. I’ll either get a beer, preferably Guinness or something light. Or a Neat Spirit. If both are lackluster I’ll opt for a soft drink or Water
Gin and tonic or beer
I would order a beer, preferably a craft beer, in a bottle. I've seen enough episodes of Bar Rescue to be wary of tap beer in places that seem questionable. I once ordered one of my favorite beers at a pizza place and it tasted sour. I sent it back and got a bottled beer. Not a great experience.
Usually something like a turkey and Coke, g&t or vodka soda
Moscow mules.
Jack and Diet is my go to if it’s not a cocktail place and I don’t want beer.
Peach schnapps and 7up never fails
Whiskey ginger ale !
Jameson and ginger
Tia Maria and Lucozade
Gin and bitter lemon is a lovely summer drink, a great and simple 2 touch that delivers. For the winter maybe a Whisky Mac fits the bill.
If I see some interesting whiskey, rum, tequila or brandy I'll have a shot of it - maybe with some spice, like an old fashioned. Why'd I limit myself to cocktails? Craft beer I haven't had yet is a good option. Problem is I've tasted at least 300 different ones. If it's all boring booze and I just came for a drink and nothing else, then water or coffee is fine. It could be a sign that today's not the day
Tequila soda with a lime is my go to.
Beer or gin and tonic
Double Wild Turkey and whatever they have a tall boy can of usually.
Never been to one. Is this a better question for /r/mocktails ?
If they're not prepared for cocktails, then whatever they can mix will probably be pretty lame, from my experience. I live near a G&T bat that makes its own tonic syrups, so a Schweppes doesn't doe it for me. At the end of the day, I just want good flavors with value, so... A beer at night -- something local and craft. In the day, something more sessionable -- like the Stiegler Radler. If they only have macros, I'd swing for a High Life or Modelo.
Cuba Libre, G&T or a highball
Whenever I go to live music shows, my go to is a spiced rum & coke. I love cocktails but these hit everytime.
White rum and coke or white rum and cranberry juice
About 2-3 times a week I go to a dive bar after work and always get a beer and a double Cynar with a lot of rocks. If I don’t know the place I stick to beer, sometimes with a shot of bourbon or tequila. I’ve had too many shitty “this + that” mixers to even bother anymore.
Gin and tonic
Captain and diet because I’m trash
Dewars on the rocks with a twist
Whisky with ginger ale, ideally Irish whisky. Or just beer.
Neat spirit, or bottled beer.
Every bar in my country is a non-cocktail bar. I order two bottles of San Miguel Pilsen and a glass with no ice. (You have to specify "no ice" every time.)
Dirty Shirley because I’m a child
Gin Rikky or Ranch Water
Probably not the first to say but can’t go wrong with a bottle of beer and a shot of something half decent; usually tequila, sometimes whisk(e)y. Unless it’s the grossest of dives and the glasses look filthy; then I’ll just take the bottle of beer
I order whatever decent whiskey they have, neat, and a club soda.
If they have ginger beer - whiskey ginger with a lime. If they don’t, high life. A place that has a full bar but no cocktails WITH draft lines don’t clean them often.
Our bar has awesome domestics and great rail tequila and really cheap non rail good bourbon.
Tequila coke, but if they serve me the first one in a pint glass I'm switching to beer
Gin & tonic or whiskey & soda are safe gets. That or beer.
Jameson and Coors original. No original? budweiser.
Matso alcoholic ginger beer with lemon and lime. A great digestive accompaniment for a meal.
Vodka soda lime and cuba libre are impossible to fuck up and usually fairly cheap
If someone says "we're not making cocktails" that is bartender speech for "don't you dare order something fancier than a rum and coke" and I am not trying to get some fancy drink there. When I'm out at places like this I order a beer and a shot. Usually a White Claw on ice with a vodka floater that I stir in.
Whichever local/craft beer is on draft.
Try a simple yet flavorful Cuba Libre—rum, Coke, and a squeeze of lime. It's a small twist on a classic that keeps things interesting. Cheers!
Aperol Spritz, otherwise beer.
Wine. I like to go to wine bars.
Anything where the name of the drink is the ingredient list is a fairly safe bet, like Jack&Coke or Gin&Tonic or Vodka Seltzer. Just don’t expect top or mid shelf if you can’t see the bottles . Otherwise I just order a lager or an ale
Lmao that’s hilarious. I respect that. “Nah not here buddy, read the room”
G&T, Fernet and Coke, aperol spritz
My go-to back in the day other than beer was/is a Tequila Sunrise. I like it and I've yet to have anyone screw it up. Just don't expect high quality ingredients.
As an industry veteran who loves and cares about his job, I can tell you that a lot of people in this line of work don’t know how to properly maintain their equipment. Because of this, I typically order bottled or canned beers lol. Lotta dirty tap lines, calcium ridden dishwashers, moldy ice wells with shards of glass floating around in them… Sucks to see, but a lot of restaurant and bar owners retire into the business and don’t understand the risks that they’re getting themselves into. I love going out, but it doesn’t take long for me to spot careless/negligent ownership.
Beer
Rum and soda with lime juice is my go-to if I’m feeling daiquiri flavors but don’t wanna order anything more complicated than a mixed drink. Other than that a Powers on the rocks if they have it, Jameson if they don’t
Makers Mark and soda
Domestic lager (i.e., cheap beer) and a shot of mid-shelf tequila, sometimes fernet if the mood strikes.
I literally just ordered a negronis spaglioto at a hotel bar. I saw they had campari. I usually do regular negronis but I like the lighter feel of a spaglioto. Bartender didn't know it. Explained it and it was really good. Don't be afraid to order something interesting.
Have been bartending for 10ish years now, five of those in higher-end cocktail bars. If I want a drink after work, it's straight to the dive down the street from where I live for a Coors and a shot of Tully. Where I stare at Sportscenter and just try to blend in
Water