There’s an unspoken language behind every bar counter. The clinking ice, the practiced pour, the tight smile when a particularly dreaded order comes through. Bartenders are professionals, yes, and they’ll make just about anything you ask for. Still, some drinks consistently make even the most seasoned mixologists quietly cringe.
Whether it’s a matter of time, technique, ingredients, or the drink’s reputation in the industry, there are cocktails that carry a certain weight when they’re ordered during a packed Friday night rush. So before you open your mouth at the bar, it might be worth knowing what’s on this list. You might be surprised.
Table of Contents
1. The Long Island Iced Tea
Long Island iced teas are notoriously boozy, and thus should always be considered with caution. Here’s the thing: it’s not just about the alcohol level. The Long Island Iced Tea is right up there with the Ramos Gin Fizz in terms of bartenders’ most frowned-upon cocktails, made up of vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola.
A $5 Long Island will taste pretty much the same as a $25 Long Island. You don’t get to appreciate the unique flavors of the spirits, and the wash of sweetness overpowers everything anyway. They are also a pain to make. And the social signal it sends? Ordering a Long Island is a sign to many bartenders that you’re looking to get quite drunk, quite quickly, which means the staff will probably be keeping a close eye on you to make sure you don’t get overserved.
2. The Ramos Gin Fizz
Almost unanimously, bartenders across the country are staunchly opposed to subjecting a fellow bartender to the relative labor intensity of making a Ramos Gin Fizz. Made up of gin, lemon, lime, cream, egg white, orange blossom water, sugar, and soda, this classic frothy cocktail usually requires anywhere between five and 12 minutes of shaking in order to achieve the proper texture.
Perhaps the most-loathed cocktail by bartenders, a Ramos Gin Fizz not only requires a lot of ingredients but it takes a lot of time and elbow grease to make. Mixologist and bar personality Elissa Dunn says that while she doesn’t “hate” making this, it does make her sigh, comparing it to cooking a delicate soufflé: “You have to shake it for a really long time, you have to let it set, it usually takes, if you do not have a hand blender, somewhere around 12 minutes.” That said, Eric Trueheart, founder of cocktail company Black Yeti Beverage, says if this drink is on the menu, which you may find in New Orleans, then go for it. “They’re probably proud to make it.”
3. The Mojito
Mojitos have been popular since the 1800s, when many tourists were making their way to Cuba and rightfully enjoying the cocktail throughout their travels. Its popularity has stuck in the 2020s, and it is even known as the number one drink in Arkansas. Unfortunately, the popularity of a mojito extends only to the customers ordering them, not to the bartenders forced to make them.
According to Jamie Nyqvist, who was a bartender for three years in Paris, unless you’re at a cocktail bar or a bar that’s pretty empty, don’t order a mojito. “These are a pain to make, especially when I used to have to cut limes by hand and then physically crush the ice,” she shared. Likewise, Luke Slater, founder of The Cask Connoisseur, says, “People think this is an easy drink to make, but muddling the mint can be time-consuming.” Think of it like asking someone to hand-knead bread dough during a dinner rush. It’s technically doable, but nobody’s happy about it.
4. Frozen Blended Drinks
Working behind the bar is not for the faint of heart, and those who do it share a universal understanding of where everyday tasks fall on the enjoyability scale. Making drinks that require a blender isn’t among the top favorites, as it often means more cleanup, and that’s precisely why most off-duty bartenders stay away from ordering frozen drinks.
Florida bartender Conor Canavan points out a doubly unfortunate frozen drink order: a Miami Vice. This cocktail’s two components, half strawberry daiquiri and half piña colada, must be made in two separate blenders before being combined. Beverage experts recommend skipping popular poolside blends like strawberry daiquiris and piña coladas if you want to truly enjoy the alcohol in your drink, as they’re often diluted by whatever sugary mixture the bar is using.
5. The Espresso Martini
The espresso martini increased its ordering growth by 50% as of 2024, according to Coffeeness via Forbes. Its surge in popularity is undeniable. I think it genuinely is a delicious drink, but the problem is scale. Despite the popularity of the espresso martini, making them can be a huge pain, especially on busy nights that don’t allow much time for pulling fresh espresso shots. Some Reddit users in bartender communities have even suggested that customers should have to pay for the shot of espresso separately, as an inconvenience fee.
One bartender with over 10 years of experience shared their thoughts, saying their least favorite request was anything with coffee. “I’ve worked in many restaurants and bars and not one of them stocked coffee behind the bar.” Often made with Kahlua, a sugary coffee liqueur, espresso martinis are a trendy vodka cocktail that offers a caffeine kick, and are absolutely the wrong thing to order if you don’t like coffee.
6. Cream-Based Cocktails Like the White Russian
White Russians, grasshoppers, Brandy Alexanders, and other drinks that have a dairy component are unquestionably delicious. They make great dessert drinks, nightcaps, or sweet and creamy pick-me-ups. Keep in mind, though, that it’s risky to order these at a bar unless they’re specifically featured on the drink list or menu.
If a bar doesn’t make these types of drinks often, they probably don’t restock their dairy very frequently, which means the milk or cream they have in the fridge is probably not fresh, and may not even be safe to drink. You’re probably in good hands if you’re ordering these drinks at a restaurant bar, as the kitchen likely has a constant supply of fresh dairy. One bartender explained, “While I enjoy consuming them, I’m not a huge fan of making White Russians. Dealing with cream of any kind can be somewhat challenging as it likes to coat things pretty effectively.”
7. Layered Shots
As their name suggests, layered cocktails are those that layer different liquids so that they form bands of color. According to Paul Kushner, mixologist, pub owner, and CEO of MyBartender, two of the most popular are a Pousse Café and a B52, both of which he says “are a royal pain in the butt.” Honestly, watching the technique is impressive. Getting it done in under a minute during a slammed Saturday night shift is another story entirely.
You not only have to pour each layer carefully to avoid breaking the surface tension, but you also need to remember the proper order of ingredients or it could turn into a muddy mess. Ordering fancy mixed drinks or technically demanding drinks during rush hour could result in a lower-quality version of what you’re hoping for. Not because the bartender isn’t skilled; they just lack the time to perfect these more demanding beverages.
8. The Bloody Mary at the Wrong Time
The Bloody Mary is for the morning after, not the night before. That’s the honest truth, and most bartenders will tell you the same. At a busy bar, if you’re lucky, you might get a few old olives and a slice of celery in your glass. If you’re unlucky, you’ll get warm tomato juice and cheap vodka. Save the Bloodies for brunch when the bartender is expecting to make them and has everything freshly prepared.
A proper Bloody Mary is essentially a small-scale kitchen project, not a bar order during a busy evening service. The ingredient list alone, including tomato juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire, horseradish, celery salt, and fresh garnishes, requires preparation that most evening bars simply aren’t set up for. Bartender Julien Whaley says he’ll always try to steer customers away from drinks that use artificial mixers when he can. “It’s not because I can’t do it,” he clarifies, “I feel bad for you drinking that stuff. Because a) it’s gross, and b) it’s bad for you.”
9. The Margarita at a Dive Bar
Fresh lime juice is a key ingredient in the perfect margarita, but dive bars typically use sweet and sour mix. Most commercial sweet and sours contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors. There’s a massive difference between a properly made margarita with fresh lime and a quality tequila versus one thrown together with premade sour mix and the cheapest bottle on the shelf. It’s like the difference between homemade pasta and the stuff from a can.
There are other drinks that a dive bar won’t be equipped to make well. Maybe you’re there to shoot pool, or shoot the breeze with a friend after work, but you’re not there for the mixology. Skip the margarita next time you end up at your favorite local dive and opt for something classic and simple that can be made well with the ingredients on hand. One expert encourages common sense: being mindful of the type of establishment you’re at before getting into more complicated cocktails. “If a bartender says they don’t know how to make your drink, they might not have the time to learn on the spot.” When ordering at the local dive bar or baseball stadium’s beer stand, maybe avoid venturing into craft mixology.
A Final Thought Before You Belly Up to the Bar
None of this means you should feel intimidated the next time you walk into a bar. The point isn’t to restrict your choices, it’s to help you get the best possible drink for the situation you’re in. There are some industry insights that bartenders pick up as their career goes along that can help folks make the most of their drinking excursions. While you should never feel like you can’t order the drink you want, certain beverages ordered in specific situations may result in a subpar experience for both the drinker and the drink maker.
Read the room, check the menu, and when in doubt, ask your bartender what they’re proud to make that night. Bartenders have strong opinions about the drinks they craft. They love cocktails that showcase their skills but dislike ones that slow them down. Give them a chance to shine, and you’ll almost always end up with something remarkable in your glass.
What would you have ordered without knowing any of this? Tell us in the comments.