The Time-Consuming Mojito
When you see a bartender’s face drop at the mention of a mojito, it’s not about the taste. Actually, a lot of bartenders will tell you that they hate making mojitos and other labor intensive drinks that require a lot of muddling. These orders slow down their workflow. The problem lies in the muddle.
Picture this: you’re behind the bar with fifteen people waiting for drinks, and someone orders a mojito. To make a mojito properly, a bartender needs superfine sugar, loads of fresh limes, and fresh mint. They also need a special muddling tool to mash up all those things into your glass, which they will top off with white rum and club soda. Those precious minutes spent carefully muddling fresh mint leaves could have been used to knock out three other cocktails. First, you’re slapping mint like you’re in a desperate attempt to start a fire, only to have it sneak into your strainer and hitch a ride into your next margarita.
The irony isn’t lost on bartenders either. As annoying as all that is, what really sends the mojito over the top is the fact that it’s frickin’ delicious. It’s classic. It’s timeless. It’s refreshing. And super tasty. I can’t get mad at anyone for ordering it! But God, I hate it. If you really want a mojito, consider ordering it during slower times or try making one at home instead.
The Five-Minute Nightmare: Ramos Gin Fizz
When asked this question, an old nemesis immediately comes to mind. The Ramos Gin Fizz is a classic and delicious cocktail but it is a nightmare to see on a ticket. The reason this cocktail is the bane of any busy bartender’s existence is simply time. This isn’t your average shake-and-strain situation.
The drink takes about five minutes to make, and it must be made in a very specific way and poured into a specific glass. The Ramos Gin Fizz involves a dry shake, then a shake with ice cubes and the shake must last until the ice is diluted. After you pour the drink into its glass, you must let it settle so that when you add the soda water, the drink will foam up more and then you need even more time for the drink to settle again. In bartender time, five minutes might as well be an hour during a busy shift.
The drink’s complexity doesn’t just tie up one bartender – it creates a domino effect that slows down the entire bar service. Most bartenders would rather make ten simple cocktails in that same timeframe than craft one perfect Ramos Gin Fizz. It’s a beautiful drink, but timing is everything in the hospitality world.
Blended Piña Coladas and Frozen Disasters
Save the frozen drinks for a vacation spot where they’re already blended and ready to drink, says Michelin star chef Joe Isidori, the chef and founder of Arthur & Son’s Restaurant in NYC. “Bartenders hate making pina coladas,” he explains. “Too sweet and typically reserved for tourists.” The hatred runs deeper than just the sweetness level.
God forbid you want one frozen in a blender. You better hope they don’t throw it at you! Blenders are loud, messy, and time-consuming in a bar environment. They require cleaning between each drink to prevent flavor cross-contamination, and the noise disrupts conversation throughout the entire establishment. They aren’t cool anymore and anything blended is a pain to make.
Most bars aren’t equipped with the proper blending setup that beach resorts have. When you order a frozen drink at a regular bar, you’re essentially asking the bartender to stop everything they’re doing, drag out equipment they rarely use, and create a tropical mess in an urban setting. Save these drinks for your next vacation instead.
The Espresso Martini Dilemma
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. The coffee component creates a whole separate set of challenges for bartenders who are already juggling multiple orders.
For other bars that don’t specialize in elaborate martinis, ordering one requires a lot of prep for just one cocktail. Espresso martinis take a hot liquid (and another machine/more things to clean) and then you have to chill it properly. It just takes more time, too! The temperature contrast between hot espresso and cold cocktail creates technical difficulties that most other drinks don’t present.
Many bartenders work at establishments where the espresso machine is tucked away in a corner, making the process even more cumbersome. Admittedly it’s partially because my coffee machine sucks and it’s shoved away, half behind a corner; might not be so bad if I could just push a button and let it get on with it. The drink might be Instagram-worthy, but it’s a logistical nightmare during peak hours.
Long Island Iced Tea: The Ultimate Red Flag
According to The Beat 92.5, a survey of 260 bartenders in the United States conducted by Alcohol.org found that nearly 30% are against the Long Island iced tea. This isn’t just mild annoyance – it’s active dislike from nearly one-third of professional bartenders.
Frankly, the sheer number of ingredients included makes the drink an annoying ask for your mixologists, especially if the bar is busy. The LIIT contains essentially the entire liquor cabinet, and as such, is not a particularly cohesive cocktail flavor-wise. At the end of the day, the drink is thought of as the choice of an unseasoned drinker, someone seeking a quick buzz. As such, any bartender who prides themselves on crafting balanced drinks cannot abide this veritable garbage can of a cocktail.
One bartender said that a customer who orders a Long Island iced tea is “usually someone who wants to get drunk for cheap and is going to complain that the drink is not strong enough” (via Buzzfeed). Adding insult to injury, it’s not as if making a Long Island iced tea doesn’t require considerable time and effort. Most Long Island Tea Recipes contain no fewer than eight separate ingredients – not including the ice. Five of those are spirits, and since customers sometimes request by name, that can make the experience even more work-intensive for the bartender, depending on how their spirit shelves are organized. It’s the cocktail equivalent of asking someone to juggle while riding a unicycle.
Bloody Mary at the Wrong Time
Unless you can answer yes to one or more of these questions, it is not OK to order a Bloody Mary. The questions being: Is it brunch? Is it breakfast, and you’re on vacation? Are you at a bar at the airport? Timing is everything with this tomato-based cocktail.
But I know that even a restaurant that makes the best Bloody Marys in town only has the correct mix fresh and ready to go during the brunch and breakfast hours. Order it at any other time, and you’re getting that God-awful Mr. & Mrs. T’s pre-made Bloody Mary mix they give you in cans on airplanes, or you’re getting an annoyed bartender who’s wondering what would possess a person to order a Bloody Mary during Happy Hour.
The preparation for a proper Bloody Mary involves numerous garnishes, spices, and mix components that most bars only keep readily available during traditional brunch service. Ordering one at nine o’clock at night is like asking for Christmas dinner in July – technically possible, but nobody’s prepared for it.
Complicated Layered Shots
At a high volume bar, complicated drinks only slow your bartender down – which makes their job harder and means less money at the end of the night. Layered shots in particular require finesse and technical precision, says Katie Miller, Bartender at Lottie’s Pub in Chicago. Having to layer six shots perfectly not only takes practice but is extremely tedious. These cannot be batch-made either, so they aren’t worth the time or frustration.
I can’t stand when people order trays and trays full of layered shots. Each layered shot requires careful attention to density and pouring technique to create those Instagram-perfect layers. When someone orders multiple layered shots, the bartender essentially becomes a liquid architect, carefully constructing each drink while other customers wait.
I hate making lemon drops or red deaths. It’s a real pain to grab like 17 liquors for one drink. The complexity multiplies when dealing with shots that require numerous ingredients, each needing to be measured precisely and layered correctly. It’s impressive to watch, but brutal to execute during busy periods.
The Infamous Irish Car Bomb
The name is considered by many to be offensive, with many bartenders refusing to serve it. Beyond the cultural insensitivity, this drink presents practical problems that make bartenders cringe.
I used to HATE Irish car bombs when I worked as a bartender. They messed up my bar top when the shot got dropped in, and the thick residue in the glass afterwards mucked up my wash water too fast. The logistics of drop shots create mess and cleanup issues that other cocktails don’t present. The creamy consistency of Irish cream doesn’t play nicely with bar equipment.
Many bartenders across the pond will refuse to make the drink, and will likely get upset with anybody who orders it. People can find it offensive and some bartenders will actually not serve it if called by that name. Instead of calling it the Irish Car Bomb, you can call it Irish Slammer, Dublin Drop, or Irish Bomb. The drink carries historical baggage that makes many industry professionals uncomfortable, and rightfully so.
Flaming Drinks and Fire Hazards
I do not have time to light your damn drink on fire. Flaming shots and cocktails might look impressive, but they create safety concerns and workflow disruptions that most bartenders would rather avoid.
However, insurance companies point out that white-hot glass can create a perma-grin scar (think The Joker from “Batman”). Additionally, there is a laundry list of dangers that make mixing alcohol and fire a bad mix, from fast-spreading flames and fractured glassware (via Society Insurance) to turning yourself into the guy on Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” album cover photo. We bartenders prefer fire-free consumption, but if you have to get your flame on, remember rule number one: Extinguish before drinking.
The liability issues alone make many establishments discourage flaming drinks. Add the time required to safely execute the presentation, and you’ve got a recipe for frustrated bartenders and nervous management. Most bars simply aren’t equipped or insured for regular pyrotechnics.
Sex on the Beach
According to SchmeddyTheYeti, the thread’s original poster (OP), the worst cocktail to make behind the stick is the Sex on the Beach. This fruity cocktail represents everything bartenders hate about sugary, complicated drinks that scream “I don’t really like alcohol.”
The drink requires multiple fruit juices, several liqueurs, and precise measurements to avoid creating a cloying mess. It’s literally two frozen drinks combined into one. When someone orders this drink, bartenders often assume they’re dealing with an inexperienced drinker who will likely complain if the drink doesn’t taste like tropical candy.
The ingredients for Sex on the Beach aren’t staples in most well-organized bars, meaning the bartender has to hunt around for specific bottles and mixers that might be stored in inconvenient locations. It’s the cocktail equivalent of asking for directions to five different places at once.
Dirty Martinis with Specific Demands
Some bartenders have had enough, especially when the drinks are ordered dirty. One Redditor’s post bemoans a lack of brine and olive specifications, while others cite the annoyance of some guests’ particular specs. The martini itself isn’t the problem – it’s the endless variations and specific demands that drive bartenders crazy.
I have never thought any version of this drink tastes good. While this might be a personal opinion from one bartender, the sentiment reflects frustration with drinks that have become overly complicated through customer modifications. Extra dirty, extra dry, specific gin brands, temperature requirements, garnish preferences – the list goes on.
When someone orders a dirty martini, bartenders often brace themselves for a series of follow-up questions and modifications that turn a simple cocktail into a lengthy negotiation. The olive brine ratio alone can become a contentious issue between bartender and customer.
The Dreaded “Surprise Me”
But Follows says her least favorite order on a busy night was, “Surprise me!” That leaves way too much up in the air for a busy bartender with a limited supply of fresh ingredients. This seemingly innocent request creates more stress than ordering the most complicated cocktail on the menu.
​​It’s like, do you like sweet drinks? Do you like bitter drinks? Do you like whiskey? she says. If it’s not a specialty cocktail bar with a mixologist on duty, at least give a little direction if you want to be surprised. If you’re considering asking the bartender for the best drink they make, first ask yourself if there’s something you know you do or don’t want. Maybe you love tequila. Or maybe you hate gin. Either way, the bartender needs to know before they can whip up a treat you’ll actually want to drink.
The “surprise me” order puts all the pressure on the bartender to read your mind while simultaneously creating the risk that you’ll hate whatever they make. It’s a lose-lose situation that most bartenders would prefer to avoid entirely. Give them at least some direction to work with.
When you’re out having drinks, remember there’s a human being behind that bar who’s probably making dozens of cocktails every hour. These twelve drinks aren’t necessarily bad – they’re just logistically challenging, time-consuming, or downright problematic in busy bar environments. Understanding what makes bartenders’ jobs harder can help you become a more considerate customer and might even get you better service. Next time you’re tempted to order that frozen piña colada at a packed downtown bar, maybe consider a nice bourbon on the rocks instead. Your bartender will thank you, and you might just discover a new favorite drink in the process. Did you expect that your go-to party drink was secretly driving your bartender crazy?
