Your Favorite Juvenile Drinking Game With Bartenders
We asked the questions so that the next time you’re feeling chatty at the bar, you can dedicate that mental energy to less-chatty pursuits. Like keeping your elbows off the sticky bar or making sure your math is right on your check. You’re welcome for taking this one for the team.
Brett Hart
1. Dive bar or craft cocktail bar?
Dive bar. 3 p.m. Better music. All the cocktail bars have the same Spotify playlist.
2. Strangest drink request you’ve received?
Piña Colada, no pineapple. So just the colada then?
3. Do you prefer an opening or closing shift?
I’m all done with 2 a.m.’s.
4. Favorite garnish to snack on?
Strawberries. With a pinch of the margarita salt. Try it.
5. Where will you be on your day off?
It’s a secret spot.
6. If you could only choose one spirit to drink forever, what would it be?
Amaro.
7. Your unpopular opinion on bar etiquette?
Keep your voice down. You don’t have to yell. Bartenders hear everything, even from 50 feet away.
8. Beer or wine?
Wine. Especially Syrah from the Northern Rhône.
9. What’s your guilty pleasure cocktail?
Frozen Margs. Near water only.
10. What’s your rule of thumb for cutting people off?
Both eyes should face in the same direction. And obviously keep your forehead off the bar top.
11. Favorite top shelf liquor?
Del Maguey Iberico.
12. What are your must haves for a shift?
Sanpellegrino and a wine key. I can improvise anything else.
13. What’s your hangover cure?
I call it a Git Right. Amaro, lemon juice, bitters, club soda.
14. Favorite drinking game?
Bocce ball and beers.
15. Least favorite cocktail to make?
Espresso martinis obviously. No one can agree on a single recipe.
16. Which celebrity would you want to sit down at your bar for a chat?
Willie Nelson. That guy has probably got some stories.
17. What’s your favorite bar for a night off?
See question 5. Or question 1.
18. What’s your go-to shot?
Mezcal. Neat.
19. Do you have any cocktail tips or tricks for our readers?
Try adding a pinch of Maldon salt to your next cocktail. It makes flavors pop. Especially a Gibson.
20. Should a martini be shaken or stirred?
It should be stirred, but a lot of people like that semi-frozen lake effect on top.
21. What’s one drink you’ve sworn off?
Vodka. Most of it is just grain alcohol with glycerin in it.
Valeria Ruiz
1. Dive bar or craft cocktail bar?
Dive bar mostly, but definitely both.
2. Strangest drink request you’ve received?
Perfect Manhattan.
3. Do you prefer an opening or closing shift?
Closing shift obvs.
4. Favorite garnish to snack on?
Olives, I eat them all night.
5. Where will you be on your day off?
The pool or the bar.
6. If you could only choose one spirit to drink forever what would it be?
Tito’s vodka.
7. Your unpopular opinion on bar etiquette?
Don’t ask a bar guest to move if they’re already eating.
8. Beer or wine?
Wine ALL day!
9. What’s your guilty pleasure cocktail?
Lychee martinis.
10. What’s your rule of thumb for cutting people off?
When you start being rude to people around you, you’re done.
11. Favorite top shelf liquor?
Clase Azul or Don Julio 1942.
12. What are your must haves for a shift?
My water bottle, MY wine key and my favorite co-worker.
13. What’s your hangover cure?
Another drink, comfort food and lots of water.
14. Favorite drinking game?
TITS — it’s like flip cup but lasts longer and it’s way more fun.
15. Least favorite cocktail to make?
Mojitos.
16. Which celebrity would you want to sit down at your bar for a chat?
Vin Diesel, I’m obsessed with him.
17. What’s your favorite bar for a night off?
Food Shack ‘cause I know everyone and I get all the love every time.
18. What’s your go-to shot?
White tea shots.
19. Do you have any cocktail tips or tricks for our readers?
Shake it while you shake it.
20. Should a martini be shaken or stirred?
Shaken.
21. What’s one drink you’ve sworn off?
Jager.
Myles Robinson
1. Dive bar or craft cocktail bar?
It depends on where I’m trying to take the night. If I’m trying to get into some drunken shenanigans, dive bar all day, but if I plan on staying a bit and keeping it calm and collective, then it’s craft cocktail bar.
2. Strangest drink request you’ve received?
Hmmm I would have to say a Henny, Bailey’s, and apple juice mix BUT… the crazy part is when I did the straw test (if you bartend you know what that is) it was pretty tasty, no matter how bad I wanted to hate it.
3. Do you prefer an opening or closing shift?
Closing. Forever going to be a night owl.
4. Favorite garnish to snack on?
Blue cheese stuffed olives or at Kapow! we have mochi gummies as a garnish and I can’t get enough of them.
5. Where will you be on your day off?
In front of my bar at home probably working on new cocktails for another bar or event. Or the grocery store…Costco, to be exact, it’s like a grown-up playground.
6. If you could only choose one spirit to drink forever what would it be?
Whiskey without even thinking twice about it.
7. Your unpopular opinion on bar etiquette?
The guest isn’t always right. I feel like in this day and age and in this climate of cocktails that narrative has worn out its welcome.
8. Beer or wine?
I’m gonna give wine the slight edge because the hangovers don’t hurt as much.
9. What’s your guilty pleasure cocktail?
A sidecar.
10. What’s your rule of thumb for cutting people off?
Have you ever asked a 3-year-old to write their name? If the words that come out of their mouth sound like how that looks, then it’s time to cut them off.
11. Favorite top shelf liquor?
Most of the time it’s some type of scotch or tequila. With so many choices I never just stick to one.
12. What are your must haves for a shift?
Bottle opener, wine key, breath mints (it happens to the best of us when we’re busy and no one likes a bad breath bartender), Ghost energy drink (sour patch flavor), pens, and boxing gloves to fight people over stealing pens.
13. What’s your hangover cure?
Heavy breakfast food and beer — in that order
14. Favorite drinking game?
Not into drinking games but I love playing nostalgic games. Drunk Uno, Rummikub, spades, Monopoly. Basically, any game that can break out in chaos at any given moment.
15. Least favorite cocktail to make?
A hot toddy. I just don’t see the point in it even if you’re feeling like crap I’m almost sure some rest and chicken soup would work out just a tad bit better.
16. Which celebrity would you want to sit down at your bar for a chat?
Gordon Ramsey.
17. What’s your favorite bar for a night off?
Bar Standish located right in my living room and the best part is the tab is always comped.
18. What’s your go-to shot?
The always reliable green tea.
19. Do you have any cocktail tips or tricks for our readers?
No tricks other than focusing on being the best you can be at your craft and remember at the end of the day as long as your guest enjoys what’s in their glass you’ve made them the perfect drink.
20. Should a martini be shaken or stirred?
I think there are too many variables in martinis these days to say one should be made exactly one way.
21. What’s one drink you’ve sworn off?
Fernet! I know I’m going to get s*** for this, but contrary to popular bartender belief, Fernet is absolutely one of the worst drinks ever. Yeah, I said it.
Ashley Amann
1. Dive bar or craft cocktail bar?
Dive bar. A plus if there’s a jukebox for me to spend all my money on.
2. Strangest drink request you’ve received?
Scotch and milk. It wasn’t a joke. He had more than one.
3. Do you prefer an opening or closing shift?
Closing shift. The best stories come from a closing shift.
4. Favorite garnish to snack on?
Blue cheese olives.
5. Where will you be on your day off?
I can be found at the beach/at a show/any local haunt.
6. If you could only choose one spirit to drink forever what would it be?
Tequila, forever.
7. Your unpopular opinion on bar etiquette?
Your bartenders will thank you for using venmo rather than asking for separate checks when it’s busy.
8. Beer or wine?
Beer — nothing better on a hot Florida day.
9. What’s your guilty pleasure cocktail?
A Dirty Banana from Banana Boat. Think frozen, chocolate piña colada. It can cure all things.
10. What’s your rule of thumb for cutting people off?
I believe you just have to let them know you can’t serve them anymore because we as bartenders care about their safety. I’ll pour water and order them some food.
11. Favorite top shelf liquor?
Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask. Unique and delicious.
12. What are your must haves for a shift?
Coffee. My bar tools. A barback.
13. What’s your hangover cure?
McDonald’s Coke. Ibuprofen. Chilled under eye mask. A beer. In no specific order.
14. Favorite drinking game?
For a big group: chandelier. For a small group: quarters.
15. Least favorite cocktail to make?
I’ll just say I’m glad we don’t have a blender behind our bar.
16. Which celebrity would you want to sit down at your bar for a chat?
Larry David. OR the entirety of Fleetwood Mac.
17. What’s your favorite bar for a night off?
For a proper cocktail: Driftwood. For fun: Hurricane Alley.
18. What’s your go-to shot?
Tequila, no training wheels. If it’s been a rough week, a Rumplemintz might be necessary.
19. Do you have any cocktail tips or tricks for our readers?
If you can, always use fresh citrus. Fresh is best. And, watch the movie “Cocktail.”
20. Should a martini be shaken or stirred?
Stirred 100%.
21. What’s one drink you’ve sworn off?
Long Island iced tea. Thank you, college.
