A Bartender With 15 Years’ Experience Shares 6 Drinks They’d Never Order

Fifteen years behind a bar teaches you things no textbook ever could. You learn which drinks look glamorous on a menu but arrive at the table as a total letdown. You learn the silent frustration behind a bartender’s polite smile. Honestly, after all this time, there are six drinks I simply won’t order when I’m on the other side of the bar. Some of these might surprise you. Others will make you think twice next time you step up to order. Let’s get into it.

1. The Long Island Iced Tea: A Red Flag in a Glass

Let’s be real, there is no cocktail in the world that sends a louder signal about your intentions than a Long Island Iced Tea. Made up of vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola, this drink is something most people in the industry would never order themselves. The problem isn’t just what it is. It’s what it says.

A five-dollar Long Island will taste pretty much the same as a twenty-five-dollar one. You don’t get to appreciate the unique flavors of the spirits, and the wash of sweetness overpowers everything anyway. Honestly, if you want to get somewhere fast, there are smarter, more enjoyable ways to do it.

The reason many bartenders dislike Long Island Iced Teas is because they’re typically a drink for those who don’t really care what their drink tastes like. In fact, the whole point of a Long Island is that when you blend enough strongly-flavored ingredients, you can’t really identify them by taste. To a seasoned bartender, ordering one is the equivalent of walking into a restaurant and asking for the cheapest, most filling thing on the menu. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t be surprised by the eye roll.

2. The Ramos Gin Fizz: The Shoulder-Destroying Nightmare

Almost unanimously, bartenders across the country are staunchly opposed to subjecting a fellow bartender to the 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 twelve minutes of shaking. Think about that. Twelve minutes of continuous shaking for one drink.

Some bars use shaking machines to expedite the process and save bartenders’ weary shoulders, but bartenders aren’t always fans of that option, saying that those versions “always end up gross.” The irony is that when it’s done right, a Ramos Gin Fizz is an absolutely beautiful drink. Silky, frothy, and elegant.

If this drink is on the menu at a bar, particularly in New Orleans where it originated, then go for it. They’re probably proud to make it. The moral of the story? Read the room and you’ll be golden. Ordering it at a crowded Saturday night bar is a completely different story, and one I personally avoid writing.

3. The Espresso Martini: A Barista’s Job Disguised as a Bartender’s

While the Espresso Martini is not inherently complicated, normally a mix of espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur, the hot component makes it genuinely inconvenient. Bartenders must first pull espresso, then let it cool before adding it to a cocktail. That alone adds a whole extra step that most bar setups aren’t really designed to handle efficiently.

According to Drinks International’s annual roundup of the world’s fifty most popular cocktails, the Espresso Martini has only gained ground. It ranked sixth in 2021, slipped to number seven in 2022, and has since held the number four spot for three years straight. Its popularity is undeniable, which is precisely why it’s such a headache.

In a recent Instagram video from drinks influencer The Educated Barfly, bartenders at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2025 were asked to name the most overrated cocktail. Every single one gave the same answer: the Espresso Martini. Any drink that requires both a barista and a bartender is a no-go. Plus, the combination of booze, caffeine, and sugar is essentially a hangover in a fancy glass.

4. Draft Beer at a Questionable Bar: The Dirty Line Problem

This one might genuinely shock you. I love beer. Truly. However, draft lines should be cleaned every two to six weeks by a professional, and tap nozzles should be soaked in sanitizing solution, not just water, overnight. If not, bacteria can develop, and that pint of beer can taste dirty or musky. If you question the cleanliness of the bar, stick to bottled beers.

The most common bacteria to infect beer lines are Pediococcus and Lactobacillus, among others. When lines aren’t clean, mold and mildew collect, turning them brown or black and encouraging further growth. I’ve seen things behind certain bars that would permanently change how you think about ordering draft beer.

A 2021 study titled “Microbial Communities in Retail Draft Beers and the Biofilms They Produce” found that retail draft line contamination is rampant and that routine line cleaning methods are insufficient to efficiently suppress beer spoilage. Thus, many customers unknowingly consume spoiled versions of the beers they drink. Next time your draft beer tastes a little “off,” there’s a very real chance that’s exactly what’s happening.

5. Frozen Drinks and Blended Cocktails: The Blender Situation

Making drinks that require a blender isn’t among bartenders’ top favorites, as it often means more cleanup, and that’s precisely why most off-duty bartenders stay away from ordering frozen drinks. The noise alone is enough to make everyone within earshot feel uncomfortable. At a busy bar, firing up a blender is basically announcing to the entire room that you are the reason the queue isn’t moving.

While margaritas are a staple in many bars, when requested frozen, they become a real hassle. Frozen Margaritas require a blender, which is noisy, messy, and time-consuming. They can also hold up the line when there’s a rush. Think of it like bringing your own drum kit to a library. Technically allowed. Deeply frowned upon.

Bartender Conor Canavan from Florida 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. Two blenders. For one drink. That says everything you need to know about why I’ll never order one.

6. The Mojito at a Busy Bar: Mint, Muddling, and Misery

Honestly, the mojito is a genuinely wonderful drink. When it’s made well, there’s nothing quite like it on a warm evening. The problem is context. According to bartenders with experience at high-volume establishments, unless you’re at a cocktail bar or a bar that’s pretty empty, ordering a mojito is a risky move.

The popularity of a mojito extends only to the customers ordering them, not to the bartenders forced to make them. In fact, some bar managers report their bartenders “still shudder at the memory” of a particular service where mojitos became the drink of the night. You could hear the collective groan from the street, apparently.

The muddling of mint alone can be unexpectedly time-consuming, and people often assume this is an easy drink to make. At an upscale cocktail bar, you fully expect drinks like this. At an average bar during a rush, these drinks always seem to be ordered when things are slammed, and they slow down the entire flow of service. Order a mojito on a quiet Tuesday evening. It’s a very different experience for everyone involved.