Garie Beach

How do I order drinks at a bar? What should i order?

Hey guys, so I'm totally new to this bar-hopping experience, and I was wondering how it worked, preferably for Toronto... When I order, do I just say the name of the drink? If i want a beer or a gin/tonic, do I have to say the brand? And what's the usual tip? 15% like restaurants, or less/more? I'm going with my friend (another girl) so should we sit at a booth, or at the bar or stand around or what? (We have really close birthdays so we agreed to wait to go for the 1st time together... and then we realized we were both clueless, hah). Anyways, we also wanted to know what are good drinks for new girls too. We've drank before, just not at a bar, adn we know not to get alcopops or dirty sex on teh beach breeze politains, shaken not stirred. Are gin and tonics too boring/manly? what's a yummy drink to order that won't be a hassle to order on a sat. night? thanks guys, cheers!

Public Comments

1. Long Island ice teas. Or some girly drinks like daiquiris, pina coladas, frozen margaritas. Try Malibu and pineapple juice. Girls really seem to like the sweet stuff. Try a few different combos but stay with the same type of liqueur. Mixing tends to upset the stomach. Red snappers are good also. I used to make a drink at my bar a while back for some regulars that I had. Its 1 shot Malibu, 1 shot 151, 1 shot midori, 1 shot peach schnapps, and 1 shot raspberry schnapps, mix with pineapple and orange juice, shake to mix, pour over ice in a pint glass then garnish with a cherry. I never named it but the ladies loved it. I charged the same as a long island.
2. Get yo self a long island ice tea, they taste great, they get you there and they are the bomb. The flavor is awesome, and you will get to feelin good after like 2. After that just sip on the beer of your choice or you'll get too faded. But they are the shit...Yum, Yum...That is what G girls do!!!
3. When you're ordering a drink, like a gin and tonic, if you want a specific type of gin (Bombay, Tanqueray, Beefeater) say you'd like a "Tanqueray & Tonic. If you are indifferent to the type of gin, just say, I'd like a gin and tonic. Same goes with most other mixed drinks (Grey Goose & Cranberry vs. Vodka & Cranberry). With beer or other bottled drinks, don't ever be vague about it. Ask a busy bartender for a "beer" and they'll ignore you or laugh at you. Ask them for a Guinness draught or a Budweiser in a bottle and you've got a deal. The tip on alcohol is generally around 10-15% and up depending on service. If someone really takes care of you, tip them very well and the next time you go in you'll probably get amazing service. That being said, after working in the bars for quite a while if you're not running a tab, paying drink by drink, tip BIG the first drink, and decently thereafter. This should get you nice strong drinks all night. If you're going with friends, sit wherever you're comfortable. When I go out with my girlfriends we like to sit in the quietest corner of the bar because we like to chat. It's really up to you. As to what to try out, I love gin and tonics. My best friend and I drink those consistently when we go out. However gin is an acquired taste for most people. I'd recommend the standard vodka & cranberry juice, a greyhound ( grapefruit juice and vodka), or a glass of wine. Whatever you do, have fun and be very safe!
4. Typically bartenders are busy, so know what you want before you go up there. in clubs and bars i tip a buck a drink. Sometimes if the bartender is cool i will tip two bucks for the first drink, and a buck every drink after....if they are cool they typically take care of you if you take care of them. Long islands are great, but not recommended if you have a low tolerance. The blue version is my favorite, it has different names depending on states/cities.. i've heard it as blue motorcycle and walk me down. I call it a blue long island...but you substitute coke for sprite and sub sweet/sour mix for blue curacao. they are pretty and yummy. Easy and good drinks to order that i like are rum/sprites or rum/diets or vodka/tonics. your fancy drinks like long islands or mixing with juices are gonna be extra $$$. Hate gin. Happy drinking...BE SAFE!!!
5. sit at the bar. and tipping wise, i end up tipping more to a bartender than when i eat out. i usually pay as i go, and ill tip 1 or 2 bux a drink. if i run a tab, and its like say...50 bux.. ill tip them 15 or so. as a bartender, i like when people tip as they drink, because then i know they are tippers and i am more prone to serve them better, whereas some people will sit at the bar, run up a high tab, ill make a bunch of drinks for them, then they will leave me like a few bux. when it comes to ordering the drinks, if you were getting a gin and tonic, if you dont state what kind of gin you want most bartenders will give you the "well" gin which will be the cheapest. i usually ask though, because i can "upsell" the customer on a better brand of gin. rum and pineapples and vodka crans are good. if you dont like strong drinks. the only drink i dont reccomend to ask for if the bar is really busy is a mojito. they are a hassle to make and time consuming.
6. that "blue drink" listed a few above me is called an adios mother fucker around where i live, and they're my drink of choice. Watch out though, they can be very lethal. You may like a shot called "chocolate cake" or "buttery nipples"...Washington apples are pretty good too