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Everything you’ve ever wanted to ask a bartender

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 16 Oct 2025

By
Matt Linklater

Bartender and writer of this story, Matt Linklater, behind the bar

Didn’t know who to ask? Matt Linklater has all the insider tips on ordering, etiquette and more.

The best bartenders are mind readers; they have an uncanny ability to predict the future and know us almost better than we know ourselves. They anticipate our every need, seem to hear our order when we can’t hear ourselves and sometimes, they even know when it’s time for us to go home before we do. 

It feels a bit unfair, these masters of anticipation holding all the cards. Ever wanted to know their wants? What they really wish we’d order? Read on to find out the answers to the questions you’ve been dying to ask.

1. I don’t know what to order – what do I do?Bartenders may seem to be mind readers, but it helps to give them clues, especially in a busy venue. If you’re lost in a menu or have decision anxiety, drop some crumbs for your bartender to follow and lead you to drink-selection success. Let them know your favourite flavours, fruits, emotions, colours – even what you’ve been up to that day. It all helps!
2. What’s your top pet hate when it comes to people ordering drinks?The gendering of certain drinks and glassware. Martini glasses, for example, are for everyone. If you think otherwise, you don’t deserve the experience of drinking a Martini, which happens to be one of the greatest drinks in the world.
3. Is there a drink that makes you go ‘ugh’ when people order it?I’m generally accepting of everyone’s order, but I do believe that all drinks have a time and a place. A Hot Buttered Rum in the middle of winter – gimme. Someone ordering it at the height of summer? Get out of here.
4. Should we be tipping? What’s the etiquette?Hot topic. As someone who has received my fair share of tips, I’m a believer in the custom and will pay it forward whenever I receive great service. Saying that, the cost of drinking out is ever increasing, so I’ll never judge someone for not tipping – I’ll just be incredibly grateful they chose to spend their time and money in my bar.
5. Are there any faux pas when ordering at the bar?Bar etiquette is surprisingly similar to normal life – be polite, be honest, don’t be a creep, and please don’t yell.
6. I hate the drink I ordered, what should I do?Take at least three small sips. Sometimes great drinks can grow on you – the Negroni is notoriously an acquired taste. But if it’s still not for you? Let your bartender know, and give them as much detail as you can around why you don’t like it. Too sweet? Maybe a dash of lemon juice will sort it out. Too sour? A spoon of sugar. Is your Martini too strong? A long Martini (that’s a Martini with a slug of soda) is a gentle delight. If all these things don’t work, the bartender may be kind enough to sling you an Amaretto Sour; everyone likes an Amaretto Sour.
7. I’ve been waiting a while to order. What's the best way to get a bartender’s attention?Don’t worry – the bartender has already seen you. Just relax, be ready with your cash, and have that order memorised. What not to do? Click, stare at your phone or fall asleep.
8. What’s the most OTT drink you’ve been asked to make?Anything with top-shelf spirits in delicious classics. Don Julio 1942 Tommy’s Margaritas, Talisker 30yo Old Fashioneds, Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac Sidecars. Excessive? Yes. Delicious? Undoubtedly.
9. Taking pictures of the drink. Yes or no?I say 100% yes, but take them quick when the drink is fresh, then take a sip when it’s at its best before posting to your social media of choice.
10. Is it okay to taste something before committing to a full drink?It’s always worth asking as so many top bars pre-batch cocktails for speed of service and consistency. There’s a chance that Martini is being poured from the freezer (like our Freezer Door Martini), so maybe you can have a 10mL sample. Or the Negroni may be pre-mixed, so a quick dash in a flute over one cube may be on the cards. In my opinion, the more people drinking cocktails the better.
Got some burning questions for a sommelier? We have all the answers to those wine queries, too. 
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image credits: Ash Ludkin
Authour image
Matt LinklaterMatt has been drinking democratically across the best bars in Melbourne and Sydney for 18 years.
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