At a bar, avoid heavy, divisive topics like politics, religion, and personal finances, as they can lead to arguments and spoil the fun atmosphere. Also, steer clear of oversharing intense personal problems (like medical issues or messy breakups), complaining excessively, or interrupting others, which can make people uncomfortable or annoyed, notes A Bar Above and Thrillist. Keep it light, friendly, and respectful of other patrons and staff.
Don't talk about politics, don't talk about sports, and don't talk about religion. Back in my previous life as a bartender, before I traveled around the world and then landed in real estate, these three rules were golden.
68 - A product is back in stock after being 85 or 86. If you hear “68 Agave!” you can now again resume your regular Tommy's drinking. This call can also be used to request a restock; “Can I get a 68 on agave please!” 50 - If you hear this while sitting at the bar, be alert!
3 things you never talk about at a bar...... Religion, Politics, Race...... Same rule should apply here.... we do a pretty good job about Religion and Race but suddenly there's been a lot posts about “Politics”.... let's stop that please. Let's leave that for the other subs.
The 5 Ps of Bartending are Pride, Passion, Preparation, Professionalism, and Presentation, representing core qualities for success by focusing on quality, attitude, organization, guest experience, and craft, ensuring excellent service and memorable drinks. These pillars guide bartenders to be attentive, skilled, and create a welcoming environment by caring about their work (Pride), loving the job (Passion), being organized (Preparation), maintaining standards (Professionalism), and making drinks look good (Presentation).
2-1-1 is a ratio of the three base components that make up a sour cocktail: 2 parts liquor, 1 part sweet and 1 part sour. If you prefer a stronger or less sweet drink, just adjust the components to taste, using the 2-1-1 ratio as your baseline.
and that is Vintner, Varietal, and Vintage, otherwise known as the 3 Vs.
The "3-2-1" (or often "1-2-3") drinking rule is a guideline for moderate alcohol consumption: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days per week, helping to pace intake and reduce risks. It aligns with official health advice, emphasizing that the body processes only about one standard drink (e.g., 12oz beer, 5oz wine) per hour, and provides a framework for mindful drinking to avoid binge patterns and health issues, though it's a simplification of broader guidelines.
We hope it helps!
Things like '86', meaning to be a ran out of product, '200' meaning a customer waiting, '50' meaning to catch, and '700' to refer to an attractive customer.
In restaurant slang, "87" is less common but generally means an item is almost out of stock, nearly sold out, or in limited supply, a precursor to being "86'd," which means completely out or removed; staff might say "87 the salmon" to signal low quantity, while "86" means it's gone. It's a quick way to communicate scarcity before an item disappears entirely.
Three fingers of alcohol is an imprecise, old-fashioned measure, but generally equates to about 3 to 6 ounces (90-180 ml), often estimated as 1 to 2 ounces (30-60 ml) per finger, with variations depending on finger size, glass size, and bartender interpretation. While some try to standardize it to 1 ounce per finger, a common pour for "two fingers" is 2 ounces, making "three fingers" roughly 3 ounces, though it can easily be more.
Tossing unwanted garnishes on the bartop. This one's worth complaining about. We get that cocktail garnishes may not be desired by everyone, but getting rid of one by throwing it onto the bar itself is unruly behavior. If you don't want a garnish, be brave and tell your bartender you don't want one.
I've had conversations about this recently with multiple people when I started writing this article. See my parents taught me something from a very young age: We don't talk about money, religion, or politics. Those things are no one's business but your own.
Common taboos involve restrictions or ritual regulation of killing and hunting; sex and sexual relationships; reproduction; the dead and their graves; as well as food and dining (primarily cannibalism and dietary laws such as vegetarianism, kashrut, and halal) or religious (treif and haram).
Kristen's List of Small Talk Topics to Avoid
Cannibalism. Since Homer and the Greeks, we have been taught that cannibalism is the ultimate taboo. Cannibalism, also called Anthropophagy, eating of human flesh by humans.
The "20-minute rule for alcohol" is a simple strategy to moderate drinking: wait 20 minutes after finishing one alcoholic drink before starting the next, giving you time to rehydrate with water and reassess if you truly want another, often reducing cravings and overall intake. It helps slow consumption, break the chain of continuous drinking, and allows the body a natural break, making it easier to decide if you've had enough or switch to a non-alcoholic option.
A 2021 review of research notes that several studies determined that two to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol by heavy-alcohol users helped reduce inflammation and bring down elevated serum levels in the liver. In short: A few weeks off will help. But the longer you can abstain from alcohol, the better.
Four beers can show up on a breathalyzer for several hours, often 6 to 12 hours or longer, depending heavily on individual factors like weight, sex, food intake, metabolism, and the beers' strength; while it might drop below the legal limit in 6-7 hours for some, alcohol can linger for 12+ hours, even into the next day, making it detectable long after you feel sober.
Local bars have “U Call It” nights where your pick the alcohol and they will oblige you. For instance, Friday and Saturday nights are You Call It Weekends at Schileens Pub. On both nights, you call for vodka in your drink, and your drink with Tito's Vodka is only $3.
Family tradition states VO stands for very own, as this was a whisky blend created for Joseph E. Seagram's own family. Others claim that the initials stand for very old in keeping with the distiller's assertion that it's a blend of very old Canadian whiskies.
This makes a fundamental assumption, however: it views mixologists as a form of an elevated bartender, as someone who has moved beyond just creating mixed drinks into someone creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces.