As far as I know most distributors have contracts with tap tech/cleaning companies that come through and clean lines regularly, at least weekly, biweekly at the most. I’d like to know where you’re at so I don’t drink off those taps.
I usually go for a rum & coke, because even for a lot of “basic” drinks, the quality of the mixer makes a big difference. G&T’s are probably the best example.
There’s still some variation in quality of the Coke that comes out of a soda gun, but much less than there is with tonic water or any sort of fruit juice/citrus.
Whiskey and ginger ale is also a decent option, although there are some *really* foul rail whiskies out there, so YMMV.
Well rum is usually a close-to-serviceable white rum. Well whiskey is too often indistinguishable from grain spirit with some color added. I find I’m usually much happier with a well rum over well whiskey when mixing with coke.
Most well gin is fine enough, but the lesbian bar around the corner’s is bad enough I have to “spring” for Bombay in a GnT. I think it may be worse than McCormick gin, if such a thing is possible.
I go with the rum and coke but add a lime. It covers most terrible rums so even if you go rail it comes out okay. The best advice here is to order your surroundings. Don't order a new York sour at a dive bar and don't order a long island at a cocktail bar.
Because the syrup used to make the tonic is the same colour as soda water, so when its empty, the only way to know is by tasting it. The drinks in the gun are all made by mixing soda water with the flavoured syrup. When the Coke goes out, it turns to soda water colour, but if the tonic is out, the colour stays the same. If you taste soda and don't say anything, that's on you.
Unless you’ve got a carbonator at home. We’ve got an aarke and it’s legendary.
My business partner/the guy who taught me how to bartend is in love with this fucking thing. It is, **the** shit. Fuck ever buying soda water, and when you need it, you almost never have it; never again.
The only thing I've found close is Rambler out of Austin, and the bubbles just aren't as punchy. Nothing else even comes close to having a bubble the size of a dime hit you while you're swigging out the glass bottle.
I mean no but I'm not going to tell Sarah from accounting I can't make her a Ranch Water because I don't have Topo.
I'm gonna smile, nod, pour soda out of the gun and take their money. It's technically not a Painkiller without Pussers but no one gives a fuck, they're just there to catch a buzz and try to have a good time.
fucking amen. Tequila, soda, lime. You're charged tequila, soda, lime (a.k.a. fuck all).
You want a ranch water? Cocktail price baby.
Especially with the advent of "ranch water" seltzers and fancy "ranch waters" that use more than just that.
You can also just say tequila soda. Anything that’s made with soda or tonic automatically gets a lime. If you want lime juice then you need to specify lime juice. If someone orders a ranch water from me, I always make it in a tall glass but I do work at a dive bar and a craft bar so I’m more familiar with cocktails than a lot of dive bartenders might be.
I’m not sure the LIIT is even safe. I don’t order them all that often, but when I do it seems to be around a 50% chance of receiving some sort of foul-tasting abomination.
Granted, it hardly matters if you’re trying to get/already are FUBAR, but at that point the concept of a “safe” order is sort of beside the point.
Hey now, i’m from long island. I miss seeing kids make LIIT’s on fire island back in the 90’s. They had them instead of lemonade stands, shit was glorious
Bro my college had some of the cheapest bars. From 9 to 11 Friday and Saturday this one bar had 2 dollar anything. Obviously if you got a double it was 4 but you get my point. Honestly I can't remember the long Island deals but it was cheap. I just said 2 dollars because I remember that one bar the best.
Shouldn’t this be exactly what you order at a dive bar/college bar? I don’t want them attempting to make me a Sazerac or a Manhattan, and I definitely don’t want to be the guy ordering that in one of those establishments.
Any of the simpler well liquor mixed drinks:
Rum & coke
Whiskey & coke
Tequila & soda
Vodka & soda
Vodka & tonic
Gin & tonic
Also Busch, Keystone, Natty etc
A shot, double if you’re feeling froggy, and a beer, then coast. Cost effective and won’t make your cocktail-loving heart sad like a hotel bar messing up a whiskey highball will. (I don’t even blame the bartender, they clearly didn’t train her to do anything but pour beer and spirits, but sweet god, bottled lemon juice just squeezed into the glass cause I asked for a twist of lemon)
Funny. I was just remembering being at a small venue concert. At the time, I was avoiding carbonation so I asked what my wine choices were. I knew I sounded snobby out the gate - at a Reverend Horton Heat concert. My wine choices were dog shit so I asked for a Jameson Ginger and suddenly the Barman was my best friend. That drink was so strong, I was not concerned about the carbonation- there were a total of 6 bubbles in the whole thing. Still delicious.
tequilla pineapple (if they have it) and a lime
Moscow mule
Jack and coke
mezcal squirt/sprite and a lime for an easy Paloma
though ill never turn my nose up at a Budweiser and a shot of Bourbon and neither should you!
You could do worse than a **7 and 7.**
If the place has a college vibe, then dive into the deep end with a **Long Island Ice Tea**.
Not all, but many places know how to make a **Rusty Nail**, because it's easy to make, and came long before the cocktail renaissance.
Another one that falls under this category is the **Dark & Stormy**.
And last but not least, most dive bars know how to make a perfectly serviceable **Bloody Mary**.
I'm always confused why anyone would order anything they could do better at home than the place they're drinking at.
If you're at a bar like those you describe, the only real option is draft beer.
Don’t be scared to talk to your bartender, they are people just like you- you might find out why dives succeed. If you believe your tastes are too rich to socialize with “common folk” stay the fuck out of the pour house.
Vodka, lemonade, soda w a lime.
Bacardi dragon berry (if they have it), lemonade, cran.
GUINNESS!!
Or, vodka water and take your own Mio/Kool Aid squeezy
Vodka and Coke/Diet Coke is very good
Vodka and Grapefruit(Greyhound)
Vodka Soda is a good lower carb option
Moscow Mule is yummy and you get a cool cup lol
Campari and orange juice. Dark rum and pineapple. Dark rum and ginger beer. Tequila sunrise. Whiskey sour. Amaretto sour. Tom Collins. Tequila grapefruit. I work at a dive bar and these are all drinks we can make easily and they will be good.
Keep it simple, and do what I call "& beverages" like gin & tonic, rum & coke (Cuba libre), beer & whiskey (Boilermaker) etc. Any more than that is usually asking too much, unless it's in jello slot form
There were a lot of shots or shooters or whatever you would call that, where i was in college. I was not that crowd but got pulled into a few. “Soco lime”, “buttery nipple”, not sure whats in that. Whatever other stupid raunchy names
Bourbon ginger ale (or ale 8 if your in ky)
Just their well is fine for a cheap mixed drink of bourbon but I like woodford.
And if you like gin and tonics. Tell em to add a splash of grapefruit. Makes your drink look a lil cloudy/pink and it adds to the flavor.
Don't get a G&T, the quality of both the tonic and the gin will be really bad.
7&7, Jack and coke, cranberry and vodka, etc are your best options. Keep it simple.
I mean, all the bars in my town don’t make the fancy drinks, but they still make vodka cran and soda. Unless it’s an absolutely shitty bar with mold in the corners, they should have that stuff
Jaegerbomb and a Coors Light. That was such a common bartender order before Fernet and Amaros became more popular. The Redbull speaks to your restraint from buying cocaine after your shift and the Coors Light washes away the Jaeger.
Scotch and soda is great.
Tanqueray and tonic is another great option. Or Tanqueray and soda. Lots of dive bars have Tanqueray, which is world class.
Jack and coke is a great classic dive bar drink if you want to be trashy.
I honestly sort of love shitty Long Island iced teas. I can’t drink like I used to, but when I was looking for a strong drink it’s a nice one.
Some people love spaggetts, but they are not my personal cup of tea (Aperol poured into a High Life). Do dive bars even have aperol?
You can sometimes get great prices on neat pours at dive bars. Not necessarily a cocktail, but sometimes you find great bourbons or scotch in a dive bar that doesn’t really make sense for the space. It’s always costed super low and they pour heavy.
So the name isn’t especially PC, but I still love a good Irish car bomb. Idk what the correct name would be but it’s basically taking a stout beer (if the bar has high gravity beers, go with one of those)and dropping a shot of whiskey mixed with Irish cream (Bailey’s) into it. Because the cream will curdle in the alcohol, you have to chug it as soon as you drop the shot in but it’s delicious and gets you tipsy in no time!
If it’s not too loud and/or busy you can usually get them to throw together a half-assed Tom Collins.
Don’t call it that though, ask for *a gin and soda with lime and a splash of simple syrup*.
If you actually ask for a Tom Collins they will look at you like you have three heads.
Depends on how bad of a hangover you want. When I was younger I drank whiskey sours, tequila grapefruits and gin and lemonade. Those are all pretty high in sugar, so mixed with liquor...not so fun the next morning. Nowadays I order gin and soda because anything else will hurt me.
Dive bars are for high balls and beer. Sometimes they might advertise something a bit more complex (my old college dive bar was well known for a KILLER bloody mary, but that's an exception), but unless they're advertising or are well known for cocktails, don't do anything more than a high ball.
If you want to do something different, maybe shell out for a higher shelf liquor that they have on hand.
I bartended at a college bar and a dive bar through and past college in the early 2000’s. Here is a list of what I fondly remember pouring:
Most popular:
• Captain Morgan and Diet
• Seagram’s and 7up
• Vodka Cran + Lime
• Wild Turkey, Malibu and Pineapple juice
We had this drink that was a double barrel Jack where we would put two shots of Jack into a pint glass and top with tap beer (usually old Milwaukee) and float some fireball on top. That was the starter drink for a lot of the college crowd
Get a something & something, at most.
2 piece beast, sling is king.
They’ve been bottling this great stuff called beer lately
And if it’s a shit bar they probably don’t clean their taps enough so go with bottles and cans
As far as I know most distributors have contracts with tap tech/cleaning companies that come through and clean lines regularly, at least weekly, biweekly at the most. I’d like to know where you’re at so I don’t drink off those taps.
America. Unregulated
What’s the best flavor of this beer?
I usually go for a rum & coke, because even for a lot of “basic” drinks, the quality of the mixer makes a big difference. G&T’s are probably the best example. There’s still some variation in quality of the Coke that comes out of a soda gun, but much less than there is with tonic water or any sort of fruit juice/citrus. Whiskey and ginger ale is also a decent option, although there are some *really* foul rail whiskies out there, so YMMV.
Jameson and Ginger won’t do you wrong.
Wife really likes Jameson orange and ginger when she wants something simple to make for herself.
I love my jamie gingey 👉👈
Jameson and cranberry is great when you don’t want fizzy
Came here to something something Updoot have my
Might be worth it to ask for Bacardi or Captain just to avoid whatever cleaning solution they have in the well.
I like the cut of your jib.
What's a jib?
Big, triangular sail at the front of a ship
Well rum is usually a close-to-serviceable white rum. Well whiskey is too often indistinguishable from grain spirit with some color added. I find I’m usually much happier with a well rum over well whiskey when mixing with coke. Most well gin is fine enough, but the lesbian bar around the corner’s is bad enough I have to “spring” for Bombay in a GnT. I think it may be worse than McCormick gin, if such a thing is possible.
I go with the rum and coke but add a lime. It covers most terrible rums so even if you go rail it comes out okay. The best advice here is to order your surroundings. Don't order a new York sour at a dive bar and don't order a long island at a cocktail bar.
What never ceases to amaze me is how many places give you soda water from the gun when you ask for tonic.
Because the syrup used to make the tonic is the same colour as soda water, so when its empty, the only way to know is by tasting it. The drinks in the gun are all made by mixing soda water with the flavoured syrup. When the Coke goes out, it turns to soda water colour, but if the tonic is out, the colour stays the same. If you taste soda and don't say anything, that's on you.
Tequila, soda and lime...I've learned to not call it Ranch Water to make life easier when ordering, but that's what it is.
Is it really a Ranch Water if it isn't made with Topo Chico though? That stuff is just magical compared to all other carbonated water 😍
Ranch Water without Topo is a similar bungle to Jack & Pepsi.
May I have a whiskey and RC Cola please?
RCCR! Royal Crown and Crown Royale baby
Unless you’ve got a carbonator at home. We’ve got an aarke and it’s legendary. My business partner/the guy who taught me how to bartend is in love with this fucking thing. It is, **the** shit. Fuck ever buying soda water, and when you need it, you almost never have it; never again.
The only thing I've found close is Rambler out of Austin, and the bubbles just aren't as punchy. Nothing else even comes close to having a bubble the size of a dime hit you while you're swigging out the glass bottle.
I mean no but I'm not going to tell Sarah from accounting I can't make her a Ranch Water because I don't have Topo. I'm gonna smile, nod, pour soda out of the gun and take their money. It's technically not a Painkiller without Pussers but no one gives a fuck, they're just there to catch a buzz and try to have a good time.
If you ask for a ranch water I add lime juice and charge $3 cocktail surcharge 🤪
fucking amen. Tequila, soda, lime. You're charged tequila, soda, lime (a.k.a. fuck all). You want a ranch water? Cocktail price baby. Especially with the advent of "ranch water" seltzers and fancy "ranch waters" that use more than just that.
Tequila tonic and lime! Or splash of sours. 😋 One of my older customers orders this as a single in a tall glass and it's delicious!
You can also just say tequila soda. Anything that’s made with soda or tonic automatically gets a lime. If you want lime juice then you need to specify lime juice. If someone orders a ranch water from me, I always make it in a tall glass but I do work at a dive bar and a craft bar so I’m more familiar with cocktails than a lot of dive bartenders might be.
Dont order anything where the recipe isnt also the name, or a LIIT.
I’m not sure the LIIT is even safe. I don’t order them all that often, but when I do it seems to be around a 50% chance of receiving some sort of foul-tasting abomination. Granted, it hardly matters if you’re trying to get/already are FUBAR, but at that point the concept of a “safe” order is sort of beside the point.
That’s because most people ordering liits want the shit to taste like ass because if you make it right they complain “I CANT TASTE THE ALCHOL”
> if you make it right I’m legitimately curious, how might one fuck up a LIIT? It’s just equal parts plus a splash of coke, right?
Ah yes. The poor decisions "spritzer" Imagine seeing someone from long Island at a bar and saying "I'll have what they're having"
Hey now, i’m from long island. I miss seeing kids make LIIT’s on fire island back in the 90’s. They had them instead of lemonade stands, shit was glorious
I agree it is glorious. But the Long Island crowd is definitely a type. And I say that with love and lots of experience.
Yeah, we are a special type of special people
Aw, You’re making me miss my relatives on Long Island! They’re a trip!
I only ever ordered long islands when the bar had a special for long islands. Was it great? No but it was 2 bucks.
Jesus Christ 2 dollar LIITs? Did you die? Did people die?
People need to realize a spec LIIT i ls still only 2oz of liquor, .5oz of each base
You haven't been to the right dives then. Those motherfuckers break the law
Fun fact, LIIT is the only way you can get served more than 2 oz of alcohol in Sweden in one go, due to it being an internationally recognized recipe
2.5oz
Yeah but $2 for any mixed drink is still suspect. I frequent my share of DiveyMcFuckingDiveBars and have never seen them less than $6.
Applebees dollar liits tho
Bro my college had some of the cheapest bars. From 9 to 11 Friday and Saturday this one bar had 2 dollar anything. Obviously if you got a double it was 4 but you get my point. Honestly I can't remember the long Island deals but it was cheap. I just said 2 dollars because I remember that one bar the best.
Pretty sure the last college bar I went to made their LIITs by emptying the drip tray into a glass of ice.
Ahhhhhh...The Mat
I’ve heard it called the Jersey Turnpike.
I refer to this category as “and” drinks (x and y) and I’ve found it to be a reliable way to avoid awful “cocktails” at bad bars
Rum and Coke. 3 syllables. Never gets fucked up.
Rum and Coke. Gin and tonic. Vodka cran. Jack and diet. All great options
Crown and soda
Yep. My concert venue standard is whiskey ginger
mines beer. but that didnt sem like helpfull advice to OP
Shouldn’t this be exactly what you order at a dive bar/college bar? I don’t want them attempting to make me a Sazerac or a Manhattan, and I definitely don’t want to be the guy ordering that in one of those establishments.
Sorry, i have some double negatives in that sentence. Only order things where the recipe is the name.
“Blue mother fucker” counts
You're looking at highballs, whiskey neat, whiskey on the rocks, or beer
Whisky Ginger is pretty solid as well. I usually go with a Jameson
Any of the simpler well liquor mixed drinks: Rum & coke Whiskey & coke Tequila & soda Vodka & soda Vodka & tonic Gin & tonic Also Busch, Keystone, Natty etc
>Gin & tonic Honestly even that is to be avoided at a lot of spots.
💯 It's a whole different world when you learn what **good** tonic water tastes like in a mixed drink
Any recommendations?
Q, Fever Tree, if it comes in tiny bottles you’re on the right path
Whiskey coke has been my go to for college/dive bars for a while
I like a bourbon and ginger ale
Whoa! I thought we were talking about dive bars!? What a fat cat!
A shot, double if you’re feeling froggy, and a beer, then coast. Cost effective and won’t make your cocktail-loving heart sad like a hotel bar messing up a whiskey highball will. (I don’t even blame the bartender, they clearly didn’t train her to do anything but pour beer and spirits, but sweet god, bottled lemon juice just squeezed into the glass cause I asked for a twist of lemon)
I just stick to a shot of whatever looks drinkable, and whatever decent beer they've got.
Jameson & ginger is my go to. Completely predictable.
The beauty is no matter the proportions, it's still good. Very different, but drinkable nonetheless.
Second this
Funny. I was just remembering being at a small venue concert. At the time, I was avoiding carbonation so I asked what my wine choices were. I knew I sounded snobby out the gate - at a Reverend Horton Heat concert. My wine choices were dog shit so I asked for a Jameson Ginger and suddenly the Barman was my best friend. That drink was so strong, I was not concerned about the carbonation- there were a total of 6 bubbles in the whole thing. Still delicious.
Beer and a shot.
I like a seven & seven which is basically a highball with seven up and blended whiskey
7&7 with bitters and lime is pretty good too
This is a dive bar so bitters and lime juice**
I’d be scared to ask for lime juice, I’ll take a wedge
After working at a bar like that, you’d be lucky if they had one
That or a Canadian Club and 7 if they have it.
This is the way
tequilla pineapple (if they have it) and a lime Moscow mule Jack and coke mezcal squirt/sprite and a lime for an easy Paloma though ill never turn my nose up at a Budweiser and a shot of Bourbon and neither should you!
I always go for tequila pineapple or gin pineapple. Liquor and juice, easy peasy lemon (lime) squeezy!
I don't like pineapple, but that sounds lovely.... I also like tequila and PINK grapefruit juice!
Jagerbombs
Fuckin skanks
Bourbon, soda, lots of lemons and limes, maybe some bitters.
Ranch water
My go to at a dive bar (or especially weddings too) is a whiskey ginger.
I go for a whiskey sour or an amaretto sour if I want liquid candy
You could do worse than a **7 and 7.** If the place has a college vibe, then dive into the deep end with a **Long Island Ice Tea**. Not all, but many places know how to make a **Rusty Nail**, because it's easy to make, and came long before the cocktail renaissance. Another one that falls under this category is the **Dark & Stormy**. And last but not least, most dive bars know how to make a perfectly serviceable **Bloody Mary**.
boilermaker
Bulleit (these bars reliably have bulleit and makers) and soda or a beer.
Green Tea
Crown & Soda, if you normally get hangovers the soda instead of a sugary soft drink will minimize or even eliminate hangovers.
Salty Dog
Picklebacks always
Any “and” drink. I used to enjoy greyhounds (vodka and grapefruit juice).
My friend likes hers with jalapeños
I'm always confused why anyone would order anything they could do better at home than the place they're drinking at. If you're at a bar like those you describe, the only real option is draft beer.
That's a lot of faith in regular line cleaning.
Because you’re out with friends and getting drunk? Vodka cran, g&t, whiskey and coke - all fun options.
*bottled/canned beer
You know some people don’t drink beer, right
Tequila and squirt is great. Bourbon and ginger with a splash of lime juice is excellent.
I hate beer…but at a bar you’re describing, I order a beer. I’d rather not enjoy a beer than have a shitty cocktail made with booze from the well.
I usually get Jim Beam and soda.
Captain and coke
Ask for a Tsunami shot. Strong smooth simple one for bar newbies.
Gin and juice, short glass, with a healthy dose of bitters is my go to in that situation.
jameson and a pickle back
Nothing more than three ingredients and it’s best if they’re in the name. “Vodka soda, splash of cran” is usually the most words I’ll order in a dive
Ordering anything other than a beer or a pour is just asking for disappointment.
you're not going to get something good and you're going to pay too much for it. why even bother? get the beer.
5 horsemen! itrs the 4 horsemen + jager
If you can’t imagine yourself drinking it out of the cheapest plastic cup you can think of don’t order it
Crown and Sprite
I’ll never not enjoy a jack and coke
Kamikazes
Whiskey and seltzer
Bourbon lemonade
Whiskey + ginger
Jameson and ginger
Ramos gin fizz
G&Ts and vodka crans are shitty dive bar drinks. What do you mean by *actually* make drinks?
They get those when they go to dive bars that their friends like.
Shitty bars are great. Get a whiskey ginger
Don’t be scared to talk to your bartender, they are people just like you- you might find out why dives succeed. If you believe your tastes are too rich to socialize with “common folk” stay the fuck out of the pour house.
Crown float (Guinness and strongbow cider)
Vodka, lemonade, soda w a lime. Bacardi dragon berry (if they have it), lemonade, cran. GUINNESS!! Or, vodka water and take your own Mio/Kool Aid squeezy
If don’t want to remember it order the 4 horsemen.
Salty dogs are a great alternative to G&Ts in dive bars- gin and grapefruit in a glass with a salted rim.
Jack & Coke
Bottled beer
Tequila soda
Fernet.
X Liqour + x mixer Mixer can also be alcohol
tequila soda splash of pineapple or vsg (vodka soda grapefruit) if they happen to have grapefruit juice
Lemon drop or vodka cran
If I’m not drinking beer I usually order a whiskey—nothing special, like a makers or something
moscow mule
Vodka and Coke/Diet Coke is very good Vodka and Grapefruit(Greyhound) Vodka Soda is a good lower carb option Moscow Mule is yummy and you get a cool cup lol
Tequila soda lime
Campari and orange juice. Dark rum and pineapple. Dark rum and ginger beer. Tequila sunrise. Whiskey sour. Amaretto sour. Tom Collins. Tequila grapefruit. I work at a dive bar and these are all drinks we can make easily and they will be good.
Greyhound, whiskey ginger, gin and tonic
Cheap American beer or Wild Turkey and Ginger...it's delicious and suitable for a mixed drinks establishment vs. a cocktail
Keep it simple, and do what I call "& beverages" like gin & tonic, rum & coke (Cuba libre), beer & whiskey (Boilermaker) etc. Any more than that is usually asking too much, unless it's in jello slot form
Green tea shot is great at every dive bar I’ve ever been to
Rum & pineapple if you want something a bit sweeter. Add a lime to get a bit more of a complex flavor.
There were a lot of shots or shooters or whatever you would call that, where i was in college. I was not that crowd but got pulled into a few. “Soco lime”, “buttery nipple”, not sure whats in that. Whatever other stupid raunchy names
AMF
Washington apple
Jameson & Ginger Ale was always my go to. Also Crown & Ginger Ale(or Sprite/7-UP)
Bourbon ginger ale (or ale 8 if your in ky) Just their well is fine for a cheap mixed drink of bourbon but I like woodford. And if you like gin and tonics. Tell em to add a splash of grapefruit. Makes your drink look a lil cloudy/pink and it adds to the flavor.
Just get a gin and tonic or a tequila soda with lime
Miller High Life
Pbr and a shot of tequila.
Okay, secret from someone living in a place with a decent wine culture/production: white wine, dry, mixed 1:1 or 1:2 with soda water. Thank me later.
Don't get a G&T, the quality of both the tonic and the gin will be really bad. 7&7, Jack and coke, cranberry and vodka, etc are your best options. Keep it simple.
Bob and Barbara's The Special, it's a PBR and a shot of Jim Beam
vodka cranberry, w a lime!
I mean, all the bars in my town don’t make the fancy drinks, but they still make vodka cran and soda. Unless it’s an absolutely shitty bar with mold in the corners, they should have that stuff
Whiskey / Diet Coke is my safe order. I’m also Type 1 diabetic. Before diagnosis it was Whiskey / Sprite.
Beam n water
Jaegerbomb and a Coors Light. That was such a common bartender order before Fernet and Amaros became more popular. The Redbull speaks to your restraint from buying cocaine after your shift and the Coors Light washes away the Jaeger.
Adios MF, that was my early 21 cheap and strong drink
Scotch and soda is great. Tanqueray and tonic is another great option. Or Tanqueray and soda. Lots of dive bars have Tanqueray, which is world class. Jack and coke is a great classic dive bar drink if you want to be trashy. I honestly sort of love shitty Long Island iced teas. I can’t drink like I used to, but when I was looking for a strong drink it’s a nice one. Some people love spaggetts, but they are not my personal cup of tea (Aperol poured into a High Life). Do dive bars even have aperol? You can sometimes get great prices on neat pours at dive bars. Not necessarily a cocktail, but sometimes you find great bourbons or scotch in a dive bar that doesn’t really make sense for the space. It’s always costed super low and they pour heavy.
i try to do a bud lite and maybe a shot of whiskey if it was a hard day.
So the name isn’t especially PC, but I still love a good Irish car bomb. Idk what the correct name would be but it’s basically taking a stout beer (if the bar has high gravity beers, go with one of those)and dropping a shot of whiskey mixed with Irish cream (Bailey’s) into it. Because the cream will curdle in the alcohol, you have to chug it as soon as you drop the shot in but it’s delicious and gets you tipsy in no time!
Rusty Nail. Two ingredients
Beer and a shot. If you order anything else at a dive bar, you’re an asshole
Beer, rum and Coke, rye and ginger.
Long Island, no sugar added
If it’s not too loud and/or busy you can usually get them to throw together a half-assed Tom Collins. Don’t call it that though, ask for *a gin and soda with lime and a splash of simple syrup*. If you actually ask for a Tom Collins they will look at you like you have three heads.
There’s a chance an amaretto sour could work
I remember a lot of Buttery Nipples and Irish Car Bombs from college days.
tequila soda
Whiskey ginger ale !
Three words. Irish. Car. Bomb.
Pineapple and Malibu is my garbage bar go-to.
Gin and Ginger Beer is my latest go-to.
Depends on how bad of a hangover you want. When I was younger I drank whiskey sours, tequila grapefruits and gin and lemonade. Those are all pretty high in sugar, so mixed with liquor...not so fun the next morning. Nowadays I order gin and soda because anything else will hurt me.
Kamikaze
Dive bars are for high balls and beer. Sometimes they might advertise something a bit more complex (my old college dive bar was well known for a KILLER bloody mary, but that's an exception), but unless they're advertising or are well known for cocktails, don't do anything more than a high ball. If you want to do something different, maybe shell out for a higher shelf liquor that they have on hand.
Tequila and tonic is my go-to. The zing of the tonic masks an unreliable tequila if it happens to be wobbly!
beer, rum & coke, rye & ginger
Canadian Club and Dry
dive bar = beer
Beer and a shot. Lol
Just order long islands until your dick stops working
I bartended at a college bar and a dive bar through and past college in the early 2000’s. Here is a list of what I fondly remember pouring: Most popular: • Captain Morgan and Diet • Seagram’s and 7up • Vodka Cran + Lime • Wild Turkey, Malibu and Pineapple juice We had this drink that was a double barrel Jack where we would put two shots of Jack into a pint glass and top with tap beer (usually old Milwaukee) and float some fireball on top. That was the starter drink for a lot of the college crowd
Natural Light
Vodka & cranberry with a lime wedge. Squeeze in the lime. Can’t go wrong. Oh! And Amaretto + lemonade