With a seemingly never-ending pool of options, it can be hard to know if you’re picking the best bar for a happy hour or night out.
Take it from Stephanie Ridgway, who worked at several bars and distilleries before becoming the director of brand advocacy for the liquor brand Charles Jacquin et Cie.
“I’ve been in my fair share of bars, from dives to high-end cocktail lounges,” Ridgway told Business Insider. “I’ve developed a keen eye for what sets the good apart from the great — and behaviors that will always raise a red flag for me.”
To help spare you a bad experience, Ridgway shared her top red flags to look out for at a bar so you know when it may be best to beeline toward the exit.
It’s never a good sign when a bar is dirty, especially if it’s not busy
Ridgway’s alarm bells start going off the second she walks into a dirty bar. For her, that includes things like a sticky bar tops, soiled towels on counters, and dirty glassware.
“Everything else about the place becomes suspect to me and indicates to me that the bar staff doesn’t take pride in their workplace,” she said.
She’s “exponentially” more concerned if the bar isn’t busy.
It’s important to give bartenders some grace if you’re heading out on a Friday or Saturday night when it might be busier than normal, she added.
However, if you randomly pop in during the middle of the day and there’s a sticky countertop and dirty glasses, you’re perhaps better off going somewhere else.
After all, she said, a familiar mantra for everyone in the industry is, “Time to lean is time to clean.” Tidying up during slow periods is key to a well-kept bar.
A quality bar should limit the use of batched cocktails
Ridgway said that it’s smart for bars to have some of their highest-selling cocktails batched and ready to pour. But handing guests a drink from a large premade jug can still detract from the overall experience if it’s overdone.
“When I sit down at a bar and order a cocktail, I want to be treated to the full visual effect that watching the bartender carefully crafting my drink provides,” she told BI. “In short, I came here, in part, for the show.”
A truly great bar knows that offering great service and a special experience can matter as much as how delicious a drink tastes.
Intoxicated employees are a big no-no
If you walk into a bar and notice the bartender seems to have had one too many drinks themselves, swing the door the other way. Just because they work around spirits doesn’t give them a free pass to get drunk on the clock.
Ridgway said it’s common for a bartender to join regulars for a sip of something boozy throughout the night, but there are professional limits.
“I don’t go to a bar to have someone not fully in control of their faculties mix me a drink,” she told BI.
A dismissive bartender is also a tough sell for Ridgway
When you go out to a bar, you’re handing over some of your hard-earned dollars for the beverage of your choice.
Ridgway said it’s perfectly reasonable to expect that mutual transaction to occur “sans bad attitude.”
“When I see bartenders rolling their eyes or exhibiting some other sort of dismissive behavior upon hearing a drink order, I’m pretty sure I’m never coming back,” she said.
Pay attention to the quality of the spirits behind the bar
If you’re headed to a craft cocktail bar or a spot marketed as higher-end, you may want to take a close look at the liquor shelves.
Ridgway knows better than most that liquor can be expensive, and bars need to control costs somewhere. However, being financially savvy isn’t an excuse to stock shelves with the cheapest, lowest-quality spirits.
“Bar managers and beverage directors have, quite literally, hundreds of quality brands at their disposal and, with a little research, can find some delicious, well-made, cost-effective alternatives with which to stock their bars,” Ridgway said.
She said if she sees a bartender using poor-quality gin to “craft” a martini, she’ll probably pass on it.
This story was originally published on July 31, 2024, and most recently updated on August 28, 2026.
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