Best-of list · Bar Culture
The unwritten bar etiquette rules that separate regulars from first-timers. From ordering at the bar to tipping correctly, here's how to behave like.
The short answer
8 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
There is no written rulebook behind most bars — just an accumulated understanding that separates the people bartenders remember from the people they avoid. These bar etiquette rules are not about being polite. They are about understanding how the room works, and using that knowledge to get better drinks, better service, and better seats than everyone else who walked in before you. When service falls short despite your best efforts, our guide on handling bad service at a bar covers how to respond without ruining your night.
Before any of this applies, you have to get through the door. At the most in-demand bars, that means having a reservation — and getting one is a skill in itself. Our editors explain exactly how in our guide to securing reservations at the best bars, from the moment Resy opens to the case for calling directly.
The single biggest mistake people make at a bar is not being ready when the bartender arrives. You had three minutes watching them work the room. Use it. Know what you want, know what everyone at your table wants, and deliver it cleanly. The bartenders who move fastest and remember you best are the ones who get clean orders from the jump.