We Asked 11 Bartenders: What’s the Biggest Red Flag When You Sit at a Bar?

In the first 15 minutes of a typical “Bar Rescue” episode, the viewing audience gets treated to a host of obvious red flags: drunken owners, bugs in bottles, or rodents in the kitchen. The parade of awfulness fluctuates between uncomfortable and gross, and it rightly sends host Jon Taffer into an on-screen tizzy. In real life, though, the red flags you might find at a bar can be much more subtle.

Sometimes, these clues reveal themselves gradually. Other times, they require keen observation. Once they are spotted, they are very difficult to unsee. Bartenders are particularly skilled in the game-recognizing-no-game department, as they should be. After all, surveillance is an important part of their job, and their experience behind the stick can make it easier for them to spot something askew rather quickly. So, which red flags fly the brightest? We asked 11 bartenders to find out.

The red flags at a bar, according to bartenders:

Poor interaction with customers and co-workers
Bad customer service
Stickers on fruit
Being ignored when the bar is empty
Dirty bar tops during down times
Pushing shot deals
Fruit flies
Bartenders on cell phones
Plastic citrus juice containers
Vermouth not in the fridge
An angry staff
Not treating every customer equally

“Not being greeted or acknowledged within five minutes of sitting at the bar is a problem to me. Also, I observe how a bartender interacts with their co-workers. If they are yelling at or being cruel to their barback, that’s a huge red flag.” —Erin McGrath, bartender, Doar Bros., Charleston, S.C.

“My biggest red flag when sitting at a bar is poor service! We are in the hospitality industry. Anyone can follow a recipe to make a drink, but what sets bars apart is the experience and service. Staff shouldn’t be on their phones behind the bar; they should always be engaging with guests. A bartender should find out why the guests are at their bar, and then they should help make their night as memorable as possible. People will come for the first time because they heard your drinks are great, but they’ll return because of the experience the staff provides.” —Giancarlo Fernandez, assistant manager, Midnight Caller, Chattanooga, Tenn.

“Stickers on the fruit in the fruit bowl. I know it seems trivial, but one of the first lessons I was taught when I started behind the bar was cleaning and processing citrus fruit. The No. 1 rule for me is to wash all citrus, and while you’re washing it, take off the stickers! If I see a lemon or an orange in a fruit bowl with the sticker still on, that’s an indicator to me that the fruit likely wasn’t cleaned. It’s also just begging [the bartender] to make a citrus peel with some sticker on it and send it out to a guest — how embarrassing!” —Alex Jump, founder, Focus on Health

“If you sit down at a near-empty bar and the staff completely ignores you, you can almost predict that your experience is going to be lackluster. Context is crucial here — while I don’t expect an immediate greeting at a crowded bar on a busy Friday night, for example, I do expect better on a quiet Monday afternoon. When the bartenders are scrolling on their phones behind the bar and leaving your glass untouched, it’s not just frustrating, but maddening. It’s a clear signal of poor service and a lack of professionalism that can make even the simplest outing feel deeply disappointing and unwelcoming.” —Jessica Kim, owner and founder, Harumi Sushi, Phoenix

“One of my biggest red flags when walking into a bar is when I see trash on the bar top when the bar is empty: napkins, used limes, random straws — whatever it may be. It’s especially bad when the bar is empty for a good amount of time and there’s still trash and garbage all over the bar top. I think it’s so nasty and gross. I don’t understand it.” —Michael Aredes, bartender, Superbueno, NYC

“My biggest red flag at a bar is when they’re pushing shot deals. I can practically smell the Fireball and sticky floors from a mile away. It’s usually a sign that the atmosphere might be a bit too rowdy for my taste, so I often head to the next spot on my list.” —Courtney Phillips, bartender, Revivalist at 106 Jefferson, Huntsville, Ala.

“There are several red flags. There are visual warnings like fruit flies or a messy bar. Then there’s all of the service and hospitality issues: a bartender on their cell phone, an indifferent or otherwise rude greeting. A long delay before any contact or acknowledgement, and no secondary or follow-up contact soon after initial service. Also, no eye contact.” —H. Joseph Ehrmann, owner, Elixir Saloon, San Francisco

“A red flag for me when I walk into a new bar, especially one that is pushing cocktails, is seeing the little, plastic squeezy lime or lemon on the back bar or in the fridge, or bottles of vermouth not in the fridge. That’s when I know I’m gonna stick to a beer. I like a bar that’s confident in what they do well and sticks to that.” —Bo Counts, owner/operator, Pinpoint, Fayetteville, Ark.

“Not being acknowledged or greeted by bartenders or hosts is a red flag for me. I never expect service right away, and obviously, we all get in the weeds sometimes. But I personally think a simple head nod goes such a long way. I’m happy to wait an hour for a drink if I know they know I’m there and will eventually get to me. Aloof bartender energy gives me the slimes.” —Gianna Johns, co-owner, Baby Gee Bar, Long Beach, Calif.

“Something that tips me off immediately to a bar program being bad is when the entire staff seems sullen or angry, especially at each other! That’s when you know a serious communication breakdown is happening — not only between staff members, but also between the guests and the bartenders. A bar staff’s overall attitude affects the entire experience.” —James Watts, bartender, Hard Hat Lounge, Las Vegas

“I think one of the biggest red flags for me is just lack of acknowledgement from the staff. If you are working behind the bar, every single person should be treated with the same level of care and hospitality as a writer, friend or 50 Best judge…I don’t want to be treated better because someone knows me. If you are ignoring the people next to me, that is just a big red flag because to me it shows that the bartender doesn’t care about hospitality and the people we serve. Their goal is recognition and to make it on lists, which, in my opinion, shouldn’t be why you are bartending.” —Ramsey Musk, beverage director, Accomplice Bar, Los Angeles

*Image retrieved from MIA Studio via stock.adobe.com

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