What to Order at a Bar When You're Not Drinking
6 min read · Updated 2026-08-18
The hardest part of a night out without alcohol usually isn't the drinking — it's the ordering. You get to the bar, the bartender looks at you, and the only thing that comes to mind is 'a Coke, I guess.' Here's a better list, roughly in order of how well it works at an average bar.
The orders that work almost anywhere
- Soda and fresh lime, with bitters if they have them — a few dashes of Angostura turns soda water into something that tastes like a drink. (Bitters are technically alcoholic, but the quantity is negligible. Skip if you're avoiding alcohol entirely.)
- Ginger beer and lime — a Moscow Mule without the vodka, and most bars stock real ginger beer.
- Cranberry, soda, and a big squeeze of lime — tart enough to sip slowly.
- Iced tea with lemon, if the bar serves food.
- Espresso or an espresso tonic at a bar that also does coffee.
- Whatever N/A beer they carry — most bars now stock at least one.
How to ask for something better
The single most useful phrase: 'Can you make me something non-alcoholic that isn't sweet?' Good bartenders like this question — it's a small creative problem, and it signals you want a real drink rather than a soda. You'll often get something built with citrus, herbs, and house syrups that's genuinely better than the sugary 'mocktail' on the menu.
If the bar has a dedicated zero-proof list, order from it. That list exists because someone on staff cared enough to build it, and it's usually the best thing available. Find bars with real zero-proof menus.
What to skip
- Anything described only as 'virgin' — it's usually the alcoholic recipe minus the alcohol, which means sugar and not much else.
- Sweet sodas early in the night. They're fine for one, but three is a lot of sugar and you'll feel it.
- Frozen drinks, unless you actively want dessert.
The ordering itself
Order first if you're with a group. It sets your drink as normal rather than as a reaction to everyone else's, and it heads off the 'you're not drinking?' moment before it starts. Hold the glass the same way you'd hold any other. Most people genuinely do not notice, and the ones who do usually stop caring within a minute.
Is it rude to order a non-alcoholic drink at a cocktail bar?
No. Zero-proof orders are now a normal and growing part of bar business, and most craft bars have put real work into their non-alcoholic options. Ordering one is no different from ordering a cocktail.
What is the best non-alcoholic drink to order at a bar?
Soda with fresh lime and a few dashes of bitters is the most reliable option — nearly every bar can make it, it isn't sweet, and it looks and tastes like a real drink. If the bar has a dedicated zero-proof menu, order from that instead.
Do bars charge for non-alcoholic drinks?
Usually yes, though less than for cocktails. A built zero-proof drink takes the same labor and ingredients as an alcoholic one, so expect to pay somewhere between a soda and a cocktail. Plain soda water is often free or close to it.
Want a place where you won't have to improvise at all? Browse fully alcohol-free bars.
Keep reading
- We Checked 302 "Alcohol-Free" Venues. 25 Served Alcohol.
Directories say "verified" without saying what they checked. We cross-checked every listing we hold against Google's business data — and found 25 of our own were wrong.
- Sober Curious Books, Podcasts and Communities
Where to look when you want more than a drinks list — the writing, listening and groups people actually recommend.
- Sober Dating: How to Date Without Drinking
When to mention it, what to suggest instead of drinks, and why a first date without alcohol tells you more, not less.
Get the next one by email
One email a month: new guides, new venues, and a Dry January plan when it comes round.
Or explore the directory for somewhere to go tonight.