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Bartenders say these 10 classic cocktails aren’t worth the hype — here’s what to order instead

October 3, 20240
You may love a margarita, but your bartender might not make it right.

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Danny Guerena, a bartender at Beeline Bar in Ohio, told Business Insider that because there are so many ways to make a margarita, you’re not likely to find the version you’re looking for at multiple bars.

Instead, he recommends ordering a paloma. It’s a similar tequila-based cocktail, but the addition of grapefruit soda makes it more complex (and consistent).

“Paloma gives you the tequila fix you need while not compromising itself into a million and one variations, flavors, and ingredients,” Guerena said.

You don’t have to tough out drinking an alcohol-heavy Manhattan.
No one needs that much alcohol in one drink.

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Ron Oleksa, a bartender and mixologist at Link & Pin in North Carolina, said to skip the Long Island iced teas.

“This cocktail lacks clarity and comes across as muddled with very little complexity,” he told BI.

The bartender recommended a Bee’s Knees as a replacement. The mix of gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey scratches the citrus-forward itch with more depth.

Espresso martinis are one-dimensional.
There’s something a little off-putting about a bright-green cocktail.

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Jaramillo said vodka-forward Appletinis are an early-2000s cocktail that’s out of style.

“Appletinis are typically overly sweet and artificial-tasting,” she told BI. “Go for a whiskey sour — it’s the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and savory, with the depth of whiskey and the brightness of fresh lemon juice.”

Mojitos usually fall short.
“Sex and the City” made cosmopolitans sound better than they are.

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Carrie Bradshaw popularized cosmopolitans on “Sex and the City,” but Jaramillo said the cocktail doesn’t live up to its iconic cultural status.

“We see this as more of a nostalgic drink than one that stands up to the complexity we strive for,” she told BI.

Instead, try a French 75, a gin-based cocktail topped with Champagne for a bubbly twist.

Moscow mules are often too diluted.
Tropical drinks are fun and nostalgic, but you can do better than a tequila sunrise.

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Abraham Flota, a bar manager and head bartender at Prospect in San Francisco, said not to be fooled by the pretty gradient effect of a tequila sunrise.

“The tequila sunrise relies heavily on orange juice and grenadine,” he told BI. “It lacks complexity and can feel flat in flavor.”

The bartender also recommended ordering a paloma in place of the colorful drink.

Sex on the beach is overhyped.
Sex on the beach is basically just juice.

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The famous cocktail grew in popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, but Flota said the overly sweet flavor profile overpowers the vodka base.

“Sex on the beach, with the mix of peach schnapps, cranberry, and orange juice, can taste like juice with little complexity,” he said. “Instead, try a Cape Codder, a simple yet sophisticated combination of vodka and cranberry juice with a twist of lime.”