There's the obvious stress that comes with preparing drinks under time pressure for a never-ending stream of customers.drive us crazyI wish I could blame the bad banter on people overdrinking, but frankly, a lot of the weird things that come out of people's mouths are simply the result of having never worked in the service industry.
It's normal that a lot of bartenders assume a Resting Bartender Face, the focused facial expression we might land on when we're trying to do the best job possible. Although, I did once enjoy the smug satisfaction of hearing my male coworker being asked if he knew"how to craft a Manhattan." Your greater concern should be if the bar has the means to make one. So rather than ask if the bartender knows"how" to make one, ask a variation on,"Do you make old fashioneds here?" or"How do you make your old fashioneds here?"