What Does It Really Mean To Order A Drink Neat?

Whether you're ordering a round for friends at a noisy, crowded bar or carefully selecting a digestif after dinner at a white-tablecloth establishment, clarity is key when ordering any kind of alcoholic beverage. Unfortunately, many beloved bartending words and phrases have been mixed up and muddled in our cultural consciousness. "Shaken, not stirred," for instance, sounds like the stuff of suave spy-craft. However, a martini that's been shaken with ice is actually a more watered-down version of a Vesper than if the martini was stirred. If you're cocktail-curious and ready to cut through all the cultural clutter, follow our simple guide (spoiler alert: It's all about ice).

If you order a drink neat, you're ordering a couple of ounces of your stated liquor completely as is — not shaken, not stirred, and not served over ice or with soda water. Think of it as a fancy shot of alcohol that you drink slowly. The point of ordering a drink neat is to savor its flavor, so opt for this serving style when you're sampling the good stuff.

Ice isn't invited to this party, so apart from the number of ounces and the type of drink you want (usually whiskey, bourbon, scotch, or brandy, though sometimes even top-shelf mezcals and tequilas), there's no more to say to your barkeep. Your drink will arrive at room temperature, usually in a rocks glass, snifter, or whiskey glass, and neat with no additions.

Ordering a drink on the rocks is also pretty straightforward: It means a cocktail or spirit served over ice. This is the typical preparation for many favorites like margaritas and gin and tonics, but you can also ask for a glass of bourbon, tequila, or anything else on the rocks to take the edge off of their flavors.

Ordering a drink up queues the bartender to chill your liquor of choice by shaking it or stirring it with ice. If you want a little more water to dilute your drink, specify shaken, not stirred (or vice versa). The drink is then strained before serving so you'll have a cool drink without any ice in your glass. Martinis, cosmopolitans, gimlets, and most beverages served in long-stemmed cocktail glasses are served up, but you're welcome to ask for your margarita or any other typically on-the-rocks drink to be served in the same way.

Finally, ordering a drink "straight" is synonymous for "neat," but ordering a drink "straight up" is a great way to confuse your bartender. Do you mean straight or up? Stick with either neat or up to stay in your bartender's good graces and ensure you get the drink you want.