The Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Order at a Bar (That Aren't Just Soda)

Wondering what to order at a bar sober? Three orders work at almost any bar in the U.S. right now. A non-alcoholic beer (most bars stock Athletic Brewing, Heineken 0.0, or Guinness 0.0), a soda with a lime wedge, or a "zero-proof" version of whatever cocktail is on the menu, asked for by name.

If you want the version that feels most like a drink, order the NA beer or a club soda with lime in a rocks glass. Both come in the right glass, both take a minute to make, and neither invites the "why aren't you drinking?" conversation. Everything below is a longer version of that answer, plus what's actually worth trying in 2024 and what to skip.

How do you ask a bartender for something non-alcoholic?

Keep it short and specific. Bartenders are busy, and vague questions ("what do you have that's non-alcoholic?") get vague answers ("uh, Sprite?").

Better phrasings that get better drinks:

"What NA beers do you have?"
"Can you do a zero-proof version of the [cocktail name]?"
"Club soda with fresh lime, please."
"Something bitter and not sweet, no alcohol. Bartender's choice."

That last one is the move at a decent cocktail bar. Most bartenders enjoy the challenge and will make you something with shrubs, tepache, verjus, or a non-alcoholic aperitif. You'll get a real drink in a real glass.

What to skip: don't ask for "a mocktail" as a category. In a lot of places that translates to sugary juice with grenadine. Ask for a specific style (bitter, sour, herbal) or name a cocktail you want them to un-alcohol.

What non-alcoholic beers, spirits, and mocktails are actually good now?

The NA category has changed a lot since about 2019. A few things worth knowing.

NA beer. Athletic Brewing has become one of the largest NA craft breweries in the U.S. since launching in 2018, and their Free Wave IPA and Run Wild IPA are on tap or in the fridge at a growing number of bars. Guinness 0.0 tastes remarkably close to the real thing. Heineken 0.0 is the most widely available worldwide. Most NA beers contain up to 0.5% ABV by U.S. labeling rules, similar to kombucha, though some are labeled 0.0%.

NA spirits and aperitifs. These are hit or miss. Seedlip (owned by Diageo) is the most common; it's fine in a tonic but doesn't really taste like gin. Ghia and Lyre's are showing up on more cocktail menus. If you liked Aperol spritzes, ask if they carry an NA aperitif, several bars now stock one.

Bottled/canned mocktails. Curious Elixirs, De Soi, and Kin Euphorics are on shelves at nicer bars. Some contain adaptogens or functional ingredients like L-theanine or ashwagandha, which is worth knowing if you're sensitive to that stuff or on medication.

What should you order at breweries, wine bars, and cocktail bars?

Different venues, different playbooks.

At a brewery: most now keep at least one NA beer in the cooler. Ask. If they don't, order a house-made root beer, ginger beer, or hop water. Hop water (sparkling water dry-hopped with the same hops used in IPAs) is on the rise; Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher and HOP WTR are the widely distributed versions. It tastes like the aroma of an IPA without the beer.

At a wine bar: ask for an NA sparkling wine (Töst, Giesen 0%, and French Bloom show up increasingly). If nothing NA is on the list, describe what you're after rather than trying to name a drink: "something tart and not too sweet, in a wine glass, no alcohol." A decent bar can put together sparkling water with a splash of shrub or verjus and a citrus twist.

At a cocktail bar: this is where you'll get the best NA experience. Most menus at serious cocktail bars now include one or two zero-proof drinks. If they don't, ask the bartender to make something bitter or savory rather than sweet. Sweet mocktails get old fast.

At a dive bar or sports bar: NA beer if they have it, otherwise club soda with lime. A splash of cranberry with soda and lime looks like a vodka cranberry and nobody asks questions.

What drinks look like cocktails but aren't?

Useful for the "I don't want to explain myself tonight" nights:

Club soda with lime. Looks like a gin and tonic in a rocks glass.
Cranberry and soda with lime. Looks like a vodka cran.
Tonic with lime. Looks like a G&T. Tonic has real sugar, though.
Ginger beer with lime in a copper mug. Looks exactly like a Moscow Mule, because it is one, minus the vodka. Order it as a "Moscow Mule, no vodka" and most bartenders know the drill.
NA beer in a pint glass. Looks like beer.

A note on bitters: some bartenders will offer to add a few dashes of Angostura or another aromatic bitter to make a soda taste more like a cocktail. Angostura is roughly 44.7% ABV. The amount in a drink is very small, but many people in recovery choose to avoid bitters entirely for that reason. If you're strictly avoiding all alcohol, say so upfront.

What if the NA drink triggers a craving?

This is real and worth taking seriously. Some people find that NA beer scratches the itch and helps them stay out with friends. Others find that the taste, smell, and ritual pull them back toward drinking. The evidence on this is limited and mixed, and it seems to depend heavily on the individual and their stage of recovery. If you're in your first month without alcohol, this matters more; cravings tend to be strongest in early sobriety, and the first 30 days are usually when people are most sensitive to triggers.

A few honest questions to check with yourself:

Am I ordering this because I like the taste, or because I'm reaching for the feeling?
After one, do I want another or do I want to leave and get the real thing?
Would a non-beer, non-cocktail-looking drink (sparkling water, tea, ginger beer) feel like a loss, or a relief?

If NA drinks make things harder, order something that doesn't look like alcohol at all. If they make it easier to be out with friends without drinking, they're doing their job.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is it rude to order a non-alcoholic drink at a bar?

No. Bars still make money on NA orders, and staff generally don't care what you're drinking. Tip like you would for any drink and you're fine.

Do NA beers contain any alcohol?

In the U.S., beverages labeled "non-alcoholic" can contain up to 0.5% ABV under federal labeling rules. Drinks labeled "0.0%" contain essentially none. Ripe fruit and bread also contain trace amounts of alcohol from natural fermentation.

What's the cheapest thing to order if I don't want to spend $14 on a mocktail?

Club soda with lime is often free or a dollar or two. Tip the bartender a couple of dollars anyway, especially if you're taking up a seat.

Will people ask why I'm not drinking?

Sometimes, less often than you'd think. "I'm taking a break" or "I've got an early morning" ends the conversation for most people. You don't owe anyone the full story.

What if the bar has nothing NA on the menu?

Ask for club soda with lime, or a Shirley Temple made with less grenadine. If they have coffee or tea, that's also fair game, especially at a restaurant bar.