Drinks-Fancy restaurant etc. What do you get?

[cviriato]

More or less what the title says.

Since I've reached the legal age, I've had only one opportunity to sit down at a nice dinner in town and have drinks with my family. It all felt really, really weird since it involved all the important, elderly...possibly judgmental members. None of our family functions in my memory have ever involved alcohol beyond maybe a beer or two (we're not teetotalers, it just doesn't happen for whatever reason). Long story short, when asked by the waitress if I would like a cocktail, my brain froze. What do normal people get when they're in a civilized environment and their choice of alcoholic beverage isn't limited by whatever random ingredients happens to be in the fridge at the time? What's traditional/not club scene and doesn't scream "Your grandson usually spends the 20 you slip him at the bar?" Or, just whatever your favorites happen to be.

And for discussion's sake, anyone else ever have a moment like this?

[Kuky]

Experiment, and find out what you like. I enjoy gin and tonic, and a few others. There's always wine, of course. Read up on the basics of when to order what, and you'll be good to go.

[water nymph]

I don't drink very much because almost all alcoholic beverages give me migraines. On the occasion that I do drink, I can usually manage a cocktail of some sort, but I don't really know what to get. If I am with a friend I ask for them to pick a drink for me, that way they can also choose the price, or I'll talk to the bartender and ask what they like to make. If those options aren't viable, I usually get a vodka + (some kind of juice).

For you, a rum and coke would probably be a good drink or whatever else mixes well with coke (another things I avoid as it gives migraines).

[The Sage]

generally gin and tonic if out for the night.
at a restaurant, G&T's to start, then wine to suit the food.

[vashti]

James Bond drinks vodka martinis, shaken, not stirred, and he is very manly. :)

[Gezus]

I'm a fan of the gin and tonic as well. I absolutely love tonic water for some reason, and people find me weird for it. It's nice to see other fans of the mixed drink :-)

I also like white Russians (the drink, not the human). It's vodka, coffee liqueur and milk (or cream). The official recipe requires way too much vodka though, I like it much better with only a little bit of vodka and more of the other stuff.

Otherwise, I highly enjoy having a beer with dinner, my favorites being Guinness and Hoegaarden (two opposites hahaha). I've been getting into beer a lot lately, and wine as well (although bad wines are REALLY BAD IMO). Occasionally, I'll have an Irish carbomb.

[Asphodelle13]

I like long island ice tea but you probably don't want to drink many of those. Or margaritas. Or wine.

[JukeboxHero]

A Beam and Ginger or beam and water is very good. I also enjoy 007s (Orange juice, Orange Vodka, and 7up). A regular gin martini is very good, I tend to get mine with a little extra vermouth. But, yeah, as everyone has said...go experiment...it's literally the best and worst part of alcohol.