Life is too short to let indecision or inexperience cut into your drinking. When you belly up to the bar, it's go time.

1. Watch your timing. Friday night is not the moment to admire the flavored vodka selection. This isn't a social call; this is business. Everyone wants the bartender’s attention, so respect their time.

2. Hang your coat and bag under the bar. Any bar that’s worth its salt is going to have hooks under the bar to hang your purse. Don’t put it on the floor. That’s gross. And don’t try to keep it on your lap. You’ll drop everything.

3. Start a tab. Have your credit card ready (see #9). If you hold everything up digging for your plastic, you can kiss a long pour or free drink good-bye.

4. Never order Long Island iced teas. No Jägermeister shots. Nothing with “sex” in the name. And never, never anything requiring a food processor. Gauge the line behind you before requesting drinks that involve muddling, such as mojitos. Actually, just order a Manhattan. They’re perfect.

5. Know your bar. Places with no top-shelf selection are not where you should be ordering Chardonnay. Get a well drink. Places with bartenders in white coats, standing behind arrays of silver cocktail shakers and freshly cut fruit, are good places to order martinis. Or Negronis. Try a Negroni.

6. Alternate rounds. Buy a drink for everyone in your party; graciously accept one for yourself. But don't offer to get a round just to pick someone up—that's not going to work. Except when it does.

7. Get a free drink by tipping well at the start of the evening ($1 per cocktail is the bare minimum). Be friendly with the bartender but not needy. Use references: If you know a regular, say so. It also doesn’t hurt to look nice, but remember sexiness is in the way you carry yourself and your style. Anyone can be hot.

8. Be yourself. There is nothing wrong with beer, but the same spirit expressed in rules 1-7 applies: Know your preference (draft or bottled) and state it clearly. If you have to ask about a draft selection you've never seen before, do it quickly and clearly, and know what you want. And you still need to tip.

9. Cash before cards. If you only use plastic your bartender won't appreciate your generosity til the end of the evening when you sign your bill. Kick off with cash, and lay down the tips upfront. Then switch to a tab, and you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that not all of your drinks show up on the bill.