In a time when spending is down and uncertainty looms, bartenders are taking creative measures to gain consumer attention. For many bar professionals, interactive cocktails are proving to be a valuable tool. Drinks that offer an unexpected twist, that engage the drinker in new ways, or even that allow for guest input during their creation let bartenders involve their clientele in new and exciting ways. This enhances the overall bar experience and makes guests feel like they’re part of the show, which can be invaluable.
“Interactive cocktails invite guests to participate in the moment” says Kyle Carnine, the general manager of 40 Love in Scottsdale, Arizona. A restaurant and lounge, Carnine says the bar is a key part of the experience. “The goal is to create a drink that’s memorable without feeling complicated or forced. An interactive cocktail immediately sparks curiosity and encourages conversation, and it also elevates perceived value.”
At 40 Love, the Citrus Sphere Sour ($19) is interactive. The drink mixes Tanqueray gin with grapefruit shrub, orange blossom honey and passionfruit syrups, and lemon juice, and it’s topped with a citrus-scented bubble. Servers spray mist over the drink tableside to pop the bubble, releasing a citrus-scented smoke. “Cocktails that evolve or transform are ideal,” Carnine says. “We lean toward cocktails with visual appeal, subtle theatrics, and balanced flavor. Guests tend to be specifically because of the interactive element.”
In Miami Beach, the Hotel Continental’s Divebar concept allows guests to pour their own drinks, which general manager Alejandra Franco says creates a fun and interactive experience, and one that lends itself to social media visuals. The bar features self-pour stations that offer signature cocktails, as well as wine and beer, and guests can control their pour size, creating unique sampling opportunities. Cocktails are pre-mixed and batched, ranging from a Tequila-based Jalapeño Margarita and gin-based Cucumber Cooler to a rum-based Coconut Old Fashioned and vodka-based Easy Breezy. Drinks range from $7-$17 an ounce and guests can pay by credit card at the self-pour stations. “Our self-pour wall offers guests instant gratification through speed and ease, while transforming a standard drink order into a fun, interactive experience,” Franco says. “Being able to pour your own craft cocktail is a fresh, exciting twist. The drinks stay crisp and flavorful from the first ounce to the last, and the menu makes the interactive component easy to understand.”
For a fully personalized experience, the new speakeasy-style bar Room 207 in Manhattan takes an interesting approach. The venue features a special menu called Enigma, which offers a three-drink experience for $69. Two of the cocktails are set by bartenders—a Pornstar Martini-inspired offering made with gin and passionfruit and a Cola Float featuring Campari and bianco vermouth—with the third requiring guest collaboration. The bespoke drink mandates that bartenders ask the person ordering it three questions—the drinker’s choice of spirit (malt, grain, juniper, agave, cane, etc.), their preferred style of drink (spirit-forward, sour, or fizzy, for example), and their ideal supporting flavors (spice, umami, herbs, etc.).
From there, the bartender creates an entirely new cocktail and stores the recipe at the bar as part of its “cocktail keep program.” Guests can return and order their specialty drink again for a short period of time. “It feels personalized, it provides entertainment without noise, and it serves as a social media magnet,” says Room 207 general manager and chief mixologist Hemant Pathak. “Interactive drinks connect with curiosity.”