Name, Age: Toney Martin, 34
Years bartending: 10 years
Bar location: Diego's Burrito Factory, 6209 Sunset Drive, Panama City Beach
Favorite drink to make: "Michelada. It's a little known Mexican cocktail that is a play on the Bloody Mary. You drink it with beer instead of vodka."
What’s the most sold drink in the bar? "Pineapple or Top Shelf Margaritas. No, I'd probably say Top Shelf, because they realize we put Grand Marnier in it and you get to pick your tequila."
When someone says “surprise me,” what’s your go-to drink? "I automatically ask them about their palate. Do you like sweet ... savory? Everyone wants a strong drink and everyone wants something that's pretty. But if you start asking them about their palate and take into consideration what they have ordered to eat, then you can start them in the right direction. It's the same way a chef would do it with food and wine pairings. Why not do cocktails that way? We can do that with tequila. We have one that pairs well our carnitas and it has a bit of a smoky flavor."
Have you created your own concoction? "I'm not a huge fan of doing that. I have in the past at the restaurant in Atlanta I was working at. I did their entire drink menu. It was nice getting to play and work with the chef and a high level of ingredients. I've made a Black Manhattan or Cucumber Basil Smash."
Which cocktail do you dread making? "It depends on the time of day. If you're a slammed bar and you have people waving money around in your face saying, "I want a raspberry mojito, two regular mojitos, and a frozen daiquiri. That's a lot of time consuming work. Most people want their drinks now and are impatient. They don't realize that a good mojito takes time."
What is the strangest drink a customer has ever ordered? "I had a lady order a Long Island one time and she said to make it strong. It's kind of a bartender faux pas here. We already pour strong drinks. We already pour three ounces in everything. And then she said that she wanted a double. That's kind of ridiculous. That's six ounces of alcohol. That's the whole cup. I told her that I couldn't fit any ice in it and that was fine. So I threw one piece of ice in it just joking with the customer. It's just in my nature. And then she asked, 'How much for a shot of Jager on top?' I thought it was a separate order at first and she said, 'No, no. Just top it off.' It was a $35 drink.
When do you know when a customer has had too much? "It's pretty easy to spot especially when you have the same rotating customers. Slurred speech and hula hoop. I call it the 'hula hoop' because they start to do one of those final battle scenes from Mortal Combat. 'FINISH HIM!' And also if they are holding themselves up or bracing a lot, that's usually a pretty good sign too."
What do you think makes this bar special? "Oh, we're just better than everywhere. Nah, I'm just playing. I think it's the way it's set up. It's bartender-friendly. I love the patio and open seating. I'm a huge fan of being a 360-degree bartender. I can serve to people at the bar and turn completely around and serve to people on the patio."
What activities do you enjoy outside the bar? "I'm a huge mountain biking fan. I just got my first adult bike. And I played soccer in college, so I still like to get out there and kick the ball around. And I just a got a new puppy — a 9-week-old German Shepherd."
What is your personal drink of choice? "I'm a bourbon and tequila guy. I love a great Old Fashioned. I went to the University of Kentucky, so I've done the Bourbon Trail. I got to learn how bourbon is aged in the different char."