Related: The 20 Best Cocktails in Chicago

If only all drink menus made ordering easy by offering flavor profiles. These days, though, as bartenders get more experimental, you are just as likely to see descriptions such as “bourbon, maitake, dill.” In which case, good luck figuring out what that is. Here’s how to make sure you wind up with something you like.

Get the classics down. “Start by finding out if you like cocktails with aged or clear spirits,” says bar operator Danny Shapiro, co-owner of the Scofflaw Group. “Then: Do you like something stirred, like a Manhattan, or shaken, like a gimlet? From there, you can go up or down: Is the Manhattan bitter enough for you, or is it too sweet?”

Know your appetite for booziness. “Drinks like the Negroni or martini are all alcohol,” says David Mor, beverage director at Lilac Tiger. “If you don’t like super boozy, look for cocktails that have fruit, vegetable, or herbaceous components. If you see ingredients like banana or tomato or basil, it’s likely more of what you’re looking for.”

Tell your bartender other drinks you like. “If you say you like a spicy margarita, I know what you really like is a daisy-style cocktail that incorporates citrus and booze and is bright and vibrant,” says Mor. “So I might make a margarita with pisco and incorporate serrano-ginger syrup.”

You want an easy drinker? “Lychee, elderflower, and cucumber signal drinks that are sweet, refreshing, and uncomplicated,” Mor says. “People can be relieved when they see those ingredients.”

But not too sweet? “If you see maple syrup or honey, that has the potential to be too sweet,” Shapiro says. “But those ingredients can be balanced. If it’s Bràulio, Malört, or Avèze, those are not going to be sweet.” You can always ask the bartender, of course, but be careful how you phrase your question: “If you ask if a drink is ‘too sweet,’ we’re trained to say, ‘No, all our drinks are balanced,’ ” Shapiro adds. “Ask what is the sweetest drink and what is the driest, to get the range.”