How To Set Up A Bloody Mary Bar: Accessories & Display Ideas

No matter where your team stands, having great company over to watch a good game usually ends in a fantastic time. Score a touchdown with your friends set up a Bloody Mary bar.

You don’t need to be a brilliant bartender to have a amazing Bloody Mary bar. The joy of providing a buffet-style bar is providing your guests with a surplus of options to make the play of their dreams, or at least the drink of their dreams.

Bloody Marry Setup Ideas

1. Rim It

A little bit of salt makes anything better, don’t you think? Add a little fun for your teammates by setting up a sea salt and celery salt rimming station to make your party a little bit extra.

2. Bloody Mary Mix

Variety, they say, is the spice of life so have a few different mixes on hand from spicy to mild! Take a look at the video below for ideas.

3. Citrus

For a fresh squeeze of love, supply guests with some citrus options. Bright full lemons and limes are a great way to decorate your tablescape with pops of color.

4. Vodka

We will say this once and we won’t say it again: there is no room for cheap vodka. Offer a nice selection like Stolichnaya, Tito’s , or Ketel One.

If you have a quality, local craft vodka give it a go to support the home team and personalize the party. If the vodka comes in a plastic container then you will be called a plastic host: cheap and flimsy.

5. Hot Sauce

Chipotle, smoky, Cholula, Tapatio- go nuts! Don’t be afraid to offer unusual sauces to fill your Bloody with flavor such as barbecue sauce, steak sauce, Tabasco, and scorching hot sauces for the brave of heart. You want to have an option for every palate.

Since Bloody Mary mix is made mostly of tomato juice, hot sauce is a great addition. The hot sauce complements the smoothness of the tomato and really puts some punch in your Bloody.

6. Garnishes

For the tried and true staples check out the garnishes in our recipe video below, but here are some other fun garnish ideas: crisp-cooked thick cut bacon, pepperoni chunks, smoked gouda, mini hot dill pickles, stuffed olives (garlic stuffed olives, blue cheese stuffed olives, jalapeño stuffed olives - the jar is the limit!) and marinated mozzarella.

Place cups of garnish picks on the table so that guests can assemble their garnishes of choice.

7. Presentation

To really win your guests, create a tablescape to present your Bloody Mary bar. Tablescapes are easy to throw together to display your options and stir the appetites of those attending.

Find stable objects such as stacks of boxes or books, or even upside down pots. Set them up at varying heights and put down a tablecloth to cover them. Then position your mixes, hot sauces, and garnishes.

Keep your vodka over ice if you have ice buckets. Have fun and play with the display. Presenting a variety of flavors to the eye prepares the stomach for a game day of deliciousness.

8. Citrus

For a fresh squeeze of love, supply guests with some citrus options. Bright, full lemons and limes are a great way to decorate your tablescape with pops of color. Try this squeezer for premium freshness.

Don’t forget to grab enough highball s or red cups to hold the Bloodys! No matter the score, enjoy extra points for a beautiful table full of decadent flavors. Cheers!