At the very least, talking to the bar tender will stop you from soliciting responses from the bottle your clutching as you're table dancing with five bouncers suggesting you not use the stair rail as a stripper pole.

If the crisis is that I want him to put the ball-game on, first guy I look to.

I hate to burst a cliche, but the best bartender is at best only a good listener.  If it helps you to verbalize your troubles to someone who won't be judgemental and can pour you a glass of your favourite balm, then she/he is performing a valuable service.  But for sage advice and the benefit of a broad life experience, the bartender is no better than the guy sitting on the stool beside you.

I had a girlfriend who was a bartender. It never developed into anything serious because she was more interested in talking about herself than in actually having a conversation, which seems odd, given the stereotype of the bartender as a benevolent listener and amateur psychiatrist. But...at least I got free drinks.

Bar tenders have a distinct advantage over clergy, mental health professionals, etc.- they have a team of experts to inspire or help people: Dr. Jim Beam, Dr. Jack Daniels, the reverend Johnny Walker, Dr. Bud Weiser, et al.

I guess sometimes it's less pressuring or more comforting to talk to a total stranger, but I don't open up to people I don't know.