How Do You Break Into Bartending?

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Permalink Reply by Robbie Crews on December 11, 2007 at 8:39pm

well, I broke in during my serving days, i used to watch the bartenders make the drinks. after a while, i learned myself, pusjed for the promotion and got it. My advise to a new bartender, is to take a class, because those classes also find you jobs. but the one thing about bartending that always bothered me is, it's a byist profession. a lot of bartenders are hired on looks instead of skill. I'm origanlly from the new jsersey/NYC area. so i know the real story behind the profession. I have a saying for many trendu nightclub bartending, "they hire girls who are hot and guys who are good and/or know someone." as messed up as that sounds it's the truth in the trendy nightclub bartending. best way to break in is throught the restaurants. folks who have too many simple, deny service. they get mad, tell the manager in restaurant, in a nightcliub, call security.

Permalink Reply by Surfer Girl on December 12, 2007 at 8:13am

i'm a server but also tend bar from time to time. i started like robbie, watching (and drinking the leftovers) and testing a variety of specialty "house" drinks. the hard part is remembering all the "house" drink recipes. but, after you make 40 a night, you tend to remember. if you don't have any experience, bar-backing is also a good way to start. but, schools also work pretty well.

Permalink Reply by Peter Karnowski on March 3, 2008 at 1:22pm

I also started by serving and making my way behind the bar. It helped that I took it upon myself to learn all the booze and recipes before I went to management to express my interest. School is also a helpful way, but it can not garantee a job. I had an applicant who had never worked in a restaurant before want the bar position. She had just completed a bartending course and was "ready to go." I started her off serving and she quit two weeks later. I will personally hire someone with good experience over a person who has only done the school. I suppose that if we were just a regular bar, it might be different, but for a restaurant, you have to be able to serve the guest.
If someone has had to many, you cut them off. End of story.