By Édouard Manet - Museum page, Public Domain
How to Become a Bartender
In movies and television, bartenders are usually portrayed as comforting the brokenhearted, giving free psychological advice, slipping valuable information to private detectives, or putting on a flashy show while somehow having plenty of time to polish the same glass for twenty minutes.
Real bartending is a little different.
From an owner or manager’s perspective, a bartender is first and foremost a salesperson. Your job is to sell food and drinks, provide an experience that keeps guests coming back, control costs, protect the establishment’s money and product, and help make the bar profitable. At the end of the day, they’re looking at the bottom line—and unfortunately, “But everybody really liked me” isn’t a column on the P&L statement.
From a guest’s perspective, bartending can look pretty easy. You make drinks, crack jokes, flirt a little, open some beers, and fill up a tip jar. How hard could it be?
Then you actually get behind a busy bar. Suddenly you’re making six drinks at once, remembering who ordered what, running credit cards, answering the phone, taking food orders, checking IDs, restocking, washing glasses, changing a keg, listening to someone’s breakup story, keeping an eye on the guy who’s had enough, and somehow noticing that Seat 7 needs another napkin.
All while smiling.
Like most things in life, bartending looks a whole lot easier from the other side of the bar. And that’s where learning how to become a bartender really begins.
Bar Concepts to Ponder
Most professions are primarily mental or physical. Bartending is both. Your brain and your body are working at the same time—and on a busy Saturday night, neither one gets a lunch break.
Think about this: there are probably dozens of bars in your area where someone can order a Rum & Coke. The rum is basically the same. The Coke is basically the same.
So why should they come back and buy that Rum & Coke from you?
Bars and restaurants are businesses, and businesses are built for one primary purpose: to make money. As a bartender, you play a big part in making that happen. American bartenders traditionally earn much of their income through tips, so your interests and the bar owner's interests have something important in common: sales. The more guests enjoy themselves, the longer they stay, the more likely they are to return, and generally, the more you sell—and the more money everyone makes.
A bar really isn't that different from any other store. The owner buys products and sells them at a profit. As a bartender, you're selling those products just as a car salesperson sells cars. Your tips are a little like commissions—except nobody has ever asked a car salesperson to make three Margaritas, answer the phone, and find the bathroom while closing the deal.
So sell.
And selling doesn't have to mean pushing expensive products on people. Your greatest sales tools may be attention, a genuine smile, a good handshake, remembering someone's name and favorite drink, telling a joke, performing a bar trick, making a cocktail with a little style, or simply making someone feel welcome.
You're not just selling what's in the glass. You're selling the experience around the glass.
And here's something interesting about bartending: people like knowing bartenders. Guests want to become your regulars. They'll tell their friends they know you, share secrets they probably shouldn't, ask for advice you may or may not be qualified to give, and occasionally hook you up with tickets, meals, invitations, and all kinds of unexpected goodies. In many neighborhoods and towns, a popular bartender becomes a bit of a mini-celebrity.
And yes, there's a little acting involved. Maybe you're tired. Maybe your feet hurt. Maybe you're having a lousy day. But when you step behind the bar, the curtain goes up. You're welcoming, attentive, interested, and ready to give people a good time. Perhaps that's why so many actors have waited tables and tended bar before becoming famous. They were already used to performing for an audience—and working for tips.
So remember that Rum & Coke. Your guest can buy one almost anywhere.
They come back because of you.
DIY Bartender Boot Camp
If you want to get your foot in the door—and eventually behind the bar—without experience, create your own Bartender Bootcamp. You don't need anyone's permission to start learning.
Find Yourself a BarMentor
Take a bartending book to a restaurant bar during a slow weekday afternoon, ideally around 2–4 p.m. Chain restaurants and casual restaurants with bars can be good places to start because you're looking for a bartender who has a little time to talk.
You're searching for what I call a BarMentor.
You may have to visit a few places before you find someone you click with, but eventually you will. Sit at the bar, order something, and read your book. Bartenders tend to like guests who bring their own entertainment because we're accustomed to being the entertainment. There's a good chance they'll eventually ask what you're reading. If they don't, ask a question about something in the book:
“Can I ask you something? I'm trying to learn bartending, and I don't understand this…” There you go. Conversation started.
Tell them you'd like to become a bartender and you're trying to learn everything you can. Then ask how they learned. Making this connection can be one of the most valuable things you do. You'll have someone you can return to with questions—and you're learning from a person who's actually doing the job rather than someone on the Internet who's made three Margaritas and started a channel.
Build Yourself a Practice Bar
Next, somehow, someway, collect several empty liquor bottles. Ask your BarMentor or friends to save some for you. Clean the bottles thoroughly, fill them with water, and add pourers. You can even get creative with food coloring and homemade labels. A little tea in water makes a convincing-looking whiskey.
Now hit the thrift stores and build yourself a cheap collection of bar glassware.
You'll also need basic bar tools. Every profession has tools of the trade, and bartending is no different. You need to know what they are, how to use them, and—more importantly—get comfortable handling them.
Once you own your own tools, there's another bonus: you're ready to bartend a private party almost anywhere.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Teach yourself the basic techniques: pour, strain, muddle, stir, build, rim, roll, chill, float, layer, shake, and everything else you encounter in your studies. You want the movements to eventually become automatic. Don't have a counter that's bar height? Use an ironing board. Adjustable height, plenty of workspace, and possibly the first time in history anyone has been excited to pull out an ironing board. You'll also find flair bartenders practicing with an ironing board in their hotel rooms.
Become a Professional Bar Watcher
Visit different bars and start paying attention to how they're set up and how bartenders move. What beers are on tap? Where's the wine stored? Where's the trash can? Where are the backup bottles? Are they running tabs? Do they hold credit cards? Are beer glasses chilled? What bottle opener are they using? Where's the ice? How is the bartender organizing drink orders? Don't just watch the drinks. Watch the system.
If you happen to find a bartender who's slammed and can quietly observe from a seat at the end of the bar without getting in the way, you'll learn a tremendous amount. Just don't stare like you're gathering evidence for a documentary called Bartenders in Their Natural Habitat.
Get Into the Food & Beverage Business
Find a job anywhere in food and beverage, even if it's only part-time.
Server. Host. Barback. Busser. Food runner. Banquet staff. Anything that gets you inside the operation. You need to understand how restaurants and bars actually work—the kitchen, servers, tickets, timing, teamwork, side work, guests, managers, opening, closing, and everything happening behind the scenes. And if you've never operated a POS system or cash register, get some hands-on experience with one.
Making drinks is only part of bartending. If you can make a beautiful Martini but can't figure out how to close the check, you haven't technically sold the Martini yet.
Bartend Every Party You Can
Keep your ears open for the word party. Birthday party? Volunteer. Graduation? Volunteer. Backyard barbecue? Volunteer. Someone says, “We're only serving sangria.” “Great! I'll serve the sangria.”
Beer and wine only? Even better. You'll practice opening bottles, pouring wine, interacting with guests, keeping things stocked, cleaning as you go, and working to a rhythm. The goal is repetition.
Think about something you're really good at. Why are you good at it? Chances are, you've done it hundreds or thousands of times. Bartending works the same way.
Learn One New Thing Every Day
Learn how to cut garnishes. Practice using a wine key. Learn a bar trick. Spiral cocktail napkins. Make flash cards. Memorize common drinks. Practice free pouring with water. Learn your glassware. Read books. Watch experienced bartenders. Visit different types of bars. Make learning bartending part of your everyday life.
Then, when you finally decide where you'd like to apply, do your homework on that particular bar. Go in as a guest. Look around. Listen to the drink orders. Study the menu. Notice the glassware. Watch how the bartenders work. Pay attention to what they're making over and over. Every bar has its own rhythm.
By the time you apply, you don't want to walk through the door knowing absolutely nothing about how that bar operates.
You may not have professional bartending experience yet—but you'll have knowledge, practice, restaurant experience, confidence, and initiative. And that's a whole lot better than walking into an interview saying, “I've always thought bartending looked fun.”
Bars for a Beginner Bartender
When I used to guest-speak at bartending schools, one thing always amazed me: most students had no idea how many different kinds of bartending jobs existed. In their minds, there were basically two choices: chain restaurants and nightclubs.
Not even close.
There are bars everywhere—and many types are much easier places for a beginner to get that all-important first bartending job. You don't necessarily have to start three-deep on a Saturday night making twelve drinks at once while somebody waves a credit card in your face.
Pub or Tavern Beertender
If the bar is primarily beer-focused, this can be a great place to start. You're opening bottles, pouring drafts, handling money, remembering regulars, learning beer, and developing your people skills without having to memorize hundreds of cocktails.
You get to practice one of bartending's most important skills: remembering that Jim drinks Budweiser and Bob drinks Bud Light—and God help you if you switch them.
Service Bartender
A service bartender makes drinks for servers rather than directly for guests.
Service bars are common in restaurants, comedy clubs, entertainment venues, busy restaurants, and large or multi-level establishments. You may work in a small bar tucked away from the dining room while servers bring you drink tickets and pick up completed orders.
It's excellent practice because you get repetition, speed, and cocktail-making experience without having twenty guests staring at you while you try to remember what goes into a Sidecar. Depending on the establishment, your tips may come from a server tip-out or tip pool rather than directly from guests. Basically, you're bartending without an audience.
Banquet or Catering Bartender
Banquet and catering bartending can be perfect for beginners.
Hotels, convention centers, wedding venues, caterers, and event spaces all need bartenders. Every event is different, but many use a limited bar setup: a handful of spirits, beer, wine, mixers, and a few common cocktails.
It's a great way to practice pouring, opening wine, handling guests, keeping your station organized, and working at a steady pace. And because it's an event, everyone usually arrives ready to have a good time. Except possibly the mother of the bride. Keep an eye on her.
Daytime Bartender
Don't overlook the day shift. Many restaurant bars need daytime bartenders even though most of their bar business happens at night. You may work a small lunch rush, take care of a few regulars, and spend part of your shift stocking and preparing the bar for the nighttime crew. This is a terrific way to get your foot in the door, pay your dues, learn the bar, prove yourself, and get paid while doing it.
Eventually, a night bartender will want a Friday off. And guess who's already trained?
You. You may start with Tuesday lunch and eventually inherit Saturday night. It happens.
Mexican restaurants can be particularly worth checking because many have full bars that need coverage throughout the day. Plus, you'll get plenty of Margarita practice. Lots and lots of Margarita practice.
Hotel Bars
Hotel bars can be another good stepping stone. Business often depends on occupancy, conventions, weddings, business travelers, and special events. Some hotel bars are destinations for locals; others primarily serve hotel guests. Either way, you can meet people from everywhere, practice your hospitality skills, and gain experience in a professional environment.
Hotel guests also tend to ask fascinating questions like: “Do you know what time the pool closes?” Of course you do. You're the bartender. Apparently you know everything.
Private-Party Bartender
Private parties are a great way to gain experience because you're essentially working for yourself. Your rate and responsibilities are agreed upon beforehand, the host supplies whatever you've arranged for them to provide, and you're usually serving people who showed up specifically to have a good time. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, holiday parties, backyard parties, corporate events—you can gain valuable hands-on experience without needing a bar manager to give you your first shot. And every event gives you something every beginner desperately needs:
Repetition.
Chain Restaurant Bartender
Chain restaurants can provide excellent training, but getting behind the bar isn't always easy. Many promote bartenders from within. Servers and barbacks may already be waiting for their opportunity, and management often wants employees to learn the food menu, service standards, POS system, and company procedures before moving behind the bar.
But here's a trick:
Look for new restaurant openings. A restaurant that's been open five years may have three employees waiting for the next bartending position. A restaurant opening next month has an entirely different problem: They need bartenders. New openings can dramatically improve a beginner's chances of getting hired directly into training.
High-Volume Bartender
These are the bartenders you see in packed nightclubs, music venues, casinos, and high-volume bars moving nonstop to a pounding beat. The money can be excellent, even after tipping out barbacks or splitting tips.
But high-volume bartending is usually something to work toward, not necessarily where I'd suggest learning which end of the jigger goes up. Speed matters. Memory matters. Organization matters. Both hands matter. Your bladder, however, may no longer matter.
Pool & Beach Bars
Pool and beach bars can be wonderful places to work, especially in warm-weather destinations and resorts. The downside is that many are seasonal, and your income can depend heavily on the weather. Sunny Saturday? Fantastic. Three days of thunderstorms? Congratulations on your unexpected unpaid vacation.
But I love these bars because you're outside, surrounded by vacationing guests, with a constant connection to nature. There are certainly worse offices.
Airport Bars
I've never personally worked an airport bar, but I've talked with bartenders who have, and some report doing very well. Think about the clientele: travelers with time to kill, delayed flights, business travelers on expense accounts, and people who have apparently decided that 8:15 a.m. no longer counts as morning because they're in an airport. Of course, every airport and every bar is different, but it's another bartending avenue worth investigating.
And That's Just the Beginning
There are piano lounges, country bars, brewpubs, country clubs, jazz bars, wine bars, adult-entertainment clubs, karaoke bars, VIP lounges, flair bars, sports bars, French bistros, tapas bars, LGBTQ+ bars, neighborhood bars, biker bars, Irish pubs, British pubs, rooftop bars, outdoor bars, cantinas, salsa clubs, ski-resort bars, train bar cars, excursion boats, dive bars, tiki bars and dozens more.
And here's something every beginning bartender should understand:
Fancy does not always equal money. I've seen bartenders working little hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bars walk out with $300–$500 in tips, while bartenders working beautiful upscale bars went home with $50–$100.
A gorgeous marble bar, crystal glassware, and a twenty-page cocktail menu may look impressive—but you can't deposit atmosphere at the bank. So when you're looking for that first bartending job, don't just look at the places you think bartenders are supposed to work. Look everywhere alcohol is being served. Your first bartending job doesn't have to be your dream bar. It just has to be the bar that finally lets you get behind one.
The Top Five Ways to Nail a Bartender Job
Unless you already have experience, a bartender position usually isn't an entry-level position. Most managers aren't eager to hand someone the keys to thousands of dollars in liquor, a cash drawer, and a room full of drinking people just because they make a terrific Margarita at home. So how do you get experience when everybody wants you to already have experience? Here are five of the best ways to get behind the bar.
1. Already Be in the Industry
If you're already working as a host, server, busser, cook, cocktail server, food runner, or barback, you're halfway there. Managers love promoting from within because they already know your work habits. They know whether you're dependable, whether you show up on time, how you handle pressure, and whether your coworkers want to hug you or hide from you in the walk-in.
Let management know early that your goal is to become a bartender and that you're willing to pay your dues to get there. Then make friends with the bartenders.
Help them stock. Run an errand. Grab their food when they're slammed. Help with side work. Ask them to quiz you on drinks. If you sit at their bar on your day off, tip them well. Eventually, a bartender will get sick, go on vacation, have an emergency, or simply want Saturday night off. That's your opening.
You want management to immediately think: “What about them? They've been wanting to bartend.”
2. Get a Foot-in-the-Door Job
Not working in food and beverage yet? Get in. One of the best entry points is barbacking, especially at a high-volume nightclub, music venue, casino, or busy bar.
A good barback is the bartender's backbone. They fill ice wells, restock beer and liquor, replenish juices and mixers, wash glasses, empty trash, change kegs, fetch backups, clean up disasters, and do approximately 847 other things during a shift.
And one of their greatest talents? Knowing exactly when to appear—and when to get the hell out of the bartender's way.
Good bartenders take care of good barbacks because they know how valuable they are. Another excellent entry position is cocktail server. You'll learn the drinks, clientele, POS system, bar layout, busy periods, and how the operation works. Take either position and become a sponge. You're not just working. You're getting paid to attend bartending school.
3. Apply at a Place That's About to Open
This is one of my favorites. I've done it five times. Think about it. An established restaurant may have servers and barbacks who have been waiting months—or years—for a bartending position to open. A brand-new restaurant has a completely different problem: They have a bar and nobody behind it. They have to build an entire opening team, which can give someone with limited experience a much better opportunity.
Show up professionally groomed with great eye contact, confidence, personality, some basic bar knowledge, and a sharp résumé. New openings also usually involve training before opening day, which gives you time to learn their drinks, POS system, menu, policies, and procedures alongside everyone else. Instead of trying to squeeze into an established bar family, you're there when the family is being created.
4. Know Someone
Yes, connections matter. Plenty of people have gotten bartending jobs because they knew the right person, made the right impression, or happened to be standing in the right place when someone said: “We need a bartender.”
If there's a particular bar where you'd love to work, become familiar with it. Get to know the bartenders and, when appropriate, introduce yourself to the manager. Don't pester them for a job every time you walk through the door. Build a relationship. Let them see your personality, professionalism, and people skills. Then, when the timing is right, tell them you'd love an opportunity to work there.
You're essentially selling yourself. And really, that's perfect practice because selling is a big part of what bartenders do anyway.
5. Train Yourself Before Anyone Hires You
You don't need a bartending job to start learning how to bartend. Read books. Watch reputable training videos. Learn the classic drinks. Study spirits, beer, and wine. Set up a little practice bar at home and fill empty liquor bottles with water.
Practice pouring, shaking, stirring, straining, muddling, opening wine, handling bar tools, cutting garnishes, and making several drinks at once. Talk your friends into throwing parties and volunteer to bartend. Then go sit at real bars and observe everything.
Don't just watch the bartender make drinks. Watch how they move. Where do they keep things? How do they handle multiple orders? When do they restock? How do they acknowledge waiting guests? How do they handle money? What happens when they're suddenly slammed? Absorb everything you can. Because eventually, somebody is going to give you that first opportunity. And when they say: “Okay, you're behind the bar tonight.” You don't want your first thought to be:
Oh, crap. It worked.
And One More Thing: Get Off the Internet
These days, many bars and restaurants advertise jobs on Indeed and other employment sites. Absolutely fill out the application and upload your résumé. But if it’s a job you really want, don’t stop there.
Get yourself together, print a few résumés (on white linen paper with a professional laser printer at your local office supply store), and use your feet like we did in the old days.
Go to the establishment during a slower time—not Friday night at 8:00—and politely ask the host, bartender, or whoever greets you, “Is the manager available for just a minute?” Between lunch and dinner rush is a good time. Remember, restaurant managers aren't sitting in an office all day sipping coffee and eagerly refreshing Indeed to see who applied. They're usually running around putting out fires—sometimes figuratively, occasionally literally.
A professional face-to-face introduction can make you stand out, especially today when so much hiring happens through a screen. Make eye contact, smile, introduce yourself, hand them your résumé, and tell them you've already applied online but wanted to stop by because you're very interested in working there. You just went from being Applicant #147 to that friendly person who came in and introduced themselves.
And before you start applying, clean up your social media. Assume a potential manager may look you up—because many do. Look at your profiles through an employer's eyes. Photos, public posts, comments, arguments, complaints about former employers...it can all become part of their first impression. You don't have to make your social media boring or pretend you're somebody you're not. Just make sure there isn't anything public that makes a manager think, “Well...this could become an HR meeting.” Your résumé tells them who you say you are. Your social media may tell them who they think you are.
And then I’d keep your existing ending: Because eventually, somebody is going to give you that first opportunity. And when they say, “Okay, you're behind the bar tonight.” You don't want your first thought to be:
Oh, crap. It worked.
The Second Golden Age of the Cocktail
Sometime around the turn of the 21st century, something started happening in the cocktail world: the cocktail got its dignity back.
— Read the Cocktail Renaissance Timeline 1980s–2010
The first Golden Age of Cocktails flourished from the late 1800s until Prohibition arrived in 1920 and crashed the party. Bartending was taken seriously. Drinks were carefully crafted, quality ingredients mattered, and bartenders took pride in their profession.
Then came decades of bottled sour mix, neon-red cherries, powdered mixers, and cocktails that occasionally looked like they might glow in the dark. But around 2000, things began changing. Bartenders started squeezing fresh citrus again. They made their own syrups, searched for forgotten recipes, rediscovered bitters, studied old cocktail books, and started treating ice like an actual ingredient instead of just frozen stuff you threw in a glass.
The Second Golden Age of the Cocktail had arrived.
One of the people widely credited with helping lead this revival is legendary bartender Dale DeGroff, also known as King Cocktail. Dale and other influential bartenders helped bring classic cocktails, fresh ingredients, proper technique, and cocktail history back into the conversation. Organizations and events followed. The Museum of the American Cocktail was founded, and Tales of the Cocktail grew into one of the world's largest gatherings of bartenders and cocktail professionals. Soon cocktail festivals, seminars, competitions, and educational events were popping up around the country and around the world.
Then, admittedly, we went through a bit of a snooty period.
There were suspenders. There were mustaches. There were hidden doors, passwords, speakeasies, antique glassware, historic wallpaper, and bartenders who sometimes looked deeply concerned that you might order your Manhattan incorrectly.
Thankfully, we eventually loosened our bow ties.
Today, you don't need a secret entrance, a 12-minute cocktail, or a bartender dressed like it's 1897 to serve great drinks. Any type of bar can use quality ingredients and good techniques. A neighborhood bar, hotel bar, restaurant, nightclub, tiki bar, honky-tonk, or little hole-in-the-wall can make better drinks without changing what makes the place special. And don't get me wrong—I love that dive bars and everything in between still exist. Not every cocktail needs an artisanal ice cube hand-carved by a bearded man named Sebastian.
At the end of the day, the most important ingredient hasn't changed:
Service. You can squeeze every lemon by hand, make your own bitters, and know the complete history of the Ramos Gin Fizz, but if you make guests feel unwelcome, none of it matters.
For someone entering bartending today, the problem isn't finding information—it's sorting through the mountain of it. There are websites, books, videos, podcasts, social media accounts, festivals, classes, and thousands of bartenders sharing what they know.
Use the links and resources I've provided as a starting point. Follow the people whose work interests you, connect with other bartenders online, and let one good connection lead you to the next.
A whole new generation of talented bartenders has come along, and I'll admit I haven't kept up with every new name on the scene. But I know where the trail starts—and I can shine a light down it and send you in the right direction.
Liquor.com
punchdrink.com
Kate Gerwin
artofdrink.com
Vlad SlickBartender
/bartenders & r/cocktails on Reddit
Go to the Tales of the Cocktail Facebook page and look for the recent winners of bast bars, bartenders, etc.
punchdrink.com
Insta influencers