Who will hire me??

Question

I want to learn how to bartend, and the onlt bars around me are dive bars that dont need barbacks! where should I go to learn?? I've waitressed at a couple places but only about two months at a time so I never got expierenced AT ALL! So where should I try first?

Answer 1

Very few restaurants hire on bartenders as bartenders without any experience.  On that note, don't waste your money on bartending schools.  They are a joke.  Lots of restaurants have their own versions of popular drinks anyway so they want to see you are capable of learning and multitasking.  I am married to a restaurant manager (whom I met when he was my bar manager!) and have several other managers as close friends: NO ONE cares if you went to bartending school.  Save your money.

I don't think this is the answer you want to hear, but I became a bartender by being hired a server, telling them I wanted to bartend asap and then busting my butt to show them I could handle it.  Pay special attention to your wine, beer and specialty drink menus also to show you are knowledgeable and serious about bartending.

I worked in the restaurant industry for eight years between high school and college and I never knew anyone who was just hired on as a bartender without experience.  You can keep trying, but why not start with serving?  Make some money, learn the clientele and then you'll be more comfortable once you're tending bar anyway.

Additional:  Cocktail waitressing would be great for you, because it is going to have the same fast pace as tending bar that a dining room may not have.  You said you are pretty good looking so I would try to find an upscale steakhouse (i.e. Sullivan's, Houston's, Ruth Chris) and apply as a cocktail waitress; they are huge on looks.  I worked at Sullivan's and know they in particular hire on cocktail waitresses so I am assuming the other, similar concepts do as well.  As far as being klutzy, just practice, practice, practice with that tray.  Eventually it will feel like an extension of your body no matter how klutzy you are.

Answer 2

Bartending school.......or find a more upscale restaurant and ask them to teach you to bartend