Bartend

[KrnZippo]

Anyone in the PG/Mont County area know any good bars that I should apply to? I want to learn how to become a bartender and I want to work at a bar where a lot of people come and watch the Skin's game.

[n2o]

Your best bet is to apply as a barback if you have no prior experience. Most bars don't just hire bartenders. As a barback you will learn how the bar works and the importance and order of stocking. Once you've learned to rock out at that then you can start learning drinks. Once your bar manager feels comfortable with you, you will prob start out with days shifts and then work your way up to the money shifts.

Good luck, it's fun working in a bar but hard work.

[KrnZippo]

Your best bet is to apply as a barback if you have no prior experience. Most bars don't just hire bartenders. As a barback you will learn how the bar works and the importance and order of stocking. Once you've learned to rock out at that then you can start learning drinks. Once your bar manager feels comfortable with you, you will prob start out with days shifts and then work your way up to the money shifts.

Good luck, it's fun working in a bar but hard work.

tnx for the advice. do you know of any local bars? or should i work at a restaurant that has a bar in it like Fridays?

[n2o]

I'm not sure of the bar scene in pg/mont county. I bartend in Annapolis and we have 18 bars within walking distance. You best bet is to find a busy bar and talk to them there. TGI Fridays doesn't have barbacks that I know of. But a place like Greene Turtle might.

Some hole in the wall places will hire you if you go to bartending school but that place is a joke. "I can make 42 frozen drinks" is what you say when you get out.

When you go to apply for a job and you are a "certified bartender" but you have no experience serving people and you go up against someone who has barbacked for a year but has a years worth of experience serving people who do you think they are going to hire? The guy who has served people, you can make all the drinks in the world and not have any experience and not get hired.

Truth there are a core group of drinks you will make and you won't really deviate from that group. Once in awhile someone will order something you don't know ask them whats in it, if they don't know they have no right to order it. Maybe try to get a job in DC at one of the clubs and work you way up.

[The_cavalierman]

Your best bet is to apply as a barback if you have no prior experience. Most bars don't just hire bartenders. As a barback you will learn how the bar works and the importance and order of stocking. Once you've learned to rock out at that then you can start learning drinks. Once your bar manager feels comfortable with you, you will prob start out with days shifts and then work your way up to the money shifts.

Good luck, it's fun working in a bar but hard work.

That's great advice...

That's on my list of things to do when I retire but I would like to do something fun and social like that now.

[RedlightG20]

Agreed with n2o. I bartended in Ocean City when I was in college. I'm not familiar with too many places in PG/Mont, but like he said the Turtle might be a good start. Every GT is well run and you'll learn alot.

Barbacking is a great segway into bartending, and in the most busiest of bars, theres a great chance that you'll have to barback anyway. In OC, Seacrets is THE bar to work at. Problem is, no matter what education or experience you have, you'll likely start as a barback for a YEAR just before being a bartender. Its set up like that for a reason.

Barbacking is easy as long as you're quick on your feet and are more than able to move around kegs and cases of beer at a fast pace. As for a certification, within six months I was moved to bar manager over two other bartenders who worked there just as long as I have, but had bartending certifications. While I guess its nice to have, you're pretty much throwing your money away, because after all, the certification doesn't mean you will be a successful bartender. Even Harvard business grads fail at starting their own businesses. :2cents:

[RonJeremy]

Your age might be an issue with most bars unless you are just barbacking. :2cents:

[Kosher Ham]

No bar worth working at is going to hire a bartender with zero experience. Most chains (ala Fridays) hire from within so you will usually have to wait tables first.

Age doesnt matter, you only have to be 18 to tend bar, but you have to establish that you are mature and responsible.

Bartender school only teaches you things you can learn on your own. Buy a bartender's recipe book, and a pour test kit.

Barbacking at a night club is a faster route to bartending. Some dope always gets fired for something stupid and the money is great.

[Capt Rich Fla]

Agreed with n2o. I bartended in Ocean City when I was in college. I'm not familiar with too many places in PG/Mont, but like he said the Turtle might be a good start. Every GT is well run and you'll learn alot.

Barbacking is a great segway into bartending, and in the most busiest of bars, theres a great chance that you'll have to barback anyway. In OC, Seacrets is THE bar to work at. Problem is, no matter what education or experience you have, you'll likely start as a barback for a YEAR just before being a bartender. Its set up like that for a reason.

Barbacking is easy as long as you're quick on your feet and are more than able to move around kegs and cases of beer at a fast pace. As for a certification, within six months I was moved to bar manager over two other bartenders who worked there just as long as I have, but had bartending certifications. While I guess its nice to have, you're pretty much throwing your money away, because after all, the certification doesn't mean you will be a successful bartender. Even Harvard business grads fail at starting their own businesses. :2cents:

If your a bartender in OC in the summertime, my hats off to ya. I go all over and I can tell you this, OC puts out the baddest bartenders in the world. During the White Marlin Open the bar at sunset marina is packed, I mean packed. Not just with people, but DRUNK people. The bartenders make a sick amount of money that week, but they earn every penny. All those chicks from sunset are here in Fl now working the bar seen down here for the winter. Sunset alone went through an entire tractor trailor load of oranges in ONE week. Just to make orange crushes. That is a crazy amount of booze, but I do love orange crushes. :koolaid: Good Luck to ya.

[DButz65]

Wow all of this barebacking talk, i think some of these posts belong

in the porn thread.

[RedlightG20]

If your a bartender in OC in the summertime, my hats off to ya. I go all over and I can tell you this, OC puts out the baddest bartenders in the world. During the White Marlin Open the bar at sunset marina is packed, I mean packed. Not just with people, but DRUNK people. The bartenders make a sick amount of money that week, but they earn every penny. All those chicks from sunset are here in Fl now working the bar seen down here for the winter. Sunset alone went through an entire tractor trailor load of oranges in ONE week. Just to make orange crushes. That is a crazy amount of booze, but I do love orange crushes. :koolaid: Good Luck to ya.

The bartenders are excellent there. I worked at the Angler on Talbot Street for a summer. It was my first time actually bartending and I worked there opening night for the season with zero experience. I worked 6 days a week practically living out of my car because my apartment was in Salisbury. Before starting I bought two books--one for fancy drinks, the other a book of shots--and kept them behind the bar. I did very well there. Got my ass kicked, but did well.

WMO is such a great time. The last few years I've been working at restaurants and all out there during WMO so only one day I actually got a chance to go. And you're not lying about the oranges--there are Orange Crush stands EVERYWHERE... I wish I knew about it before I was 21, its so easy to get drinks there.

Wow all of this barebacking talk, i think some of these posts belong

in the porn thread.

waaaaaaaaah waaaaaaaaah. Don't quit your day job

[paige3girl]

Age doesnt matter, you only have to be 18 to tend bar, but you have to establish that you are mature and responsible.

A lot of the high volume bars will not allow anyone under the age of 21 to bartend. My husband bartends at one of the top 10 busiest bars in America (located in DC) and they would never higher anyone under the age of 21.

The barbacking idea is a great one and often when a bar spot opens up at his bar if the barbacks have done a good job they give them a shot. They have to do days for at least 6 months -- but you can still make good money doing that.

[KrnZippo]

thanks for all the help people

[ChocolateCitySkin]

No bar worth working at is going to hire a bartender with zero experience. Most chains (ala Fridays) hire from within so you will usually have to wait tables first.

Age doesnt matter, you only have to be 18 to tend bar, but you have to establish that you are mature and responsible.

Bartender school only teaches you things you can learn on your own. Buy a bartender's recipe book, and a pour test kit.

Barbacking at a night club is a faster route to bartending. Some dope always gets fired for something stupid and the money is great.

Yes, yes and more yes. Thats how I got started. If you're a hot chick you can also lie about your experience too. Then once you're in they'll train you.

[PCS]

Same advice as others. I first started barbacking when I was 19. I remember asking the bartender and the head chef about going to bar tending school. They said don't waste your money. Told me they learned from guys just like them at one point in time and I should do the same. They were right. I started bar backing again when I got out of the service and within 6 months I was bar tending. Little at a time, but as I learned more, and practiced, I got more shifts. Had to do the slow days and nights, but that's part of the deal. By virtue of circumstance, I managed to crack the starting line-up on busy nights and never looked back. Now I had to move on to a different bar to really get into the big money, but it was worth it. The good thing about that type of development is you get to, (obviously), develop the trade. At the same time though, you can develop your own style and put your own twist on things. My only advice for down the road if/when you get to that point, is be yourself, don't let the ****s get you down, and always remember the regulars drinks. Oh, and always, always, greet each customer with a napkin and a smile. First impression ya know. Just my two cents.