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SkydiveStMarys

What makes a good Bartender?

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Yep...went back to work and ended up going from waitress to Bartender...which is fine because I like that job much better...and I am very good at it...I think...so what do you all think makes a good Bartender a well..good Bartender?


Bobbi
A miracle is not defined by an event. A miracle is defined by gratitude.

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Yep...went back to work and ended up going from waitress to Bartender...which is fine because I like that job much better...and I am very good at it...I think...so what do you all think makes a good Bartender a well..good Bartender?


Bobbi



Prompt service and attention to the regulars.

Don't forget to make them think that the drink you just poured extra heavy was just for them.
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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if it's a female bartender.... it's that little glimmer in your eye as you pour my bud or make my jack n coke that says, "you're special, and this drink is just for you". Beyond that, fast service, or at least the acknowledgement that you'll be right with me. A free drink if I've spent a lot of $ is always nice, but I never expect it. That's what I look for. Oh and I bartended for 6 years...

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"What What.....

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so what do you all think makes a good Bartender a well..good Bartender?



Boobies
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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Yep...went back to work and ended up going from waitress to Bartender...which is fine because I like that job much better...and I am very good at it...I think...so what do you all think makes a good Bartender a well..good Bartender?


Bobbi



clevage, sexy smile , strong drinks..... did I mention clevage:)
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

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I always find that many times when things get busy and the bartender has a lot of work to do, slowing things down when they actually serve the drink or take orders makes a big difference. The tendency of course is to rush the order and quickly set down drinks and keep moving because well, it's frickin busy and they barkeep doesn't have time to mess around. Unfortunately this can make it hard for the patrons to fully relax. I know it might be hard, but it's only for that few seconds when you take an order or serve the drink---just exude a very relaxed attitude and slow things down for just those few seconds and it can change the whole atmosphere. Then after that start working quickly again. Even to just appear relaxed and not super-rushed makes a difference. Overall it won't add more than a few minutes to the evening. That is what I think makes a good bartender or even waiter/waitress.

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Looking people directly in the eye and smiling. Clevage does nothing for me. :P



Oh, don't be such a wet blanket!;) Everyone loves a little cleavage. I like it when they look up and say hi to me when I walk in the door, and when I push my glass out towards the edge of the bar, they come right over and fill it. Other than that, I pretty well entertain myself and who ever may be within conversing distance.

Really good bartenders can make you feel unique and like a friend without seeming overly flirtatious.

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Clevage does nothing for me. :P




Its ok to lie to me even to your friends but please dont lie to youself.......
DeNile its not just a river in egypt!
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

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Oh, don't be such a wet blanket! Everyone loves a little cleavage.



LOL...call me weird, but at another woman's cleavage does nothing for me. I can look at my own and even feel myself up if I wanted to! :ph34r:
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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Oh, don't be such a wet blanket! Everyone loves a little cleavage.



LOL...call me weird, but at another woman's cleavage does nothing for me. I can look at my own and even feel myself up if I wanted to! :ph34r:



TEASER :P
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

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Remembering my name and my drink if I'm a regular (and have a regular drink).

If it's ridiculously crowded one night and I've been supporting the place on the slow nights, it's great if I can call in the favor by calling your name to get service when everyone else is just fighting to get to the front of the bar.

Both of these characteristics make me think of my favorite bartender, who works at a sports bar near the stadiums in Seattle. On game days the place is insane, but I go there a lot on non-game nights or on the off-season.

Justin remembered my beer the SECOND time I went there. Hell, I didn't even remember what I'd ordered the first time I went. He'll come sit down and hang out if it's really slow, knows what games I'm there to watch, and generally always has a smile on his face.

And when I showed up after a sold-out game, I was able to impress the hell out of some people by getting immediate service. :)
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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"clevage, sexy smile , strong drinks..... did I mention clevage"

Insider trick (nasty-boy-cleavage-lovers). Take a bar stool just opposite the glass wash station. You'll get an eye-full as they run the glasses through the wash/rinse/sanitizer B|

As a former b-tender myself, I say ditto to the slow-things-down-pay-attention-to-the-customer approach as well as the ablity to multi-task well: maintain bar area, re-stock (napkins, matches, clean ashtrays), remember drink/food orders, and HUSTLE (all while appearing competely laidback and having a great time) -- in other words, only in the movies! :S

Oh -- and this a MAJOR pet peeve of mine -- if a "regular" or fairly regular customer always leaves large tips -- don't take him/her for granted. Give a little payback once in a awhile, get off your cell phone, stop talking to your fellow workers and take care of ME! Or I will -- and usually do -- find another place to drink. [:/]

P.S. The classic "you're-about-to-get-#$@#ed" line in bartending is: "Oh, and I'm a great tipper". :|
“Keep your elbow up!"

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It depends. What kind of bar are you tending? What makes a good bartender for a sports bar is entirely different than a piano bar, which is entirely different from tending a dive bar, etc.

The only factors that I can think of that are important to all are:
1) Knowledge of the drinks;
2) The appearance that you enjoy the job;
3) Ability to prioritize your orderers;
4) Knowledge of the regular customers.

Other than that, the other characteristics are different.


My wife is hotter than your wife.

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Mostly, free tequila for patrons of short stature.

Other than that,

1) good rapport with regular customers. They're the ones that will keep coming back and keep tipping over and over again.
2) making eye contact with customers
3) being efficient during busy times; knowing who's been waiting longest and letting the next customer know you'll be right with them
4) kindness to short people
5) not being overzealous in asking if somebody needs another drink, while making sure they're not feeling ignored as it gets close either; tough balance to strike with some people
6) knowledge of drinks. If somebody is unsure of what they want, have something up your sleeve as a suggestion.
7) Good attitude.

That's all I can think of right now. I'd rate kindness to short people as the most important.
:P
Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

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Mostly, free tequila for patrons of short stature. :P



Thats a funny one anvil.... you want patron for the patrons!! :D :D :D :D :D

I kill myself sometimes
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

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Yep...went back to work and ended up going from waitress to Bartender...which is fine because I like that job much better...and I am very good at it...I think...so what do you all think makes a good Bartender a well..good Bartender?


Bobbi



One that drinks so I don't feel like I'm being poisoned.

Gunnery Sergeant of Marines
"I would like it if I were challenged mentally at my job and not feel like I'm mentally challenged." - Co-worker

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One that drinks so I don't feel like I'm being poisoned.



Oh, man, that reminds me of another favorite bartender.

He used to work at this place called the Canterbury. Faux English decor... the diviest of the dive bars, where all the hipsters and heavy drinkers and random people like me who just like dive bars hang out.

We called him "Bret the strangely hot waiter" because none of my friends and I could figure out why we found him attractive. Objectively, he wasn't in the slightest bit attractive, and he definitely wasn't any of our "type." But still, we would giggle when he would bring extremely strong drinks to the table, and sit down and drink at least half of them with us.

At the end of the night, the bill bore very little resemblance to what we'd had to drink... but in a good way.

Alas, he no longer works there. But they're still dishing up scary-strong drinks. :)
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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A good bartender can make a Blue Margarita that is sweet and goes down so smooth its dangerous. A good bartender can also mix a perfect Jasper Newton Daniels and Coke (or Dr. Pepper). It requires about 4oz of Coke and about 2 1/2 oz of Jack. Just enough Coke to add some color, basically.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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Mostly, free tequila



Well, if that's the case, have I got a place for you in San Jose.... B|
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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