How To Become a Bartender in NYC

Is becoming a Bartender in NYC different than becoming a Bartender in any other U.S. city? The short answer is yes. In this article, we will cover all the important topics if you want to become a Bartender in New York City.

If you already decided to pursue a Bartender career in NYC here are a couple of reasons to enhance your motivation. Serving alcohol in the Big Apple is lucrative and exciting.

The question is: Do you have everything it takes to become a bartender in New York City? The laws and regulations are different in every state. Let’s start by answering some of the big questions like:

• Do you need a special certification to become a bartender in NYC?
• Do you need a bartending license?

Basic NYC Bartending Requirements & How To Meet Them

If you’re starting your career as a Bartender in NYC, you first have to be aware of all the basic requirements for the role. This includes:

Age requirements

While the national drinking age is set at 21, the laws for serving alcoholic beverages vary on a state level. In New York, you can work as a Bartender once you’re 18. It’s important to note that while the minimum age to serve alcohol in New York is 18, individual establishments may have their own age requirements, often preferring to hire those 21 and over. Additionally, having a felony conviction may disqualify you from bartending unless you possess a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities.

Certifications

Although this isn’t the case in all U.S. states, you don’t need a bartending license to serve alcohol in New York. However, you can still take a course and earn what’s called ATAP certification. ATAP or Alcohol Training Awareness Program focuses on legal responsibilities regarding alcohol service and sale. Earning this certification shows that you’ve received education on the topic in a state-approved school.

Some bartending schools in the city offer courses that include classroom training, teaching you important skills (mixing drinks and manipulating bar tools) and educating you on responsible alcohol service. Others focus only on the third point and typically take place online. Enroll in a state-approved school and you will receive your ATAP certification regardless of the course type.

You can also earn your ATAP certification by becoming a TIPS-certified Bartender. TIPS is accepted nationwide and offers online courses for all U.S. states, including New York. The New York TIPS On Premise course is ATAP-compliant and approved by the New York State Liquor Authority.

While not mandatory, obtaining a bartending certification can enhance your employability. The cost of earning your certification in New York varies depending on the school and course type, ranging from as low as $9 for online courses to $1,700 for comprehensive in-person training. For instance, the New York EduClasses Alcohol Training offers courses at $9, while the European Bartender School charges around $1,700 for their programs.

Education and Training

In New York, it’s not mandatory to receive any type of formal education before getting hired. However, enrolling in a bartending school and having a high school diploma can help be helpful when pursuing a career as a Bartender.

Bartending school

You can opt for some of the top schools in NYC and learn key bartending skills establishments look for. This includes learning drink recipes, understanding bartending lingo, handling bar equipment and interacting with customers. Training in a bartending school can last from a few days to a few weeks.

High school diploma

There is no strict rule when it comes to formal education and Bartender roles. A high school diploma can help you land a job. It will testify to your basic math knowledge, which is necessary for the role.

Top Bartending Schools in NYC

Enrolling in a reputable bartending school can provide you with the essential skills and knowledge to excel in the competitive NYC bar scene. Here are some top bartending schools in New York City:

• ABC Bartending School New York: Offers comprehensive courses covering mixology, customer service and responsible alcohol service.
• European Bartender School: Provides international bartending courses with practical training sessions.
• New York Bartending School: Features state-of-the-art facilities and experienced instructors to guide you through the art of bartending.

Job Opportunities After Bartending School

Completing a bartending program opens up various employment opportunities in NYC’s vibrant hospitality industry. Potential positions include:

• Bar or Pub Bartender: Responsible for mixing drinks, engaging with customers and managing bar inventory.
• Fine Dining Restaurant Bartender: Crafting sophisticated cocktails and providing exceptional customer service in upscale environments.
• Nightclub Bartender: Serving high volumes of patrons in fast-paced nightlife venues.

Skills & Qualities a Bartender Needs in NYC

Skills and qualities required to become a Bartender in NYC or any other place in the world are similar. If you still haven’t honed the skills, you might want to start right away.

Bars, restaurants, hotels & other establishments prefer to hire people with previous knowledge of working behind a bar. It is harder for them to train you on the go. The key bartending skills they look for are:

• Mixing drinks
• Attending bartending tools
• Customer service skills
• Flexibility
• Teamwork
• Cash handling
• Ability to handle difficult alcohol-related situations

To hone the key skills, you can enroll in a bartending school or program. The important thing is that they offer classroom training. While theory is important, your practical skills are far more important.

You will get hands-on experience and knowledge about the hard liquors and raw materials used for cocktail preparation. These classes will cover the necessary bar equipment and give a basic overview of customer entertainment.

Every bartending class will help you learn how to responsibly serve alcohol and how to deal with intoxicated customers. As a Bartender professional, there will be situations where you will have to refuse to serve alcohol to people. You will also learn to de-escalate situations.

These programs often touch on handling money and working with other team members, but these are the skills you may already possess depending on your previous employment. You’ll also have to continuously work on them once you land your first job as a Bartender in NYC.

You will continue honing these skills while you work, and that is one of the pros of working as a Bartender. Initially you might follow existing cocktail recipes, but with time you will start developing your own creations. As a bartending professional, multitasking and customer service skills will be basic to you.

Tips for Landing a Bartending Job

Now that we have covered all the key skills you need to hone, let’s talk about the next steps of becoming a Bartender. Learning about mixology and other working behind the bars will help you meet the requirements for available positions in the city, but you have to present yourself effectively to potential employers. To do this, you’ll need two things:

• Resume – Every job candidate needs a resume. That being said, make a good Bartending resume and add key resume skills for Bartenders you possess.
• Cover letter – Having a compelling cover letter will help potential employers learn more about you and how you fit their teams. To write a good cover letter for the role of a Bartender summarize your previous bartending experience, highlight relevant skills and express enthusiasm about getting hired.

Once your application materials are ready, you can start looking for your first job in the role and kick off your bartending career.

Navigating the NYC Bartending Job Market

The bartending job market in New York City is dynamic, competitive and influenced by several factors, including location, trends and the overall demand for skilled bartenders. Understanding where the opportunities are and what the market demands can help you secure a job more effectively.

• High-demand areas: Certain neighborhoods, particularly in Manhattan like the Lower East Side, East Village or Williamsburg in Brooklyn, are known for their nightlife and vibrant bar scenes, providing abundant job opportunities. Tourist-heavy areas such as Times Square or SoHo also present numerous openings, though these positions might be more competitive and require Bartenders to handle high-volume service. Meanwhile, upscale or trendy districts like the Meatpacking District or Tribeca may prioritize bartenders with specialized skills, such as craft cocktail knowledge or luxury service experience.
• Current industry trends: The craft cocktail trend has significantly influenced the NYC bartending market. Many bars are looking for Bartenders with knowledge of mixology and the ability to create signature drinks using unique ingredients. Additionally, there’s a growing focus on sustainable practices in bars, with an emphasis on eco-friendly service and waste reduction, which may lead to more specialized bartending opportunities in bars that align with these values.
• Competitive landscape: NYC’s bartending scene is notoriously competitive. A good network, experience in a high-end or popular venue and knowledge of the latest trends (e.g., mixology, customer service and bar management) can give Bartenders an edge. It’s important to stay updated on industry changes and to leverage networking opportunities through local bartending events, conventions and workshops to improve your chances of landing a job.

Working as a Bartender: Expectations vs. Reality

Bartending in NYC, while rewarding, comes with challenges that aspiring Bartenders should be aware of. The high-energy nature of the job, long hours and occasional difficult situations can test your resilience, patience, and interpersonal skills.

• Long hours and late nights: NYC bars often stay open late, particularly in nightlife-heavy areas. As a Bartender, you might find yourself working late into the night or on weekends when the bar is busiest. While these hours can be lucrative in terms of tips, they also require stamina and the ability to maintain high energy throughout shifts. This is especially true for Bartenders in busy bars or clubs, where you may be required to serve a large number of customers in a short period of time.
• Customer interactions: While bartending can be a social job with plenty of opportunities to meet new people, it also means dealing with challenging customers. Whether it’s managing difficult patrons, handling intoxicated guests or diffusing conflicts, strong communication and conflict resolution skills are essential. Many Bartenders develop a thick skin over time as they deal with a wide range of customer behaviors.
• Physical demands: The job can also be physically demanding. Bartenders are on their feet for long hours, often lifting heavy kegs, boxes of alcohol and other supplies. The need to stay organized behind the bar while multitasking and managing multiple orders can create physical and mental fatigue, particularly during peak hours.
• Emotional resilience: The fast-paced and high-stress environment requires emotional resilience. Bartenders need to stay calm and composed under pressure, whether they’re dealing with long lines of customers or unexpected problems like spills or broken glasses. Being able to stay friendly and positive, even in difficult situations, is key to success.

Final Steps of Finding a Bartender Job

To help set you up for success, we’ve also listed some of the best-paying bartending positions in NYC. Although the more lucrative options might be tempting, we suggest you start with entry-level roles if you don’t have any previous bartending experience. To increase your chance of landing the job, you can always enroll in a school or program.

While looking for jobs you can also check the NYC bartender salary information and see if they align what you have envisioned to earn. Bartenders in NYC earn $58,050 a year, on average.

To help you prepare for the interview, have a friend or family member prepare a mockup interview. And to help you excel you don’t have to search the web for questions, you can simply give them the questions on our Bartender Interview Questions page. It goes without saying that we also prepare killer answers that will help you stand out from other job applicants.

With all these tips and tricks, you should land your next bartender role in no time. Once you start working as a Bartender don’t forget that it’s all about customer service. Continue honing your cocktail making skills and sharpen your food-drink pairing knowledge to succeed in your career.