Via Stockphoto / @nicolemakescocktails/TikTok
A bartender says she felt unprepared when she landed a job at a New York restaurant
A bartender who spent years working at dive bars says she felt unprepared when she landed a job at a New York restaurant. Now, she’s sharing the cocktails aspiring restaurant bartenders should learn before their first shift.
On Oct. 22, bartender Nicole (@nicolemakescocktails) shared her advice in a TikTok that has amassed over 53,000 views as of Wednesday.
“If you’ve only ever bartended at a dive bar […] and you just landed a job at an actual restaurant, there are some things that you’re gonna need to know before you walk into that job that I wish I had known,” she said.
What Was The Woman’s Advice For Aspiring Restaurant Bartenders?
She explained that moving into restaurant bartending meant learning an entirely new set of skills. “I was always a dive bar […], so I never had to actually make a real cocktail with a Boston shaker,” she said.
The bartender recommended learning several classic cocktails before starting a restaurant job. These include martinis, Old Fashioneds, French 75s, gimlets, Negronis, daiquiris, margaritas, whiskey sours, and Aperol spritzes.
However, she stressed that memorizing recipes alone isn’t enough. Bartenders should also understand the terminology customers use when ordering drinks. “You want to know all the variations of a martini,” she explained, noting that customers might order them dry, extra dry, or dirty.
She also warned bartenders against relying on premade sour mix for margaritas when fresh ingredients are available. “Please, for the love of God, only use sour mix in your margarita if you have to and you don’t have your own lime juice, agave, or simple syrup,” she said.
The bartender admitted that studying beforehand didn’t fully prepare her for the transition. Her first few shifts proved difficult because she hadn’t practiced enough. Now, she hopes other bartenders can avoid the same experience by preparing in advance.
“Get those drinks under your belt, have them memorized, know how to make them confidently,” she advised.
What Are The Key Differences Between Bartending At Restaurants Versus Dive Bars?
The key distinctions between dive bar and restaurant bartending include the drinks customers expect, the pace of service, and the level of technical knowledge. Dive bars typically focus on beer, shots, and simple mixed drinks. Meanwhile, restaurants may offer extensive cocktail menus that require precise measurements, specialized techniques, and fresh ingredients.
Pay can differ, too, although the type of establishment doesn’t guarantee higher earnings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, those working at drinking establishments earned a median of $16.01 per hour. Additionally, Reddit users generally indicate that while bartending in fine dining might have a higher base pay, dive bartending often ends with significantly more tips.
That said, the agency’s occupational data doesn’t distinguish dive bars from upscale cocktail bars. Additionally, individual earnings depend on factors such as customer volume, tipping practices, and location.
BroBible reached out to @nicolemakescocktails for comment via TikTok direct message and the TikTok comment section.