|
Where I spent most of my time in Houston: Domestic beers: $3.50 Premium beers: $4.50 Wells: $5 Calls: $6 Premium: $7 We had a few liquors that were more, mostly scotches (and Patron), and Red Bull was a $1.50 upcharge
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2012 08:24
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 09:23 |
|
|
Daric posted:Pappas family just put in a new rule that says employees are no longer allowed to have alcohol at their own restaurant. This includes coming in and sitting at a table on your day off. With your girlfriend, parents, doesn't matter, you're not having a drink. The policy change is probably a good one - a restaurant that allows its employees to drink there, even on their day off, is risking a hell of a lot of shrinkage (and those employees are still representative of the restaurant, even if they're off the clock). Not allowing employees from another unit to grab a beer is dumb, though, I'd be looking for another job.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 26, 2012 10:12
|
|
|
Sheep-Goats posted:No employees drinking is always a good rule. Banning other bar staff is always a bad one. Even if they're getting half of their stuff for free having industry people like your bar is priceless. They're young, attractive, and if they say "X bar is a good bar" there isn't a person in the city that will not believe them. And this is probably more relevant to bars/clubs and less to restaurants, but other bar staff are also generally good about keeping their group in line if they do come with other people. Not necessarily a chaperon, but at least someone who will step in if someone gets too drunk or looks like they might be a problem. I've had customers save my rear end more than once by stopping a problem before it starts, or before I get there at least (and it always warrants a drink on me).
|
|
#
¿
Oct 27, 2012 06:22
|
|
|
Vegetable Melange posted:Dear everybody who will pre game at house parties then show up a sloppy, costumed mess at my bar: comic con is over. gently caress Halloween. Dude do you ever have fun?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 28, 2012 09:48
|
|
|
Dirnok posted:gently caress this. Halloween is Bartender Christmas. This, and I'm not even a huge fan of dressing up. Were I still behind the wood, I'd wish for Halloween every weekend.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 28, 2012 11:57
|
|
|
Have you tried calling other bartenders you know to find out if they have an open shift for the night? On nights like Halloween and St. Paddy's Day, plenty of bars in Houston will add capacity and a couple extra bartenders/servers, if you start calling now you may get lucky.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 29, 2012 16:36
|
|
|
Vegetable Melange posted:So I'm doing the open for a new place in two weeks and the fear is finally starting to sink in just as everybody tells me I'm doing a great job, we're getting good press, etc. I know it's just nerves, but oof I'm gonna wake up one day and be like "welp you're a schmuck and everybody knows it, good luck getting another gig in this town" and then give up and go to law school (gently caress that I competed in a Manhattan competition last night, my homie won $1500 and I got lit and a liter of good bourbon, I love my job). Just remember Coughlin's Law.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 13, 2012 18:28
|
|
|
irohol15 posted:It's starting to seem like the fact that I'm trying to learn as many drinks as possible (cocktail, mixed, what-have-you) seems to be a bit of an overkill. The problem is that there is no universal standard for the vast majority of drinks out there. Even very common drinks are made differently in different regions/bars - drinks as common as mojitos, cosmopolitans, and Long Island iced teas. Hell, even classics that have been around for decades such as Manhattans and margaritas have variation from one bar to the next. If you have a specific off menu cocktail request, rather than just ordering it, your best bet is probably to ask if the bartender knows how to make it, or better yet, ask them how they make it. You'll probably come across a number of bartenders who have no idea what you're asking for, but you might be pleasantly surprised a few times as well.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 22, 2012 01:07
|
|
|
irohol15 posted:I was talking more about the concept of me bartending, but your information is still sound, just focused more on the bartender than the customer. Then take it in reverse - as an example, I've heard something like 7 different recipes for a Liquid Cocaine. If you get requests for drinks that you're either unfamiliar with, or that you make very infrequently, ask your customer what they're expecting.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 22, 2012 12:15
|
|
|
Snappy Zings posted:On the subject of ordering specialty cocktails at a bar, honestly one of my personal favorite things to do is check out their house specialty menu or ask the bartender what their favorite specialty is. Most of the time you'll get a perfectly made drink from a bartender that was happy to see you show interest in their opinion or at least took interest in the house cocktails. Going one step further, if you're going to ask for a cocktail of the bartender's choice, it's not a bad idea to give them some idea of what you're looking for - maybe a base spirit (bourbon, gin), or something else you really like (citrus juices, fizzes made with egg whites), etc. Doing this at the right bar can open you up to some really cool stuff. There's at least one bartender who has posted in this thread that I have visited more than once and literally never ordered a specific drink from - I just let the guy make whatever seems interesting, and am always pleasantly surprised as a result.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 24, 2012 22:48
|
|
|
MC Eating Disorder posted:For the record: gently caress everybody who has ever walked backwards through a bar to death. Behind the bar especially but I am constantly dumbfounded by the sheer number of patrons who will moonwalk through my (3 feet wide) venue clutching two cocktail glasses and still take umbrage to every person who bumps into them. People walk backwards while holding cocktail glasses? ...Why? Frankly, if a bar is that crowded and I want to drink a cocktail (assuming it's that kind of bar in the first place), I generally ask them to pour the drinks into old fashioned glasses anyway to minimize the chance of a spill. It's not "correct" but I'd rather get to my table with full drinks, personally.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 29, 2012 16:00
|
|
|
MC Eating Disorder posted:From the taste I would say cherry herring, creme de myrtille, lemon juice, cre de cacao and definitely some honey, plus a hefty dose of scotch This was a mispour? What was he trying to make, an Emetic?
|
|
#
¿
Nov 29, 2012 19:50
|
|
|
Basically the only time I would pour straight well shots is when, at 12:30 or 1AM some idiot would come up and order a quantity of "shots." Something fruity? Something straight? Something with Red Bull? "Naw Dude, just whatever!" Fine, dick, here are your 6 shots of well tequila.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 30, 2012 07:28
|
|
|
RisqueBarber posted:Working New Years Eve, my manager let all the staff have one free shot on the house that we cheersed to. Any liqour that we had, they could have a shot of. One of the waitstaff chose well tequila... Have you asked her out yet? At least you know she'll be a cheap date.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 30, 2012 15:54
|
|
|
Cynar if you have it, Campari if not.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 1, 2012 01:36
|
|
|
Sheep-Goats posted:There are too many things for another liquor to make a difference. Go for the kill. You've already got Bailey's, the way to end it is to add fresh lime juice. The Bailey's is already curdling from the alcohol, or that would have been my vote too. Edit: Do you know what they are betting on, how much cash is involved?
|
|
#
¿
Dec 1, 2012 08:23
|
|
|
We typically spent between $15/case and $25/case, depending on the season.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 3, 2012 15:52
|
|
|
Basically, yeah - alcopops are premixed, carbonated alcoholic beverages that are generally chock full of sugar and artificial flavorings, they're around 5-6% alcohol and are generally pretty terrible.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 7, 2012 19:53
|
|
|
FaceEater posted:Home on a Friday night because it's so dead that I would feel like I'm literally stealing from the staff that's supposed to be there from 7 PM til close. I thought you had a fairly lucrative gig?
|
|
#
¿
Dec 8, 2012 05:37
|
|
I need to eat.
|
FaceEater posted:Was. Dried up about 5-6 months ago and never got wet again. As of 3 months ago I was casually looking, but by January I might really have to get a bit busier on that front What's your e-mail?
|
|
#
¿
Dec 8, 2012 10:04
|
|
|
You can also 86 menu items/liquors/beers. Ex: "86 Grey Goose"
|
|
#
¿
Dec 13, 2012 02:14
|
|
|
As long as you have an alternative to offer, it's generally OK to tell a white lie about it. Normally, if we were even remotely close to closing, I'd just tell guests that we're out at the moment, we've sent a barback to get more - but can I get you X instead of Y for now, and we should have a fresh bottle when you get back? Edit: Don't do this for top shelf whiskies, just be honest with them if you work at a whiskey bar. For vodka/gin/rum/tequila and most beers it's just fine though. Shooting Blanks fucked around with this message at 17:52 on Dec 13, 2012 |
|
#
¿
Dec 13, 2012 16:52
|
|
|
FaceEater posted:Also, ShootingBlanks, what did you want to email me? Somehow I got you confused with Daric and thought you were in Houston, was going to ask what part of town so that I could ask around if anyone is hiring.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 13, 2012 23:13
|
|
|
Kial posted:At the end of the day you have to do what's in your own interests. Weigh it up, sometimes slightly better pay isn't worth a boring/unhappy job. Sometimes it is. Don't get into that trap where you think you "have" to stay somewhere. Your boss will just hire someone else and time will move on. I would kill someone to be able to emigrate to Australia. I was there for 6 months in college (study abroad), and I still miss it.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 17, 2012 14:31
|
|
|
Coldfire posted:New Years, what are you guys planning to do? Most of us will be working but is there something special you're doing? All the bar staff at the current joint are planning on jumping up on the backbar, grabbing a bottle of their favourite and going a big old layback. I'm going to bring in my brûlée torch and some spiritus and let out a big fireball on the dot of 12. I know our backbacks read this thread a fair bit, so don't tell boss man! Staying home with a bottle of Champagne and the GF. Might go to a party or something, but bartending really removed any desire I used to have to actually go out to a bar on nights like NYE, St. Paddy's Day, etc.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 21, 2012 07:33
|
|
|
an skeleton posted:Agreed, want to elaborate? I thought drinking in moderation has time and time again been proven to have health benefits, most of the stuff in that webpage doesn't seem like a huge stretch. Drinking wine in moderation has been said to be healthy in a number of studies, however the current thought is that those studies suffered from selection bias. Basically, the kind of person who can generally afford to drink a glass of wine per day can also afford to eat healthier food in general, and can afford better medical care, particularly preventative. This doesn't mean that drinking wine is absolutely unhealthy, just that the studies haven't accounted for those variables and further study is needed.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 26, 2012 08:55
|
|
|
I've hopped the bar twice. It's actually a lot less exciting than it sounds, I'd rather just not have to deal with fights.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 6, 2013 05:04
|
|
|
Seeker Maya posted:So you've mentioned unpromotable Hispanic barbacks - how racial is bartending? What's the market like for Asians or Africans? In my experience, it's more an issue of language skills than racism. I'd have happily promoted the good barbacks I had, Hispanic or any other ethnicity - but since bartending is a customer facing job, fluency in English is a prerequisite. Frankly, the barbacks that worked with me made as much as the bartenders anyway (we tipped out 25%), so it was kind of a nonissue. For African Americans, the first one I worked with started as a barback, and I basically forced him to move up to bartender as he was a drat good worker and extremely personable as well. The second one (different venue) was a server, and had trouble showing up on time so I eventually had to let him after he walked in 90 minutes late on Mother's Day. Never even had an Asian American apply at any place I worked at or managed, at least not that I remember. Sexism is a bigger issue than racism, I think. I've had more issues getting a job because I'm male than anything else.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 13, 2013 05:59
|
|
|
JawKnee posted:Is it just the photo, or is that bar like at or below waist level? I wouldn't want to be bending over mixing drinks, but maybe that's just because I'm used to mixing well about that height. According to the article, the floor behind the bar is raised about a half foot, which accounts for some of it. That said, yeah, the bartop looks uncomfortably low, but I have a feeling we're both wrong about that.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 16, 2013 07:59
|
|
|
Old Man Pants posted:Are any of you required to take TIPS certification classes or similar alcohol serving classes? In TX we generally have to be TABC certified (TABC = Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission). It's not a legal requirement, however it's almost universally required by any venue that serves or sells alcohol, as it dumps the responsibility for serving underage people and overserving on individual employees (and provides a legal defense for the bar if an overserved patron drives off and kills someone) rather than the owner/license holder. Has to be renewed every 2 years. http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/faq/seller_server_training.asp
|
|
#
¿
Jan 18, 2013 17:36
|
|
|
The only way this would have been funnier/dumber is if the watermelon slipped and he impaled his hand on the stem of that cocktail glass.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 19, 2013 00:57
|
|
|
Benny the Snake posted:So Mr. Woods, would you please settle a disagreement? You probably shouldn't disagree with your bartender.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 19, 2013 03:11
|
|
|
Frozen Horse posted:Ingredients looking for recipes: Tamarind paste. Any ideas? Make a simple syrup with it, experiment with gin and brandy.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 25, 2013 15:06
|
|
|
nrr posted:I love it when a guy orders something like a southern and coke and then gives his friend poo poo when he gets a sazerac and it comes in a I once got called for drinking a "faggy pink drink" at a reasonably nice bar here in Houston (which has since shut down). It was a Negroni.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2013 22:44
|
|
|
nrr posted:yeah I've had the exact same thing except I think it was "pussy" instead of "faggy." The funny part of that story is that the guy that called me out was trying to hit on a pair of girls that were at the bar. We wound up all going back to his room at the hotel that bar was in, he struck out, I took both girls back to their hotel and somehow managed to not get laid. I still don't understand what the gently caress happened.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2013 23:55
|
|
|
Dirnok posted:I almost always order my cocktails like that because I have some of the most unsteady hands in the world and drinking out of fancy glassware is a headache for me. Might want to tone down your drinking a bit....
|
|
#
¿
Feb 15, 2013 19:41
|
|
|
JazzmasterCurious posted:The worst was the one that had "drunk Irish coffee all around the world and I've always gotten a straw. Even in Glasgow." Oh my. She then proceeded to stir it and complained it was cold. Some people. How do you make yours? Pour coffee. Apply whiskey. Consume. Isn't the whole point of Irish coffee to be a simple way to catch an alcohol buzz and a caffeine buzz at the same time?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 25, 2013 16:56
|
|
|
Der Luftwaffle posted:Near as I can tell, yeah. I don't get it but no doubt it's of critical importance to the arcane rituals they use to produce all of their crazy stuff. I don't think I could work anywhere without a proper kitchen for the sole reason that access to freshly churned gelato is worth way more to me than my tips. Apparently it can cook, weigh, stir, emulsify, chop, knead, mill, steam, blend, and melt  http://www.thermomix.com.au/what-is-thermomix/functions.aspx Though frankly, if it actually did all of that well, it would be a really interesting device. I'm sure it costs 2 grand, though.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 18, 2013 02:40
|
|
|
You're in Canada, right? I don't know anything about employment law in Canada, unfortunately, but that sounds shady as hell. If he just said everyone is starting from scratch, that would be fair - but the "fire and rehire" sounds discomforting at best, and illegal at worst. Do you have to reinterview and reapply for your current job? If so, that's a bad sign, even if you are absolutely guaranteed employment. If the situation is more along the lines of "Everyone can consider yourselves fired and rehired as of this moment, your past means nothing, nor does it matter how long you've been employed here," that's less worrisome. I would ask the new guy for clear, consistent direction from day 1 on what he expects, and that he notify you of anything he is or becomes aware of that needs to be corrected. Bringing in Barbie and Ken types is drat common, for better or worse (better if they are also competent bartenders and replace current, less competent employees, and worse if they are incompetent bartenders). Something else to be aware of is that a lot of GMs who are new to a place need to make their impact felt immediately, or at least give off that impression to bring back in line any good staff who have strayed due to lax standards under previous management. Be cautious, keep your head down and do your job. Oh, and above all else - DO NOT get stuck in a knitting circle of employees gossiping about what each of you has heard about/from the new GM WRT what he'll do, or what will happen. Only the worst rumors come out, and it will sour you on working under him, whether or not it's justified.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 18, 2013 17:03
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 09:23 |
|
|
Perdido posted:Right now he's in 'observation' mode and is going to be redoing all of our training manuals and stuff. I get that, part of the issue with the place I work at is that we (as a group of employees) are not the greatest with customer service. Some people are pretty comfortable with their positions (having been working at this particular bar for 8+ years, or having been really cozy with the previous management crew) and have a don't give a gently caress attitude towards their job. I'm positive he wants to put his own flourishes on things and nail in some specific customer service stuff -- one of the things I notice when I'm down in the States is how great service industry staff is compared to similar staff in places I go in Canada. Is he paying for gym memberships for everyone, or just saying he wants all current staff to get gym memberships? If the former, that's awesome, but I'm assuming it's the latter, in which case gently caress this guy. Reviewing everyone's resumes is a little weird...I'd make sure it's polished up, and be ready to bolt if things turn south. In general, people react negatively to change if it requires more effort on their part, or it takes them out of their comfort zone. That's to be expected. Telling the staff to lose weight or get fired is unacceptable, telling the staff that they're getting free gym memberships because it's good for their health and will help them be more successful in the long run is great. Mandatory guest list is just completely hosed up - that tells me he's expecting his bartenders to draw a crowd, and that he's going to be measuring performance based on how many people from your guest list actually show up. This is happening more and more, and lots of bars are advertising that they hire bartenders based on the crowd you can draw. That's one thing. To make it a new requirement for continued employment is a little hosed up, if it's not explained to you beforehand. That said, you should always be advertising and trying to get people into your bar. From what you've said, play along for now but be ready to change bars at some point in the forseeable future, unless the money just starts rolling in.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 19, 2013 02:12
|
|