Steps to Take When Hiring an Event Bartender in Los Angeles
If you’re throwing a private event or party, one aspect you can’t forget about are the bartenders. Private party bartenders are essential for ensuring your guests get timely service and tasty cocktails. In this article, we will cover the steps to take when hiring a bartender for a house party in Los Angeles, to ensure you get the right service for the right cost.
Understanding Private Party Bartenders
When offering a bar service for your private event, it’s important to know the scope of responsibilities required to run an efficient bar.
Before you hire bartenders its important to cover these key variables:
Cocktail Menu
Create a concise cocktail menu that reflects what you believe most of your guests will drink. To ensure an efficient service, offer 3 specialty cocktails. In my experience, most people either drink Tequila, Vodka, or Whiskey. If you are offering a Margarita, Moscow Mule, and Old Fashioned, be sure to include soda and tonic water in case guests would rather drink a simple cocktail.
For wine - offer a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Cabernet Sauvignon to cover both white and red wines.
Soft Drinks
Consider including soft drinks for all non-alcoholic guests. Consider having coca-cola, coke zero, sprite, orange juice, and cranberry juice.
For beer offer a light beer option like modelo, and an IPA.
Ingredients Needed For Event Bar Service
Create a list of all the ingredients necessary to create the cocktails you desire. If you’d rather not try and access quantities you should contact a full bar production service to obtain mixers and ice for you.
Typical Ingredients lists for a private party bar that includes a Margarita, Moscow Mule, and Old Fashioned, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Modelo, IPA, and soft drinks for 100 guests.
Private Party Bar Shopping List for 100 Guests
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Tequila Blanco | 75-100 ounces |
| Vodka | 75-100 ounces |
| Bourbon | 50-75 ounces |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 3-4 bottles |
| Sauvignon Blanc | 3-4 bottles |
| Modelo | 1-2 cases |
| IPA | 1-2 cases |
| Triple Sec | 25-35 ounces |
| Simple Syrup | 25-35 ounces |
| Ginger Beer | 2-3 cases |
| Club Soda | 4-6 cases |
| Tonic Water | 3-4 cases |
| Lime Juice | 30-40 ounces |
| Limes | 100-150 whole limes |
| Lemons | 25-35 whole lemons |
| Oranges | 10-15 whole oranges |
| Ice | 300-400 pounds |
| Coke | 3-4 cases (24 cans/bottles per case) |
| Coke Zero | 2-3 cases |
| Sprite | 2-3 cases |
| Orange Juice | 2-3 gallons |
| Cranberry Juice | 1-2 gallons |
Misc. Items
You’re going to need a few other items to run a smooth bar service.
Cups - choose between tossware or glass, tossware is cheaper and easier to manager, glassware is for more sophisticated experiences.
Straws - Girlies love to have straws for their beverages so they don’t mess up their lipstick, invest in a few boxes of cocktail straws.
Cocktail Napkins - Drinks are wet, include cocktail napkins to keep tables and hands dry.
Paper Towels or Bar Rags - bars are messy, and bartenders need to be able to clean up after themselves when spills occur, make sure to have some paper towels for your bar.
Trash bags - bar trash can overfill fast, make sure bartenders are set up for sucess by including extra trash bags to store behind the bar.
Coolers - Having coolers is extremely important when running an efficient bar to ensure the ice doesn’t leak and drinks stay cool. consider having 2 large coolers for bartenders to utilize.
Ice Buckets - Consider having ice buckets for bartenders to comfortably access clean ice for your guests beverages.
Trash Can - Many parties end up a mess because party planners forget to rent extra trash cans. Trash cans are essential to ensuring bartenders service is smooth.
Factors Affecting Bartender Costs
Theres 5 factors that are attributed to the average cost of a bartender for a wedding: Location, Experience, Time, Source, and Unique Attributes.
Location
It’s safe to say that different locations have different price points, in Los Angeles, private party bartender rates per hour typically begin at $50/hr, where Miami private bartending rates start at $43/hr.
Experience
Bartender staffing agencies can charge different price points based on their bartenders experience level and abilities. Bartending is a skill, and experience pays.
Time
The amount of time you plan to serve alcohol will impact how much bartenders cost. For a successful 2 hour cocktail hour a bartender needs to be scheduled for 4 hours (1 hour for set up and 1 hour for clean up.)
Specific holidays must also be understood. Bartenders are in high demand on St. Patricks Day (March 17th), Cinco de Mayo (May 5th), July 4th, Halloween (Oct 31st), and New Years Eve (Dec 31st). Expect to pay higher rates on these dates.
Sourcing
Where you’re sourcing your bartenders for can change the cost. If you’re using a freelance platform like Gigsalad, Qwick, or Instawork, you can potentially save on cost, but quality is not assured. When working with a bartender staff agency, you’re guaranteed standards and quality, but cost is typically higher.
Unique Attributes
If you’re looking to get specific with bartender performance, or bartender appearance, expect there to be a cost attributed.
If you’re seeking Model Bartenders in Los Angeles, you’re going to have to pay a premium.
If you want your party bartenders to wear specific wardrobe that may be suggestive, expect to also pay a model bartender rate.
If you’re seeking bartender performance like flair or fire breathing, there will be a cost attributed to performance elements.
Average Private Bartending Rates in the United States
Some bartenders simply pour drinks, while others provide full bar setup, garnishes, mixers, and so on. More comprehensive services generally mean higher rates.
Typical hourly rate ranges for private bartenders in the United States are as follows:
Entry Level: $20 - $30 per hour
Moderately Experienced (2-5 years): $25 - $40 per hour
Highly Experienced (5+ years): $35 - $60+ per hour
Many bartenders also charge a flat rate fee on top of the hourly rate to cover expenses like transportation, bar setup/breakdown, etc. These flat fees can range from $50 to $300 typically.
For larger events with over 100 guests, it's common practice to have multiple bartenders at rates around $30-$50 per bartender per hour depending on where you’re located.
Some companies offer complete bar packages including bartenders, portable bars, glassware, and more at package rates from $1,500 up to $10,000 or higher depending on the specific parameters.
Rent a Barman through a Staffing Agency
The process of renting a barman from a bartender staffing agency is simple. All you have to do is inquire including location, time, how many bartenders you need, and any unique attributes you desire.
The event staffing agency will reply with their quote, you can pay and get your team confirmed.
If you desire competitive pricing, it’s recommended to get a quote from multiple agencies and assess your options. Temp agencies have different hourly minimums, so its important to see which agencies fit your needs.
Elevate Events requires all bartenders to bring their own bar kit - that way you don’t have to think about it. All of our bartenders are also required to be RBS certified and have a completed sexual harassment training.
Elevate also includes a full open bar production service, including the physical bar, so you don’t have to think about your party bar.
Hiring the right bartenders for your private event is essential to ensuring a positive guest experience.
If you’re looking to ensure quality and moderate pricing, inquire here.
