Job Description
Job DescriptionBenefits:
- Employee discounts
- Flexible schedule
- Opportunity for advancement
- Training & development
Lead Bartender Bungalow Kitchen | Tiburon, California
Reports to: Beverage Manager > General Manager
Pay: $18.00 – $20.00 per hour, plus tips | Full-time, non-exempt
About the role Bungalow Kitchen is looking for a Lead Bartender who is a bartender first. You know your classics cold, you can read a guest and build them the right drink without a menu, and you take more pride in a regular's name than in a garnish. Tiburon is a small waterfront community. Our bar lives on the people who come back every week, and the person in this role is the reason they do.
You will anchor the bar during live service, set the pace and tone for the bartenders and barbacks around you, and keep the well organized and the flow steady when the weekend rush and private events hit at the same time. Creativity matters and you'll have a hand in the cocktail menu, but hospitality and craft come before invention.
Service and hospitality
- Deliver warm, knowledgeable, unhurried bar service that reflects Bungalow Kitchen's standards, even at full volume
- Recognize and greet regulars by name, remember their preferences, and turn first-time guests into returning ones
- Recommend and build custom drinks to fit a guest's taste, occasion, or mood
- Maintain full command of the cocktail, wine, spirits, and beer programs, including seasonal changes
- Anticipate guest needs and resolve concerns on the spot, escalating to management when needed
Leading the bar during service
- Run the bar alongside the manager on duty, managing pacing, ticket flow, and guest flow in real time
- Serve as the first point of contact for bartender and barback questions, section adjustments, and service calls
- Set the tone through composure, clear communication, and consistency under pressure
- Coach bartenders and barbacks in the moment on technique, speed, and service standards
- Keep the bar, wells, and storage areas clean, stocked, organized, and compliant with health and safety standards
Operations and program support
- Assist with inventory counts and communicate pars and levels to the Beverage Manager
- Track waste, breakage, spills, and comps and help maintain cost controls
- In charge of prep, batching, and mise en place so the team is ready before doors open
- Contribute to new cocktail menus and seasonal changes
- Participate in pre-shift meetings, tastings, and team training
What we require
- Three or more years of bartending experience in a high-volume, fine-dining, or craft cocktail setting
- Prior experience as a lead, trainer, or head bartender preferred
- Deep working knowledge of classic and modern cocktails, spirits, and wine service
- A hospitality-first mindset and a proven ability to build a following of regulars
- Organized, precise, and calm during peak weekend and event service
- California Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) certification and California Food Handler Card, or the ability to obtain both before your first shift
- Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 pounds
- Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays
Work environment and expectations Polished, professional appearance in line with Bungalow Kitchen's uniform and grooming standards. Punctuality and reliability every shift. Authority without ego. Lead through example.
Mindset "I set the pace and energy of the bar. I lead with presence and precision, I know my guests, and I keep the team aligned and the room delighted."
Who we are Bungalow Kitchen is part of Clive Collective, a hospitality group operating restaurants and nightlife venues in Arizona and California. We build teams around people who take pride in the craft and treat every guest as a relationship, not a transaction.
Clive Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law, and we consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.