Elitte Bartending School

Horrible customer service. The person who answered the calls told me to «tell me how much you were gonna pay, we have a lot of promotions out there.» She was very unprofessional and stood me up for a meeting to register for class. I ended up going to a different bartending class.

Definitely, wouldn’t recommend this place. Go to A List Startenders … They’re up to date and professional.

Absolutely amazing school! If you’re a hands on learner, this is the school for you. The owner, Angela is very dedicated and loyal! What she offers, she gives! I would recommend this school to anyone looking to be a great bartender!

What can I say. I was looking for a bartending school to start on my new adventure with bartending. I came across elitte since they are so close to me and also read up on the reviews.
I came in and was blown away by the knowledge Angela has. She doesn’t just educate you on bartending she is also a great person to talk to about business and advice you on where your next step is. After finishing up with bartending school I have a lot more knowledge but not only that Angela is constantly posting opportunities for jobs /​gigs etc. Very very helpful. I walked out of there with my first bartending gig for that same weekend amazing ! 5 stars!

I would definitely recommend Elitte to anyone thinking about taking bartending classes. Their operations are small enough to help you when you need it, but smooth enough to get you BASSET certified in two weeks.

Horrible management practices by Angela. Over the past 2 weeks we have been coordinating the rental of her facility for a private event to be held by my company. I was surprised by how much I liked the space and it’s ambiance. Also, due to the private nature of the event hookah use would be permitted according to Angela. We met in person but just a few minutes after leaving our meeting I called Angela to let her know I wanted to know what it would take to lock the date. This is where I should have noticed the red flags. Most phone conversations she would speak over me and send confusing communications both verbally and via email. She refused to accept a faxed or emailed copy of our contract despite knowing that I was traveling significantly following our initially meeting. The worst part is she pulled the venue from my company’s use after she co-​promoted the event and suggested I include Elitte’s name on promotional materials. Her basis for canceling my venue reservation was flimsy at best. Furthermore, I have now lost money on the costs of advertising design and flyer costs. I called to speak with her directly after she made harsh accusations about me personally and made some inane reference to a rodeo. COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL. DO NOT USE THEM FOR YOUR PRIVATE EVENTS or work with someone other than Angela. I will end on a positive note and say that some of their student/​graduate bartenders that I’m friends with are much more considerate and professional than Angela Cuadrado-​Torres.

I definitely recommend Elitte bartending school to anyone looking to get into the industry. They will teach you everything you need to know to get you started and ensure your success. I graduated a little under a month ago and have already found 2 jobs that I will be starting within the week. They also offer fun classes like beer 101 to students and the public. (Which I HIGHLY recommend.) They also have a flair bartending class and a mojito class that I will be attending in the future.
David and Angela are great instructors and their knowledge of the industry is very extensive and realistic. If you are determined to be successful here you will not be disappointed. They made class both challenging and fun and they are great at preparing you for the real world of bartending. The facebook page is a great resource to take advantage of for job leads too!
If you are trying to decide on a bartending school, Elitte is a great choice not only because it is affordable but you really get a lot for your money. Go there! You will not be disappointed.

So I know I left a star out on my previous review, because of the whole Facebook Page requirement and very bare basics of beer/​wine content taught…
HOWEVER, as I stated before in my previous review, this is a school for people looking to get into the industry, and IT DOES PAY OFF. LITERALLY.
I got an internship through Angela on Facebook, and she sent me to a wedding with a fellow Elitte grad to bartend a reception for 250+ people. (I know, understaffed, but hear me out). Angela was extremely accessible by phone/​text to keep her updated on how we were doing at the reception, and if we were okay. Well, it turns out my peeps, I ended up leaving that event with $ 300 in tips in one night!
I must say, the Facebook page policy does seem a bit ‘eh-​heh’ at first, but that’s the most efficient way to get updates on the internships/​job leads themselves. I was a skeptic at first, but Elitte has been a great resource for a bartending industry newcomer. I now work at a 5 star hotel on Michigan Ave. training for a server position, and it requires extensive beer/​wine knowledge, something I can pick-​up during training. However, by just having a BASSET certification on my resumé and basic knowledge of drinks really did leverage me into this position. THANKS ANGELA AND DAVID! :)
I will definitely take the flair class in the near future when my work schedule permits, but for now, I am making really good standard of living at my current place of employment, and I thank Elitte once again!

I graduated mid July 2011. I can not be any happier with my decision to enroll in this school! Angela and David are very nice teachers. They are very knowledgeably confident at what they do, very easy to get along with, and very easy to listen to. They’re not boring teachers :)
I took the 1 week course: Mon-​Fri, 9am-​5pm.
Alongside memorization, speed and accuracy were stressed in our daily agenda. I really loved doing speed drills! I miss Elitte!

I went to Elitte Bartending School to learn how to bartend and absolutely loved it! I learned about beers, wines, how to make a ton of different cocktails, and everything else you need to know about bartending! Angela and David, the couple that teaches you, are super cool and help you out a ton. It’s the cheapest place in Chicago to learn how to bartend, and you learn the same things you’d learn at any other place. If you’re looking for a place to learn how to bartend, I can’t recommend any better place!