New York Bartending School

This was not a good experience. BUYER BEWARE. It is crucial to make it clear that, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY PRIOR BARTENDING EXPEIRENCE THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. The free introduction was a lecture nothing involved actually doing anything. The free «lecture» lasted for two hours.
At the time I registered, there was an add stating there was a two day course for $ 300 something… well when I asked the blonde haired lady (think she is the owner), she said there was no such special. BUt funny thing is… if you look to the side of this Unilocal ad… it says… free 16 hour bartending $ 395.00. This is false advertisment.
I am flabbergasted by all the positive reviews. I lost $ 700, on learning absolutely nothing. If you have a bartending background and some expertise, this is for you to enhance your talent. If you have never done anything relating to bartending, don’t be stupid like me and lose $ 700.00.

My instructor, Jorge Velasco was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. The price for the class was very reasonable. The place I received our classes were very impressive, clean and professional. I am very satisfied and highly recommend New York Bartending School.

I came here for one of their trial classes and I must say I was pretty impressed. What I really loved was the fact that although it was a trial class it was completely hands on from beginning to end. No lectures. No slideshows. The set up of the mock bar gives you a feeling as if you are really behind a bar, which is imperative for learning. There is no better way to get comfortable than to feel as if you are really bartending at a real bar. I was impressed with the instructor as well he really knows his stuff. You could tell in just one session that he has a very lengthy knowledge of not only serving but liquor origins, different types of liquors, customer service skills ect. Really a package deal in regards to learning. In just an hour and half we learned pouring rations, all the different types of liquors behind a standard bar, which cups to use, which garnishes to use and how to pour. I gotta say the trial class really sold me and I am seriously considering signing up for the next cycle. Whether you want to do this for fun or money this may definitely be the place, updates to come!

I enrolled in the NYBS in November 2014. I know it’s more on the pricy side, but from going to other training programs that were really bad I go with the motto «You get what you pay for», and I definitely did.
I was in Erica’s class and it was really fast paced but really fun. All of the people in my class were really nice and eager to learn as well. The lectures were actually very informative and you will learn useful things about alcohol. Other bartending schools do not even offer lectures at all so this was a plus. The course was over before I knew it but you can always go back to retake the class again. At the end of the course you have to do a speed drill which was really intimidating at first, but it comes naturally to you because of all of the practicing we did.
Anthony, the career advisor is amazing. He is a resume God (seriously). He gave me really great tips, and guess what? I actually got hired somewhere! Yes it took a few interviews but it’s actually possible to get a job with a nice resume and confidence. If you take the course and your job search seriously, there’s no reason why someone will not hire you. Especially when you have people to help guide you.
Honestly, I do not regret any of the money spent. It was a very good investment. If you want to try for yourself go to the free trial class like I did. Once I did that, I knew this was the best mixology course in NYC. The school speaks for itself. I learned so much going there and I am actually confident with my certificate. I will definitely be back to practice my mixology skills.

I tried to come up with a reason to moderate my 5 stars, but I can’t. This was so worth my time and money.
I have a service (more back of house) background and have been more and more interested in bartending, but didn’t have the confidence to go after jobs that involved cocktails (that means virtually all jobs). It’s generally understood that you must know how to make a basic range of cocktails and understand some basic concepts, but there’s not a lot of on-​the-​job training available at that level. If you give any indication that you’re less than confident about that aspect of things, you will almost always be passed over immediately.
I finally decided to do this and was very happy with my experience. I literally feel it would not be possible for them to provide a better value for my money/​time. For a reasonable amount of money, (which they broke into a few payments over three weeks, very handy for me), they prepared me extraordinarily well and gave me a solid overview and lots of new skills. The range of available schedules made this possible even with my crazy work/​school obligations.
Our instructor, Erika, was incredible, both covering the key material and offering us a lot of useful information in fun anecdotes about her impressive career as a bartender. There are just no words for what a wonderful instructor and great person she is. It’s critical to learn from someone who takes their work seriously and takes pride in their skills.
I waited for WAY too long to do this, mostly because I’ve heard that this type of program is useless. I absolutely disagree. For those of you who are concerned with what your outcome might be, in my humble opinion, here are the things the school can’t fix:
1. Some people are not cut out for service jobs! Quite seriously, this genre of work is not for everyone.
2. If you don’t drink /​know the spirits, obviously it will be an uphill battle — hard work to get up to speed. I’m sure it’s totally possible, but you need to actively study. I actually find it quite odd that people who don’t really drink aspire to be bartenders, but to each his own. I know vegetarian butchers, too.
3. This training eliminated a weakness for me, and without even going to their career services department, I now get WAY more interest from *awesome* employers. However, if you’re not going about the search effectively, or if you’re not cut out for this, the school doesn’t have a magic wand to make you clean, fast, and charming.
4. «POS training» in more depth than is provided here is next to impossible. They do show you some basic concepts, but the way you learn is just putting orders into a live system. Bars and restaurants use a bunch of POS systems, often configured in different ways. The reality is you need to work a little bit with one or two, and they’ll all start to come more naturally.
Hope this helps. As I said, I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

I wanted to pick up a second job, and thought about Bartending… After checking out two other schools in NYC I settled on this one.
Yes $ 595.00 may be steep for some, but I feel it was the better choice, after all you get what you pay for right?!?
I had Jessie, a high energy instructor who knew a lot, but sometimes you wanted him to slow down a bit more, And his music taste leaves much to be desired
But I digress…
The only «bad» things I can say about the school are although they do offer POS instruction, it’s a power point. The best instructions are hand on, so really it was just watching how to use it, instead of actually showing you how. Then there wasn’t enough actual sampling of liquors. There is another school that does use REAL alcohol & is cheaper. And finally, the showing of Draft beer was basically «Look this is a Draft system.» (but all of the pertinent information is in the book)
Other than that I must say that I have no regrets about taking this class and that all the staff were excellent and professional (even the lady instructor who chained smoked and smelled like a ashtray as she walked past 40x in a day) I will recommend this school.

After visiting all the other bartending school in nyc area (and I mean ALL of them) I decided to start at NY Bartending School last Feb and I couldnt be more happy! It is not cheap but it is a good investment. By far the best option available. Well organized and professional staff and the most complete curriculum. You really learn! It is not just an advertising. At the end of the course you will learn at least 100 cocktails preparation and they show you all the tips you will need to do it like a pro. In 2 weeks you can actually prepare 16 drinks in less than 6 min! I did it so you can do it! :) good luck!

I wanted to start to bartend for some time but had no experience. Didn’t know how or where to start.
One day somebody told me that I should check bartending schools. So I did.
New York Bartending school caught my eye right away so I decided to check it up. Once I got there person behind the desk answered all my questions without any pressure that I had to sign up. Then she told me that I can check up the class that was going on at the moment. So I did.
Five minutes after I decided that this is it. I sign up right away and left 80 $ deposit. They also have free trial but I felt it’s unnecessary for me.
It’s a 40 hour class. You have an option to split that in one or two weeks. If you decide to do it all in one week (like me) it’s Monday through Friday, 8 hours a day. Or two week period, 4 hours a day.
My instructor was Alan and he was amazing. I learned a lot from the class. Before I didn’t even know how to hold the bottle properly while pouring.
After the 40 hour class there is a written test and after you pass it it’s a «20 drinks in less then 6 minutes» test.
It sounds scary but it’s actually not that hard. If you really wanna do it and you practice you’ll pass it!
I felt like some of my classmates didn’t try hard enough. They were always late to the class and from the lunch break.
Once you graduate they let you come back anytime and practice, even do the whole class again for free! That offer doesn’t expire!
I can’t believe that some Unilocalers are giving them bad review because the school didn’t find them a job. C’mmon that’s a nonsense. Which school does that?
They prepare you as much as they can, help you with the resume, you can even train in one of the bars they work with and practice with real customers.
So after I graduated I went through their forum where you can find bars/​restaurants that are looking for bartenders.
I applied with the bar that contacted the school about open bartending position. And… I got hired!
I’ve been a bartender now for year and a half and I’m enjoying it!

Graduated from This school on June 28, 2013 I have to say I really enjoyed it not only did I have a blast but I learned so much in that week. The spirits knowledge the beer seminar the wine tasting. My main motivation to attend a bartending school was the fact that my dad has been bartending and in the restaurant business in New York for over 15 years. He recommended I check out this school and I am more than satisfied with the curriculum of the school and everything that I was taught by mind instructor. NYC Bartending school is Top-​notch.

I was very hesitant about attending a Bartending school when I’ve heard of all the «Bartending school is BS» talk. But I tried it anyway because I didn’t want to work my way up from a hostess to a waitress/​bar back, to finally a bartender. I’m truly HAPPY I didn’t listen to all the people who tried to stop me. The even better part is that you can continuously take refresher classes there for a lifetime if you ever wanna brush up. (Those are the best). I had Joey as my teacher and he’s lots of fun!
The database they provide for job placement is very helpful. I check it everyday and send out my résumé. They also help you with your résumé. Last night was my first night at my new job and I absolutely LOVE catering to customers. Ok… Let me not ramble on. Point of the story– TAKE THE CLASSES HERE! You won’t regret it, at least I didn’t!!! :)

I loved the place, I loved my instructor — GIO… he is awesome and a gret teacher and a bar tender… we had beer, wine and vodka seminar,…I won a bottle of Chocolate Van Gogh, I had so much fun, made a lot of friends… I would recommend it…
I oved the experience… and the best thing is that even when u graduate… u can keep on going and tranning, they help you with your resumé…It was so worthy…
I dont really know why they have low reviews… They are awesome!

I just went to NY Bartending School for the «free trial» class as I have been wanting to go for a bartending license at least for fun for some time. As a heads up, the free trial class consists of one of their teachers talking on a PowerPoint on selling you to pay them to come take their classes and there’s not much actual hands on stuff you get to do. You partner with someone else and each of you learn how to make one cocktail. My partner made a cosmopolitan and I made a chocolate martini. You do learn some useful tips like how to pour a proper ounce and how to shake, but if you’re looking for something more hands on, you likely will have to cough up the cash.
I decided to put down the $ 70 deposit to «lock in» their special rate, which I am 99% sure is a gimmick to close the deal to make you sign up before you leave. I doubt the rate is any different from any other time, but regardless, I have been wanting to do it for a long time anyway, so worst case scenario is that I lose the $ 70 if I never take the actual course.
If you are on the fence about this place versus other schools, don’t get pressured into signing up here. Definitely do your due diligence before you spend the cash. It’s around $ 700 for the course, so you better make sure you want to do it!

As someone with no prior bartending experience, I signed up for this course to give me confidence in job interviews. The week long course offers a lot of hands on training and took me from knowing nothing to knowing enough to feel comfortable in any job interview.
The instructor, Gio, is very easy going and has a lot of experience in the field to draw on. They offer a great support structure after graduation including training sessions at real bars affiliated with the school. I would definitely recommend the course.

This is a a very good school which has a very helpful staff. Anyone who gives this school a low review must have thought NYBS had a magic spell that gave everyone a job.
I am very pleased with their course and my instructor Gio was awesome, as well as the people I had in my class. I am really excited to start working.

I don’t see why there’s low reviews… the teachers were great positive attitudes and what not. You could ask as many questions as you like, their mindset is we’re here to help and make sure that when you graduate you leave with all the basic knowledge needed to set you in the right direction so ask away… they keep in contact with you even after you leave the school, my teacher Carlos even gave us his number to let him know when we got jobs so he can come check us out on site… but anyway a school is just that a school. They’ll provide you with the right amount knowledge that’ll qualify you for the job when you leave, the rest is up to you… personality, skills, going the extra mile its all up to you.
I think the classes were well worth it, the school is a quality school with great teachers and i would definitely recommend it to a friend… but for those still in doubt go check out the free trail class you can get your questions answered there. :-)

X

Another one who doesn’t understand the logic of these low reviews.
If you went to Princeton or Yale, you still have to APPLY to get a job. There isn’t some magic key in this life that controls the minds of bar managers. Get over it.
That said, NYBS turned me from someone who just knew enough about drinks to (poorly) inebriate myself, to a highly competent bartender. They put you at bars around the city, and honestly, if you keep your eyes peeled, ears cleaned, and your head screwed tight, you’ll be given what it takes to even impress the bartenders at the guest bartending spot.
I’ve seen other graduates of the school who just weren’t paying attention to some of the subtleties in the classes, and it showed from minute 1 of getting behind the bar. But you can revisit your classes, and I recommend you do so if you’re honest with yourself and you conclude you need the review.
NYBS leaves you with a no-​BS education, and no excuses to do your best. If you are capable at all to be a bartender, NYBS will get you there. I went from clueless to hopeful, and if I can do it, all of these 1-​star people could too if they put in more effort, and/​or reset their expectations.

I don’t quite understand the 2 – 3 star criticisms I read on here regarding the fact that NY Bartending School doesn’t explicitly bend over backwards to hand you a job once you complete their 2-​week course. I’ve always thought that was a given, this being NYC and all. To be fair, however, I did go on the main website and under the «Job Placement» category, they list an extensive amount of services. While I can understand that it’s implied that they’ll really go out of their way to find you employment, it must be said that YOU have to put the work into doing it. My instructor Hezekiah James has no problem with you contacting him after you graduate for advice, personalized resume critiques, and for you to pick his brain regarding this industry. I find that to be a very resourceful aspect.
As I expected, this course provides you with the FOUNDATION of what a bartender goes through so that when you end up getting that first job that requires 2 years of experience (which presumably you don’t have), you at least have quite a few skills to show for the 2 weeks you spend here, and you won’t look like a complete jackass when you’re behind the bar for the first time. Make no mistake, you WILL learn how to bartend. No one is claiming that it’s a replacement to real world experience, but they will work hand in hand. I can understand how frustrating it is to break through the first job with such tough hiring requirements. After all, how can one get 2 years of experience if no one will hire them in the first place? It’s a big catch-​22 and yet, that’s the standard.
You’ll learn how to make many mixed drinks, the relevant histories of various spirits, wines, and beer. You’ll get practical advice like the importance of being a good conversationalist and being yourself as well as pitfalls (getting drunk on the job, overpouring, miscounting the bar bank). It’s a pretty information heavy course but well worth it, in my opinion. Also, after about the 3^rd day, you’ll engage in much needed hands-​on training making drinks and performing speed drills (with colored water, of course). If I had to nitpick, I would’ve liked a brief lesson on pouring draft beers. Fortunately, I’ve been behind the bar often in restaurants I’ve worked in to know how to work most of them.

They will teach you how to make the most popular drinks quickly and effectively, and the drills will beat the recipes into your head. The instructor I had (Hezekiah) was good and cared. If you take the course seriously, you will be able to make 20 drinks in 5 minutes (there is a test at the end where you have to make 20 drinks in 6 minutes) and also ace the written tests while obtaining some sort of knowledge on spirits and wines.
When you graduate, you get to work at real bars. These bars aren’t going to let an inexperienced person bartend on a busy night and screw up their profits, so don’t expect to make many drinks or pour many beers. It will be dead and much (if not most) of the crowd is fellow NYBS graduates waiting to get behind the bar, meaning many of them aren’t there to drink and don’t really order anything. Also, depending when you get to the bar, there may be a 2 or 3 hour wait to get behind the bar, so out of bordom I quickly hit a tab of $ 50. This training killed my pocket. Then when you get behind the bar, it’s only for maybe 20 minutes. But hey, it’s better than nothing, and I wonder if any other bartending schools have deals like this with other bars. So this is good, and you still get somewhat of a feel of being behind a real bar. Just make sure you get there early if you can.
I went to the free trial class. As expected with anyone trying to sell you anything, they overpromised a tad and underdelivered a tad, and kind of tell you what you want to hear. Some things they said would be part of our curriculum were not. Also, they glamourize the training bars and the job placement. It is very hard getting a bartending job with no experience, so don’t expect them to be able to help you that much in your job search, no matter what they say when they’re trying to sell you on signing up for their classes. They’ll offer good advice and help with your resume though. But getting a job is all on you, as it should be.
Graduating from this school will not really get you a job because employers want experience (unless you’re an attractive girl). But it gives you some experience, experience that you certainly didn’t have before. After that, it’s up to you to embellish (you may even have to flat out lie) your resume and convince someone to hire you. Or you can go the other route and be perfectly honest, like I did, and eventually find someone to give you a shot. In a sea of people who are lying or embellishing, you will look good. And your lack of experience will likely show anyway.
All in all, I’m glad I went here because I would have had zero experience otherwise. I was lost at first when I got a bartending job because it was my first industry job, but way less lost than I would have been without NYBS. And as much as the training bars can suck, it’s something at least, and you can put them on your resume as «guest bartending». You can also take the courses again as many times as you want and go in to practice making drinks as often as you want, which is pretty cool. I’m confident this place is better than most other schools.

It’s fun. It got me into the world of making cocktails, learn about how to make different ones, and just not be intimidated about bartending in general.
Post-​job assistance has been great so I am editing my review from 3 stars to 4 stars. If I didn’t have them to call, I would not be able to ask anybody for hundreds of questions I have since I started working at a real bar. They answered all my questions diligently.
My instructor was great and funny also.