Lead Bartender

Lead Bartender — Buddy & Son

Location: Lower East Side, New York, NY
Employment Type: Full-Time
Restaurant: Buddy & Son at PUBLIC Hotel
Position: Lead Bartender
Reports To: Beverage Director / General Manager

Buddy & Son is a seasonal brasserie located inside PUBLIC Hotel on the Lower East Side, with approximately 95 seats in the dining room, 35 at the bar, and a 60+ seat garden.

Our approach is rooted in the spirit of a great neighborhood brasserie: excellent food and drinks, genuine hospitality, and a room people want to return to regularly. The beverage program will balance well-executed classics, thoughtful original cocktails, an approachable but serious wine program, and a strong understanding of what makes a busy bar work.

We are building a team based on professionalism, warmth, consistency, and respect. We want people who take hospitality seriously without taking themselves too seriously.

We are seeking an experienced Lead Bartender to join our opening team and work closely with the Beverage Director to establish the standards, systems, and culture of the bar.

This is a hands-on service position for someone who is first and foremost a great bartender, but who can also serve as a leader behind the bar. The Lead Bartender will help maintain consistency, organization, product knowledge, and hospitality standards across the team while setting the example during service.

Responsibilities include:

• Deliver warm, knowledgeable, and attentive hospitality to every guest
• Execute classic and house cocktails accurately and consistently
• Maintain strong working knowledge of the cocktail, wine, beer, and spirits programs
• Help lead and organize the bar team during service
• Support the Beverage Director with training and development of bartenders
• Help establish and maintain recipes, specs, prep systems, and service standards
• Ensure proper bar setup, breakdown, cleanliness, and organization
• Maintain proper pars, batching, garnishes, juices, syrups, and other bar mise en place
• Assist with inventory, receiving, storage, and product organization
• Monitor product quality and communicate shortages or operational issues
• Maintain proper cash handling and POS procedures
• Work closely with servers, managers, and the kitchen to create a seamless guest experience
• Help maintain responsible alcohol service and all applicable NYC regulations
• Lead by example and contribute to a positive, professional team culture

• 6+ years of bartending experience in quality, high-volume restaurants or bars preferred
• Previous lead bartender or supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of classic cocktails, spirits, wine, and beer
• Excellent cocktail technique and attention to detail
• Comfortable working a busy, high-volume bar
• Strong sense of urgency while maintaining composure and hospitality
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Ability to train, coach, and positively influence other bartenders
• Reliable, punctual, and professional
• Strong understanding of bar prep, inventory, pars, and operational systems
• Genuine interest in wine and continued beverage education
• Warm, confident presence with guests
• Team-first mentality with a willingness to jump in wherever needed

Experience in high-volume New York restaurants, brasseries, cocktail bars, or similarly hospitality-driven concepts is a plus.

• Competitive compensation
• Full-time schedule
• Opportunity to take a leadership role within a new beverage program
• Continued wine, spirits, and cocktail education
• Employee dining benefits
• Opportunity for growth within Buddy & Son
• The opportunity to join an opening team and help shape the standards and culture of the bar from day one

Expected Opening: October 2026

We are looking for a Lead Bartender who understands that a great bar is about more than making technically perfect drinks. It is about recognizing regulars, reading the room, taking care of people, supporting your team, and creating the kind of bar guests want to come back to again and again.