Lead Bartender | Beverage Operations Supervisor
Hales Blackbrick | Tampa, Florida
Hospitality First. Leadership Always.
At Hales Blackbrick, we believe the bar is more than a place to make drinks—it’s one of the first and last impressions our guests have of their experience.
We’re looking for a Lead Bartender | Beverage Operationo Supervisor to help lead one of Tampa’s premier chef-driven restaurant bars.
This is a working leadership position.
You’ll spend most of your time behind the bar serving guests while also helping oversee inventory, ordering, training, beverage quality, and daily operations. We’re not looking for someone who wants to manage from an office. We’re looking for someone who leads by example and takes pride in being part of every service.
If you’re happiest working a busy Friday night while mentoring your team and setting the standard for hospitality, we’d love to meet you.
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About Hales Blackbrick
Blackbrick is an independently owned, chef-driven restaurant built on exceptional hospitality, elevated Chinese cuisine, and a culture of relentless attention to detail.
We are not corporate.
We are not a chain.
Every decision we make is centered around creating memorable guest experiences.
Our beverage program exists to elevate our cuisine—not compete with it.
We hire professionals who take pride in their craft, enjoy working alongside passionate teammates, and believe excellence comes from consistency, humility, and teamwork.
Your Role
This position blends leadership with hands-on execution.
You’ll work regular bartending shifts while helping oversee our beverage program and supporting the General Manager in maintaining exceptional standards throughout the restaurant.
Responsibilities
- Deliver polished, genuine hospitality every shift
- Lead the bar team by example
- Prepare exceptional classic and craft cocktails
- Execute service with urgency while maintaining quality
- Manage liquor, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverage inventory
- Place beverage orders and maintain vendor relationships
- Monitor beverage costs and inventory accuracy
- Maintain recipe consistency and organization
- Train, coach, and mentor bartenders
- Assist with scheduling and daily bar operations
- Ensure cleanliness, organization, and health code compliance
- Support the dining room whenever needed
- Work closely with the General Manager and Executive Chef to continually improve the guest experience
Fine Dining Service Is Essential
At Hales Blackbrick, the majority of our bar guests are dining with us—not simply having drinks.
For that reason, this position requires more than exceptional bartending skills.
Our Lead Bartender | Beverage Operations Supervisor must also be an accomplished fine dining server who understands the rhythm, standards, and level of hospitality expected in an upscale restaurant.
You should be comfortable:
- Guiding guests through our menu with confidence and enthusiasm
- Explaining dishes, ingredients, and preparation methods
- Making thoughtful food, wine, cocktail, sake, and beer pairing recommendations
- Timing courses properly while communicating seamlessly with the kitchen
- Anticipating guest needs before they ask
- Creating memorable dining experiences from the first greeting through dessert
If your experience is primarily in nightlife, clubs, sports bars, or establishments where food service is secondary, this position is likely not the right fit.
We’re looking for someone who can deliver the same exceptional dining experience at the bar that our guests receive throughout the rest of the restaurant.
Beverage Program Leadership
As our Lead Bartender | Beverage Operations Supervisor, you’ll play an important role in shaping the future of Blackbrick’s beverage program.
Working closely with ownership, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Develop seasonal cocktails and signature creations
- Help build one of Tampa’s most respected restaurant beverage programs
- Source new spirits, wines, beers, sake, and specialty ingredients
- Collaborate on beverage pairings with our chef-driven cuisine
- Test, refine, and improve recipes
- Bring creative ideas to the table while maintaining Blackbrick’s style, philosophy, and standards
We value creativity, but every cocktail should have a purpose. Our beverage program is designed to enhance the overall dining experience while reflecting the quality and philosophy of our kitchen.
What We’re Looking For
The ideal candidate is first and foremost an outstanding hospitality professional.
You’re equally comfortable discussing a dish with a guest, recommending the perfect wine or cocktail pairing, crafting exceptional drinks, and leading a team through a packed dinner service.
Just as importantly, you’re someone others naturally follow.
You enjoy coaching teammates, solving problems, and building systems that make everyone around you better.
Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of bartending experience in upscale casual or fine dining restaurants
- Strong fine dining serving experience is required
- Previous Lead Bartender or Beverage Supervisor experience preferred
- Extensive knowledge of spirits, classic cocktails, wine, beer, and sake
- Inventory management and ordering experience
- Experience managing beverage costs
- Strong organizational skills
- Professional appearance and demeanor
- Excellent communication and leadership abilities
- Calm under pressure
- High attention to detail
- Genuine passion for hospitality
This Position Is Not For Someone Who
- Wants a management title without working service
- Believes bartending is only about making drinks
- Doesn’t enjoy selling and serving great food
- Doesn’t enjoy coaching teammates
- Cuts corners
- Blames others instead of finding solutions
- Cannot maintain professionalism during busy services
- Resists feedback or continuous improvement
- Doesn’t believe hospitality always comes first
What Success Looks Like
Guests feel welcomed the moment they approach the bar.
They receive the same exceptional service, food knowledge, and hospitality they would experience anywhere else in the restaurant.
Cocktails leave the station consistently and beautifully executed.
The bar remains organized, clean, and fully stocked.
The team performs confidently because they’ve been properly trained.
Inventory is accurate.
Costs stay under control.
The beverage program continues to evolve.
Most importantly, you’re the teammate everyone wants beside them on the busiest night of the week.
Compensation
We believe exceptional hospitality professionals deserve exceptional compensation.
This is a unique working leadership position designed for an experienced hospitality professional who wants to continue earning behind the bar while helping lead and grow an exceptional beverage program.
Compensation includes:
- Competitive leadership salary
- Bartending shifts with tip income
- Quarterly performance incentives
- Paid Time Off
- Employee dining benefits
- Continuing education opportunities
- Creative collaboration with ownership on cocktail and beverage development
Expected total annual compensation for a successful candidate is approximately $80,000-$110,000+, depending on experience, performance, and bartending income.
Why Join Blackbrick?
Unlike many restaurants, you’ll have a genuine voice in the development of our beverage program.
Working directly with ownership, you’ll help create new cocktails, refine pairings, source exciting products, and continually evolve our beverage offerings while remaining true to the Blackbrick brand.
This isn’t simply another bartending job.
It’s an opportunity to become part of a leadership team dedicated to building one of Tampa’s premier independent, chef-driven restaurants.
Our Hiring Process
Our hiring process is intentionally thorough because we’re building a long-term leadership team—not simply filling shifts.
Qualified candidates can expect multiple interviews, practical discussions about hospitality, leadership, and beverage knowledge, as well as professional reference checks.
We’re looking for the right fit—for both you and Blackbrick.
If you’re passionate about hospitality, believe leadership is earned through example, and want to help build one of Tampa’s premier dining and beverage programs, we’d love to hear from you.
Pay: $20.00 - $55.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid training
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Bartending: 5 years (Preferred)
- Fine dining: 1 year (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
