Lead Bartender
Full-time$20–40/hr after tips · base $18–20/hr30–40 hrs/weekIn person · The Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington VT
Join our dynamic team as a Lead Bartender and lead the charge in creating exceptional bar experiences. You'll oversee daily bar operations, bartend, ensure top-tier customer service, and manage staff scheduling. Your expertise in food and beverage service, combined with strong leadership skills, will help foster a lively, welcoming environment that keeps guests coming back to the Venetian Soda Lounge.
What you'll do
- Function as the lead bartender
- Supervise daily bar operations, ensuring efficient service and quality standards
- Train bar staff to deliver outstanding customer service and high performance
- Food preparation and presentation at the bar, including cocktail crafting and light food offerings
- Manage inventory control: stock ordering, storage, and waste reduction
- Handle cash transactions accurately using POS systems
- Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and responsible alcohol service policies
- Coordinate shift schedules, staffing levels, and shift management for smooth operations
- Assist with serving and barback tasks when necessary
- Help prep syrups for service
What we're looking for
- Proven experience in a fast-paced bar, food service, or hospitality environment
- MUST HAVE craft cocktail bartending experience
- Strong knowledge of food preparation and food-handling safety protocols
- Experience with POS systems
- Demonstrated leadership in bar, restaurant, or food-service management a plus
- Excellent customer service with a focus on memorable guest experiences
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail
- Previous experience with mobile bar events a plus
Benefits
- Comprehensive training & development
- Lively, creative team environment
- Opportunity to grow with a distinctive local lounge
Server
Part-timeFrom $15/hr · plus pooled tipsEvenings & weekends (esp. Fri & Sat)In person · The Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington VT
The Venetian Soda Lounge is not a typical bar — a craft cocktail and soda lounge built around immersive hospitality, house-made beverages, live entertainment, and a calm, speakeasy-style atmosphere. Our service is seated, intentional, and guest-focused: cocktails, wine, beer, craft sodas, zero-proof drinks, floats, ice cream, and light food in a room designed for conversation, music, and memorable nights out. We're looking for a server who can create a polished guest experience from the moment someone walks in until the moment they leave — friendly, organized, detail-oriented, and able to keep the sense of hospitality that makes the Venetian special. Previous food and beverage experience is preferred.
What you'll do
- Greet guests warmly and help set the tone for the Venetian experience
- Assist with seating guests and managing room flow when needed
- Provide attentive full table service
- Explain the menu, specials, house sodas, zero-proof drinks, cocktails, and event format
- Take food and drink orders accurately and enter them promptly
- Communicate clearly with bartenders and support staff
- Deliver cocktails, beer, wine, sodas, floats, ice cream, and food to guests
- Check IDs when serving alcohol
- Offer recommendations and help guests find drinks that match their taste
- Watch tables for refills, cleared glassware, empty plates, and guest needs
- Pre-bus and reset tables throughout service; keep water filled and tables clean
- Support a seated, listening-forward atmosphere during performances and events
- Assist with reservations, wait times, and guest questions when needed
- Communicate guest issues to the lead or owner quickly
- Assist with basic prep (sodas, floats, ice cream, garnishes, food support) when needed
- Help stock menus, napkins, straws, glassware, water, and service items
- Support bartenders and barbacks during rushes; help with dishes, bussing, and cleaning
- Follow Vermont alcohol service laws and house safety standards
- Assist with opening and closing duties
What we're looking for
- Previous restaurant, bar, café, or hospitality experience preferred
- Comfortable providing full table service
- Guest-satisfaction focused, with strong communication skills
- Able to recommend drinks, sodas, zero-proof options, desserts, and food
- Comfortable in a live-entertainment / listening-room environment
- Calm, polished, professional floor presence in a fast-paced room
- Vermont alcohol server certification required, or willingness to complete before starting
- Able to read and speak English clearly with guests and staff
- Evening, weekend, and event-night availability (Fri & Sat strongly preferred)
- Able to stand and walk for extended periods and carry trays
- Dependable and punctual
Benefits
- Employee discount
- Pooled tips
- Creative hospitality environment
- Live music & entertainment atmosphere
- Opportunity to grow with a distinctive local lounge
Bartender
Part-timeFrom $12/hr (more DOE) · plus pooled tipsEvenings & weekends (every weekend required)In person · The Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington VT
The Venetian Soda Lounge is not a typical bar — a craft cocktail and soda lounge built around immersive hospitality, house-made beverages, live entertainment, and a calm speakeasy-style atmosphere. Our bartenders craft high-quality cocktails, zero-proof drinks, house sodas, floats, and guest experiences to Venetian standards. This role takes strong cocktail knowledge, speed, cleanliness, consistency, and teamwork in a busy service environment. Previous cocktail bartending experience required; event catering or event bartending experience preferred. Pay starts at $12/hr, or more depending on experience, plus tips.
What you'll do
- Prepare and serve cocktails, beer, wine, zero-proof drinks, craft sodas, floats, ice cream, and basic food — all to house specs
- Maintain consistent taste, presentation, garnish, glassware, and pacing
- Provide warm, attentive, professional guest service
- Help guests choose cocktails, sodas, zero-proof options, wine, beer, and food
- Check IDs and follow all Vermont alcohol service regulations
- Enter orders accurately through the POS system
- Communicate clearly with servers, barbacks, and managers during service
- Support seated table service and event service as needed
- Maintain the tone of the room during live music, performances, and listening-room events
- Prep juices, garnishes, syrups, soda components, ice cream items, and basic food
- Stock beer, wine, liquor, glassware, supplies, menus, and soda syrups
- Keep the bar organized, clean, stocked, and ready; maintain clean tools and stations
- Wash dishes and glassware; clean spills quickly and keep a safe work environment
- Assist with opening and closing duties; track low stock and communicate needs
- Support private events and special programming as part of the tip-pooled team
What we're looking for
- Previous cocktail bartending experience required
- Current Vermont alcohol server certification required
- Strong knowledge of classic cocktails, technique, and beverage service
- Able to build drinks accurately and consistently to house specs
- Understanding of point-of-sale systems
- Calm, polished, professional presence during busy service
- Event bartending or catering experience preferred
- Evening and weekend availability required — every weekend required
- Dependable, punctual, and professional
- Able to stand for extended periods and lift/carry supplies, ice, and cases
- Able to read and speak English clearly with guests and staff
Benefits
- Employee discount
- Paid training
- Pooled tips
- Creative hospitality environment
- Live music & entertainment atmosphere
- Opportunity to grow with a distinctive local lounge
