Q: How old must I be to bartend?
A: In California, you must be 21 years of age to work as a
bartender. Because this requirement varies from state to state, you
only need to be 18 years old to attend the San Francisco School of
Bartending.
Q: Is San Francisco School of Bartending licensed by the CA State Education Department?
A: Yes. If you have any questions regarding the San Francisco
School of Bartending or any other school, please call the Bureau
for Private Post Secondary and Vocational Education in Sacramento.
Q: Why Attend a Licensed School?
A: There are several reasons. If operating in California,
vocational schools MUST be licensed by the Bureau for Private Post
Secondary and Vocational Education. Employers recognize licensed
schools as quality institutions. The Bureau's complaint process
gives students access to a regulatory agency and a
state-controlled Tuition Reimbursement Account to protect each
student's tuition.
Q: What is a Bartender's License?
A: A "Bartender's License" or a "Bartending Certification" is
authorized by the State Education Department, and is issued to
graduates of a bartending school who have successfully passed the
bartender / mixology course.
Q: What about online bartending courses?
A: At the San Francisco School of Bartending, we believe that the
only true way to learn the skills and speed needed to work in a
live bar environment is to train with hands-on experience behind a
fully-functional bar. Online courses, books and videos cannot
offer the type of practical bartending experience that is essential in
training to be a successful bartender. Furthermore, on-line bartending
courses are not regulated or governed by any state agency.
Q: Do you offer bartender job placement assistance?
A: Yes. The primary goal of our on-site placement counselor is to
assist you in finding a bartending job as soon as possible. We are in
constant contact with key personnel from our extensive database of
bars, lounges, restaurants, clubs and hotels to learn of job
openings as soon as they are available - often before they reach
the newspapers or Internet.
Our bartender job placement counselor is available to meet with you in
person, and our online bartending JOBS database is updated on a daily
basis. We can also help you with interviewing and job hunting
skills, and can even help you polish your resume. Rest assured,
short of taking the interview for you, we will do whatever it takes
to assist you in finding a job!
Q: I know nothing about drinks or liquor. Will it be difficult for me to learn everything I need to know in only 35 hours?
A: Most of our students start out with little or no knowledge of
the beverage service industry. And almost all of our students
graduate the first time through. It all boils down to a
comprehensive curriculum, modern training methods, veteran
bartender-instructors, and the use of our VideoCocktailer audio-visual
training program.
After just two weeks of hands-on training, our bartender grads look and perform
like they have been working behind a real bar for for 10-12 months!
If you still need or want additional training after your 35 hours are
completed, you may retake any part of the course as many times as you
want, free of charge, be it the following week or 10 years down the
road.
Still not convinced? See what our bartender grads have to say in on our
Testimonials page and then sign
up to take one of our FREE Bartending Introductory
Classes.
Q: What if I miss a day?
A: Not a problem! You can simply make it up. There are multiple class
time options available for each lesson. And it will never cost you
another dime!
Q: How long is the entire course?
A: The total course is 35 hours. Weekday classes run 3.5 hours per day
for two consecutive weeks, Monday through Friday, with multiple class
time options available each day.
There is also an accelerated option that allows you to complete the
course in a single week by scheduling two daily class times.
Weekend classes run 6 hours per day for five consecutive Saturdays or Sundays.
Q: When can I start a San Francisco School of Bartending course?
A: Weekday classes start every Monday. Classes are held from 9:30am-1:00pm, 1:30pm-5:00pm, and 6:00pm-9:30pm.
Weekend classes are held over five consecutive Saturdays or Sundays from 11:00am - 5:00pm. Please
call or check our website for course start dates.
Q: How much does the bartending course cost?
A: Total enrollment is $395. This price includes the registration
fee, training in a state-of-the-art training facility with experienced
bartender-instructors, a nationally recognized
bartending certificate, ongoing bartender job placement assistance,
and free refresher courses.
FINANCING IS AVAILABLE TO MOST STUDENTS.
Most students can take advantage of our Financing
when registering for our bartending training. Please see details on the
Registration Page.
The San Francisco School of Bartending charges a single,
well-publicized fee for our bartender training course. We will always tell you the
entire cost whether you inquire in person or over the phone.
Q: I've heard a lot about SFSOB's VideoCocktailer. What is it and will I be learning from a video screen?
A: We augment hands-on and instructor training through the use of an
audio-visual program that is unique to and developed specifically for
the San Francisco School of Bartending. VideoCocktailer
reinforces what an instructor has already taught. Our full-time
instructors give all lessons and lectures live, in person, to small
groups.
VideoCocktailer provides greater consistency and structure to
your training. In fact, this equipment is so effective that our
graduates generally perform at a level of efficiency that is twice
that of students graduating from bartending schools using traditional
methods.
Q: What is the demand for bartending jobs today?
A: The beverage service and hospitality industries are booming. See what the
SF Chronicle
had to say about careers in the hospitality industry. The
restaurant industry alone will see another million jobs open in the
next seven years - an industry that already employs almost 12 million
people, making it the nation's largest employer outside of
government. Another way to look at it is this: as long as people enjoy
going out to eat, traveling, and staying at resorts, beverage service
and hospitality professionals will be in demand. (Statistical
source: National Restaurant Association, 2002/2003 Industry at a
Glance and Restaurant Industry Forecast.)
Q: What is the average age of a bartending student? Could I be too young or too old?
A: Age is not a factor in bartending success. San Francisco School of
Bartending classes include students of all ages to meet the needs of
many types of bars. The restaurant and nightclub scene is
younger-oriented, while the pub, hotel, and golf club scenes offer
more mature environments. The minimum age to work as a bartender in
California is 21. Other areas (states/countries) vary from 18 to 21.
Q: Where is San Francisco School of Bartending located?
A: We are located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Our address is 760 Market Street, Suite 833 San Francisco, California.
This is downtown, between 3rd and 4th Streets, only
one block from the Powell Street BART station.
If you are driving, you should find relatively inexpensive parking in
the Union Square, Ellis/O'Farrell, and 5th and Mission Garages.
Q: How do I register for classes at San Francisco School of Bartending?
A: If you are interested in taking our course, please contact the San
Francisco School of Bartending at 415-362-1116 or toll free at
888-254-1100 or visit the school Monday through Friday from 11:00am to
6:00pm.
Click HERE to register on-line!.
A registration fee of $95 is required in order to secure
your class time. A payment plan can be created on arrival
for the balance due. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American
Express, Discover, and personal checks.
If your question was not addressed or adequately answered on this page
call the San Francisco School of Bartending at 415-362-1116 or toll
free at 888-254-1100.
