Los Angeles Bartending School

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Become a bartender in the entertainment capital of the world! Our Los Angeles school puts you at the heart of LA's legendary nightlife scene. From celebrity hotspots to rooftop lounges, learn the skills to work anywhere in this diverse and exciting city.

9229 Venice Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90034

Call Us

(310) 663-3830

Email Us

info@bartendingcollege.com

Flexible Schedules

Day, Evening & Weekend

Enroll Now View Schedule

Class Schedules

Choose the schedule that works best for you at our Los Angeles campus

Weekday Classes

Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (2 weeks)

Weekend Classes

Saturday - Sunday, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (2 weekends)

Evening Classes

Monday - Thursday, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM (3 weeks)

All schedules cover the same comprehensive curriculum. Choose based on your availability.

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Campus Location

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Flexible Nationwide Training

Beyond Our Los Angeles Campus

In addition to our Los Angeles campus, we offer flexible training options tailored to your schedule and location across California.

In-Home Instruction

A certified bartending instructor comes directly to your location in Los Angeles for personalized, hands-on training.

Live Virtual Training

Interactive Zoom sessions with professional bartenders. Learn cocktail techniques, bar management, and more from anywhere.

Instructor's Facility

Train at a certified instructor's professional bar setup near Los Angeles. Real-world environment, real-world skills.

Partner School Placement

We find and enroll you at a bartending school in any city. We handle all the coordination and communications for you.

Corporate & Event Training

Custom programs for restaurants, hotels, event venues, and private parties. Train your team or learn for your next event.

Hybrid Programs

Combine online coursework with in-person practice sessions. Flexible scheduling that works around your life.

Let's Build Your Custom Training Plan

Call us to discuss which training option works best for your schedule and goals in Los Angeles.

Call (310) 663-3830 Explore Programs
Flexible scheduling Certified instructors Nationwide coverage Job placement assistance
Local Insights

Los Angeles's Bar & Cocktail Scene

What Los Angeles is drinking right now, where the city goes out, and the bars setting the pace for new bartenders.

Last reviewed

Los Angeles Cocktails Right Now

Agave sour

Mezcal Sour with Regional Citrus

Mezcal has become the go-to base for guests who want more character than a classic tequila drink, with bartenders building sours and margarita riffs around it rather than sweetening it up.

Why Los Angeles: LA's ingredient-first movement leans on regional citrus (blood orange, Meyer lemon, kumquat) and garden-grown herbs from local farmers markets, a defining trend of LA cocktail menus in 2025.

Show the recipe
  • 2 oz mezcal
  • 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 oz agave syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Egg white or aquafaba (optional)

Dry shake, then shake again with ice; double strain into glass.

Coupe · Garnish: Smoked salt rim, citrus twist

Coffee cocktail

Cold Brew Espresso Martini

The espresso martini's comeback has evolved beyond the classic into cold-brew reductions and cascara syrups, a natural fit for a city built on coffee culture.

Why Los Angeles: Los Angeles bartenders have helped push coffee cocktails into a national trend, often sourcing cold brew and cascara from local roasters.

Show the recipe
  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 1 oz fresh espresso or cold brew concentrate
  • 1/2 oz coffee liqueur
  • 1/4 oz agave syrup

Shake hard with ice; fine strain.

Coupe · Garnish: Three coffee beans

Agave classic

Margarita, Reworked

Bars like Daisy in Sherman Oaks have built entire concepts around the margarita as a vehicle for serious agave-spirit technique, earning national recognition in 2026 (No. 44, North America's 50 Best Bars).

Why Los Angeles: Ties to Daisy (Sherman Oaks), a 2025-opened cantina focused on Mexican spirits research that debuted on the 2026 North America's 50 Best Bars list.

Show the recipe
  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 3/4 oz orange liqueur
  • 1/4 oz agave syrup

Shake with ice; strain over fresh ice.

Rocks · Garnish: Salt half-rim, lime wheel

Savory/umami martini

Dirty Martini, LA Style

Dirty and savory martinis remain a steady national trend into 2026, with guests favoring briny, umami-forward drinks over sweeter classics.

Why Los Angeles: A fixture on menus across DTLA and Hollywood cocktail bars as part of the broader savory-cocktail shift.

Show the recipe
  • 2.5 oz gin or vodka
  • 1/2 oz dry vermouth
  • 1/2 oz olive brine

Stir with ice; strain.

Martini · Garnish: Castelvetrano olives

Low/no-ABV

Low-ABV Amaro Spritz

Patio culture and daytime drinking in LA favor lighter, lower-alcohol options, and amaro spritzes fit the year-round outdoor-dining scene.

Why Los Angeles: Common on happy-hour and patio menus from Silver Lake to Santa Monica, where lighter sessionable drinks suit LA's outdoor dining culture.

Show the recipe
  • 2 oz amaro or bitter aperitivo
  • 3 oz sparkling wine
  • 1 oz soda water

Build over ice in glass, stir gently.

Wine glass · Garnish: Orange slice

Our take · ABC Bartending College original

Griffith Gold

Named for Griffith Observatory and its view over the city, this drink pairs California citrus and honey with a smoky agave base to evoke a golden LA sunset.

An original recipe from our Los Angeles instructors, not a drink served at a specific bar.

  • 1.5 oz reposado tequila
  • 1/2 oz mezcal
  • 3/4 oz fresh Meyer lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz local wildflower honey syrup
  • 2 dashes orange bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice; double strain into glass.

Coupe · Garnish: Dehydrated orange wheel, flamed orange peel

Where Los Angeles Goes Out

Hollywood
A dense strip of classic and new cocktail bars and hotel lounges; heavy tourist and industry crowds mean high volume, late nights, and a mix of craft and high-throughput service.
Arts District / DTLA
Home to destination cocktail bars like Death & Co; a design-forward, craft-focused scene with a younger, industry-adjacent clientele and strong weekend business.
Silver Lake / Echo Park
Neighborhood bars with creative, ingredient-driven menus; a locals-first scene that rewards personality and lower-key hospitality over spectacle.
Koreatown
A round-the-clock nightlife hub mixing speakeasy-style cocktail bars, karaoke lounges (e.g., Break Room 86) and late-night dining, with some of the city's longest service hours.
Santa Monica
A beach-adjacent, higher-end hotel and restaurant bar scene catering to tourists and West Side locals, with strong daytime and patio business.

Cocktail Bars to Know

  • Death & Co Los Angeles · Arts District / DTLA

    Nationally recognized craft cocktail program

  • Daisy · Sherman Oaks

    Margarita-focused cantina, No. 44 on 2026 North America's 50 Best Bars

  • Break Room 86 · Koreatown

    80s-themed speakeasy and karaoke inside The Line Hotel

  • Bar 109 · East Hollywood

    Chef-driven cocktails and bar bites from Brian Baik

  • Vandell · Los Feliz

    Cocktail bar from Republique alums, opened late 2025

  • Night On Earth · Cahuenga Pass / Valley

    Neon-lit strip-mall cocktail bar from the Thunderbolt team

How Los Angeles Drinks

  • Rooftop and patio culture is year-round given LA's climate, driving demand for lighter, lower-ABV and spritz-style drinks alongside full-proof cocktails.
  • Happy hour remains a strong daypart across DTLA, Hollywood and Santa Monica, typically 4-7pm, with discounted classics and bar bites.
  • Ingredient-first, produce-driven cocktail menus (regional citrus, garden herbs, wild-foraged botanicals) are the defining LA trend of 2025-2026.
  • Agave spirits (tequila and especially mezcal) continue to outperform other spirit categories on LA menus even as growth cools nationally.
  • Coffee cocktails, led by the espresso martini, have expanded into cold-brew and cascara-based variations across LA bar programs.

Job Market Data

Bartending career opportunities in Los Angeles, California

Last updated

Bartender Salaries in Los Angeles

Entry level (10th percentile) $16.50/hr
Median wage $17.07/hr
Top 10% (90th percentile) $25.37+/hr
Median annual wage $35,510

Minimum wage: $16.90/hr statewide in 2026; the City of Los Angeles sets a higher local minimum. California does not allow tip credits, so tips are always on top of the full minimum wage.

Tips: BLS wages include tips reported to employers. Cash tips often go unreported, so bartenders at busy venues frequently take home more than these figures.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA)

Job Market Outlook

25,260

Bartenders employed in the Los Angeles metro

Job outlook

Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects bartender jobs to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, with about 121,200 openings a year. Locally, SoFi Stadium, arena and concert venues, and one of the country's largest hotel markets support year-round bar and event hiring.

Peak Hiring Seasons

Spring/summer patio season, the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium, and the November-December holiday party season are the busiest hiring windows.

Busy dates on the calendar

  • FIFA World Cup 2026 matches at SoFi Stadium (June-July 2026)
  • Coachella and Stagecoach festivals (April, nearby Coachella Valley draw LA-based staffing)
  • LA County Fair (September, Pomona)
  • Holiday party season (November-December)
  • Awards season events (January-March, industry parties and premieres)
  • Summer concert season at Hollywood Bowl and L.A. Live venues (June-August)

Top Employers Hiring Bartenders in Los Angeles

Stadium/Arena

Legends Hospitality (SoFi Stadium)

Concessions and suite bartending for SoFi Stadium events, including 2026 FIFA World Cup matches

Caterer

Wolfgang Puck Catering

Major LA catering company hiring event bartenders

Event venue

AEG / Kia Forum & L.A. Live venues

Concerts and events across AEG-operated venues

Hotel

Marriott hotels (LA metro)

Multiple downtown and airport-area properties with bar programs

Hotel

Hyatt hotels (LA metro)

Includes properties near LAX, SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome

Bar group

The Line Hotel (Houston Hospitality)

Operates Break Room 86 and other Koreatown nightlife venues

Employers listed are major local hirers of bartenders, not official ABC Bartending College partners unless noted.

How to Get Your Bartending License in California

California RBS Certification (Responsible Beverage Service) is required to serve alcohol in California. Here's what bartenders in Los Angeles need to know.

Last reviewed

California RBS Certification (Responsible Beverage Service)

Anyone who serves alcohol or directly supervises servers at an on-premises licensed venue in California (bars, restaurants, hotels, stadiums) must be RBS certified. New hires have 60 days from their first day serving alcohol. The program is run by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Step by step

  1. 1 Register as a server on the ABC RBS Portal and pay the $3 registration fee
  2. 2 Complete an RBS training course from an ABC-accredited provider (online, about 4 hours)
  3. 3 Pass the ABC RBS exam in the portal (70% or higher)
  4. 4 Keep your RBS certification current: it's valid for 3 years, then you retake training and the exam
Official California information

Cost

$3 ABC portal fee plus the training provider's course fee (commonly about $10-$30)

Time to complete

About 4 hours of training plus the online exam

Valid for

3 years

Minimum age

21 to tend bar (mix and pour drinks behind the bar). Workers 18 to 20 may serve alcohol only in restaurants, not as bartenders.

Free PDF guide

Bartending License & Certification Guide (2026)

Your 2 Weeks at Our Los Angeles School

Bartending 101 is 2 weeks (40 hours) of hands-on training behind a real bar. Here's how the hours break down.

  1. 1

    Bar Setup & Equipment

    4 hours

    Learn professional bar layout, equipment identification, and proper glassware selection.

  2. 2

    Mixology Fundamentals

    8 hours

    Master measuring techniques, ice handling, shaking, stirring, and building drinks.

  3. 3

    Classic Cocktails

    12 hours

    Learn 100+ classic recipes including Martinis, Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and more.

  4. 4

    Modern & Trending Drinks

    8 hours

    Master contemporary favorites like Espresso Martinis, craft cocktails, and seasonal specials.

  5. 5

    Speed & Accuracy Training

    4 hours

    Develop professional speed while maintaining quality and consistency.

  6. 6

    Customer Service & Sales

    4 hours

    Learn upselling techniques, handling difficult customers, and building rapport.

See the Full Bartending 101 Program

Student Success Stories

Hear from our graduates who launched their bartending careers in Los Angeles

"Working at one of LA's hottest clubs is a dream come true. The high-volume training I got at ABC Bartending College prepared me for the intensity of celebrity-packed nights."
TM

Tyler Morrison

VIP Bartender

Class of 2023

"LA's bar scene is all about who you know. The connections I made through the program helped me get my foot in the door at exclusive venues."
SP

Samantha Price

Beverage Director

Class of 2021

"I bartend at movie premieres and studio events. It's an incredible experience, and it all started with the skills and confidence I gained at ABC Bartending College."
CK

Chris Kim

Event Bartender

Class of 2022

Local Information

Everything you need to know about bartending in Los Angeles

California Liquor Laws

Minimum Age to Bartend 21+
Alcohol Serving Hours 6:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Server Training Required Yes
Required Certifications:
  • RBS Certification (required)

Entertainment Districts

Hollywood

Iconic nightlife strip featuring historic venues, nightclubs, and rooftop bars.

West Hollywood

The Sunset Strip and vibrant LGBTQ+ nightlife scene with world-famous clubs and lounges.

Downtown LA (DTLA)

Revitalized arts district with speakeasies, rooftop bars, and craft cocktail destinations.

Santa Monica/Venice

Beach-adjacent nightlife with ocean views, casual vibes, and tourist traffic.

Insider Tips

LA is all about networking. Build relationships with door staff, promoters, and managers. Start at respected but less competitive venues to gain experience before aiming for the A-list spots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about our Los Angeles, California bartending program

Can I work at celebrity venues after graduation?

Many of our graduates go on to work at high-profile LA venues. Our team helps you build the speed, polish, and professionalism that busy hotel bars, lounges, and event venues look for, and supports your job search after graduation.

Do you teach flair bartending?

Yes! Our LA program includes flair bartending basics, as many LA venues expect showmanship. For advanced flair, we offer a separate specialty course.

What's the nightclub scene like in LA?

LA has one of the world's most vibrant nightclub scenes. High-volume clubs pay well but demand stamina and speed. We prepare you for this fast-paced environment.

Where are classes held in Los Angeles?

Our Los Angeles campus is at 9229 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034. Call (310) 663-3830 for schedules and directions, and ask about our flexible options, including instructor-led training in other locations and online.

Can I work in Santa Monica or the beach cities?

Absolutely! Our job placement covers all of LA County including Santa Monica, Venice, and the South Bay. Beach bars offer a more relaxed vibe compared to Hollywood clubs.

Do you have connections to film/TV industry events?

Yes! Event bartending for studios, award shows, and premiere parties is a lucrative niche in LA. We help connect graduates with staffing agencies that work these events.

Do I need a license to bartend in Los Angeles?

Yes. California requires RBS (Responsible Beverage Service) certification for anyone who serves alcohol at a bar, restaurant, or other on-premises venue. You have 60 days from your first day serving to register on the ABC RBS Portal ($3), complete about 4 hours of approved training, and pass the online exam. Certification lasts 3 years.

How much do bartenders make in Los Angeles?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), the median bartender wage in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $17.07 an hour, and the top 10% earn $25.37 or more. Those figures include tips reported to employers; unreported cash tips often push take-home pay higher at busy venues.

How old do I need to be to bartend in Los Angeles?

You can enroll at 18, but in California you must be 21 to tend bar. Workers 18 to 20 may serve alcohol only in restaurants, not behind the bar.

Where do new bartenders find their first job in LA?

Hotel bar programs (Marriott, Hyatt and independents), catering companies like Wolfgang Puck Catering, event-driven employers around SoFi Stadium and Kia Forum, and neighborhood bars in areas like Koreatown, Silver Lake and DTLA are common entry points, especially around high-demand periods like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the holiday season.

Nearby Bartending Schools

Explore other ABC Bartending College locations near you

West Los Angeles

California

Launch your bartending career on LA's affluent Westside! Our West Los Angeles campus serves Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Santa Monica, and the entire Westside. Train for positions at upscale restaurants, hotel bars, and the region's most exclusive venues.

3 miles away View

Los Alamitos

California

Start your bartending career where Los Angeles and Orange County meet! Our Los Alamitos campus on Katella Avenue offers hands-on bartending training with day, evening, and weekend classes, and puts you minutes from the restaurants, hotels, and beach bars of Long Beach, Seal Beach, and west Orange County.

25 miles away View

Canyon Country

California

Launch your bartending career in the Santa Clarita Valley! Our Canyon Country campus serves the growing communities of Santa Clarita, Valencia, and surrounding areas. With quick access to Los Angeles and a thriving local restaurant scene, this location offers the perfect blend of suburban convenience and career opportunity.

28 miles away View

Orange

California

Start your bartending career in the heart of Orange County! Our Orange campus provides convenient access to Anaheim's entertainment district, Old Towne Orange's historic charm, and the entire inland OC market. Perfect for those looking to work near Disneyland, Angel Stadium, or the region's growing restaurant scene.

35 miles away View
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Start Your Bartending Career in Los Angeles

Join thousands of successful graduates who launched their careers at our Los Angeles campus. Enroll today and be working behind the bar in just 2 weeks!

Enroll Now Call (310) 663-3830

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