Compensation:

From $22.00 / hour (depending on experience) + tips

Realistic total earnings: $35–$40 / hour including tips, based on our actual payroll data

Who We Are

Toast & Tonique is a “Day-to-Night” hospitality destination in Newark. By day we’re a third-wave coffee bar serving espresso and creative brunch; by night we become a vibrant gastropub pouring craft cocktails alongside bold, cross-cultural small plates. We’re not a traditional Indian, Korean, or Mexican restaurant — we’re a California Fusion House, where Butter Chicken belongs on a burger, Kimchi belongs in queso, and Birria belongs in a taco. That same spirit runs the bar: house-made syrups and infusions, spice-forward builds, and classics executed properly.

The Role

This is not just a bartending job. We’re looking for a Lead Bartender who owns the entire front-of-house shift — the person who opens or closes the building, runs the bar, and keeps the floor moving when the GM isn’t standing there.

You’ll be behind the bar for your whole shift — this is a hands-on, working-lead role, not a desk job — while also being the person servers, hosts, bussers, and runners look to when the room gets busy, a ticket goes sideways, or a guest needs to be taken care of. You set the tone for the shift: pace, standards, hospitality, and a clean handoff to the next crew.

Please note: this is a working lead position, not a management position. You will not have hiring, firing, or disciplinary authority — that stays with the GM and ownership. Because of that, you remain fully tip-eligible and participate in the tip pool exactly like our other bartenders.

What You’ll Own

Behind the Bar

• Run bar service for your shift — well drinks, craft cocktails, wine, draft beer, and nitro cold brew — at upscale-casual speed and consistency.
• Execute our cocktail menu to spec every time: correct builds, correct pours, correct glassware, correct garnish.
• Contribute to seasonal and signature cocktail development alongside ownership and the Head Chef — house syrups, infusions, and drinks built to stand up to bold, spice-forward food.
• Own bar prep: juices, syrups, batching, garnish, ice, and mise so the bar is ready before doors open and reset before you leave.
• Manage bar inventory, par levels, ordering input, and pour cost; run counts and flag variance.
• Prepare espresso-based cocktails (espresso martini, Irish coffee) and cross-train on our super-automatic espresso machine to back up AM coffee service. No barista background required — we’ll train you.

Running the Floor (Shift Lead)

• Open or close the front of house: alarm, lights, music, patio, opening and closing checklists, side-work sign-off.
• Coordinate the FOH team through service — section assignments, seating flow with the host stand, cuts as the room slows, and covering gaps when someone is in the weeds.
• Run the pre-shift huddle: 86s, features, reservations and large parties, and what the kitchen needs from the floor tonight.
• Be the point of contact between the floor and the kitchen — ticket times, 86 calls, allergy and modification handling, expo pressure.
• Handle guest recovery in the moment: comps and voids within your approved limit, with the situation documented and the GM notified.
• Own the close: cash drawer count and drop, tip-out reconciliation, tip declarations at clock-out, POS close, and a written shift note for the GM.

Standards, Compliance & Team

• Enforce responsible alcohol service under California ABC rules — ID checks, refusals, and cut-offs, backed by ownership every time.
• Hold the bar and floor to Alameda County health standards: sanitation, temperature logs, dating and rotation, cleanliness at all times.
• Confirm meal and rest breaks are taken and recorded on your shift.
• Train and mentor bartenders and barbacks on builds, speed, and service standards — shadow, then assisted, then independent.
• Keep our tech running clean: Square POS and KDS, OpenTable, and the DoorDash / Uber Eats tablets.

Requirements

Required

• 3+ years bartending in a high-volume, upscale-casual, or craft-cocktail environment.
• 1+ year in a lead, head bartender, or shift-lead capacity — you’ve been the closer with the keys and the drawer, not just the best bartender on the schedule.
• Strong classic and modern cocktail knowledge, plus working command of spirits, wine, and beer.
• Proven ability to keep a floor calm and moving during a rush and to hold teammates to a standard without being a jerk about it.
• Comfort with restaurant tech — POS, KDS, reservations, and third-party delivery tablets (we run Square, OpenTable, DoorDash, and Uber Eats).
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• California RBS (Responsible Beverage Service) certification — current, or obtained within 60 days of hire as required by California ABC.
• California Food Handler Card, or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.
• Open availability including nights, weekends, and holidays; ability to stand for long periods and lift up to 50 lbs.

Preferred

• Prior Lead Bartender, Head Bartender, Bar Manager, or FOH Supervisor experience.
• Cocktail menu development and drink costing experience.
• Bar inventory, par-level, and pour-cost management experience.
• Familiarity with global flavor profiles — Korean, Mexican, Indian, Mediterranean — and how to build drinks around bold, spice-forward food.
• Coffee or barista experience (a bonus, never a requirement).
• New-restaurant or new-bar opening experience.
• Bilingual (any language).

How to Apply

Apply directly through Indeed with your resume — or email us at careers@toastandtonique.com with the subject line “Lead Bartender Application.” In your application, tell us two things: a signature cocktail you’re proud of, and how you handled the worst shift you ever had to run.

Pay: From $20.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Paid training
• Referral program

Work Location: In person