All the instructors are amazing, knowledgeable, with tons of experience, stories and advice. And most importantly they make this coarse FUN! Would definitely recommend taking your bartending coarse with ABC bartending school. Someone tried to talk with into doing my coarse elsewhere. But I'm so glad I didn't listen to them and took it here. read more

i am writing a review for abc bartending school cause my buddy who lives on the west coast called me today and the memories of both of us taking the 2 week course to be bartenders is still fresh in our minds. lets be honest i was never going to be a bartender but more then 10 years ago i took a break from work and needed a hobby and anthony and i decided to have a goof , meets girls and nude modeling was not the type of hobby i wanted . ok the place is set up just like a bar with bottles of booze , the correct glasses to use and the whole realistic setup. the instructors go step by step with the basic art of drink mixing , etc and it was fairly easy. the problem is that after the first week my buddy tony decided he had enough of pina colada and brandy alexanders but i was going to get my certificate and be the next bartender on the love boat . i actually enjoyed the course and learned an interesting craft . if i recall i paid 150 bucks for the 2 week training course and it was better then staying home in bed stuffing my face while watching moronic tv shows. glad they are still around teaching the future bartenders the art of mixology. p.s. my buddy tony never became a bartender , he became a nurse (how you doing ). read more

Two Good Words: recreational bartending. Two Bad Words: No Placement Ok, so I had a lot of fun at this place, when I signed up to take the week long immersion course. The books are kind of out-dated, but the teacher updates you. I do feel confident about drinks, and can make about two hundred or so in my repertoire, but not about the POS system, which they glossed over and is one of the things that people who hire me ask about. The teachers here each have tons of experience, but it either contradicts what the book says, or what other professors say. Kind of confusing, but they have a really good bar back there to practice on. What sucks is, a month after graduating I'm no closer to a job then I was then, because they have a hotline for you to call in, but most of those job leads are posted on craigslist. Weak. If you are going to do a bartending school, I reccomend finding one that is called a bartenders' job agency in the title, or do some research and find one that really does give you a job, not job LEADS. Leads get you nowhere here. This one cost me about four hundred bucks, and I do feel good about pouring drinks, but as far as the buisness side of landing me a job, they did not deliver. UPDATE: This review used to be two stars, now it is one. I got placed as a bartender, and nothing they taught me prepared me for what I was doing. Don't waste your money, because each bar does things differently and this school definitely won't help. ABC must stand for Already Been Cuckholded, when your credit card goes through. read more

Best school for bartending, hands down. For me it was a little hard because i took the one week advanced and had to learn over 50 drinks but study study study and i promise you you'll do good the teachers are AMAZING AND SUPER COOL i'm gonna miss them so much :( read more

I would like to personally thank Matt for his expertise,an unforgettable experience while in school; and his friendship and support after graduation. His guidance has inspired me to constantly continue to want to improve my set of skills. He will be your guide and become your guru through learning how to walk the line, continue growing as a bartender, and achieve your full potential in this amazing and highly profitable industry. He runs the show @ABC during the week from 6-10. With all that said, This is what I learned on my own in the past few months working in the city whilst still going back to school to improve my pouring technique . This will give you a priceless insight to what we do in the industry and increase your chance at working for ca$h. As you gain more experience as a bartender you will learn a few things: 1) No one will just give you a job - You will need to show up and show off. Period. 2) Interviews: Most good places will have you come for an interview/audition and have you make a minimum of 3 drinks on a bar you are not familiar with (some places even during service - with limited or poor visibility) to see how well you adapt and "feel" where things should be. Fumbling shakers is never a good sign. Also be prepared to make everything if you do don't have one of the following: a strainer, spoon, mixing glass, muddler? You need to be able to improvise, this will save you a lot of time. 3) Taste everything: Be prepared to have your drinks tasted by everyone, so you do the same and make sure they are good. This is a rule not only during this audition, but also during everyday service. 4) If you pass this audition you will train for at least 3 shifts (with no pay). 5) Recipe knowledge: Most places will have own drink menus (my current place has 25 specialty cocktails, plus 5 different sangrias). You should know these by your second week of employment. I had an owner come in and order a specialty cocktail my first day of training. I had to go to the principal bartender and ask him how to make it and had him taste it before I served it. The owner was impressed that i didn't just try to wing it. That was one of the reasons I was the only trainee out of 3 still there at the end of the night. 6) Be alert: never be surprised by anything coming at you. 7) Be prepared to do whatever needs to get done. At my previous job I was put in charge of ordering and inventory. I had to learn my distributors and crate an inventory system to keep track of what need. 8) Never stop learning: Learn about your customers, their habits and interests. Get involved in their lives. This will reflect in your tip jar. 9) Most important!!!! Have fun: If you are not enjoying what you do, you can't be a good bartender. Leave all your problems at the door during work. You are there to be the person with positive and upbeat energy. Smile all the time. Hope this helps, I will continue to add to this as I gain more experience. These are things I learned by making bad decisions so you can make good ones. I am passing my knowledge on to you. AJ read more

Just passed the course!!!! I Loved the classes and the instructors are amazing!!!! They're extremely patient and are willing to give you extra time to learn more if need! I wouldn't recommend this bartending school to anyone wanting to enter this field of work. read more

This school was by far the most affordable out of all bartending schools in NYC. The teachers are FULL of personality, and very patient. You find yourself coming in with zero knowledge and you leave out confidently with a brain full of drink recipes. I would recommend this school to anyone looking to get into bartending. read more

This is a really good school with good teachers. I attended the 2 week course 4 hours a day. You learn to mix the drinks with water not liquor. I think that was great because it gets really really messy & I had to leave to go to my full time job afterwards. My advice is to review the notes because there is a lot to remember. However, They should take more time in helping you find a job & resume review during class. I would recommend this school to my friends. read more

I took the 1 week class in October 2014. Great school with the best instructors. Got a job the day I graduated. Give them a try . You won't regret it. read more

Stephanie is an awesome instructor! Glad to be a bartender now :) two weeks fast pace class made you learn a lot!

Fast paced but extremely informative and fun! Options for the one week or two week gives multiple opportunities to take the class. I took the one week which was extremely faced paced with a LOT of information to memorize but if you are proactive, it is easily doable! I would recommend this class for sure for anyone interested in bartending. Not only are you taught how to make drinks, but also the workings of a bar and how to interact with customers. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and made many friends! read more

Awesome school. Super enthusiastic and knowledgable teachers that help you succeed. You get resume help and career opportunities daily, and you can always come back and practice whenever you want. read more

I really enjoyed the course. I took the two week class, 4 hours a day, and I definitely got my money's worth of Bartending knowledge. We learned the basics and how to make a ton of common drinks. We practiced a lot and I feel confident that I will succeed in finding a job. Plus, you can't get better instructors... You guys are rad! Thanks! read more

Such a great bartending school ! Both of the bartending teachers are rad! Highly suggest this bartending school. I've learned so much and accomplished so much in a short time ! Thank you so much read more

ABC bartending was super fun. I did the one week, 40 hour course and learned so many new drinks. Stephanie and Stevie were very helpful through out the week and answered any questions throughly. I will definitely come back to do my refresher courses ever so often. read more

Absolutely loved this school! The instructors were great, taught us a lot, were very down to earth, interacted w all the students even when we weren't on break! Had a great time! I was in the class 5 days, couldn't make any drinks and when I left I could make over 30 drinks! Def a fantastic school!! read more

Personally, I thought this school was amazing. I took the weekend course from 9-5 and it FLEW by. What you get and for the price it is, you really can't ask for more. THE INSTRUCTORS The 2 instructors i had were very different, but both very knowledgeable. One was very laid back, went into tangents and side conversations a lot which was great considering I had him the first week. It was a really nice way to ease into it, learn the techniques and the basics of bartending (where liquor goes on a speed rack, what the "bank" is, etc) while not being overwhelming The 2nd instructor i had (weekend 2) was awesome. Tough, but awesome. She was really fast paced, really on top of you, and really made sure you knew your stuff, but in the same way that it's going to be once you get a job. She wasn't MEAN just tough. Really knew what she was talking about and really easy to talk to if you had any questions Both were extensively knowledgeable and really helpful with any questions you had. OVERALL Overall it was a great experience. They give you a textbook day 1 that goes through everything - not just drink recipes, and is really informative. Anything that's not in there they are happy to talk about and answer questions for. It goes by fast, but by the end of it as long as you put the work forward you should feel comfortable. Just be sure to study in the off hours. They also do a great job of giving you great advice on landing a job once you graduate. They have a ton of resources they send out and they have great advice on how to get a job JOB PLACEMENT Anyone on here (or elsewhere) that is complaining about their job placement program doesn't really appreciate it. It's not up to them to full on GET you a job. They give out notifications WEEKLY about any openings in the area, within their own network which is a huge benefit of doing the class in general. Bartending jobs are a dime a dozen so when you have someone giving you leads of places within their own network, it's a huge benefit. And it's for a lifetime Again, for the price this place was (cheap by bartending school standards, I've seen them get as high as $700) it's totally worth your while and the people there are great. Hope this helped! read more

I just finished my 40 hr course there two weeks ago, and I LOVED IT. My instructor Susan was GREAT,FUNNY, and knew what she was doing. I never really knew how to make cocktails or knew much about liquor, and this school def. taught that. The price is worth it, and they actually give free refreshers, can't beat that. Restaurants call the school all the time asking for bartenders, and i actually landed my first gig that way. So it's def. a school I recommend to people. Real life bar, convenient location, decent price. 5 STARS!!! read more

Had prior bartending experience but ABC Bartending school definitely helped refine my skills. Steph is a great instructor & takes the time to make sure you get all of the information, no matter your prior experience. I would certainly recommend this class to anyone wanting to get into the industry. read more

This is a great bartending school, you will get a realistic experience of what it feels like to be behond the bar. Stevie is a great teacher she is clear concise and thorough. I am very happy with the knowledge and experience I gained in these two weeks. If your thinking about signing up, dont think twice, sign up its great! read more

The teachers at this school are amazing. They are very helpful in every aspect from finding a job to resume to technique to response time. I am so glad I chose them. I graduated one week ago and already have a gig tonight and have had many successful interviews this week. Plus I call in sometimes or email with random questions and they are quick to reply and s friendly! Absolutely recommend. read more

Very helpful classes with knowledgable instructors! Not only do the instructors teach you everything that comes with bartending such as, drinks, tips, shifts, etc., but after graduating they are willing to help you with their job placement program! Overall it was a great experience and would highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn how to be an efficient bartender!! read more

Honestly, a great bartending school to learn the basics you need to know to get started in this hospitality industry, including NY alcohol/bar/restaurant laws! The instructors are very friendly, comprehensive, and take time to answer questions. The program is structured around an easy to follow guide book. Suddenly a lot of things make sense! HAVE FUN AND DRINK RESPONSIBLY!!! ;) read more

ABC bartending school is a really good school with good teachers. Thank you Stephanie, Kelsey!! I will recommend this school to my friends. read more

I took the one-week accelerated class, and it was a great experience! Stephanie, Stevie, Kelsey, and all of the teachers at ABC were fun, super smart, and really good at teaching the material. Since the course was so short, we had to move fast, but the teachers do a good job breaking everything down into totally manageable chunks. I definitely feel prepared to go out a find a job bartending! read more

Had a great time here. A lot of information to Learn in 1 week, but Steph and Kelsey was GREAT at breaking it down. Would definitely refer to EVERYONE!! read more

I took the 1 week course and learned so much in such a short period of time! Stephanie and Stevie are awesome teachers and made it a fun learning environment. I definitely recommend attending at ABC Bartending School if you are interested in learning how to bartend! read more

It was pretty crowded on the bar deck, which made it a little stressful, but the teachers have tons of varied experiences and are really patient. Plus can always go back and practice, even if you're done the course, which is such a good resource. read more

I am so happy I came to this school! Best $400 spent. I took the class 4 years ago in 2010 and was able to take a refresher course this summer for free! Stephanie is very knowledgeable and gave good advice on navigating the industry and getting a job.they post job leads and private gigs for graduates. I just got hired at a high-end bar through one of their leads. Once again very happy to have gone. Only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was the place could of used a little cleaning, dusting vacuuming and the towels needed washing, they reeked lol read more

I took the two week 9-1 class and it was great! The structure of the class was perfect. Every day we did the same thing at the same time. But most importantly we got behind the bar EVERY single day, multiple times. What a great way to learn! Plus you get to keep the textbook at the end. read more

wow - What I've been reading is alot of ppl complaining they didnt get a job after paying 200 to 400 dollars - REALLY - theres ppl out there paying THOUSANDS of dollars to go to school and learn a trade and not getting jobs. Were in a recessions guys. I signed up for the class to get a knowledge of drinks and help with pouring skills. Which is what i learned. The teachers are there to help but you also have to do a lil reading on your own. You could go back as many times as you want to practice or ask questions. Jamie and Kenny were both really helpful in anything you asked about. Kenny even offers you to go to his job and they let you work there and keep the tips. Of course every bar is different. Would you want to be different if you owned a business. What would the world be if we were all the same. boring :-) read more

Just completed my 40 HR 1 week certification course for bartending @ ABC Bartending. All of the instructors are highly knowledgeable. The instructors make the class fun but challenging. I feel very confident now to work behind a bar with the skills I learned @ ABC bartending school! read more

I took the one week course here and loved it! Steph and Kelsey were both excellent instructors--experienced, honest, and funny--and managed to keep us all engaged even through the less interesting, required parts of the course (read: liquor laws). You get tons of hands-on experience and both instructors were tough but fair, so you graduate with the confidence that you know all the bartending basics. As a bonus, Steph and Kelsey have lots of great anecdotes that help you get a sense of what it's actually like to be a bartender. I highly recommend this class! read more

The instructors I had ( Stephanie & Kelsey) were terrific!! Very professional with both practical and inside experience about the business of bartending in any environment...Sports Club, Nightclub, Local Bar, Restaurants, Resorts. Great real time training on making cocktails, pouring drinks, and how to work behind a bar. These gals were no nonsense, but also great company, so stay attention and learn from them. read more

Did the 2 weeks 9am-1pm Bartending Certification with Steph as the teacher. I would DEFINITELY recommend anyone who is looking into this field. Classes are small and instructed very well and easy to remember. If you're looking to become a great bartender. This is the first step! read more

Informative, engaging, and useful bartending knowledge was gained during the week long course. Cool staff and bar set-up made the week fly by. read more

I love this school my teacher steph was very hands on and she knows what she is talking about. With the program offered here I am more confident that I'll be working soon. A great investment for me read more

ABC bartending-great flexible schedule and helpful. Wonderful instructors and Stevie is amazing!!!!

The instructors are great, they really know what they're talking about and give many useful tips. The course schedule is also very well set up. All in all a very fun and useful course. read more

Pretty good bartending class. I like the fact that you can come back and practice/refresh even after taking the course. Lot's of practice prepare you to be ready to work. Kelsey taught my class and she is a great instructor, knowledgeable, and has a ton of experience. read more