I hired them for my graduation party. It was small party, about 50 people and I had a very pleasant experience with them. They were affordable, bartender came earlier and helped me with setting up the bar. We had different cocktails on the menu which I liked. I will definitely recommend them! read more

Robert was my first point of contact with SoCal Bartender. So far I'm very impressed with his prompt response, enthusiasm and helpfulness! They're licensed and insured too! Can't wait to have them at my party next week!!! read more

THE WORST BARTENDERS EVER. One of my coworkers hired these bartenders for a "client appreciation Mojito Mixer", we threw last month and what a mistake. First off, we asked them to make us pitchers of mojitos to put aside for later in the night when they would be done serving and Robert refused to do this for us because as he told us several times "mojitos are made to order". After going back and forth telling him we understand but don't care he finally agreed just to make the mixer in a pitcher and we could add the rest. This issue set the tone for the rest of the evening. Being such a Mojito purist we figured his mojitos would be amazing but we were very wrong. Both Robert and the woman who accompanied him made terrible, terrible mojitos. I'm not even sure the woman was a real bartender because she was constantly asking Robert questions. She also had an extremely bad attitude, which several clients told us about. Later in the evening while Robert was serving he was talking negatively about our DJ to guests. Which is rude and disrespectful. Then Robert helped himself to our taco stand and ate at the bar which we found extremely unprofessional. We did not offer him any food and he was still on the clock when he did this. NONE of our other vendors helped themselves to food while working. My coworker that hired him called to complain and Robert was again rude and would not let her speak on the phone. Instead he talked over her and tried to justify his actions. What kind of customer service is that? An overall terrible experience and we will never recommend this company to anyone. We were honestly embarrassed we ever hired them after all the negative feedback we received from clients. read more

I have attended multiple events where SoCal Bartender was serving drinks. The staff has been upbeat, attractive, friendly, and fast! The last party I attended, in particular, was at a home in Orange County. The bartender not only whipped up amazing drinks for all of us all night, she mingled with the guests refilling glasses of wine, cleaning off tables and helping with the food. I guess they just do everything! Great company. I will always consider them first for my events. read more

Socal Bartender helped me out with a holiday event in which I had very specific requests. They showed up on time, were professional, and interacted with the guests and myself quite well. I would hire them again without hesitation! read more

We hired SoCal Bartender for my boyfriend's birthday party last weekend. At first, we only needed one bartender, but we also decided to order a food server to help out in the kitchen. They showed up early, and brought all the supplies they needed with them. Matt was an excellent bartender, and made us amazing Cosmo martinis and Margaritas! They were both very professional and friendly to our guests. They worked well as a team to make everyone happy. My mom was really pleased that they cleaned up the entire area, replaced the furniture, and dumped trash for us before they left. Their customer service is the best I've ever seen. read more

I had reached out to this company several months before my wedding and said they had every type of liquor license and to just let them know which I needed to send over to the venue. I had gone back and forth with the venue and SoCal Bartender and after they said they did not possess the license required but could "easily" get the license in time for the event. This was a lie! I read the follow-up email and it was very unclear and basically said I needed signatures from a charity official and so forth. Are you kidding me! I am just a regular person. This is your area of knowledge be a little bit more clear and list actions! So I called and the man was so RUDE! He basically said I will not help you and you are not my "client". I had been trying this entire time to receive this license and they were no help at all. They made the situation worse by leading me on that they had the requirements and if not said they could easily get. That was a lie and 2 weeks before my wedding said you are not my client and will no longer help me. I also asked several times for an exact quote and never did because come to find out they knew all along that they did not have the license that they said they had in the first place. Do not waste your time with this company. As a bride they made the bartending search a headache and was not helpful at all and not willing to work with you and didn't reply to emails with all questions answered and if they did the answers were very confusing. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! They have made the last two weeks of wedding planning a living hell for me! read more

I hosted a large birthday party last night at my house in Tustin. SoCal Bartender provided multiple bartenders for our party. The coordination and process to arrange for the service was easy & quick. All of the staff arrived early last night & assisted with setting up the tables and food service areas. They were friendly, professional and very polite even when some of my guests became a bit rowdy. I have used a number of other companies for my parties & I've never experienced such great service as I did with SoCal Bartender. I highly recommended using this service. I plan to use them again for a party I have planned for the end of the year. read more

Robert Spence was enthusiastic, professional, prompt and highly knowledgeable and skillful in his craft. The party went off without a hitch and everyone had a great time. Robert was a pleasure to do business with and we recommend him highly! read more

So Cal Bartender (Robert) was hands down the best vendor to work with for our event. His price was the lowest, he answered every question, provided a detailed spreadsheet for me to shop off of, brainstormed ideas and responded usually within an hour of my inquiry. Beth ended up being our bartender for the evening and she was hard working, and knew how to handle the crowd as the evening went on. If you are looking for bartending service, please consider So Cal Bartender and talk to Robert. You won't be sorry! read more

We have booked SoCal Bartender for 2 events now and they have been beyond helpful in not only serving the event but also in helping figure out our needs. I would highly recommend them. Robert is great, organized, and honest. I really appreciated his input and advice about what type of service, drinks, etc. we would need. read more

We contacted So Cal Bartenders for a Madri Gras customer event that our company hosted. Robert was professional and easy to work with. He followed up regularly before the event to ensure that we had everything aligned. When his team arrived, they were TOP NOTCH. Our bartender Elizabeth was social and interactive with our guests and the young lady who helped us out in the kitchen, Kassidy, made sure that she educated herself on the dishes served so that she could easily and effectively answer all the guest's questions. Even the set up team was friendly and efficient. After the event Robert followed up to ensure that we had experienced the best possible service and that we were completely satisfied. He was on my phone or in my e-mail inbox from start to finish and made me feel as if we were the only party that mattered to him at the moment. So Cal bartenders was a big reason why our event was a huge success. Thank you so much to Robert and his fantastic team!! read more

Robert at SoCal Bartender was so professional and on top of every detail. Paperwork and Insurance was spot on. He takes his business really serious. Day of the event was great, Robert showed up early and helped us with some last minute logistics. The bartender he brought with him was awesome, she treated our guests great and poured a mean drink. Would highly recommend Robert and his team!! read more

Hired Rob for my 21st birthday nothing but good things. They showed up early ready on time and all my guests said he was a blast. I will definitely be using socal bartender again. read more

I had the displeasure of working with Robert Spence of So Cal Bartenders. He was so abrupt and defensive when I was going over details for my party. Instead of catering to my needs as a client, he started dominating the conversation and interrupting me telling me how he was going to do it all at my party. I had paid him a deposit so I was stuck and he was very rude. The whole experience was a nightmare on this simple bartender request. He always had some excuse and made me feel like I was always wrong. All I wanted was to hire the bartender and give them the info needed of where to setup and what to serve. Instead it turned out to be a full project and full waste of time. Stay away from this company as Robert was the worst person I have ever dealt with for any parties. read more

For my husband's memorial, I contacted SoCal Bartender. Everyone was very professional. Our girl was on time, knew what was expected of her, and did a very nice job. I also had a caterer person here too. What amazed me with both of them, they didn't bolt when their time ended. They stayed a little longer on their time just to make sure everything was wrapped up properly and everything was completed in a proper manner. read more

Socal Bartender cancelled our bartending service 48 hours before our scheduled event, leaving us to scramble to find a bartender for a Saturday event, with over 150 people attending. Robert Spence, the scheduler/coordinator we booked our event with was pompous and arrogant, which should have been a tip off. We ignored his truly horrible "customer service" and booked the event. Socal Bartender seems to think that cancelling service 48 hours before a scheduled event via telephone, and then following it up with an email is a good business practice - WRONG! If you are tempted to use Socal Bartender because of their low costs, resist the inclination to do so and pay a bit extra for an actual professional bartending company. Thanks Socal Bartender for adding additional stress to our party planning with your unprofessional conduct. We will advise every client we have in our company to NEVER use Socal Bartender! UPDATE: After I posted this review, Robert Spence contacted me via email, with his attorney on copy, and advised me to "tread carefully" with respect to my posting a negative review on Yelp. This was an obvious attempt to INTIMIDATE me into silence. The above-mentioned review is a true representation of my experience with Socal Bartender - the bartender service we scheduled was cancelled with 48-hours notice from Robert Spence, which has resulted in our having to find another bartender service for our community event, which 150 people will attend. This was unprofessional and completely inconsiderate. Apparently, Jill K, who posted on 4/16/14 was treated in the same manner as we were by Socal Bartender. read more

My journey with this company began in November of 2015. I inquired with Robert about my wedding in June. We spoke on the phone and he we discussed my wants and needs for The Big Day. My wedding venue is a pretty unique venue, and Robert boasted about knowing the venue from head to toe and had me convinced that going with any other bartender would be a mistake due to his knowledge. I appreciated this, respected his knowledge, and approached the conversation with excitement! Because my venue is so unique, I felt comforted that Robert knew the area and would be able to provide excellent service to me given his knowledge. After a 45 minute phone call, he promised he would send over an invoice that listed out the prices we talked about. A week later, and I was still waiting for an email from him. I gave Robert a call and he said we would have to reconvene after the holidays. While this was a bit inconvenient for me, as I wanted to get everything squared away for my wedding, I agreed and called him again after the holidays. When we talked again in January, we started from square one again... we went over my wants and needs for the wedding a second time, despite our previous 45 minute phone call. I was okay with this until Robert began to get dismissive with me. I had questions about his company providing water and he dismissed me, saying "why don't you just provide the water then?" when all I was inquiring about was the price. During our entire phone call, he seemed distracted, annoyed, and in a hurry. I asked if there was a better time to call, because he seemed like he was in a rush, and he insisted we finish the phone call right then and there. I agreed, and by the end of the phone call, again, he said he would send me over an invoice. Fast forward to a week later, and I still did not hear anything. I emailed Robert again, asking if he had made any progress on my invoice and he stated that the company was so busy with other events that he hadn't had time to get to it yet. By this point, I had been waiting nearly three months for an invoice so that I could put down a deposit to secure my date!! I have had the money ready to go since late November/early December and nothing! I understand that the holidays can be a busy time for bartenders, but Robert's inability to professionally juggle his workload was a major turn off for me. At that point, I felt as though I was just waiting in the wing until Robert got a better offer from another bride or event. Additionally, dealing with someone SO unresponsive for my wedding day makes me a nervous bride. How am I supposed to know if Robert and Socal Bartending will even show up day of? Robert lost out on my business and this company lost my respect. Fortunately, I found another bartender who is not only giving me a better deal, but actually responds to my emails! What a novel concept! read more

My company had a Cinco de Mayo Party and a Halloween Party where we hired SoCal Bartenders. They were amazing at both parties. They were punctual, very courteous to all our guests and knew how to make a great Margarita! Robert and his team were an absolute pleasure to work with and were ready at the drop of a hat to run to get more supplies should we run out. I would definitely recommend them for your next event and I look forward to using them again for our future events. read more

AMAZING service. Head of company was SO kind and very fast at responses. I hired a bartender and wait staff helper last minute. I had a list of groceries for what I needed to buy for my party size. Ilya and Natalie both helped at my party. Both were AMAZING kind and hard workers. Showed up on time. I had to tell Natalie to stop working and go home at the end of the night. She was THE BEST. Ilya was a fantastic bartender. Fast speedy service. Everything about this company is EASY HONEST FAST. Book them! read more

The SoCal Bartender delivered great service as well as the drinks. We had a great time.!

SoCal Bartenders were very professional and most important on time. Nathalie was fun and very engaging with are guess. I would recommend them to my friends and family. read more

These people have an excellent company! The two people who came to serve us were so friendly and nice to my family when they came to our house for my mom's birthday. My brother and his friends from college in San Diego were there, and the bartender made special drinks just for them. He washed the glassware without being told, and put it back inside the crates, so I didn't have to do it. We will use them again when people come over for the holidays! read more

Great team of people, and very easy to work with. My wife and my sister both have birthdays in July, so we celebrate them together every year. I was pleased with how well-organized the person on the phone was. I usually just go to BevMo, but his suggestions on what to do saved me a good deal of money and time when stocking up on what was needed for the night. Brittany was a FANTASTIC bartender, and she really took great care of our group. Really friendly, and excellent customer service, with no mistakes at all. I'm glad I was able to completely relax, and enjoy myself. read more

The Christmas Holiday Party that we have every year at our home is a very big deal for our bookkeeping business. We use it as a springboard for developing deeper relationships with our clients, and retaining them for future business. I wanted to make sure that the bartender who they send to our home would create the right atmosphere for our party. I have to say that Anthony did an excellent job in meeting our expectations. He was very friendly, professional and prompt. We will use them again this summer, when we have family and friends come over. Great job! read more

The service is excellent, the drinks are great and the price is perfect! Robert S. came to our event on April 21; he showed up, set up the bar, and was ready to go ahead of schedule. He was personable and entertained our attendees. My attendees had great feedback and impressed with the wide selection of drinks. I will definitely use this service again for both my professional events and even personal events. Definitely a good number to keep if you plan parties and corporate events. read more

WOW, not sure about some of these other reviews. I was referred to Socal Bartenders by a friend of mine for my sisters 50th birthday party and couldn't have been more pleased with both Trevor and his staff, everything went off without a hitch. Just a month ago I called on Trevor again for both bartenders, tables and dealers for a casino night for my nephew's 21st birthday. Following his suggestions and advice including mock-tails for my nephews under aged friends, and wrist bands for the over 21 crowd, we had a fantastic party. I don't usually write reviews like this as I'm not too much of a MY Space Face Place kind of guy. I am more inclined to grab a business card for my file, and make a verbal reference but I would highly recommend Socal Bartenders to anyone looking for this kind of service. BTW did anyone besides me notice that several of the negative reviews about Socal Bartenders PROMINENTLY used the name of some of their competitors in BOLD CAPITAL PRINT in their opening line ? Almost like they used Yelp to promote their own company while slamming Socal Bartenders. Makes you wonder. read more

When another company failed to show without calling, we were left scrambling last minute for a bartender for a 60th birthday party in Newport Beach. Socal Bartender and Robert were there to save the day! Called 15 minutes before the event was suppose to begin and Robert was able to reroute another bartender on his team so that he could be to us within the hour. Not only did he jump right in and handle a party of 200 people, he did it with a smile the whole time. Great at understanding the vibe and reading the crowd. Our guests loved him and he dealt with guests of all intoxication levels without losing his cool, a true professional in every sense of the word. read more

Decided somewhat late that we needed a bartender for my son's bar mitvah party, which we held at a museum in Santa Monica. Called SoCal Bartender based on their web advertising. Robert offered excellent advice and made sure that all the important details were handled, including working out the logistics and insurance requirements of the venue, sending me a simple and complete contract, and assuring that we had sufficient quantities of cups, napkins and ice. This was all done in just a matter of a few days. Our bartender showed up exactly as promised, provided very cheerful, efficient and professional drink service to our guests, and left the bar area clean and organized at the end of the night. I thought the service was excellent and at a fair price. I'll be calling them again for our next event. read more