Bartender

Merenda, a wine bar and retail shop arriving at The Flats boutique mixed-use project on Coast Hwy in South Oceanside, will open its doors to guests this fall. Merenda is the brainchild of a proud Oceanside local who brings a broad palette of cultural experiences to his coastal roots. If you're a hospitality pro looking to join a team who values respecting others, collaboration, inclusivity, and constantly improving and evolving then we'd love to have a chat with you. 

Bartenders are the backbone of Merenda's beverage program, executing perfectly crafted wine-based cocktails and assisting the serving staff with appropriate wine choices for guests. The ideal candidate is friendly, organized, works well under pressure, good at communicating with colleagues and guests, and very knowledgeable about wine.

The range of compensation is $20 - $25 / hour plus tips. Tips are pooled and shared with FOH and BOH staff on a per-shift basis.

Merenda offers partially subsidized health insurance (must maintain 30 hours per week), 401(k) retirement plan, dining discounts and more!

Must have current food handler permit.

Key Responsibilities:

• Welcomes and provides excellent hospitality to guests
• Able to identify regulars and VIPs; communicates to the team accordingly
• Completes opening and closing side work
• Keeps bar clean and organized
• Explains menu items to bar guests and answers questions about preparation and ingredient sourcing
• Takes food and beverage orders from guests at the bar and always asks about allergies and dietary restrictions
• Rings orders in POS with proper coursing and modifiers
• Provides share plates and appropriate mise en place
• Polishes glasses
• Prints, processes, splits, and closes checks appropriately, and ensures credit card slips are signed

Ideal Candidates Possess:

• 2-3 years of full-service restaurant or wine bar experience in a role as bartender.
• A team-oriented and ego-free attitude.
• The ability and desire to engage deeply and broadly about some aspect of art, music, food, or beverages.
• Professional integrity.
• Ability to build strong guest relationships.
• Deep knowledge of wine and other beverages.
• Eagerness to learn and develop.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Strong sense of urgency.
• Capacity to remain positive and composed under pressure.
• High energy levels, organizational skills, and ambition.
• Unreasonable hospitality mindset (iykyk).

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Capable of handling objects with hands.
• Regular bending, reaching, and stooping.
• Ability to lift, move, and carry objects weighing at least 50 pounds throughout the shift.

Salary : $20 - $25