I paid $440 for the Level 1 Bartending Certificate through BAB Mixology School and I genuinely wish I had seen a review like this before signing up. What's advertised: * A structured, beginner-friendly bartending course *Professional environment *Hands-on training with proper materials *Certification upon completion What I actually experienced: The class was held inside a storage unit. Not a bar. Not a classroom. A storage room (see photos). The environment was dirty and unprofessional, and one of the juices provided had visible mold, which is completely unacceptable for anything involving food or beverages. Several basic ingredients (like cranberry and orange juice) were missing, so we were told to substitute with whatever was available. The class was supposed to run from 7pm-11pm but ended early around 10:20pm, and there was no legitimate certification test, despite that being advertised. Most of the time was spent casually making drinks with very little structured instruction. This did not feel like a real training course. It gets worse: Photos taken during the class were later edited with what appears to be an AI-generated bar background to make it look like students are learning in a professional bar setting. That is NOT what the actual environment looks like. On top of that, the certificate I received was issued with an incorrect date from a previous year, which raises concerns about the legitimacy of the certification itself. To be clear, the instructor was kind but the overall experience does not reflect a $440 professional program in any way. I'm sharing this so others can make an informed decision before spending their money. read more

BAB Mixology School - Class was held in this small dirty storage unit - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Jose, California

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I am submitting a formal complaint regarding my experience with this certification program, which raises serious concerns about health, safety, and business practices. it was supposed to be two days, but they only taught one day because there was only four of us in class that makes no sense. From the outset, the course lacked clear instruction and organization. More concerning, however, was the condition of the facility where the class was conducted. Participants were directed into what appeared to be a storage warehouse that was in extremely unsanitary condition. The environment included visible cockroach , unclean and poorly maintained restrooms, and food cherries )and beverages that were expired. He did not provided (orange and cranberry) grape fruit contained visible debris mold and appeared to be contaminated, posing a potential health risk.expired red ruby grapefruit juice December 25 date on it . These conditions do not meet basic sanitation or public health standards and may constitute violations of local health and safety regulations. Additionally, when participants attempted to document these conditions, photos were reportedly taken or concealed, which raises concerns about transparency and accountability. Despite paying over $440 for certification, the program failed to provide a professional or safe learning environment. Furthermore, the certificate I received contains an incorrect date (off by one year), calling into question its validity and the integrity of the program's recordkeeping. Given the totality of these issues--including unsanitary conditions, potential health code violations, lack of proper instruction, and inaccurate certification documentation. I believe this matter warrants further investigation. I'am asking for my money back ! read more

I had a great experience taking this mixology class! The instructor was knowledgeable, engaging, and made the class fun from start to finish. I learned new techniques, made delicious cocktails, and left feeling much more confident in my mixing skills. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking for a fun and educational experience. Thank you for such a great class! read more

Very good. I had a great experience at the Sam Jose location. The instructor was informative. I enjoyed the class.

Great instructors and very knowledgeable in their field. They are very patient and explain things clearly.

Jason's bartending class was an absolute blast!! He's super fun,silly in the best way and makes the whole experience feel laid-back and easy. Whether your brand new or have some experience he creates a chill, welcoming vibe that takes pressure off and makes learning really enjoyable. Highly recommended if your looking for a great time and some serious cool bartending skills . read more

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Jason took me under his wing as my bartending teacher and wow, everything was so informational and helpful! I had no prior knowledge and this class helped ease me into the world of mixology & bartending altogether. I feel much more confident to apply myself. I highly suggest to take the class regardless if you're experienced or not, there's so much detail that can be overlooked. Jason is a class act, super funny- overall down to earth guy who is always willing to help and answer questions thoroughly. 5/5! read more

This was a really fun and informative class. Jason was a riot and gave a great mix of practical tips and insider information. Really positive feedback and passionate. Dave dropped in to order drinks. I'd highly recommend this class for pros and those who just want to have fun and learn a whole bunch of drinks. read more

BAB Mixology School - Tequila Sunrise - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Jose, California

Dave is very knowledgeable and passionate about teaching what he knows. I was lucky enough to have joined a smaller class with 7 people in it. Some of his classes can get over 15+ people. Since we had a smaller class it was easier and quicker to take turns while practicing to make drinks. Dave made the class entertaining and made everyone feel comfortable and not feel dumb to ask any questions you might have. read more

BAB Mixology School - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Jose, California

Our group of 12 had a great time with Dave! We celebrated 3 birthdays and wanted a fun/interesting course to add to our day. We chose BAB as they were local, had the best rate ($82/person), and could accommodate with a facility for our group. We had ~2 hours to make 4 cocktails with a bonus where he gave us the opportunity to make our own creations. Fun historical facts throughout and cool tips for bartending. One of the best parts was Dave surprising us at the end with a birthday cake! He was coordinating with a baker next door throughout the class to have it prepared for the birthday folks. Very sweet and considerate! Sadly I was having too much fun and don't have photos of the cocktails but I'd choose BAB again and recommend you do too! read more

BAB Mixology School - Surprise birthday cake at the end! - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Jose, California

Great experience learning how to make cocktails. I learned a lot and we got to use real alcohol. The instructor made the class go by super fast with lots of experiments and competitions. It was fun and super informative. read more

Jason is a chill guy and knows what he's ta about. He was helpful when I had questions and answered them with no hesitation. Overall, a nice guy. read more

I took a few bartending classes from different bartending schools and this business does a great job at explaining and provide the most current and relevant cocktails. read more

Really good! Very practical and useful, class is fun, will get you prepared, and You will pass the exam!

Had an awesome birthday celebration, 20+ people, all were involved, enjoyed a lot. Dave is a great teacher and all around was super fun read more

BAB Mixology School - Peach delight - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Jose, California

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Best thing I did! Took these class with zero knowledge of anything in the bartending field & was scared about the two day class that perhaps I didn't study enough, or wasn't gonna be good/fast enough etc.But Jason made the experience a lot better & easier, & made us understand what its really about. Answered the questions we had & helped ease all the doubt, was very patient with us. I think i learned quite a lot, definitely walked out with more confidence than I did when I first walked in into the class. I Recommend!! read more

Jason kept the class moving at a great pace and fun for everyone. Definitely would recommend taking the course for newer bartenders. Jason keeps it very relaxed and comfortable about performing in front of the group. read more

Dave is a great instructor, taught us a lot of cool tricks and shared fun stories. Also practice with real alcohol is a huge plus.

Before taking this school/course, I contemplated whether if I needed to take it or not. I wasn't entirely sure until I met Dave. Dave was very welcoming and full of Bartender and Mixology knowledge. What was awesome was that we got to work with actual alcohol, instead of food coloring and other supplies. After taking this course my passion for bartending grew! For any aspiring bartenders that have not taken this school/course, I strongly recommend you take this course! read more

Great class and cool instructor Dave was awesome with a ton of knowledge about cocktails, bars and the industry. The second day of the class is way more fun!! You will find out when you attend. Must go if you want to become a bartender or mixologist or just to learn how to make drinks and have fun!!! Thanks again BAB and Dave read more

It was fun, very informative, Dave is great and patient and resourceful.

Learned a whole lot in the class and Dave was an outstanding teacher. Really showed how much experience he had in the field and filled me with confidence that I got my certification from a world class bartender. read more

I took the bartending course with BAB Mixology first week of November 2020 and I'm so glad I did. Dave was patient, gave incredibly useful information and was very knowledgeable. Thanks to him I was able to earn my bartender certification with flying colors and while this pandemic's unpredictability (bars are open, now they're closed, now they're open!) has prevented me from taking the leap and applying for a bartender's position it HAS allowed me to pursue my goal as a social media mixologist with more efficacy. Thanks to the lessons, in particular those regarding ratios and building a cocktail base I'm able to create my own unique recipes with far less waste and much more success. In fact, once I'd solidified the core concept of one of my more recent cocktails, putting it together was a breeze and it went over gangbusters with my small group of friends, even the one who was most skeptical of my choice to use a chili-lime powder in the drink! I highly recommend BAB Mixology whether you are seriously seeking a position/career as a bartender or if you just want to improve on your skills for your home bar. I'm so happy I made this investment, thank you Dave and BAB Mixology!! read more

So much fun. Dave is knowledgeable and funny and took the time to answer my 10000 questions haha I definitely recommend this class to everyone ! read more

Fun night of learning to make drinks. Thanks Dave! Lots of fun 'St Patrick's Day' drinks and I'm looking forward to your secret martini ingredient next time! read more