I took this course recently and it totally exceeded my expectations! Nino and Joe are exactly the kind of instructors you want -- knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely invested in their students. They don't just teach you recipes; they give you real-world, actionable advice you can actually take with you to your job search and your first day on the job. The program is extremely hands-on, which makes a huge difference. Plus, the curriculum is packed with practical, tactical information that students can take and put into action. What stood out most is that Owner/Instructor Nino fully embodies the mindset he teaches. He says the balance of being responsible, sociable, and fun as the hallmark of a great bartender -- and watching him run a class, you see exactly what that looks like in practice. He sets the standard himself. Highly recommend to anyone serious about getting into bartending. read more

The school itself is actually pretty amazing, Joe is such a cool dude and definitely 5 stars, i learned a lot of stuff and they actually give you a lot information and value of bartending. The two weeks is much better for sure, a lot of information and drinks to learn but overall is a lot of fun. The con for me was definitely the job placement. I paid for the package B (just north of $800) which includes the "job placement" option, i was expecting a job board with restaurants within their network that would be willing to accept students from their school or at least something close to that due to the price and the network they might have and is actually a third party staffing agency that does that, as far as i know they will put students on wedding parties and stuff like that but not an actual long term job on a restaurant bar or whatever, not only that after some messages the agency never got back to back and it has been 2-3 months. They give you a job workshop in how to make your resume stand out which is pretty great, i went to 20-25 restaurants and i was able to get 2 interviews with the information they show us in the school but unfortunate none of these 25ish restaurants wanted to risk someone that had none actual experience on a bar. I ended it up getting a job recently but if im being honest, had nothing to do with the school, it was from a friend's reference. Overall pretty cool, not sure it was worth it the 800 price point, at least not for me, is up to yourself to decide if it is. Kind of unfortunate, the place and the instructors are pretty neat and you actually have fun and learn at the same time read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

Best school for bartending in SoCal. Top instructors Joe and Nino really show you everything to get you ready to bartend in the real setting. This is great for people who want to learn building cocktails from the ground up. read more

Im blown away by this school. The set up is incredible and Joes instruction is amazing. He really cares about the success of the students and I've never learned so much in such a short time. Be ready to study. Thank you Joe read more

Hands down one of the best experiences! The school is very informative, fun and you start to feel like an actual bartender after day one. Everything is thorough and you need to be ready put in the time and effort to perform and study. You get what you pay for that's for sure. I went In with no bartending experience looking for a fresh start from my current career and I definitely found it. Both Nino and Joe are professional and talented with so much experience under their belt. You build the confidence you need in the class as well as tips and tricks to remember recipes, tools etc! Highly recommend Gaslamp Bartending school and can't wait to see what the future brings! read more

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World class bartending school with 2 bad ass instructors Joe and Nino. These guys really know how to teach and get you versed in making cocktails, high level customer service and decoding drinks . I learned so much especially taking pack B, Nino does an amazing job getting you set up with a solid bar resume and keys on how to standout in an interview. Thanks so much GBS!!!! read more

Best experience learning to bartend. Thank you Joe for being such a supportive and thorough instructor. If you're looking to learn and learn fast this is the spot read more

Amazing experience at Gaslamp Bartending School! Joe is an outstanding instructor -- full of energy, personality, and real bartending knowledge. The hands-on training was fast-paced, efficient, and super effective. I came in nervous and left confident with my name on that wall! The job workshop was also VERY helpful , all thanks to Joe and Nino! I Just graduated yesterday and feel ready for the real world. Highly recommend! 5/5 10/10 read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - my name at the bottom - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

Teachers were great and knowledgeable. The class is fully equipped with all the necessary resources that you will need to succeed.

Best bartending experience, the instructors Joe and Nino are legends and truly work with you to make sure you learn the cocktails and techniques. The Package B is the best experience because Nino goes over the job workshop and helps you with making your resume standout. I'm ready to get out and get working read more

First off Joe is an incredible instructor, he has a way of really engaging the students and holds you accountable to putting forth your best efforts. There is so much info and Joe demistifies it all. I came in here not knowing how to make cocktails and now im crushing marks, mules, Manhattan, and many many more. I'm ready to start bartending ASAP. Thanks Joe. read more

This class is so intensive, there is a ton of cocktails and it's amazing to be behind a real bar learning, the hands on experience you can't get anywhere else. Invaluable. What's even more invaluable is the teachings and experience from Joe. He is a great instructor who really cares about your success. I recommend this school to anyone looking to learn bartending. read more

Really enjoyed the whole experience, Joe is a fantastic bartending instructor. He is so patient and has amazing life advice too. This is a great place to learn from the ground up. Thank you Joe. 10/10 I highly recommend this school and Joe. read more

Killer bartending school, super chill vibe. Be ready to work hard because it's no joke. Joe is awesome and so helpful with the learning process. Nino is a great instructor with so much experience he passes his knowledge on and it's invaluable. The package B is the best value and prepares you for the real world of bartending. read more

Instructors Nino and Joe do an outstanding job at this school. I knew nothing coming in and now im creating incredible drinks. The package B is great because you learn so much about building a resume catered to bartending, Interviewing techniques and a wealth of other tools. Thank you GBS read more

The instructors here are thorough and go above and beyond to make sure you learn the skill /language of bartending. Joe and Nino are the best. Nino has great experience that he shares with all the students and has great strategies for getting hired. I took the B package and it was well worth it. Thank you GBS read more

Joe and Nino are killer instructors. Made class so much fun and I learned a ton. The curriculum is heavy and be ready to make a ton of cocktails. Thanks to my amazing instructors. B pack is the way to go. read more

Great bartending school with 2 bad ass instructors. Joe and Nino are outstanding instructors. Joe is thorough and Nino has decades of experience, his B Pack workshop is amazing value and he helps you dial in your resume for bartending specifically. Loved this class. Thanks GBS!!! read more

I had the best experience at this school. Joe the instructor has great experience that he shares with students and he very hands on. He makes sure you do everything right from the recipes to the techniques and gets you dialed on the POS. Joe gave me the confidence to start my bartending journey. read more

10/10 for this school, thank you Joe for your incredible instruction. I am so confident coming out of this program and ready to rock bartending. read more

Hats off to Joe for the best instruction. i came here not knowing anything about cocktails and he's taught me so much, more than that he taught me how to teach myself moving forward. This school is worth every penny. read more

First of all, I walked in with zero bartending experience. But this school and its instructors has given me a wealth of knowledge and skills I never thought I would be able to have. I walked out feeling confident that I'll do great behind a bar. This is a 10/10 school in my book. I will say this though: Dedicate yourself to this. It's not something to sleep on. But it's 100% worth it!! read more

Had such an amazing experience at this school. So much information to get through but Joe does such an incredible job of breaking everything down and making the techniques and recipes easy to learn. I'm feeling confident to get out and vet working. Thank you Joe read more

I signed up for GBS not knowing what to expect. I was eager to learn some bartending skills and left the class feeling confident and ready for the job hunt. Nino and Joe are experienced bartenders who teach you everything you need to know in just 1-2 weeks. They are detail-oriented and will make sure you are trained well enough before graduating the class. Nino makes sure you have everything you need to be successful- bartending textbook, binder, resume and job searching tips, and many other supplies needed during class. The hands on training made me feel confident and ready to begin my bartending journey. Thank you for everything!! read more

I never knew I could learn so much in so little time. I went in knowing nothing about alcohol or bartending. They are amazing teachers who taught me so well I got a perfect score on my test! The teachers are super encouraging and made me excited for bartending, something I never thought I would be into before. read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

Nino might seem a bit intimidating at first, but it's clear he knows his stuff! His expertise and approach make the learning process engaging and effective. By the end of the class, I felt confident and ready to begin my bartending journey. Highly recommend this course to anyone looking to break into the industry! P.S. ACTUALLY STUDY! read more

I had an amazing experience with Nino and Joe! Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in mixology or wants to learn how to be a bartender!! read more

I came to GBS knowing little to nothing about the bartending industry. Nino taught us so much essential information from accurate pour counts to resume building. I was able to get a bartending job offer within a few weeks of completing the course and it was all thanks to the training I received at GBS. Highly recommend this school for anyone who wants to get into the industry and be set up for success! read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - Live Service Training - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

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Easily one of the Best Decisions I ever made taking this course. In such a short time you learn so much as well as getting the hands on practice you need. If your thinking about getting into bartending and don't know where to start, This is def the place! I went in knowing nothing about bartending, and now I'm confident enough in myself to actually pursue bartending and finally make some money with it! Thanks a bunch to Nino and the GBS Team for what they're doing!!! read more

By far the best investment I could have made. Nino, Eli, and Scotty at Gaslamp Bartending School in Clairemont Mesa are excellent instructors! I took the one-week class and was fortunate enough to only have two other classmates. Nino and Eli, my main instructors, care a lot about our success as students and future bartenders. They pay attention to every detail with regards to technique and bartending etiquette, ensuring you'll be a powerhouse once you graduate. Once you're in the final moments of the program, you go through a job workshop to build your resume, and learn important pieces of information that WILL score you a job. You get unlimited refreshers, which I took advantage of to keep my skills sharp. Within two weeks, I did the Live Service Training at Nautilus Tavern and quickly got a job at RoVino in Little Italy! I wanna give a big thanks to the whole GBS team for being so awesome and an even bigger thanks to Nino for constantly sending out jobs to apply to. If you're debating whether or not to attend GBS, let me make the decision for you: DO IT! read more

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I cannot recommend this place enough!! I was fortunate enough to attend this school due to a referral from a girlfriend. I was thinking about bartending for a long time, when I finally gathered up the courage to push the button to embark on my new journey. Nino, Adam and Joe were such incredible instructors, they made me feel confident and set me up for success during my time there. I am a hands on learner, so this course was everything I needed. If you need a sign to sign up, THIS IS IT! I can't thank the instructors enough for their patience, knowledge and time! read more

My first real experience behind the bar was at this school, and I couldn't have felt more at ease thanks to Joe's guidance. He made everything clear, approachable, and fun, creating the perfect environment to learn new skills or sharpen your bartending abilities. I highly recommend this class to anyone starting their bartending career--it's both educational and enjoyable. Special thanks to Nino for providing the opportunity to take this class and for leading an excellent job workshop! read more

My experience working with Nino & Joe gave me a great opportunity to begin bartending with an advantage. I've been a bartender for two months so far and the transition was so easy. Thank you so much!! read more

I'd give MORE STARS, but Yelp won't let me! This school is AWESOME! Nino and Eli are extremely knowledgeable and talented instructors. They give you EVERYTHING YOU NEED to become a bartender...hands-on/classroom/Live training, 75+ cocktail recipes, resume help, and so much more. They'll even HELP YOU GET A JOB! You WILL graduate and be ready to work as long as YOU PUT IN THE WORK! It was about the most fun I've ever had learning. Thank you GBS! read more

If you're looking to get into bartending this is the perfect place to learn the basics. The way they teach you all the skills and knowledge that you need to know as a bartender in just 2 weeks, is nothing short of impressive. All 3 instructors (Nino, Adam and Joe) are experienced bartenders who truly want you to succeed and they will not settle for mediocre bartenders leaving their class. The last couple days of class I was doubting if I would perform well for the test and as a guest bartender at an actual bar, but Joe's coaching/teaching styles truly helped build confidence in our abilities and I felt more than ready by test day. Thank you again to all the instructors, this is the standard for bartending. read more

GBS was a great experience! I highly recommend them and feel ready to enter the bartending industry. I always looked forward to going to class as it was a lot of fun and educational. Nino and all the instructors were great and very knowledgeable. The live service event was also a blast and I knew how to make every drink thanks to the class! read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - Live service event - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

For the longest time I been wanting to bartend but had no clue where to start, after doing some research I found this school and was fortunate to live extremely close. I have never been a good student so I had no idea what to expect going in but I caught on quick thanks to Nino and Eli being some of the best teachers I have ever had, I feel confident and ready to take on the bartending world. If you're unsure about going do yourself a favor and sign up you will leave the school knowing everything you need to. read more

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I can't recommend this bartending school enough! Nino and Eli were incredibly knowledgeable and patient, guiding us through every technique and cocktail from start to finish. Nino even hooked it up with real live service at a popular bar and allowed us to come in to practice beforehand. GBS is committed to the success of students! This school is the real deal and I feel confident in being able to work a real bartender job now. I came in with no experience. Both instructors made class entertaining and fun. During the class you are taught everything from POS, bar etiquette, cleaning, side work, preparing drinks, liquor knowledge, garnishes, safety, all the things that will help you succeed in the real world. I was looking for bartending school that was practical, challenging to help me grow, and would help me prepare for a job-- GBS is it! Thanks guys, appreciate everything you've done! read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

Overall had an amazing experience here ! I've always wanted to get into bartend so when I looked online Gaslamp Bartending School was the first place to come up and I'm happy it did ! I was able to work with both Nino and Eli and both of them are amazingly informative instructors. We learned everything from how to make drinks, the basics to the in-depth history of different alcohols, basic bartender etiquette on sanitization and cleaning, and finally how to set yourself up to find the best bartending position for yourself after you finish the classes. After finishing with Gaslamp Bartending School I was able to land a position with Karinas Cantina and be hired on the spot ! Big thank you to Nino and Eli for setting me up for success ! read more

Gaslamp Bartending School - Bartending Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was there in the beginning of January 2024 They give you all you need to become a great bartender. I want to thank Nino, Adama and Elan They did an amazing job. I recommend this school 100 % Also I made good friends All the students were nice :) read more