National Bartenders School and Staffing of Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California

Zack Kernick

Excellent education founded on lies, disorganization, and disrespect.

I had been afraid of speaking out against this establishment as I knew it would spell the end of my career in bartending that I spent nearly 2 years attempting to establish (when taking into account my year of barback experience), but my experience here has shown me that I’m best leaving hospitality altogether and focusing on returning to being a full time student and doing something more important with my life.

To begin, from the second I called to inquire about classes last year, the ringleader of this operation, Patty, fast talks me into paying $600 for the course (which according to many other reviews was only worth $400). So I begin attending on the promises of a ‘guaranteed job placement’ and begin their admittedly good and thorough education on bartending with entertaining instructors and a truly rigorous practical test that took me hours of training to pass.

So here’s where things start going downhill. I enter into the RBS/TIPS training program which was part of my paid for package and only ever received my RBS. When I inquired about the fact that I did not show in the TIPS server MULTIPLE times, Patty sent two half hearted emails to the company who said ‘oops sorry we can’t find it’ and Patty eventually gave up even trying to locate it leading me to not even bother trying to deal with her incompetency and was forced me to buy it out of my own pocket.

Now onto the worst part. The ‘job placement’. This company will begin by telling you about the endless amounts of options and possibilities they can hook you up with. I tried to spend most of my time learning from Nate as he was a nightclub bartender which was the path I wanted to follow and was told is one of the endless options they have the ability to lead you to. The training you receive makes this believable because it isn’t easy.

They always said they can’t make a company hire you, but will at least get you set up with an interview. After I graduated, I was not even given this. On August 4th I told Patty my test was completed and she told me I would be working with a person named Alan who would be helping me with my job placement.

This person did not bother reaching out to me until the 21st nearly 17 days later and simply praised my resume and told me I could do anything with it. The ‘job placement’ was a link to Instawork and Tend, as well as three links pulled directly off indeed for jobs I could have looked up myself and had nothing to do with what I said my aspirations were and no interviews were set up as I was promised.

So I decided I would try my hand working for their staffing agency component. Initially things were a bit unsteady but ultimately manageable. They would offer me jobs around weekly through September to mid December. After that point they didn’t offer me a single job until June 8th. Also important to note is that they withhold info about all the best jobs from the app they use so that only their favorite graduates are ‘in the know’.

Finally after no more job offers until September. I’m told that they’re switching over to a new system and I see that they’re only giving me bottom of the barrel uptipped positions that require extremely long commutes.

I was willing to take it for one shift, but by the second one, my car battery died leaving me no means to get there and I decided that this agency didn’t even deserve the honor of a call in explaining the situation and that I was moving onto more important things and that I should at least put out this warning. I have no idea where these positive reviews are coming from, but if you sort by negative, then you will see others like me speaking the truth about this agency.

Do not trust them. They will not place you in a job and they do not care about you a single bit after graduation. I hope my testimony will help others save their money, frustration, and dignity that they took from me

Julia Bailey

I had a great time in this school! I didn't know that learning can be difficult but very interesting at the same time. The lectures were full of only useful information and during the practical lab time my teachers answered all my questions and I got some good tips for my future career as a bartender. And I liked the possibility to have flexible schedule. So I can highly recommend this school to others!

tayhay

Moving to LA and wanting to become a bartender, I knew a school would be invaluable since I have no prior bartending experience. Well I'm so glad I went with National Bartenders because it is THE best bartending school in LA! Though the class does cost a pretty penny, you make it all back with the work opportunities they provide. So far, I've worked a nonprofit fundraising event, Kaskade's sun soaked music festival in Long Beach, and a Free People "experience" at an organic farm in Malibu. I can't say enough good things about this school and would highly recommend. They are frequently posting opportunities for permanent bartending positions as well. A really great group of people to work for and learn from, but cool students to work with as well. I love it!

Victoria U

I was very nervous coming into the training, but it has been an absolute blast! The instructors were patient and supportive, always willing to answer questions and provide guidance. Thanks to this school, I now feel prepared and ready to pursue a successful career in bartending. I am starting small with some parties that my friends are throwing, and who knows how far this will lead 😉

Sarah Dupuis

Learning to be a bartender here was so much fun! The skills I acquired have opened up so many opportunities. The course not only teaches you about different cocktails but also about bar etiquette and customer service. The school has a good reputation in the industry, and rightly so. The instructors are amazing, they made learning so enjoyable and stress-free. I loved every minute of the course. Real-world training, excellent instructors, and a friendly environment.

Chae Chaput

The Los Angeles campus (located in Ktown) is the place to go! Patty and Thomas are not only great at what they do, but they love it as well. Simply put: They are the best!

I had been considering going to bartending school for a while, but kept getting discouraged by others saying that they didn’t think I’d make a good bartender or that I didn’t need any training—all I needed to do was become a barback and work my way up. Well, any woman who has ever tried applying for barback jobs in LA knows that it is hard to snag one—they always want strong men! After multiple tries to get my foot in the barback door, I decided to look into bartending school and that is how I found National Bartending School & Staffing.

I’m a hardcore researcher, especially when I know I’ll be investing a significant amount of money into something, and according to my findings this was the best place in town. I called up and Patty answered immediately. She was super friendly and talked with me regarding what I was looking for, my prior experience, and more. I really connected with how personable she is. Having prior experience in events and catering, Patty suggested that I try the Certification Package. It was the perfect fit for me. It included the basic bartending classes, TIPS Certification, Bartending Certification (after completing the written and practical tests), open access to the practice bar, and the bartending manual.

I took all my classes with Thomas and Patty. Thomas is super knowledgeable and has no problem answering my countless questions. He makes it all look so easy and explains everything very clearly. Patty is also incredibly knowledgeable, very supportive, and super cool. As a young woman trying to break into a world that feels very male dominate, I sometimes wonder if it’s possible. Patty is a great example of a woman who has done just that. It’s inspiring to see (from the example she sets) that a woman can be knowledgeable, succeed, and hold her own in the field. Her honesty and support have helped me keep up the grind. (I currently work full-time day job, so it’s taken me longer to complete the program than most. I’ve been squeezing in classes and practice around my very busy schedule.)

It’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally very close to testing and becoming certified as a bartender. And I’m very excited for the possibilities ahead! Patty has been incredibly supportive the entire way and has already sent me out on interviews and offered me gigs to help me gain experience and practice. I truly appreciate the dedication and care that has gone into helping me carve out this next step in my path and making my goals a reality.

My sincerest heartfelt thanks to Patty and Thomas! You two rock!

Lucas Claxton

Joining the NBSLA has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. The teachers are amazing s/o Nate, Patty, Jason, and Luis - y’all are the coolest & funnest instructors ever! The classes are engaging and full of fun facts and there are always a surplus of staffing gigs available if you’re trying to get some work experience on your journey to getting the certification. 10/10 experience all around ?

Catherine Drew

After just a couple of weeks of attending here, I have already completed the required classes, received my Tips and RBS training and passed the exam. Also during this time I have had the pleasure of meeting staff members Nate, Dayton, Jason and Patti. Everyone is extremely friendly, funny, kind and patient. And no matter what your experience or background is, they welcome you with open arms. I rarely post a review but I would definitely recommend this place 100 %