Whether you’re a passionate aficionado seeking to stir up a new chapter in your career or a new bartender aiming to perfect your craft, Florida offers a diverse selection of top-tier bartending schools poised to elevate your skills to unprecedented levels.
Known for its vibrant cities, bustling universities, and warm-weather tourist destinations, the Sunshine State presents an ideal backdrop for aspiring bartenders, cocktail enthusiasts, and seasoned mixologists alike to carve out a flourishing bartending career or side hustle.
Explore the finest bartending schools that Florida offers, each equipped to guide you on a journey toward mastering the art of mixology and ensuring you stand out in the world of bartending.
The 6 Best Bartending Schools in Florida
Florida Bartending School
With several locations across the state, Florida Bartending School offers a program with a real bar setting, hands-on training, and job placement assistance
Available in the following cities:
Jacksonville
West Palm Beach
Pinellas Park
Melbourne
National Bartenders
National Bartenders has refined bartending classes nationwide for nearly 40 years
Available in the following cities:
Jacksonville
Orlando
Miami
St. Petersburg
ABC Bartending
Around since 1977, ABC is one of the largest bartender training establishments in the nation with locations across the United States.
Available in the following cities:
Ft. Lauderdale
Jacksonville
Miami
Orlando
Palm Beach
South Beach
Tampa
Elite Bartending School and Event Staffing
Founded in 2007, Elite Bartending School has become a leader in the industry for high-volume bartender training, mixology, and top-notch job placement and event staffing for all graduates
Available in the following cities:
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Meyers
Florida Keys
Miami
Orlando
Tampa
Naples
786 Bartend
Much more than just a bartending school, 786 Bartend offers hands-on bartending courses, cocktail workshops, spirits tastings & certifications, bartender staffing, and other industry services – all throughout the Miami area
Available in the following cities:
Miami
Mr. Barrtenderr
Primarily providing mobile bartending services in Jacksonville, Mr. Barrtenderr also offers a range of bartending courses, certifications, and mixology workshops both in-person and offline
Available in the following cities:
Jacksonville
Bartender Licensing in Florida
A bartending license is not mandatory for selling or serving alcohol in Florida.
However, the state’s Responsible Vendor Act encourages bar and restaurant owners to prioritize training for their staff. Although not a legal requirement, participating in a bartending training course can help mitigate liability for owners and potentially safeguard their liquor license.
Under the Florida Responsible Vendor Act, bar and restaurant owners can voluntarily engage in a program incentivizing alcohol server training. This training becomes crucial as it may lessen penalties for owners if an employee, even inadvertently, serves alcohol to an underage person. Consequently, many establishments in Florida opt to require their employees, both managerial and non-managerial, to undergo this training within specific time frames, fostering a culture of responsible alcohol service.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Florida, the minimum age to serve alcohol is 18 years old.
