From the vibrant nightlife of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego to the charming wine country and coastal towns, California offers bartenders a diverse range of career opportunities in some of the most iconic settings in the country. Explore our curated selection of top bartending schools throughout the Golden State.
The 8 Best Bartending Schools in California
Riverside Bartending School
Since 1982 Riverside Bartending School has provided hands-on training experience to more than 10,000 aspiring bartenders. The school’s 100 hour curriculum is intended to be completed over the course of two weeks.
Available in the following cities:
Riverside
The Cocktail Camp
The Cocktail Camp offers hands-on bartending certification classes and unforgettable cocktail-making experiences for individuals and corporate teams.
Available in the following cities:
San Francisco
Sacramento
Southern California Bartending School
Owned and operated by Laura Milham, who has over 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, Southern California Bartending School provides RBS certified training for bartenders seven days of the week.
Available in the following cities:
Orange County
Long Beach Bartending School
Long Beach Bartending School is one of the leading bartending schools in Southern California. The school provides group and one-on-one training that guarantees job placement upon graduation. The school also provides free tours for interested bartenders.
Available in the following cities:
Los Angeles
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:
Los Angeles
Pacific Bartending School
Since 2005 Pacific Bartending School has been providing training to aspiring bartenders in the Los Angeles area.
Available in the following cities:
Los Angeles
National Bartending School
A nationwide provider of bartending schools, National has more than twenty locations throughout California. Due to it’s size, the school has relationships with some of the leading hospitality companies in the country to help with job placement.
Available in the following cities:
Berkeley
Fresno
Irvine
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Santa Monica
Oakland
Sanata Ana
San Diego
Long Beach
Ventura
More…
Gaslamp Bartending School
Founded in 2017, Gaslamp Bartending School is a 28 hour long course that provides multiple classes during the week.
Available in the following cities:
San Diego
Inland Empire Bartending School
Hosted by the same company as Gaslamp Bartending School, Inland Empire Bartending School 2-week long bartending classes year round.
Available in the following cities:
Riverside
Bartender Licensing in California
As of July 2022, every bartender in the state of California is required to be receive certified Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training. Bartenders must be certified within 60 days of starting a new job and the license is good for three years at which point bartenders must take training again.
California has currently approved 30+ trainers. The entire list of approved training providers can be found on the Alcohol Beverage Control RBS Portal.
Important Note: Bartenders are not the only employees who need to receive RBS training to work in California. Bouncers, security guards, or anyone else who checks IDs are also required to receive licensing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum age requirement to become a bartender in California is 21 years old. An employee between the ages of 18 and 20 though may serve alcohol to customers in dining areas who have ordered food.
