Bartender Profiles

The Brew House
Lisa Michitsch, Bartender

How’d you get started in the business?
I was a bookkeeper and wanted to switch careers. I had a friend in cocktailing and wanted to try it. So I did that for 6 months, then I started serving. I did that for 3 years. I’ve been here at the Brew House for about 6 months.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The interaction with people. I was kind of shy for a lot of my life, but this has opened doors for me. It’s fun and I like the people I work with. We’re all a bit witty, so it’s kind of fun.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No. I’ve been in a relationship for 6 years.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Because I work days, I pour a lot of beer – and iced teas. Key Lime martinis are a favorite. I’m the queen of mixing shots, a lot of crazy mixed shots, because I used to work swing shift. Like the Leg Spreader, which is Malibu, Midori and pineapple. Otter Pops and Surfer on Acid are favorites, too.

How’d you get started in this business?
I was given an opportunity and I just, almost, fell into it really. I was working at a Mexican restaurant before this and when they opened the club I got offered a job here, so I jumped on it. I’ve been bartending for a couple of years now.

What’s the best thing about your job?
Having a friendly staff and environment, along with the good people that I work with. Jill and Rob are great people to work for. They’ve been in the industry a long time and know the business well. This is a fast paced job, so you have to be on it, but I love it.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No, never! I serve them their drinks, but beyond that…no.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
We do have a lot of trendy shots that are out there right now, like SoCo and lime. We actually have machines that make the shots for us. We also have 15 signature martinis, which are excellent. Red Bull is a huge, huge seller for us, too.

How’d you get started in the business?
After lifeguarding season ended at the Reno Hilton, I transferred as a Liquor Room Attendant. Shortly after, I was bartending.

What’s the best thing about your job?
Mingling with beautiful and unusual people. Secondly, watching people transform into different people after having several cocktails.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
Never really thought about that, but sounds like shooting fish in a barrel.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Besides all the delicious beers at Silver Peak Restaurant & Brewery, I would say something with Jagermeister as the ingredient, like Red Headed Sluts and Jager-bombs.

How’d you get started in the business?
I was a poor college student and needed to make some extra money, so I started bouncing and bartending at another restaurant. Then I got offered the position here. I figured the nightclub life was kind of exciting while I was going to school. I’ve been here at the Eldorado almost 5 years.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The hours and the amount of people you get to meet. I come in and get busy and meet a whole bunch of interesting people.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No, I tend not to date many people from the bar. Drunk people are fun when you’re drunk, but when you’re sober they’re not as much fun.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
We do a lot of fancy shots right now. Dirty Tuaca, Washington Apples. The fruity, kind of “in thing” right now is the fruity shot with the hard liquor.

How’d you get started in the business?
I started when I was 18, in Michigan, as a cocktail waitress. I fell in love with the people and customer service, started moving around the U.S. I’ve been here at Rapscallion 2 years now.

What’s the best thing about your job?
People. Not only the people that you serve, but also the people that you work with. When you make your customers happy, they have fun. Then, everybody’s having fun. It makes it hard to leave this business.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Old Fashioneds are always popular here because we make them the original way which is with sugar cubes, the muddle and the bitters. We do it properly. Also, our juices are always done fresh with a squeezer, so anything with juice is going to taste better here.

How’d you get started in the business?
I lived in Tahoe and needed to find a job that I could work when my kids were little. So I worked graveyard. I’ve been here for 4 years as the Flowing Tide, then for 4 years before that when it was a different name.

What’s the best thing about your job?
I get to hang out with all of my friends. All of my friends are my customers. I’ve known them forever. So I get to come and hang out with my friends and I get paid for it. And I get to tell jokes all day, and people get to tell me jokes. Dirty jokes, all day long.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No, I haven’t.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Our Pomegranate Margarita is pretty good. And we have a Crimson Tide, which is raspberry Stoli vodka, cranberry and coke. We also have a big variety of beers. My specialty is martinis.

How’d you get started in the business?
I was hired by Sapphire Lounge in Harrah’s the week of my 21st birthday. I knew the owner of the Chocolate Bar and started working both for a while, until I came here full time making drinks.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The atmosphere of the bar – people of all ages come in. It’s a really positive, upbeat environment. I also love the creativity involved.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Tropical lemonade, which is made with Bacardi Limon or raspberry vodka, fresh lemon, mango and pineapple juice rimmed in sugar.

How’d you get started in the business?
I came back from UNLV in 1992 on a baseball scholarship and the food & beverage manager asked me to play on his softball team, then he asked me to come to work for him. I got started as a barback and worked my way up to food & beverage supervisor. I found out they were making good money behind the bar, so I went there. I’ve been here 14 and a half years.

What’s the best thing about your job?
You meet different people every day. It’s always changing, it’s different, it’s fun. It doesn’t have the every day grind, you’re not sitting behind a desk and you’re talking to different people every day. I enjoy it.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
Yeah, years ago. Not any more, though. I’ve been married a while.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Most of what we sell is the lager beer. Girls like the apple martinis, sweet drinks, anything with Malibu in it. The new thing is anything with Red Bull, like vodka.

How’d you get started in the business?
It was actually through a friend, so I knew someone that knew someone and started at Cue & Cushion. I was there for a year, then to the Blind Onion. I lost my job when the fire happened, then came here.

What’s the best thing about your job?
I really like the people who come in here and the easy atmosphere. This place is really good, it has great food, great wines, great everything. It’s really fun to work here.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No, never.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Apple martinis, kamikazes and shots. Long Islands.

How’d you get started in the business?
I started here at the Eldorado, barbacking on the casino floor. Then I took the Eldorado bartender school. That was about 3 years ago.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The people. Interacting with people, that’s why I started doing this. I love talking to people and I love it when it gets busy. You’re surrounded by people. I like that.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
Uuuh, yes, I have actually.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
A lot of wine. This is a wine bar, so you sell a lot of wine. A lot of people are drinking Steele chardonnay and, of course, Ferrari Carano cabernet sauvignon. We do have a full bar, but we specialize in wines and feature a lot of premium, top shelf liquors.

How’d you get started in the business?
I was fortunate enough to find a mentor in Bobby Bishop and Tom Hamlin. With hard work and meeting the right people, I was very lucky.

What’s the best thing about your job?
Knowing that I brought some measure of solace, entertainment, and relaxation if only for a few minutes to a few guests every night.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
No.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
For beer, the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar. In the way of wine, white zin, and for cocktails, flavored vodkas are still on top: pomegranate, pear, or espresso are among the latest, offering endless combinations for Martinis.

How’d you get started in the business?
I was playing football in Sacramento at the J.C. level and came back home and slipped into it with a couple of buddies. Now, almost 11 years later, this is it. I’ve worked here at Sparky’s 8 years in April.

What’s the best thing about your job?
I’ve met a lot of people. Not only good friends, but good connections within the community. If you don’t like people, you don’t like this business…for sure. Unlike a lot of jobs, there’s something different happening almost every single day. You get to hang out with some friends and you get to watch sports and it’s still fun after all this time. I don’t know a lot of people who can still say that about their job after over 10 years.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
Well, now see, I’m a kept man! Besides that, we ALWAYS I.D., regardless.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
Right now, the hottest thing we have going is a Bud Light promotion. Every time you order one you get an entry form into a contest. The winner gets to go to the first round of the NCAA playoffs in Sacramento – an all expense paid trip. So we’re selling a lot of that. Also, Xyience energy drink. It’s a U.F.C. product. It’s great with vodka.

How’d you get started in the business?
I started as a barback in 1996 on the casino floor, and did that for a few years. Right after Roxy’s opened, I was in the right place at the right time. I attended the Eldorado bartending school, which is open to any Eldorado employee at no cost. It’s pretty intensive and the knowledge that you gain about liquor, wine and customer service makes a big difference.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The best thing is the camaraderie I have with the people I work with. The money’s always good. And the benefits of working at the Eldorado. They take care of us.

Ever I.D. someone just to get their name for a date?
Aaah, yes.

What’s the “in” drink at your bar these days?
We just started making our own infused liquors: vodka, tequila, gin, for example. A lot of companies use artificial stuff, but we make our own ingredients. Like today, I’m going to make a pineapple and jabanero vodka. So I’m going to cut up a fresh pineapple. Fresh ingredients make a difference. It’s something unique. Plus, martinis. We have 102 on the list, plus for the month of March we have the Crazy Leprechaun martini. Definitely Irish.

Bartalk

Shannon Schmid
Bartender, Bully’s

“Shaken. Your get a better drink. Colder.”

“Shaken. Like my martinis.”

“Shaken. It makes the drink colder.”