Bartender - Agave Slinger

SENIOR BARTENDER / BAR SUPERVISOR

Hot Tamale isn’t a “pour beers and make three cocktails” kind of bar.

We’re an agave-driven cantina where everything is built in-house — syrups, shrubs, infusions, tinctures, spice blends, garnishes… the lot. If you’re the kind of bartender who gets excited about balancing acid, building texture, telling the story behind a pour, and making every guest feel like a regular… you’ll feel at home here.

We’re looking for someone who wants to be the stan*dard-*setter on shift — hospitality first, drinks second (but still world-class), energy always.

THE ROLE

You’ll be hands-on behind the stick, leading from the front during busy services, while also helping us lift the whole bar team.

You will:

• Run the bar during high-volume services with speed, calm, and control
• Deliver genuinely warm, confident hospitality — eye contact, banter, connection, care

Make (and maintain) our in-house components: syrups, infusions, tinctures, shrubs, salts, garnishes

• Keep consistency tight: specs, builds, glassware, dilution, garnish, presentation
• Support training and development of the bar team to Hot Tamale standards
• Assist in menu development, testing, and execution (seasonal and special drops)
• Maintain systems, prep lists, stock rotation, ordering, cleanliness, and bar organisation

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

You don’t need to be the loudest in the room — but you do need to be serious about yourcraft and serious about people.

You are:

• An experienced cocktail bartender (not a dispense-only role)
• Fast on your feet and sharp under pressure
• A natural host: you can read a guest, lead a night, and lift the vibe
• Proud of your prep and your cleanliness — mise en place is your love language
• A builder and a learner: you want to improve, and you help others improve
• Ideally an agavenerd (or well on the way): tequila, mezcal, raicilla, sotol… you’re curious and hungry

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years hospitality experience (bar or restaurant, table service, high volume)
• Minimum 1 year in a quality cocktail bar (flavour knowledge + technique)
• A 12-month commitment to the venue

SKILLS THAT MATTER HERE

• Strong cocktail fundamentals: balance, technique, speed, consistency
• Ability to prep and execute house-made components (and keep them labelled/dated/rotated)
• Confident guest engagement: upsell without being salesy, storytelling without waffling
• Leadership on shift: calm direction, standards, accountability
• Excellent hygiene, WHS awareness, and attention to detail

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (THE REAL WORLD LIST)

• Cocktail and beverage service (speed + accuracy)
• In-house prep: syrups, shrubs, infusions, tinctures, garnishes
• Stock control, ordering, rotation, wastage management
• Cleaning schedules, equipment care, glassware standards
• Cash handling / till balancing
• Team training and supervision on shift
• Reservations support / guest greeting when required
• Beer line cleaning (as rostered)

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $66,000.00 – $73,000.00 per year

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Darwin NT 0800: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Application Question(s):

• Ask applicants to list some dates and times they could do an a 1 hr unpaid trial / interview at Hot Tamale?

Experience:

• Bartending: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Authorisation:

• Australia (Required)

Work Location: In person