4 Fantastic Bartenders in Bozeman

Bartenders are the celebrities of the bar. Whether us bar patrons are hankering for a drink or because we know they are the ultimate untouchables, we all hope to catch his/her attention as soon as we approach the bar. But do they realize the interactions we share with them make a huge impact on our night? Being friendly, attentive, fast, rude, flirty, coy or distracted can be just as important to our enjoyment as the drink itself. So how do they do it day in and day out? We set out to mingle, chat and share a drink with a few of these illusive creatures around town to find out directly.

Ashley - 23

Bar - The Cannery

Favorite Drink - Pendleton 7

Advice for bar patrons - Don't look stingy by asking the price of everything before ordering

Ashley is a bartender at the Cannery. She has been a bartender for two and half years and has also worked as a waitress. One thing you'll notice about Ashley is how readily she talks to you and treats you like a friend right from the get go. We are not sure everyone from her hometown of Nevenville, Iowa is this freindly, but if they are we definitely want to visit someday. Living in Bozeman the past 5 years, Ashley has become very accustomed to the Bozeman lifestyle. She does everything from snowmobiling, to hiking, to riding horses and she is very excited for hunting season to begin. Not only that but she's excited for Football season as well. She works each game day during the season and the Cannery opens at 8am for all the early risers. Stop in and give Ashley a hello and a "Go Cats Go!"

Jon - 31

Bar - Plonk

Favorite Drink - Van Winkle Special Reserve Whiskey on the rocks

What makes a good bartender? - Patients and multitasking

As we chatted with Jon, I ordered a Salma Hayek. It's a spin off of a Mojito with a bit of added spiciness. I have tried it before and ever since have wanted to go back and give it another go. It was just as delicious as I remembered. Being the great bartender that he is, Jon continued chatting with us as he tossed in all of the fresh ingredients and ice and began to hand crush them. What would have taken me several minutes to make at my own house with a blender and an extensive recipe, Jon had finished in a matter of seconds. That is because Jon has been a Bartender for over 10 years. We were blown away as bartenders generally only last 2 - 3 years. Jon explained it's because of the uniqueness of the bar he works at. He has been lucky enough to work at Plonk for 6 years serving Bozeman arguably the best drinks in town. Jon was raised in Bozeman attending both Bozeman High and MSU. So of course, he is into outdoore Bozeman activities like hiking and floating. He also revealed he studies Jiujitsu, a martial art that he could use to make you cry uncle. We were a bit bummed to have to leave the great atmosphere of Plonk and the company of Jon to venture back out onto the street. But once we were out in the sun, we quickly became excited about our next destination.

Jacqueline - 23

Bar - Crystal Rooftop

Favorite Drink - Colorado Bulldog

What super power would make your job easier? - Having four arms with super strength

As she was bouncing back and forth between taking quick drink orders and answering our questions, we wouldn't have guessed that Jacqueline has only been a bartender since May. We were scared of running into a rookie bartender that would be shy or a bit reserved but Jacqueline has the perfect amount of charisma and charm. She made it to Bozeman from Lambert Montana to earn a degree in accounting at MSU. Jacqueline has especially enjoyed this summer because she recently started to fly fish. I wish I was more versed in the sport so we could have discussed it, but sadly the only fly I have is on my jeans. When she isn't at the river fishing you can find Jacqueline hiking and floating the Madison. She admits to playing quite a bit of basketball. Her intramural team at MSU has taken first place more than once over the years. Each time we thought Jacquelin was sick of answering our questions, she would return to lean on the counter and chat with us as if we were best friends. We can see why the owners positioned Jacqueline and her bright personality up on the rooftop, and we also can't wait to get back for some more Coronas.

Tony - 28

Bar - The Rockin R Bar

Favorite Drink - Crown and 7

Dog's name - Rylee

Tony has been a managing bartender at both Mixers and the R Bar. Originally from Whitefish, MT, Tony came to Bozeman to study Finance at MSU. His 5 years of being a bartender are split evenly between both establishments. Recently with the re-opening of the R Bar, Tony spends most of his time there. This guy knows his stuff too. We talked everything from Chocolate Shake shots to Lucky Leprechauns and his favorite to make, the Chuck Norris. He admits he wasn't sure what the Lucky Leprechaun was but by creating a drink off the top of his head with a green tint to it, he kept his patrons happy. That's the kind of guy Tony is, he doesn't sweat the small stuff and has a great attitude that keeps things moving forward. We spent a lot of time sitting side by side with Tony just chatting about everything and anything bar related. You might run into Tony at Bridger Golf Course or at a dog park with his pup Rylee.

We had great time meeting these bartenders on a lovely Saturday in Bozeman. Do you  have a favorite bartender in Bozeman? Maybe even a great story to tell about that great bartender? Let us know in the comments below. And remember to always leave a tip!