thePULSEWhenever we announce a Sexiest Bartender issue of Pulse, we know there are going to be lots of great nominations pouring in from you, our readers ~ but this year we were absolutely flooded with noms and it was super hard to narrow down the list of hotties to just 9. . But we finally decided on the 9 sexiest bartenders ~ guys and girls ~ who keeps the drinks flowing and the energy up at clubs and bars all over the city. Now you get to check out pix and interviews with the winners ~ and see why we picked them as our 2012 Sexiest Bartenders!
By Kristie Bartlett
Kerry Nuzzetti
Age 26 ~ Creegans Pub
How/where did you learn to bartend? I pretty much taught myself how to bartend a few years back while I was a waitress.
Favorite way to spend your time off? I have the best friends anyone could ask for so I like to spend time hanging out with them as much as I can.
Do you have a signature drink? The Nuzzy fish. It’s actually a shot.
What makes you a Sexiest Bartender? Probably the fact that I like to make people laugh. I’m pretty easy going and can talk to just about anyone too.
What new drink/bar trends will we be seeing at bars this year? Creegans has a huge variety of vodka flavors and I have noticed that a lot more people are choosing vodka lately!
What kind of music seems to get the customers drinking the most? We are an Irish pub so any Irish music always gets the people going.
Is bartending harder or easier than you thought it would be? It’s easier. I have so much fun with it.
Have you ever dated a customer? Yup…mistake! Haha
One pet peeve about customers? I like when people ask my name so they can get my attention. Pet peeve is people yelling “Hey,” or “Hey you” at me.
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? A lot of liquor.
You can find Kerry behind the bar at Creegans Pub on Thursday nights.
Chris Manca
Age 23 ~ Boiler Room/Fusion Lounge & Nightclub/Southside Margarita Factory
What do you think makes you a Sexiest Bartender? From what I’ve been told, it would be my smile. I have a very outgoing personality and I make a really good drink. But hey, that’s just what I been told.
Favorite way to spend your time off? I pretty much live in the gym. I play football so I need to stay in shape.
Do you have a signature drink? The Terminator, I made this up… just ask me for one. Guaranteed to put you on your ass.
One thing you want your customers to know about you? I have a sarcastic personality with a good sense of humor.
Funniest/weirdest thing you’ve ever witnessed at work? This guy followed his girlfriend into the bathroom… when a girl came up to me to complain that there was a man in the ladies’ room, I went in the bathroom ~ witnessing his pants down to his ankles and having him tell me he wasn’t doing anything.
What’s the cheesiest pickup line you’ve ever overheard at the bar? A guy comes up to a girl and says “Do you work for UPS? ‘Cuz I swear I saw you checkin’ out my package.”
If you weren’t a bartender, what would you be? A police officer. I am currently in the middle of finishing school and working on getting a job in law enforcement.
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? Off the top of my head, here we go: vodka, southern comfort, amaretto, sloe gin, triple sec, peach schnapps, midori, pineapple juice, OJ and splash of cranberry juice.
You can find Chris behind the bar at Boiler Room on Thursday nights, Overtime Tap on Friday nights, and Fusion on Saturday nights.
Jackie Fitzgerald
Age 24 ~ Mahoney’s
Do you have a signature drink? Well it’s more of a shot than a drink, it’s Three Olives purple, grape, cherry Stoli razz, cran and Sprite. It tastes just like when you put all the colors of Skittles in your mouth at once!
What makes you a Sexiest Bartender? Having fun, being in a good mood, if the customers see you’re having fun they will too, and it helps I’m easy on the eye 😉
What’s your most creative St. Patrick’s Day drink? Vanilla vodka crème de menthe, a little bit of Bailey’s and milk, put it all in a blender with ice! It tastes just like a minty milkshake.
Have you ever dated a customer? Yes, I met my current boyfriend when I started working at Mahoney’s.
If you weren’t a bartender, what would you be? I love working with kids. I want to either be a pre~school or first grade teacher.
What one invention would make your life behind the bar easier? When it’s wicked busy and you need change or ones, having a tip bucket that would automatically count out and change the dollar bills would save so much time! Hmm, maybe I’ll come up that invention, haha!
One pet peeve about customers? If you see that I’m busy, snapping your fingers or whistling and yelling, “Hey” will not get my attention!!! You will just wait even longer. Manners get you a long way.
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? Ciroc vodka, pomegranate juice a splash of pineapple juice, garnish with a slice of pineapple…
You can find Jackie behind the bar at Mahoney’s on Thursday nights, & Boiler Room on Saturday nights.
Stephanie Lundy
Age 25 ~ The Salty Dog Saloon
One thing you want your customers to know about you? I can change a flat tire. I’m kind of a tomboy…I like to get dirty.
Do you have a signature drink? Beer. Twist off top.
Do you have a nickname at work? Not really, but I get “Hey!!” a lot.
Don’t be modest ~ what do you think makes you a Sexiest Bartender? Sexy is in the eye of the beholder. I think it’s my personality and my interaction with guests. People have told me I have a great smile. Oh yeah, and my big boobs.
Funniest/weirdest thing you’ve ever witnessed at work? I watched some girl wearing a skirt squat down in front of the bar and pee.
What’s the cheesiest pickup line you’ve ever overheard at your bar ? “I’m conducting a field test of how many women have pierced nipples.”
Do you ever go out and ask the bartender to make you a super complicated/obscure drink just to see if he/she can? Yes, always.
Have you ever dated a customer? Maybe, but I wouldn’t call it dating.
If you weren’t a bartender, what would you be? A dancer.
Any neat tricks you like to show off with, maybe some flair moves? I’ve got some moves, but they’re not flaring.
Do you think it’s time to update the job title of “bartender?” What do you think it should be changed to? Liquid revolutionist.
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? A little of this, a little of that and a whole lotta alcohol.
Anthony Melendez
Age 21 ~ Mahoney’s Pub
Do you have a nickname at work? The closest thing is customers coming up to me and saying I look like Drake ~ or even worse, they’ll just address me as Drake.
What’s your signature drink? Hurricane, usually my go-to drink when people request that I make the drink decision for them.
What makes you a Sexiest Bartender? Not trying to imply that I have muscles or anything but I think a part of it has to do with the tight shirt I am forced to wear every week since my boss NEVER remembers to bring me a bigger one! Also the smile that I keep on my face even when I’m stressed to show people I’m enjoying the night just like them.
Funniest thing you’ve ever seen at work? One night my co-worker and I were observing these two guys having a heart to heart completely hammered. They started asking for shots and she and I both knew that wasn’t going to happen due to how drunk they were. So she came up with the idea of pouring them shots of water free of charge…The funniest thing about that situation was their reaction after they took the shot, they both literally made faces like it was a shot of your cheapest vodka.
What kind of music gets your customers drinking? Tracks off the new Kanye West & Jay-Z album, along with Nicki Minaj and Drake songs… and to really get our customers in the mood and drinking a lot, we’ll put on a nice throwback track.
Ever dated a customer? Not yet, but hey, we’ve still got a solid 3 months ‘til the semester is over. And yes ladies, I am single.
One pet peeve about customers? When our 8 taps are between or right near the customer and me and I get, “Do you guys have anything on tap?”
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? Three Olives Dude Vodka, Triple Sec, cranberry juice, and a fresh squeezed lime.
You can find Anthony behind the bar at Mahoney’s on Thursday nights.
Kathryn Newell
Age 26 ~ Celtic Tavern, The Mill, White City Pizza
Favorite way to spend your time off? I like to be on the other side of the bar! I enjoy having some food, sipping on some wine and trying my luck with some KENO with my boy-friend and friends! Also love going to the gym in my time off keeping in shape and healthy!
What makes you a Sexiest Bartender? It could have to do with the fact that I have about 10 other boyfriends that are all over the age of 80!
Is bartending harder or easier than you thought it would be? Honestly bartending is fun but it can be hard because you are responsible for every person at your bar and how much they can drink. I have experienced so many situations where I have had to cut people off, call cabs for people, kicked people out of the bar, bar fights, guys harassing girls (or the bartenders)…anything can happen when people have a few drinks in them and the bartenders are the ones who have to handle every situation. So yes it’s a fun job, but we have a lot more responsibility than a lot of people realize!
What kind of music gets the customers in a drinking mood the most? It’s so funny because whenever the song “Shots” by LMFAO plays it’s like every single person sitting at the bar feels the need to order a shot! So funny!
Ever dated a customer? Yes! A guy once told me he didn’t know how to play KENO and I sat and explained it to him for a good 20 minutes. That was his way of starting conversation because he knew how to play…and the funniest thing is here I am a year and a half later still with him now!
One pet peeve about customers? I really hate when someone orders a drink and tells you how it should be done as if you don’t already know or as if it’s your first day! Or if someone orders some crazy drink nobody has ever heard of and acts so casual as if you should know what it is!
You can find Kathryn behind the bar at Celtic Tavern on Wednesday & Saturday nights and at The Mill on Monday, Thursday, & Friday nights.
Valerie Teachout
Age 26 ~ Club Victory Bar & Cigar
Favorite way to spend your time off? Traveling. Always on an adventure.
Do you have a signature drink? Espresso cake martini
Don’t be modest ~ what do you think makes you a Sexiest Bartender? I’m a fun person. My energy rubs off on others or maybe it’s my big blue eyes…haha just kidding .
Funniest/weirdest thing you’ve ever witnessed at work? Hmm that’s a tough one. I get to observe the whole scene, so it’s always awkward/weird seeing that random drunk couple have a heavy make-out session.
What’s the cheesiest pickup line you’ve ever overheard at the bar? Too many to even count, haha, but this was a good one: “How does it feel to always be the prettiest girl in the room, it’s like a light reflects directly to you.”
What kind most seems to get the customers drinking a lot? We go with classic rock, Rolling Stone is a favorite.
Is bartending harder or easier than you thought it would be? It was pretty natural, the hard part is learning all the drinks and making them correct. Anyone can make a drink, but not everyone can make a good drink.
Have you ever dated a customer? Yes. Never again! haha
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? Vanilla Cake Vodka, Chambord, Godiva white, Splash of pineapple juice
Chris Birkbeck
Age 31 ~ Willy’s Steakhouse & Sushi
How/where did you learn to bartend? I learned at a small bar called The Tavern on the Common.
Favorite way to spend your time off? A nice glass of wine and a good movie
Do you have a signature drink? Mojitos for everyone!!
One thing you want your customers to know about you? I make the strongest drinks in town!
Do you have a nickname at work? “Pretty Boy,” not sure why though.
Don’t be modest ~ what do you think makes you a Sexiest Bartender? My rock hard abs!!!
What new drink/bar trends will we be seeing at bars this year? Guys will be drinking martinis and women will be paying for them.
Funniest/weirdest thing you’ve ever witnessed at work? Full bar. Saturday night. Manager in skirt. Slips behind bar. Falls on back with legs up. Witnessed by the entire bar.
What’s the cheesiest pickup line you’ve ever overheard at your bar (even if it was directed towards you!)? I’m not drunk, I’m just intoxicated by you.
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, what would you put in it? Mango Vodka, Rum, Pineapple juice, OJ. It get’s the body pulsing!!
You can find Chris behind the bar at Willy’s Steakhouse & Sushi Monday, Friday, & Saturday nights.
Shannon O’Toole
Age 21 ~ Loft 266 Bar & Lounge
Do you have a signature drink? I created the “Loftini” and I love make “jack-mos” ~ a cosmo with Jack Daniels. It’s classy with a kick.
One thing you want your customers to know about you? I’m not interested.
Do you have a nickname at work? Super Fresh, because I’m fresh to the drinking scene.
What do you think makes you a Sexiest Bartender? I can drink a car bomb faster than most guys. Challenge me.
What new drink/bar trends will we be seeing at bars this year? I’ve been seeing tons of fun new candy martinis lately.
Funniest/weirdest thing you’ve ever witnessed at work? A lady brought an electric guitar in one night and was grinding with it in the corner for an hour or two without even ordering a drink.
What kind of music gets people drinking most? People freak out whenever “Shots” comes on. And DJ XKaliber always plays the hot jams.
What one invention would make life easier behind the bar? Red Bull on the gun.
Have you ever dated a customer? No, but I’ve made my dates [into] customers.
If we asked you to create a signature Pulse drink, What would you put in it? Lots of booze and a splash of Red Bull to get your pulse going ;-).
You can find Shannon (Photo by Justin Mayotte of Flash House Studios ) behind the bar at Loft 266 on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday nights.
