Flairbourne Bartending School

I just graduated from Flairbourne School of Bartending and I am already working in a bar in Seattle. The instructors are all REAL bartenders and know how the bar world works. You can see all of their awards they have won from traveling all around the world for various competitions. I love it because its not a corporate set up. Its real teaching about how the field really works. They don't teach one way, they actually take the time to teach you how they think you will be most effective. Most of my classes were one-on-one as well. And by the way, they do help you find a job. If you try as well, you will land a job very fast. I made my tuition back after my 2nd night of work!! Pros: Fun teaching, real situations, one-on-one teaching Cons: They didn't teach me flair, that's a different class :) they are really good more

My experience at Flairbourne was the high light of my summer. Before I attended the two week course I knew nothing about cocktails. Jake, the instructor, was extremely professional as well as entertaining in his teaching technique. With his years of behind the bar experience he was able to provide first hand knowledge of what to expect in the 'real world of bartending'. The course itself included everything from interesting information on liquors and spirits to recipes and the various methods of creating all those delicious drinks. The class was small and if needed individual help was available. The practice bartending and encouragement of the instructor was really great. I feel very confident that what I learned at Flairbourne will be put to good use. Although the school does not place you in a job they do offer suggestions and try to steer you in the right direction. I stongly believe that if you have the right personality and have attended Flairbourne you will succeed as a skilled and desireable bartender! Pros: Professional Instructors Cons: No onsite parking more

I am very surprised to see the negative review below, especially the personal attack on Jake. He was my instructor and I could not have asked for a better one... his teaching style is very straightforward and practical, he gave personal attention to every student in my class (even going way out of his way to help and encourage one student who was tanking), he managed to accommodate everybody's scheduling needs, and I appreciated his very realistic attitude re: working in the service industry. Self starters and self managers will do well at Flairbourne and ultimately in a service career: those who want their hands held and their diapers changed might as well enroll in nursery school instead. You only get out of a thing what you put into it, people! Three months after completing Jake's class, I am working as a bartender, making between $17-$20 an hour, and very happy with my decision to go to Flairbourne. more

I am aformer student of Flairboune and I am very happy with the results I got from the school. In reading the other reviews I am sad that others did not benefit as well as I. I will be honest I started drive to classes and the parking situation isn't the best so I started taking the bus. I will admit that the curriculum and teaching method don't have traditional structure and are very relaxed but that is what makes the school a great experience. I learned a great deal from both Jake and Alfie they were great insructors and Jake had a lot of great stories about the business. He has a no nonsense approch and his honesty about the business is refreshing. I'd rather know the realities and hardships than have smoke blown up my patuey. Embittered or realist? Well we all have our opinions, be they good or bad. If that is As for getting a job they were honest and told me it depended on me. They send out leads but it is up to the students to get themselves hired. I am working as a result of a Flairbourne refferal its not the greatest job but I am learning alot. For the guy below who filed out all those applications and been blown off well maybe it's not Flairbourne that is the problem. Just a thought. In closing I thought I would say that each of the instructors are individually successful in their own right they also have a great and successful magazine DList. So they must be doing something right. Keep up the good work Alfie and Jake and dont let the haters get to you. more

I agree with the person who said that they will cash your check and run. This is not a particularly professional school, and they don't seem to care much what students think of them after it's over. You're basically paying to use their mock-up bar - very little teaching is done. And definitely don't take the class with ""Jake"" - he has an arrogant and condescending attitude and seems embittered about life in general. He likes to talk and talk, but very little has to do with the course or bartending. He spent a lot of time on the phone. I switched to the evening sessions with Alfie, and that was better. There is no job-placement or resume-building whatsoever. You will learn how to make drinks, that's true. But again - you're paying to use the fake bar. Overall, the staff is too young to have a serious attitude toward their work, and they are eager to rush you through the course and bring on the next batch of students as fast as possible. Do yourself a favor and spend a little time doing some research before you choose this place. Pros: Ability to practice drinks at a mock-up bar. Cons: Staff, professionalism, job placement, teaching, price more

Let me start off by saying that everyone that works for the Flairbourne school of bartending; is a class act. They are all however in their late 20s/30s and hold themselfes to and extremely relaxed code of conduct. On several occasions I showed up to class while my instructor was still asleep... At home... The bar area where all the learning takes place is small, and pieced together from ikea parts. However it is very functional, and works fine for what they are trying to accomplish. It just looks cheap. Pros: Fun place to waist time. Usually something funny happends. or lots of good looking girls to flirt with. Cons: Job placement, professionalism more

What can I say... they got me trained up, licensed, and working in TWO WEEKS. Flairbourne offers a delightfully no-BS learning experience with small classes, low tuition, flexible scheduling, and instructors who are great at what they do, love doing it, and really want their students to succeed. The best $350 I ever spent. more

If you are looking to become a bartender, but are a confused ""newbie"" with no previous bartending experience, please... take my advice, START YOUR JOURNEY HERE. Flairbourne School of Bartending should be your choice for many, many reasons but I have summed them up into a TOP 3. 1. Learn from the best : You will learn from professionals who have paid their dues and today have many years bartending under their belts. I found everyone at Flairbourne to be very friendly and fun to be around. Super ""chill"" I believe is the expression the kids are using these days. 2. CURRICULM: You will soon learn that being a successful bartender is far more than memorizing drink recipes. A wide variety of topics and difficult situations you may encounter are discussed. 3. LEARN BY DOING: Flairbourne school of bartending features a ""practice bar"" where all the bottles are filled with some mixture of food coloring and water, so that you can practice making drinks. For all you kinesthetic learners out there this is really nice to have. The cost of tuition for the bartending 101 course is $350, which is not bad at all considering the amount of money that you can make once you start bartending. I had a positive experience with Flairbourne school of bartending from the time I signed up my first day until I graduated and recieved my certificate on my last. I really feel that I owe a great deal to everyone who helped me along, especially Alfie, who was my main instructor. Thus, it is from the bottom of my heart that I want to say, THANK YOU TEAM FLAIRBOURNE!!! Sincerly, Pros: Cool Staff, Excellent curriculm, ""Practice bar"" Cons: $350 more

Not only are the owners talented and award wining barteneders; but they are dedicated professionals that are nspirational as well. I enjoyed this place so much I had to be a part of it. Pros: Unique individulized instruction...less costly that the other schools in the area. Centralized location make its conveinent from anywhere. Cons: Keeping it real?.....Non with the school ... just with parking... more

The choices for bartending school are easily understood as ""Flairbourne and the rest of them"". These guys all actually work at (or own) local bars and have years of practical experience. Other bartending schools feature mullet-sporting burnouts who grind every classmember through the same (ages old) list of drinks and ""tips"". There's no real comparison. Pros: Small class size, instructor knowledge and accessibility, low price Cons: Can't think of any... oh wait, parking can be tough around their building. Deal with it, cause Flairbourne is worth it. more

At first I was skeptical about going to a bartending school. I know there are a few different ways of getting into this business, but after attending Flairbourne I don't know how I could have ever learned this much any other way. The instructors are world class in every aspect! They know how to keep the classes entertaining, yet informative. Every aspect of bartending is touched on from drink making to resume building. If you are thinking about exploring the proffesion of bartending, then look no further because Flairbourne will show you the way. Pros: Customized class schedules, small class sizes, great bar! more

Perfect laid back atmosphere and hands on instruction makes learning the ropes of bartending much easier. The step by step instruction will give you all the tools you need to be a great bartender. My personal class size was one on one and class schedules were tailored around my availability. Would definitely reccomend to anyone interested in exploring the world of bartending. more

I enjoyed working with the Flairbourne team for the past several weeks. They provided individual instruction that completely fit my schedual. We scheduald classes by appointment that worked with school. While learning the basics of bartending, I also leard various tips on the buissness and ethics of the bar scene. My instructor was extremely entertainig and knowlageable, which was fun. I can't imagine a better experience, I was completely pleased with learning from such talented proffessionals. more

Class size was so small, I actually had one on one tutoring throughtout my study. It was a very relaxed, chill environment. My instructor, James, was really kool and set the classes to my pace of learning. I would recommend Flairbourne to everyone who is ever interested in bartending. They also teach Flair, the juggling and tossing of bottles you saw in Cocktail, which I plan to enroll in once I get some bartending experience. Pros: small class sizes, kick ass instructor, relaxed environment more

The classes were ok. The facility sucks and job placement is a joke. Don't waste your time here if you want help getting a job. more

At Flairborne I learned in two weeks what most bartenders can't learn in two years. The instructors are awesome and the classes were a blast. I can't recommend them enough; they are the best! more

I have no complaints about Flairbourne Bartending School! It was a great experience from my first day of class to when I completed my testing on the final day. The instructors were top notch and I couldn't have asked for more. more