Frequently Asked Questions

For a beer and wine bar you will need about 1 bartender per 80 guests as beers are opened quickly and wines are poured fast. This may result in a small line at the very beginning of the cocktail hour/reception but smooth sailing from then on.

If you are opting for a limited bar with signature drinks, one bartender per 75 guests is sufficient to make everything run smoothly, although depending on the difficulty of the signature drinks (and the time it takes to make them), it might be good to add a barback!

​

If you are working with a full bar, we would recommend one bartender per 50 guests to accommodate everyone's individual requests. Yes, there may be some who order just beer or wine, but others will take a few minutes to decide.

Besides our certified bartenders, we can also provide you with professional servers, barbacks, bussers, and other event staff who will ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Our bartenders will bring along a full bar kit that includes shakers, strainers, pourers, etc. to make sure that they can make all your favorite drinks (please note that this does not include any equipment that requires power, such as margarita machines, blenders, power chords, etc.).

The bartender will focus on serving your guests - whether that is cocktails, beer, wine, or other drinks. The barback usually helps out behind the bar where needed, such as restocking drinks, opening bottles, or even serving customers simple things like beer, wine, or soft drinks if needed.

The standard attire for all of our event staff is black bistro: black shirt, black pants, and black shoes. Of course, we know that doesn't fit in a Hawaii-themed party, so please let us know in case you would like the staff to wear something different.*

*additional fees may apply

Our servers can do any and all tasks to keep the party running smoothly! From clearing tables, throwing trash, serving and refilling a buffet, to serving seated dinner or passing hors d'oeuvres, our wait staff is truly multi-talented!

A full bar usually refers to a bar stocked with all common types of liquors, mixers, and garnishes. This means that we would be able to make pretty much any cocktail you can think of (unless they require some rather unique ingredients, like Kahlua, for example).

A limited bar refers to a limited number of signature drinks in addition to basic mixers. This is usually the standard for events as you don't want to have a ton of ingredients leftover at the end of the day (which would be the case with a full bar). However, after all, the choice is yours to make and we're happy to work with either bar configuration!

As we are specialized in providing an excellent guest experience and don't focus on model staff or flair bartenders, our staff will be professionally dressed and well groomed. However, we do not provide headshots or pictures of the staff upfront. If you have any preferences for your staff, we will do our best to accommodate this, but we cannot guarantee the final staff pick.

As we begin the staffing process usually about 2-3 weeks ahead of time, we don't know who will be your assigned staff before that. All communication about your event would be handled by our admin staff that will relay any important information about your event to the staff that will be working when it is time.

In addition, your staff will be in direct communication with you via email and/or phone before the event for introductions and for any last details leading up to your event.

However, if you would still like to schedule an in-person meet with your staff, we can certainly arrange this for you, but please keep in mind that additional fees will apply.

Mobile Bartenders United offers the most competitive price in the industry. Whether you need to hire a bartender by the hour, just need a few bussers or servers, or have us provide a complete bar package, we have it all at the most affordable rates. Get a quote in less than five minutes!

We offer a 6' bar rental with black linens and a 6' back bar with black linens for a flat rate of $99 per day.

For $17.50 a piece, we also have large, clean ice tubs available to hold common ice and chill beer, wine, champagne, sodas, etc.

We accept all major credit cards to put down your deposit and pay your balance payment. The deposit is part of your service agreement and we use Stripe to securely process your payment via PandaDoc (similar to DocuSign).

Your balance will be due 7 days prior to the event date. If you complete a booking that is fewer than 7 days out, the full payment will be due.

​By default, our quote never includes the cost of alcohol, mixers, etc. as every event is different and we want to give you the opportunity to customize every step along the way.

If you are looking for a full-service bar, we do have custom pricing options, depending on your needs.

Yes, we do offer ice delivery services as part of our overall service catalog. The amount of ice (and therefore the price) differs for every event. Request a quote today and add ice delivery!

​Generally speaking, the bartender will need space for the bar (which is 6'x3' if you book our bar rental) plus some moving space behind the bar (approximately 3' are just fine). In addition, you may want to consider a back bar, depending on the size of your event. Our back bars, which are included in your bar rental, will also be 6'x3' so we'd need a total space of approximately 6'x9'.

Alternatively, we'd be able to place the back bar perpendicularly to the main bar so we are flexible when it comes to the space needed!

As the biggest event staffing company in SoCal, we service all of Southern California, including, but not limited to

Los Angeles, CA

San Diego, CA

San Jose, CA

San Francisco, CA

Fresno, CA

Sacramento, CA

Palm Springs, CA

Oceanside, CA

Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Cruz, CA

Lake Tahoe, CA

Northridge, CA

Woodland Hills, CA

Sherman Oaks, CA

Westlake Village, CA

North Hollywood, CA

Studio City, CA

Santa Clarita, CA

Tarzana, CA

Encino, CA

Beverly Hills, CA

Pacific Palisades, CA

Malibu, CA

Santa Monica, CA

Venice, CA

Culver City, CA

When you’re ready to hire a bartender for your wedding, party, or other celebration, fill out our quick quote request form here and you will get a quote within about 5 minutes.

Once you receive the quote via email and you are happy with it, follow the link in the email to complete your booking. We will send you a service agreement, outlining all the details of your quote, pricing, and terms and conditions. This agreement can be (environmentally friendly) signed on your computer or phone (no printing required).

You will then be prompted to pay your security deposit as stated on your quote to secure your date. Once the agreement is signed and the deposit is paid, you can consider us fully at your service!

We usually begin the staffing process roughly 2-3 weeks before your event date so up until then, our office staff will be your main point of contact when it comes to your bar menu or other logistics. However, if you're booking an event that's less than 2 weeks out, we will obviously staff your event immediately from our vast network of professional bartenders and event staff.

On the day of your event, our staff will arrive approximately 1 hour before your event start time (the arrival time noted on your quote as "setup time") in order to set up the bar (not applicable if you hire waitstaff only). This setup includes putting your drinks on ice, cutting garnishes, etc. in order to be ready at your "start time" to open the bar.

​

Towards the end of the night, the bar staff will make a last call approximately 30 minutes before your stated "end time" in order to start wrapping up the bar and head out by your "end time". If you would like the staff to stay longer, please review overtime rate on your service agreement. Our staff will leave the bar area tidied and consolidate your bottles, but will not be able to fully clean the bar area (mopping, brooming, etc.) as we do not provide the tools to do so. We will do our best to leave everything as cleanly as possible.

​You can hire our bartenders and servers for all kinds of events from private parties to weddings. Our staff is proud to attend every type of event. No matter what you would like to celebrate, we want to make sure your event will be unforgettable!

Absolutely! All of our events are unique and as you are providing the alcohol, mixers, etc. you can have as many specialty drinks as you'd like. We usually recommend doing no more than 5 to not overwhelm your guests (and to avoid long "decision lines" at the bar)! We can also help create a customized cocktail menu for you.

All of our quotes are completely customized to fit your needs! That being said, we don't offer packages per se because we have found that in most cases, party hosts only need or want part of the package that's offered but are still charged the full amount. Everything from your quote to your bar menu is built from scratch for you.

​Some hosts don't want their guests to feel obliged to tip so they don't want the bartender to set up a tip jar. In these cases, the host may choose to provide the gratuity. In this case, please just select "No Tip Jar" in your quote request.

Unfortunately, we are unable to print and display bar menus for you. We can, however, help you with the design process and let you know all the ingredients for each cocktail that will be part of your menu!

It depends on the size of the ice machine. For the initial surge of ice needed, we'd recommend a few bags of ice, at least to fill ice the ice buckets for keeping drinks cold.

Absolutely, 007! Code names are not a problem for us - just let us know which is which so we can make the right drinks for your guests!

All liquors, and other ingredients are returned to the host (left by the bar area) after the bartender breaks down. It's all yours to keep, whether you purchased the alcohol through us or bought it yourself!

We will assist you in determining exactly how much alcohol is needed at your party! If you'd like an estimate, please feel free to use our free alcohol calculator!

We have worked with many venues in SoCal, but we do occasionally come across a venue we have not previously worked at. If your venue requires a vendor walk-through, we can definitely make that happen for you. Please keep in mind that additional fees may be associated with this (depending on location). We recommend double-checking with your venue beforehand if this is absolutely necessary because more often than not, your staff is not assigned yet, so the person doing the walk-through will most likely be one of our admin staff and not the staff that will be working at your event.

§ 23399.1. (simplified)

No license or permit is needed when:

1. There is no sale of alcoholic beverages. (Host provides the drinks, there is no cover charge and drinks are complimentary for guests)

2. That the premises are not open to the general public during the time alcoholic beverages are served, consumed or otherwise disposed of. (The event is only for invited/a limited number of guests)

3. That the premises are not maintained for the purpose of keeping, serving, consuming or otherwise disposing of alcoholic beverages. (The venue's general purpose does not include the consumption or serving of alcohol)

You may request a special events permit at the California ABC website by clicking here (https://www.abc.ca.gov/licensing/license-forms/form-abc-221-instructions/).

We carry a $2M general liability policy, a $1M worker's comp policy, and a $1M liquor liability policy so you don't have to worry about anything! If you or your venue require a certificate of insurance (COI) please let us know and we will be happy to provide you with one free of charge (for confirmed bookings).

Yes! We are fully licensed and insured and all of our bartenders have undergone vigorous training and certification procedures.

In order for us to process your COI request, please make sure to have the following available:

- Certificate Holder

- Full Address

- Additional Insured (if different)

- Other Requests (e.g. Waiver or Subrogation or other additional wording)

Cancellations made up to 30 days prior to the event date are non-punitive and any security deposit paid will be credited 100% for any future booking with Mobile Bartenders United. For cancellations or rescheduling less than 30 days prior to the event, Mobile Bartenders United may choose to retain up to 100% of payments made for that particular booking, including, but not limited to, any security deposits, balance payments, or additional payments made.