Hire a Bartender

Hire a Bartender Process

Need a CBA Bartender?

The Columbia Bartending Agency has a long history of supporting all kinds of parties across New York City. We’ve served at birthday parties, weddings, promotions, holiday gatherings, reunions, gallery openings, and much more! Our team is ready and waiting to help you make your event a success.

Before you hire your bartender, please note:

  • The Columbia Bartending Agency takes a non-refundable $30 fee to cover operating costs; we do not take commission from our bartenders. In return, you receive cream of the crop, TIPS certified, Ivy League bartenders. This fee is not a deposit and is not subtracted from the bartender’s total cost. When registering, we are committing a bartender to your event. Beginning January 1st, 2012, fee refunds will not be issued for cancelled events.
  • If you are working with an outside catering please be sure to check with their services first before hiring us as supplemental party help.
  • In accordance with New York and federal employment anti-discrimination laws, we are unable to honor bartender requests based on gender identity, race, or sexual orientation. However, we will be happy to make sure that your assigned bartender’s expertise and professional demeanor will match the needs of your event.
  • Please read our e-mails in full. When booking your event, we will require a valid email that you check often. One of our managers will be keeping in touch via e-mail throughout the booking process.
  • Please inform us of your event as soon as possible! We require five days advance notice before our Rush Rate kicks in (see Prices, right).
  • We do not provide any equipment, liquor, or mixers for your event. Our bartenders should be able to come to your event and work with what you have!
  • Our Agency Manager will be happy to help you figure out a special drink for your event. Just ask us, or refer to our party planner!

Click below to get started, or contact us with any questions!

Hire a Bartender.


Standard Rate
 $18 / hr
Summer Rate
(May 18th – August 31st)		 $19 / hr
Standard Rush Rate
(fewer than 5 days notice)		 $24 / hr
Same Day Rush Rate $32 / hr
Winter Break
(December 11th – January 17th)		 $25 / hr
Most Holidays
(including Jewish Holidays)		 $25 / hr
Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve,
Christmas Day, New Year’s Day		 $30 / hr
New Year’s Eve $36 / hr
Dishwashing +$2 / hr

The $30 processing fee is NOT a deposit and is not subtracted from the bartender’s total cost. This fee is also non-refundable for cancelled events.

We require an overall taxi fee (for events that end after 10:00pm) for our students to get back to their dorms at 116th St and Broadway. This amount is not per bartender but rather per cab and we will send you an estimated amount of the taxi fee in advance.

RUSH RATE: All jobs booked fewer than five calendar days in advance will receive a 1/3 pay increase, rounded down to the nearest dollar.

SAME DAY RATE: All jobs booked the same calendar day will receive an additional 1/3 pay increase from the rush rate. (e.g., $24/hr rush rate increases to $32/hr). We can usually guarantee a bartender for an event the night of reservation, and we will let you know immediately if we cannot fulfill your request.

Please also note that you must pay bartenders in CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK and not by personal check.