How much do bartending services cost in Los Angeles?

Professional bartending services in Los Angeles start around $70 per hour per bartender for a standard event, with final pricing based on guest count, event length, bar setup, and add-on services like cocktail design or full event production. Contact us for a custom quote tailored to your event.

How many bartenders do I need for my event?

As a general rule, plan for one bartender per 50 guests for standard service, or one per 35 guests for cocktail-heavy events. We help you confirm the right staffing ratio based on your guest count, bar style, and timeline.

Are your bartenders licensed and insured?

Yes. All Platinum bartenders are licensed and insured, and we operate in full compliance with California ABC regulations. When required, we obtain an event-specific ABC permit before your event date. Host liquor liability and general liability insurance are available, and additional insured status for your host or venue can be added for a fee.

What areas do you serve?

We serve Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas, with other locations available upon request.

How far in advance should I book?

We recommend booking at least 2 weeks in advance to secure your preferred staff and date, though we can often accommodate shorter timelines. Peak dates and large events should be booked as early as possible.

Do you provide the alcohol and handle the ABC permit?

We provide full bar setup, mixers, glassware, and bar rentals; clients typically supply the alcohol, and we secure the event-specific ABC permit where required. Let us know your needs and we'll handle the compliance details.

Bartender Setup: Space and Equipment Needs in Your Home

Aug 21

Written By Jesse Owens

Bar set up in a Los Angeles home before guests arrive

A hired bartender needs a bar or a solid surface to work on, clear floor behind it, ice within reach, somewhere to pour off and dump, and a socket if there is lighting. The rental bar is 5ft wide, so plan for a run of wall or patio that takes 5ft of bar plus room for a person to stand and turn behind it.

The footprint

The bar itself is the easy part. The working space behind it is what gets forgotten. One bartender needs enough room to turn from the bottles to the ice tub and back without stepping into a guest. Two bartenders need to pass each other, and if you add a barback there is a third body moving in that lane.

Guests stack up on the other side, so leave a clear approach in front of the bar as well. Do not put the bar in a doorway, at the bottom of stairs or in the only route to the bathroom.

If you are not renting a bar

A kitchen island, a sideboard, a long console or a folding table all work. What the surface has to give you is height, stability and a length the bartender can lay out along: bottles at the back, ice and tools in the middle, the pour and hand off at the front.

If you would rather have a real bar, the rental is $1,195 and includes a 5ft white wood bar, 4 ice tubs, a trash can, delivery and pick up. A back bar is $365 and high top tables with black spandex are $95 each. All of it prices at book.platinumbartender.com.

Ice, water and waste

Ice tubs need to sit next to the bartender, not in the kitchen. Melt water has to go somewhere, so the bar wants a sink, a drain or a bin within a few steps. Two bins are better than one: one for trash, one for empty bottles. On the bartender only option you are also supplying the ice itself, so decide where the bags are stored and who tops the tubs up.

Power, light and access

An evening bar needs light on the working surface, which means a socket within reach or a run of outdoor cable you have tested before the day. Outdoor events in cooler months often want a space heater, $275 each, which needs its own safe spot away from the bar.

Deliveries need a path. Rental bars, glassware and ice arrive at the kerb, so somebody has to get them from there to the bar position. Flag stairs, gates, gravel, lifts and parking restrictions when you book, and say where the truck can stop.

Common questions

How much space does a bartender need?

Enough for the 5ft bar plus standing and turning room behind it, and a clear approach in front for guests. Add width for each extra bartender or barback working the same bar.

Do I need to rent a bar?

No. Any stable surface at a workable height will do, and bartender only pricing does not include a bar. The rental exists because most homes do not have a surface in the right place.

How long does setup take?

Setup and breakdown sit either side of the hours your bar is open, so agree the arrival time when you book rather than on the day. Deliveries usually land before the staff do.

Talk through your space when you build a quote at book.platinumbartender.com, call 310-985-3014, or email info@platinumbartender.com.

Jesse Owens