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.

Bartending Services for Garden Parties in Los Angeles

Aug 21

Written By Jesse Owens

Bar service at an outdoor daytime event in Los Angeles

A garden party bar in Los Angeles starts at $380 for one bartender, four hours at $70 per hour plus the $100 service charge, with you supplying the drinks. Add the bar at $1,195 and a package from $19 per guest and you have a working outdoor bar. The rest of the planning is where it stands and how you keep ice cold.

Where the bar stands decides how the party runs

Lawns are rarely level. A 5ft bar on soft or sloping ground rocks all afternoon, so pick the flattest ground you have, ideally paving or a patio edge, and work outward from there. The bar rental at $1,195 brings the 5ft white wood bar, 4 ice tubs, a trash can, delivery and pick up, and the delivery crew needs a route to that spot that is not through the house.

Put it somewhere guests can see on arrival. A bar hidden behind a hedge means people standing in one clump asking where the drinks are. If the garden is long, a back bar at $365 gives the bartender somewhere to hold backup bottles and ice rather than running indoors.

Shade and ice are the same problem

Ice is what daytime outdoor events underestimate. Sun on the ice tubs shortens everything, so put the bar under a tree, a canopy or the shade of the house, and check where that shade falls at 3pm, not at 10am when you set up. A barback at $70 per hour keeps ice and restock moving so the bartender never leaves the bar.

Guests at a shower or an engagement party drink slowly and steadily through the afternoon, which usually sits in the light to medium band, 1 to 2 or 3 to 4 drinks per guest. One bartender covers 50 guests; a second is recommended at medium.

Lighter drinks suit a daytime garden

Afternoon events run better on tall, cold, lower alcohol drinks. The craft cocktail bar at $25 per guest light, $50 medium and $75 heavy gives you three cocktails built for the event plus beer, wine, sodas, mixers, ice, garnishes and a printed menu. Full bar is $19, $38 and $57.

For a baby shower or a daytime party where plenty of guests are not drinking, the wellness bar is a flat per guest price that does not scale with consumption: Classic $18 for matcha and zero-proof cocktails, Premium $26 adding kombucha and coconut water, Platinum Vitality $38 with adaptogenic elixirs, collagen and bioactive peptides. It can be added on top of another package.

Common questions

Should I use real glassware on grass?

Glassware is $1.95 per unit plus $195 delivery each way, and it looks right in a garden. It also tips over on lawn, and broken glass in grass is hard to find. Plastic cups come with the full bar and craft packages. A common middle path is glass on the seated tables and plastic at the bar.

What furniture do I need around the bar?

High top tables at $95 each with black spandex give guests somewhere to set a drink down, which keeps them off the bar. Linen is $40 each. Two or three high tops is usually enough for 50 guests.

What happens when the sun goes down?

LA gardens cool off fast after sunset. Space heaters are $275 each, and if the party runs into the evening, plan for them at booking rather than on the day.

Get an exact figure for your garden and guest count at book.platinumbartender.com, call 310-985-3014, or email info@platinumbartender.com.

Jesse Owens