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.

Seasonal Cocktail Ideas from Los Angeles Bartenders

Aug 21

Written By Jesse Owens

Seasonal cocktail made by a Los Angeles event bartender

An LA drinks menu really only needs to change three or four times a year, and it changes for practical reasons: what is in season, and how hot it is outside. The craft cocktail bar is $25 per guest at light consumption, $50 at medium and $75 at heavy, and includes three craft cocktails built for your event plus a printed menu. A themed menu design is $375.

Why three cocktails is the right number

The craft package builds three cocktails for the event rather than a long list, and that is deliberate. Three lets a bartender prep and batch properly, keeps the queue moving, and gives guests a real choice without making them read. In practice one is spirit-forward, one is long and full of ice, and one is low proof or zero proof for guests who are pacing themselves. Beer, wine, sodas, mixers, ice and garnishes come with the package, so the three cocktails carry the personality.

Spring and pool party season

From about April through September the drinks get lighter, taller and colder, because anything served in the sun has about ten minutes before it stops being pleasant. Citrus, stone fruit, cucumber, melon, herbs like basil and mint, and a lot of soda and sparkling wine. Tequila, mezcal, gin and vodka do most of the work. Lower alcohol drinks matter more than people expect at a daytime pool party, where guests are drinking for six hours in direct heat.

This is also the season where the wellness bar earns its place. Classic is $18 per guest for matcha and zero-proof cocktails, Premium is $26 and adds kombucha and coconut water, and Platinum Vitality is $38 with adaptogenic elixirs, collagen and bioactive peptides. It is a flat per guest price that does not scale with consumption, and it can sit alongside a craft or full bar package.

Autumn and the holidays

Once October arrives the flavours turn. Whiskey, aged rum and brandy come forward, along with apple, pear, pomegranate, cranberry, warm baking spice, bitters and darker sweeteners. Drinks get shorter and stirred rather than long and shaken. Punches and batched drinks make sense at holiday parties, where everyone arrives inside the same twenty minutes and wants a drink in hand.

Two practical notes for December. LA evenings outdoors get cold enough that a space heater at $275 each is a normal line on a holiday quote. And recognised holiday dates add 50 percent to the staff cost, so a bartender at $70 per hour prices out higher on those dates.

Common questions

Can I pick the cocktails myself?

Yes. The three craft cocktails are built for your event, so you can bring specific drinks, a spirit you want featured, or a season and a colour and let the bartender propose. A printed menu comes with the craft package.

What is the $375 themed menu design for?

That is design work on the menu itself, matching the drinks and the printed piece to a theme, a colour scheme or an occasion. The craft cocktail package already includes a printed menu, so the $375 is for a designed version rather than a standard one.

Do seasonal ingredients cost more?

The package price does not change by season. Craft cocktail bar is $25 per guest light, $50 medium and $75 heavy whatever month it is. What changes in winter is the staff cost on recognised holidays and the add-ons, such as heaters.

Put your date, guest count and consumption level into book.platinumbartender.com for an exact price, call 310-985-3014, or email info@platinumbartender.com.

Jesse Owens