the EO story

This week’s newsletter is going to be a bit different — we are going on a fast-paced ride of nostalgia through a few days my brother and I spent in Manhattan in the summer of 2015. There is a moral of this story that I'll express at the end, but you may pick up on it along the way.

So strap in, grab a coffee (or a morning cocktail) and set your couch cushion, chair, or your sit-to-stand desk to a comfortable position.

After finishing up a language immersion program on the East Coast, I wanted to see another location before flying back to California. Considering my family and I had recently acquired a mild obsession with the Netflix bartending documentary, Hey Bartender, I figured: what better place to visit than the bar that is showcased in the movie…the one and only, Employees Only. (Goosebumps).

The plan was set — my brother and I would both meet in the New York airport, catch a cab into the city, and structure our days around visiting the highest regarded establishments, with Employees Only (EO) at the top of our list.

For the sake of brevity, I’m going to focus on our experiences at EO as opposed to everything that happened during the trip, but we stayed at The Jane hotel, which was also unique and cool.

So there we were:

We arrive at EO a few minutes before the doors open, and we are among the first group of people allowed to enter. Suddenly, we notice that Steve, one of the stars of the documentary, is behind the bar toward the end. We go to his section and introduce ourselves, explaining that we knew him by name because we saw his documentary — we didn’t act starstruck, just respectful and excited to be there. Steve and his colleagues were very welcoming to us.

The entire staff cultivated an atmosphere of fresh, mysterious, and stylish sophistication alongside hospitable coziness. Tattoos, firm handshakes with eye contact, relaxed smiles, and dexterous coordination of spirits and tools behind the bar set the stage for the high caliber experience we had, up to this point, only seen pictured on T.V. and in magazines. Yes, we had each been to plenty of other bars in the past, but we knew that EO would be different…and it was.

The whole experience patrons are likely to have at EO is a topic for another week because there are so many nuances that set it apart from other establishments. However, the real distinction is made by the bartender.

As Steve explains in the doc, a great bartender is made up of three parts: the mixologist (technically proficient in crafting delicious and aesthetically pleasing cocktails), the rockstar (helps set the tone for a good time and brings life to the party that everyone wants to be a part of), the sage (situationally aware and takes care of people). It takes at least two years for an employee to earn his or her principal bartender’s uniform at EO, as their probationary period helps ensure that everyone’s character and performance is up to standard.

After enjoying some of the best cocktails we had ever been served, Steve later comes out with the manager and four tall glasses in hand. “I wanted to introduce you guys and invite you to have this drink with us — it’s what we drink in the movie.”

The next night we wanted to come back a little bit later at night to be there for EO’s revered chicken soup that is served complimentary to all patrons who make it to closing time. It was much louder and more crowded this time, but despite the group of people at the bar in front of us, Steve spotted us and swiftly reached over and between shoulders to welcome us with two more tall glasses filled with the same drink on which we had parted ways the previous night: “welcome back, boys!” Incredible.

We made it to chicken soup on this second night, and we also had some fun exchanges with Steve throughout the evening. A big part of Steve’s story was his time in the Marines, and I think he could sense that my brother and I had also served. For a while, I had an idea of training to become a great bartender, moving to New York, and applying for a position at EO to live the good life and master the craft — perhaps in another world.

We saw a lot of new places, and our trip to Manhattan overall was incredible for a myriad of reasons, but the time spent at Employees Only still serves as a staple for our early memories in the city. Since then, we’ve each taken our wives to EO on separate trips, and we all plan to take additional trips there in the future with more family and friends.

The moral of the story: THIS is the difference between great service and everything else. While this story happened almost 10 years ago, I remember it all. If one works in the hospitality industry, the goal should be to provide customers with an escape that also feels like home, in a welcoming way they’ll never forget.

Until next week, my friends!