Bartending Academy

I ""graduated"" from the West Allis location over a month and a half ago. I have yet to receive a placement interview or any information about getting a job. This place hooks you to get your money and doesn't teach you anything. At best they offer you a place to practice anything you could learn on your own online. The ""director"" is a sweet talker just trying to get you to sign up. He told me I didn't need to worry about putting my tuition on my my credit card because after the two week course, I'd have a job within a week, make $300 my first weekend, and have the bill paid off before the next credit card cycle. STAY AWAY more

Awesome class!!! A huge thank you to the owner Chase for guiding me to this course. In two weeks I learned and memorized over a hundred different drink's. Fantastic instructors, easy-going and relaxed environment, and a lot of fun. Highly recommend to anyone looking to become a bartender, it's worth every penny!!! more

Bizstudent, While you believe that the first review is fake, I can guarantee that it's not. Because that's the review I gave back in 2007. While you may have had a not so good experience, how can you complain when you weren't there more than 3 days? If you want to sound credible, shouldn't you have a longer time period to base your opinion on? It's like saying that the top grossing box office movie was boring and uninteresting when you walked out in the first ten minutes. As for the course program itself, it had drinks from ages ago, yes. But It had more recent drinks too. Besides, you can't expect them to have EVERY drink that YOU specifically have heard of because one can hear of different drinks in different places. Also, what you do learn, people do buy. It just depends on the venue that you invest yourself in. If you're only interested in nightclubs and mid-city bars with big weekend events, then no, you won't learn much because those places have their own drink concoctions and they're usually quite varied. Trust me, I've been in the bar scene for a couple of years and there is a big difference in drinks ordered and offered depending on where you go. As for you saying ""get a job as a server and work your way up"", what do you do when the employer requires knowledge of certain drinks and some level of experience? Work your way up? I got a job at a country club not three weeks after graduating from this class and this was a club that charged a hefty price for membership. It was a good job and had better tips. They actually gave me the job during the interview after showing them my training and certificate. If you didn't have a good experience, that's because this line of work isn't for everybody. And if you think it's better to just climb the ladder, go ahead and do so. But don't discourage others from trying a way different from what you think. Let them find out on their own. Besides, the bar scene, whether it's from behind a country club counter or a nightclub, is constantly changing with at least fifty drinks a night being invented by anyone and everyone. Bartending isn't for everyone, but this class can help almost anyone be good at it. It's not the drinks you learn that help you find a great job, it's the skills and etiquette that lands you the job. more

If I could give this place no stars I would. I cancelled within the 3 business day period, and I am still waiting for my refund 2 months later. I met someone who used to work there, thank god!, the day after I signed up. I was told 1. the classes haven't been updated in 8-10 years (so no one is going to buy any of the drinks you learn there), and 2. the job placement is unreliable. As this person was an experienced bartender he gave me some advice, the drinks are not the important part. If you have the right social skills and multi-tasking skills, a employer won't mind training. Imagine that getting paid to learn current drinks at a job you've already earned. SAVE YOUR MONEY! The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection had to get involved to win 2 students full refunds. The contract completely contradicts itself. Avoid a headache. Get a job as a server and work your way up. more

As a graduated, certified student of the West Allis Bartending Academy, I cannot fully express the gratitude I have for Matt and Dave, the instructors, and Chase, the coordinator and/or ""dean"", for lack of a better description.\r \r These men should be congratulated for taking the time to train the people who walk through their doors to become bartenders taught by experienced and seasoned bartenders. Matt, the younger of the two instructors, is down to earth, relaxed, and goal oriented; I cannot think that anyone could walk away from the academy after graduation with the knkowledge and excellent understanding of mixology and bartending etiquette without this great man being a part of the curriculum.\r \r And when it comes to Dave, no one can walk into his class and learn the information he teaches without smiling or having a great time because of the way how he teaches. He is the perfect teacher, in my opinion, because he teaches in a fun and exciting manner that keeps his students, and friends, enraptured and interested in what he is teaching.\r \r At the end, there is one man who cannot be thanked enough. Chase is a man who must be praised for what he is doing for the new students, teenagers and adults alike, for the reason that he is the one whom you will converse with about the program, helping you to decide for yourself if the world of bartending is the right career for you.\r \r I, personally, cannot thank these men enough for what they have done for me and many others. Few can boast about how good their school is, but these three men can say they have one of the very best, fun, and educational schools that anyone can probably find.\r \r I highly recommend this academy to anyone thinking of going into the area of bartending, and hope that they have as much fun as I did. Pros: Excellent classroom set up, wonderful environment. Cons: Few can think of any. more