Columbia Bartending Agency and School of Mixology — Local services in New York

The reason I am writing this review is because you most likely want honesty before spending money than reading "google user" review of people who prob work for the agency and making fake reviews. The teachers are nice from what I gathered in the past 2 days of the classes. But professionalism is not there. I have not really learned a trick for that class yet as I read some reviews about learning tricks. Its a 2 hour class mon thru friday that will leave you going......wait so I could have slept instead of being here. There is no consistency with these classes or how they are teaching you. They will ask you how to make a drink before even teaching you or even showing you how its done. You will get random info in random steps that will leave you so confused example.....

" class this is how you muddle....oh you do not know what muddling is but we will get into that soon".....20mins later goes by after they showed you h ow t o muddle....you than get a definition on what the hell muddling is ....also its filled with very inappropriate jokes that are not professional and also just not funny and takes away from the learning experience. The people who are teaching you are college students and they all know each other so they pretty much have inside jokes during them teaching you that will further make u lost....my experience was pretty bad...and i did not learn anything and 300 bucks has just swam away...

I took a class with the Agency and it was an incredible experience! The classes ran about two hours each and were very professional and informative. I had absolutely no experience in barteding prior to this course and I learned so much from the practice drinks (students over 21 get to drink their concoctions) and demonstrations. The teachers were college students but they efficiently and effectly covered a vast array of techniques (muddling/free pouring/shaking/etc.) and subjects (cocktails/wine/beer/safety/etc). I paid $250--an excellent deal considering the textbooklet/course/drinks--for the class and I made that back (and then some) within the first two parties I worked. I would definitely recommend the CBA to prospective bartenders who want to learn or hosts looking for excellent and professional...

Don’t get to drink alcohol until the fourth class (out of 4 actual classes). Only 4 mixing stations for 40 students, so you only get to practice mixing a single drink per class. $350 for 4 classes is crazy. Don’t pay for this class if you want to have fun. Also, classes are lecture style so you don’t even get individual instruction. It’s better to practice at home and learn from YouTube.

The instructors be goofy as hell. Need to relax.

Also, not sure where the money from students is going. 40 students at $350 per student for 8 different class groups a semester is like $100k a semester. Someone is making bank from this class. Maybe the bartending “agency” they keep glazing. Feels...