Experienced Bartenders | Smoking Lobster Group (Cowes & Ventnor)

Job Posted: 28 May 2026

• Contract Term: Seasonal
• Location: Cowes, Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Full or part time
• Salary: Dependent on Experience
• Industries: Catering, Hospitality & Bar

Smoking Lobster is a family-run, Pan-Asian fusion restaurant group, with a focus on small plates, exciting cocktails, a vibrant dining experience and celebrating local produce from the Isle of Wight.

About Us 

Smoking Lobster is focused on delivering an elevated style of service and hospitality in a professional, laid-back environment. Heavily influenced by a mix of Eastern Asian cuisine, Smoking Lobster is a contemporary choice for diners who wish to fully immerse themselves in an experience centred around bold food, creative drinks and a vibrant, relaxed atmosphere.

Our bar offering plays a key part in the guest experience, with a focus on exciting cocktails, quality ingredients, attention to detail and confident, personable service.

The Role

We are seeking experienced, confident and professional bartenders to join our front of house team.

This is not standard bar service. We deliver an elevated but relaxed style of hospitality, where technical skill, product knowledge and personality all matter. You will be expected to work with pace and precision during busy services, while maintaining a high standard of presentation, cleanliness and guest interaction.

You will have the opportunity to showcase your personality through your hospitality, while delivering drinks consistently to specification and helping guests engage with our cocktail list, wines, beers, spirits and wider restaurant concept.

We have a fun, mature and dynamic team of professionals where hospitality is more than just a job, it is their passion. Does this sound like you?

Confidence in preparing and serving drinks to a high standard is essential, as is the ability to guide guests through our drinks offering with passion, understanding and attention to detail.

What We Are Looking For

Smoking Lobster is a year-round business, seeking experienced bartenders for the upcoming Summer season, with the view to more hours during off-peak months for the successful candidate/s. For this role, there are multiple vacancies.

We are looking for people with:

• Fun, professional and laid-back personalities
• Scrupulous attention to detail in all aspects of drinks, service and presentation
• Previous bar and cocktail experience preferred
• Confidence in preparing cocktails consistently to specification
• Good knowledge of spirits, wines, beers and classic drinks
• A genuine interest in learning about our products, suppliers and concept
• Confident, natural communication skills
• A strong sense of pace and organisation during peak times and busy services
• Positive energy and a strong team ethic
• The ability to maintain a clean, organised and well-stocked bar
• Flexibility and availability predominantly for weekends and evenings
• Flexibility in working between two Island venues

What You’ll Be Doing

• Preparing and serving cocktails, wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks to a high standard
• Delivering a professional, elevated but relaxed style of service and exceptional hospitality
• Guiding guests through our drinks menu, cocktail list, ingredients and flavour profiles
• Maintaining consistency across all drinks through accurate specification and presentation
• Keeping the bar clean, organised, stocked and ready for service
• Supporting floor service where required and working closely with the wider front of house team
• Serving families, corporate clients, UHNW individuals, groups, parties and events
• Maintaining the highest standards of presentation, cleanliness and compliance
• Supporting the wider team during busy and peak periods
• Representing the restaurant group as an ambassador for our brand culture
• Being flexible in your role and responsibilities
• Reporting to those managing you, supporting those beside you and guiding those under you

What We are Offering

• Full training in our drinks specifications, including ingredients, building & garnish
• Flexible, zero-hour contract
• Competitive rate of pay + tronc
• Staff discount of 20% when you dine with us
• On-shift discount of 50%
• Extended breaks & split-shifts
• Ability to set availability requests in our dedicated staff rota platform
• A strong, supporting team environment with a focus on growth & nurturing
• Measurable growth potential in your role
• Opportunity to undertake formal training & qualifications, such as WSET Level 1 & 2, Food Safety & Hygiene, First Aid

Hours

We are offering a flexible, zero hour contract (on a part-time or full-time basis) with the expectation to work split shifts of 12 hours, between 30 hours and up to 60 hours per week.

Tronc

We operate a transparent tronc system, meaning all tips are distributed fairly across the team based on hours worked and role. The tronc is managed independently and paid in addition to your hourly rate on a monthly basis, rewarding the whole team for delivering a consistently high standard of food and service. It ensures everyone contributes to, and benefits from, a busy and successful service. 

Your hourly rate of pay comprises your National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage plus tronc and excludes discretionary cash tips. Any additional or surplus service charge collected is distributed via the tronc system in accordance with the Company’s tronc policy.

To Apply

Please read the full role description detailed above, and attach your CV, with a short cover note on why you are a good fit to join Smoking Lobster Group.