When a manager evaluates their bar staff, they are looking for specific skills and traits that define what a good bartender is.

There is, of course, the checklist of self-evident things: a friendly personality, an understanding of hospitality, and knowledge about the beverage program. Or, on the negative side, someone who won't slip twenties from the register and put them into their pocket.

But those are obvious things. What skills and traits do managers look for in a great bartender that aren’t talked about enough? Let’s take a look at the highly valued but often understated skills that make a great bartender.