Best of Restaurants

Best Bartender: Brian O'Neil

By Alyson Fleming

After many years in the pizza-making business, Brian O’Neill made an unexpected move from the kitchen to the bar. O’Neill, originally from a small farm by Viola, helps manage the Irish-themed O’Neill’s Pizza Pub with his mother and two sisters. Working in the Rochester area for over eight years, O’Neill’s experience with customers and his humble humor make him a favorite.


Attached to the job: O’Neill was not expecting to become a bartender, but when the need came he rose to the occasion. “We were having trouble getting a bartender here, so I just started out filling in. I’m kind of stuck here. They have that chain and they just won’t let me get out the front door.”
 
Funny business: Some customers aren’t necessarily in the best mood when they arrive at the bar, but O’Neill has a trick for handling such a demeanor. “Just try and say something funny to them,” says O’Neill. “If they’re really negative then you can’t really do much for them. Just give them their own space and try to get them whatever they’re looking for, whether it’s liquor or something else.”

Customer satisfaction: It’s important for a bartender to acknowledge his or her customers quickly in order to create an inviting environment to which people will want to return. A good bartender “doesn't have to know your name personally, but they acknowledge that you’re there,” says O’Neill. “Some places you go you’re almost invisible. You’re like, ‘Please come and help me. I don’t stink that bad.’”

Mum’s the word: For aspiring bartenders, O’Neill has a word of advice. “Get some old bartending books,” he says. “I have one and it’s from the ‘40s and it talks about [bartenders] never mentioning anything that goes on [at the bar]. It’s like the guy says, ‘they’ll get in trouble soon enough without you mentioning it.’”

From the obscure to just beer: For the most part customers stick to simpler mixes, but the bar can receive some odd drink requests. “Somebody asked for a Duck Fart” (a layered drink usually made of Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Cream and whiskey), says O’Neill. “It’s definitely one that sticks out.” What is his all-time favorite liquid to pour? “Beer,” says O”Neill, “let’s not get carried away.”
March madness: Because of his family’s Irish heritage, there’s one day at the bar that stands out from all the rest. “St. Patrick’s Day is good because it’s 12 hours of just constant customers,” says O’Neill.

RUNNER UP: David LeClair at Pappageorge