Pittsburgh Bartending School, Pittsburgh

Elite Bartending School's classroom looks just like any full-service bar, with rows of liquor bottles, glasses, and taps. Only, instead of customers, instructors (who are themselves professional bartenders) sidle up to the counter, overseeing students in hands-on lessons. During 40-hour professional classes, they teach their charges about standard bar equipment, the latest cocktail recipes, and speed techniques to keep the drinks flowing. They incorporate RAMP alcohol-awareness training into their curriculum, ensuring that aspiring bartenders spot the signs that indicate someone's on the verge of being over-served. At every step, they emphasize customer service in their training, making sure that their graduates have not only the skills to make a drink, but also to put a smile on a customer's face without resorting to the use of a sharpie.