Bartender Bangaz

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Welcome back to Bartender Bangaz! In Episode 46, host Mark the Shark heads down to Chinatown in New York City to hang out at Whiskey Tavern. This week's guest is Rocco—an aspiring actor, master cosplayer, and veteran NYC bartender who brings absolute chaos and high-energy hospitality to the ser...

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Mark the Shark hits up the original Changing Times in Farmingdale for one of our wildest episodes yet! Long Island veterans Claudia and Stephanie drop in to expose what really goes on behind the bar. From hilarious customer pet peeves and awkward pickup lines to restaurant romance rules and biz...

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Want to know what really happens behind the bar after last call? This week on Bartender Bangaz, Mark the Shark is joined by Toronto mixologist, TV personality, and hospitality pro Michael Pez for an unfiltered look into the chaos, craft, and insanity of the industry. From surviving a battle wit...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In Episode 43 of Bartender Bangaz, Mark the Shark sits down at All and Sundry in NYC with beverage consultant, mixologist, and expert judge on E!’s hit show Cocktail Wars, Melissa Brook! Melissa breaks down her unique journey—from starting out in Hollywood film production (working at Entertainment Tonight, Miramax, and DreamWorks) to stepp...

Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangaz! This week, host Mark the Shark is on location at his home base—The Sandbar in Ocean Beach, Fire Island—sitting down with the man who built it all: his boss, Sandbar John! From buying the old "Alligator" bar on Tumbleweed Tuesday with zero industry experience to tearing down drop ceilings full of rodents, dealing with drill-sergeant chefs, and su...

Welcome back to Bartender Bangaz! Host Mark the Shark ("Shark") is live at the Island Mermaid on Fire Island, NY, for a special episode featuring our very first bouncer guest: Long Island legend, Tommy B! With 28 years of security experience under his belt—ranging from late-90s mega-clubs like Maxine’s and Siberia to high-profile events like Michael Rubin’s White Party—Tommy has seen it all. In th...

Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangaz! This week, host Mark the Shark sits down at Patchogue, Long Island’s newest hotspot—The Side Street Dive—with industry insider Maddie. From starting with zero experience at a local dive bar to grinding through high-end spots, crowded Hamptons night clubs, and high-energy liquor promotions, Maddie shares the real, unvarnished truth about life beh...

This week on Bartender Bangaz, Mark the Shark heads to Mio Posto in Merrick, NY, to sit down with 17-year bar veteran Jillian! Jillian takes us through her journey from starting as a hostess to becoming a fixture behind the bar at one of Long Island's hot spots. We break down everything from viral menu favorites to the real side of working in hospitality. In this episode, we cover:Mio Posto Staple...

Ever wondered what it’s really like to transition from Michelin-star fine dining to the high-volume chaos of a beach town bar? In this episode of Bartender Bangers, host Mark the Shark sits down with veteran bartender Pat at Courtside Sports Lounge in Babylon Village, NY! Pat breaks down his wild journey through the hospitality industry—from faking his way through early kitchen line gigs to master...

Pour yourself a drink and step inside the world-famous Ice Palace in Cherry Grove, Fire Island! This week, Mark the Shark sits down with Bar Manager Ken to unpack what it takes to run the world's longest-running LGBTQ disco, operating continuously since 1970. Ken shares his unique path from corporate management into the heart of Fire Island’s legendary nightlife scene. From wild celebrity encounte...

Every drink has a story, and every shift has a moment that sticks with you! Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangaz with your host, Mark "The Shark"! 🦈🍸This week, Mark is hanging out on the deck with coworker, veteran bartender, and Long Island native, Angel Moon! From starting out handling multi-role shifts at JJ Coopers in Long Beach to pouring drinks at college spots, chains, and...

Every drink has a story, and behind every great bar is a legendary kitchen! Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangaz with your host, Mark "The Shark"! 🦈🍸 This week, Mark is sitting down with his longtime friend and culinary powerhouse, Joe Rago! A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Joe spent over 30 years in the trenches running high-volume, fine-dining,...

Every drink has a story, every shift has a moment that sticks with you, and this week on Bartender Bangaz, Mark the Shark is keeping it local in his hometown of Ocean Beach, Fire Island! We’re sitting down on the couch at The Island Mermaid with owner, local legend, and hospitality veteran Scott Hirsch to celebrate his 50th summer in Ocean Beach! From starting out at 16 making pizzas 17 hours a da...

Every drink has a story, and every shift has a moment that sticks with you. Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangaz, where we pour out the truth straight, no chaser! This week, we are bringing it back to the beautiful Fire Island, from Housers—the legendary staple of the island and the official home of the famous "Zippy" drink. In this episode, Mark sits down with the man, the myth, th...

Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangers with your host, Mark the Shark! 🦈 This week, we are coming to you live from McGrath’s in Farmingdale, New York. Joining us at the bar is a very special guest: content creator, viral sensation, and internet friend of the show, Frankie Francis—better known as The Gaming Mixologist! 🎮🍸 Frankie breaks down his 16+ years in the service industry, s...

Every shift has a moment that sticks with you—good, bad, or completely insane. Welcome back to another episode of Bartender Bangers with your host, Mark the Shark! This week, we are keeping it local and diving deep into the beautiful, chaotic world of Ocean Beach, Fire Island, New York. Mark sits down with his lifelong brother and hospitality veteran, Justin, the part-owner of one of the dopest ne...

What’s up everybody! Welcome back to another legendary episode of Bartender Bangaz! 🌊✨ This week, your host Mark the Shark is back on Fire Island, New York, broadcasting live from The Hideaway in Ocean Beach! We are sitting down with two service industry brothers who keep the engine running: Head Executive Chef Zach Rudd and Head Bartender Andre Deegan. From staff houses burning down on the 4th...

Every drink has a story, and every shift has a moment that sticks with you—good, bad, or completely insane. This week on Bartender Bangaz , host Mark "The Shark" is bringing it back to Melville, Long Island, to sit down with a true nightlife legend and one of New York’s biggest promoters, Brian Rosenberg! As the owner of Gossip and founder of Brian Rosenberg Productions, Brian looks back on an inc...

Ever wonder what it’s actually like to survive a summer season slinging drinks on Fire Island? 🌊👀 In Episode 28 of Bartender Bangaz, Mark the Shark catches up with Brenna, a legendary former bartender from the world-famous Schooner Inn in Ocean Bay Park! From her early days navigating chaotic college bars to managing high-anxiety shifts during the madness of Memorial Day Weekend, Brenna is pulli...

Every drink has a story, and this week, we’re pouring the truth straight—no chaser! 🥃✨We are officially kicking off our summer series and taking the podcast out to the iconic Hamptons! In this episode of Bartender Bangazs, host Mark the Shark sits down at The Whale's Tale in Southampton with one of the mastermind owners, Sosh Andriano, along with reality TV legend Big Ed from 90 Day Fiancé! Sosh...

What happens when you drop the filter and talk about what really goes down behind the bar? In this special crossover episode, the worlds of Sips & Secrets and Bartender Bangaz collide with special guest Leticia Duarte! We dive straight into the psychology of the service industry—from the instant gratification of serving regulars to the dangerous trap of industry complacency. Leticia and the cr...

Every drink has a story, and every shift has a moment that sticks with you—good, bad, or completely insane." This week on Bartender Bangaz , Mark "The Shark" is saddling up at the Dark Horse Tavern in Bayshore, NY ! We’re going behind the laughter and the chaos with owner Joe and veteran bartender Tommy to hear the truth about the industry, straight and no chaser. In this episode, we're diving int...

In this episode of Bartender Bangaz, we’re getting into the stuff most owners are too scared to say. The team from Whiskey Down joins us to break down the most annoying, entitled, and flat-out ridiculous customer behavior they’ve encountered since opening their doors. We’re not just talking about bad tips—we’re talking about the lack of respect for the craft and the "main character syndrome" that...

Accuracy is better than speed. Once you get it right, the speed follows." This week on Bartender Bangaz, Mark "The Shark" sits down with Jason at Streets of Table in Huntington Station. With 11 years in the game—ranging from bar-backing in Rockville Center to managing corporate and mom-and-pop joints—Jason has seen it all. In this episode, we’re serving up: Rookie Mistakes: Why you should NEVER sc...

Every drink has a story, and this week we’re pouring out the truth with a true industry legend! Host Mark is on location in Amityville, NY, at Brazico Brazilian Mexican Kitchen & Bar to chat with Teresa, a top-tier bartender who has seen it all. Teresa takes us through her incredible career—from writing corporate training manuals for Bennigan’s in the '80s and '90s to working at iconic spots l...