Startender
Barback Jobs in Chicago
🍸 3 barback gigs open in Chicago right now
Get discovered by Chicago’s best bars and clubs — and skip the résumé pile.
How to get hired fast
- The best shifts never hit a job board — they go to who venues have already seen.
- Keep a portfolio of your real work and your availability up to date.
- Be fast, reliable, easy to book. In Chicago, reputation beats a résumé.
Where the work is
- River North
- Wicker Park & Bucktown
- the West Loop
- Lincoln Park
- Logan Square
- Boystown / Lakeview
What it pays
Roughly $130–$260 on a strong night with tips — more at high-volume clubs and bottle service.
Why Startender
A private, invite-only network where Chicago venues find and book barbacks directly. Free for talent. No résumé spam, no bots, no BS.
FAQ
How do I get a barback job in Chicago?
The fastest route in Chicago is being seen by the right venues before a role is even posted. Build a profile that shows your real work — photos, experience and personality — keep your availability current, and let bars and clubs reach out to you directly. Chicago bar hiring moves on referrals and reputation, not résumé blasts.
Do you need experience to work as a barback in Chicago?
Plenty of Chicago venues hire and train newcomers and promote from within, so you can break in without years of experience. A strong portfolio of real shifts helps, but attitude, speed and reliability win most barback jobs here.
How much do barbacks make in Chicago?
Chicago barbacks in River North and the West Loop earn steady tip-outs — the standard route into a bartending shift. Most working Chicago barbacks take home roughly $130–$260 on a strong night with tips.
What is Startender?
Startender is a private, invite-only network where Chicago venues discover and book hospitality talent directly — bartenders, servers, cooks, chefs, hosts and more. It’s free for talent: build a profile that works like a portfolio and get found by real restaurants, bars and clubs.
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