The Daily Wildcat caught up with bartender Steven Yanez Romo at The Flycatcher, located on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street, to get some insight into bartending and the popular bar.
Daily Wildcat: How long have you been a bartender?
Steven: I’ve been bartending for about 10 years.
When and where did you get into the bartending business?
SYR: I first started bartending at Chuy’s when I was 19, but I really got my sea legs in bartending working at No Anchovies.
What’s your favorite part about your job? Why?
SYR: Interacting with customers is really fun. Also, making a drink for a stranger just by knowing what their favorite flavor of drink is. Having a complete stranger coming in and making a drink for them, and not knowing who they are is very cool to me.
What’s your least favorite part? Why?
SYR: My least favorite part of bartending is interacting with belligerent customers that can get a little rowdy. When people are drunk, they figure they’re always right, and it’s not like I’m kicking them out for personal reasons or anything, it’s just that they need to go and rest it off a bit.
What is your most memorable experience bartending?
SYR: I worked at No Anchovies for about 10 years, and working somewhere for that long you make many friends that become family to you. I meet customers that date, then get married and have kids. It’s a cool aspect to meet people and to get to know them on a personal level.
Is there a particular drink you like to make? Why?
SYR: I enjoy making an Old Fashioned. It’s just a delicious whiskey drink. I enjoy drinking them as much as I enjoy making them.
What’s a Flycatcher specialty?
SYR: We have a drink called a “Sexy Blue Jesus” and that’s pretty much one of our flagship drinks. It’s a vodka, rum-based cocktail and it’s pretty much a super strong drink that’s really flavorful. A close second, almost tied, is a drink called the “Old Hard Dad.” It’s a whiskey-based drink, it’s simple and quick to make, and it’s fantastic.
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What kind of atmosphere does the Flycatcher offer?
SYR: It ranges. We can have a lounge night where we just have a date night and hang out, or we can have a karaoke night with a dance floor. We offer a little bit of everything.
What would you recommend for people considering a career in bartending?
SYR: I think just going to bars and sitting at the bars, as well as getting to know your bartender is good, and just working hard. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
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