Restaurant Manager

Makina is a woman-owned Eritrean and Ethiopian eatery — "Powered by Shiro" — operating under the Habesha Hospitality philosophy. Our full-service flagship in Sunnyside/Long Island City is the first Eritrean-Ethiopian restaurant in Queens, one of the world's most diverse boroughs. It joins our wider family of concepts: the Makina OG food truck, a seasonal stall on Governors Island, and a production commissary that supplies all of them plus catering.

Our hospitality is built on the Three R's — Receive, Reverence, Return — and on traditions like the coffee ceremony (jebena buna), gursha, and communal eating. We share the flavors of East Africa while honoring tradition, embracing creativity, and educating our community about the culture and history behind this cuisine. Every guest should feel that the table is always theirs.

The Opportunity

We're seeking a hands-on Restaurant Manager to lead day-to-day operations of our flagship as it grows into its next chapter. You'll work directly with ownership, set the tone on the floor, build and develop the front-of-house team, and help establish Makina as a destination in Queens. This is a defining role at a pivotal moment for a growing, mission-driven company.

Our dining room seats 53 and turns roughly 80 covers a night, run by a front-of-house team of four to five.

The ideal candidate is an experienced full-service leader with genuine warmth, strong organizational instincts, and a real interest in our cuisine and culture. You lead by example, you're comfortable being a visible presence on the floor during service, and you understand that here, hospitality is cultural — every team member is an ambassador for Makina's Eritrean and Ethiopian identity.

What You'll Own

Team & Culture

• Hire, train, schedule, and develop all front-of-house staff
• Coach in the moment; deliver clear performance feedback and lead by example
• Foster a collaborative, professional, and genuinely hospitable team culture
• Serve as the liaison between front-of-house and back-of-house teams
• Help every team member tell the Makina story and speak to our menu and traditions

Service & Guest Experience

• Run daily service and keep operations smooth through peak hours
• Uphold service standards rooted in the Three R's and communal-dining hospitality
• Lead the guest experience around signature rituals (including the coffee ceremony)
• Act on guest feedback and reviews; share insights with staff and ownership
• Build and retain a loyal regular guest base

Operations & Compliance

• Manage POS and reservations systems; troubleshoot and update as needed
• Maintain weekly schedules within labor budgets
• Coordinate with vendors, manage ordering, and oversee inventory and cost control
• Own invoice entry, inventory, and food-cost reporting in MarginEdge
• Prepare periodic inventory and reporting; recommend adjustments to ownership
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, and sanitation standards; prepare the restaurant for NYC DOH inspections
• Serve as first point of contact for repairs and maintenance
• Oversee payroll, cash handling, and invoice tracking/submission
• Coordinate with the commissary/production team on consistency and supply
• Partner with ownership to hit operational and financial goals — covers per night, regular-guest growth, press/recognition, and financial milestones

What You Bring

• 2+ years of management experience in a full-service restaurant (FOH leadership)
• Proficiency with POS and reservations platforms, 3rd-party delivery apps, and Google Suite
• MarginEdge experience — or hands-on experience with a comparable back-office/invoice platform (e.g. Restaurant365) and the ability to get up to speed on MarginEdge quickly
• Working knowledge of wine, beer, and cocktails
• Strong organization, multitasking, and attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• A warm, team-oriented leadership style and a real passion for hospitality
• Availability for nights and weekends
• Valid NYC Food Handler's Certification (or ability to obtain before starting)
• Genuine curiosity about — or connection to — East African cuisine and culture
• Pluses: bilingual (Spanish helpful for BOH/commissary coordination; Amharic or Tigrinya a plus); full-service opening experience

Why Join Makina

• Help lead the flagship of the first Eritrean-Ethiopian restaurant in Queens
• A 40-hour week on a six-day operation with no weekday lunch service — rare in NYC restaurant management
• Join a mission-driven, woman-owned company with deep cultural roots and a real community focus
• Grow alongside an expanding multi-concept hospitality group
• Shape a vibrant dining destination while it's still young enough for your decisions to define it

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 – $75,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Free staff meals and dining discount across Makina concepts

Schedule: 5–6 days per week, evenings and weekends required. The restaurant serves Tuesday–Friday 5PM–10PM and Saturday–Sunday 12PM–10PM, closed Mondays.

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Preferred)
• Night Shift (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Sunnyside, NY 11104 (Required)

Work Location: In person