HOST / HOSTESS - JOIN OUR OPENING TEAM!

Job Description

Job Description

HOST / HOSTESS – JOIN OUR OPENING TEAM!

Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top | Avondale Estates, Georgia

$12.00 per hour 

Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top is coming to The Dale in Avondale Estates, and we're building an exceptional Opening Team to bring two distinct but connected hospitality experiences to life. Ophelia Tavern will be a refined neighborhood gathering place serving Italian-inspired comfort food in a welcoming, no-fuss atmosphere. The menu features Italian tavern classics, including pizzas crisped in 600-degree ovens, fresh pastas tossed in scratch-made sauces, juicy house-ground burgers, thoughtfully prepared entrées and salads, and plenty of small plates made for sharing. With inviting indoor and patio seating, Ophelia pairs its food with handcrafted cocktails, a whiskey-forward bar program featuring a focus on Old Fashioneds, along with a well-rounded selection of beer and wine.

Located upstairs, Bar Top adds another dimension to the Ophelia experience. The rooftop bar features a spacious covered patio overlooking the Town Green at The Dale, a cozy indoor bar, fireplace, and private event space. Bar Top's menu features classic cocktails, creative mocktails, light bites, a wide selection of local draft and bottled beers, and curated wines.

We're looking for experienced, polished, and hospitality-driven Hosts and Hostesses who understand that an exceptional guest experience begins before a guest ever reaches the table. At Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top, hosting is about much more than greeting guests and showing them to a seat. Our Hosts will be expected to confidently manage reservations and wait lists, understand dining room pacing, coordinate table rotation, communicate accurate wait times, anticipate guest needs, and work closely with management and the entire Front of House team to keep service running smoothly.

We're especially interested in candidates with previous full-service restaurant hosting experience who are mature, professional, organized, and comfortable taking ownership of a busy host stand. If you genuinely enjoy taking care of people, communicate confidently and professionally, and understand that great hospitality starts with the first interaction and continues through the final goodbye, we'd love to meet you.

What We're Looking For

• Previous Host/Hostess experience in a full-service restaurant strongly preferred
• Experience managing reservations, wait lists, and table rotation
• Mature, professional, and polished presence
• Warm, outgoing, and genuinely hospitality-focused personality
• Strong communication and guest-relations skills
• Confidence communicating with guests during busy periods and extended wait times
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and professional under pressure
• Strong understanding of dining room pacing and server rotation
• Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities
• Ability to communicate effectively with managers, Servers, Bartenders, Server Assistants, and other team members
• Dependable, punctual, and prepared for every scheduled shift
• Professional appearance and attention to detail
• Team-first mentality and willingness to assist wherever needed
• Flexible availability, particularly evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events

We are specifically seeking candidates who are comfortable taking ownership of the host stand and understand the important role the Host team plays in controlling the pace and flow of a busy full-service restaurant.

Position Responsibilities

• Welcome every guest with genuine hospitality, confidence, and professionalism
• Create an exceptional first impression from the moment guests arrive
• Manage reservations, walk-in guests, and restaurant wait lists
• Provide accurate and professional wait-time estimates
• Coordinate seating to maintain proper dining room flow and balanced server rotation
• Monitor table status and communicate closely with Servers, Server Assistants, and management
• Help maintain appropriate pacing to avoid over-seating individual sections or overwhelming the kitchen and service team
• Communicate professionally with guests regarding reservations, seating requests, delays, and special accommodations
• Answer incoming telephone calls and assist with reservations and general restaurant questions
• Provide guests with information regarding Ophelia Tavern, Bar Top, and our private event space
• Help direct guests between the downstairs restaurant, upstairs Bar Top, rooftop area, and private event spaces when appropriate
• Recognize and communicate special occasions, VIP guests, large parties, and guest requests to management and service staff
• Maintain an organized, clean, and professional host stand, entrance, lobby, and waiting area
• Monitor the restaurant entrance and ensure arriving guests are acknowledged promptly
• Open doors, acknowledge departing guests, and thank them for dining with us
• Communicate continuously with management regarding restaurant capacity, wait times, reservations, and seating concerns
• Complete all assigned opening, running, and closing responsibilities
• Support the Front of House team wherever needed to provide an exceptional guest experience

Guest Experience Standards

Our Hosts are responsible for creating the first and last impression of Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top.

Team members are expected to:

• Welcome every guest with warmth, confidence, and professionalism
• Make guests feel acknowledged even during the busiest periods
• Maintain organized seating and efficient table rotation
• Understand how seating decisions affect Servers, Bartenders, the kitchen, and the overall guest experience
• Communicate wait times and delays clearly and professionally
• Anticipate guest needs and provide timely assistance
• Remain composed and solutions-focused when handling guest concerns or special requests
• Communicate effectively with guests, managers, and fellow team members
• Maintain a polished and organized host stand
• Represent Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top with professionalism, enthusiasm, and genuine hospitality every shift

Schedule & Availability

Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top is currently planned to operate:

Monday–Friday: 5:00 PM–Close
Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 AM–Close

Applicants should have flexible availability, including:

• Weekday evenings
• Weekend daytime shifts
• Weekend evenings
• Holidays
• Special events
• Private events
• Opening and closing responsibilities as scheduled

Availability during our busiest evening and weekend periods is especially important for this position.

What We Offer

• $12.00 per hour 
• Flexible scheduling
• Employee dining benefits
• Comprehensive Opening Team training
• Positive, professional, and team-oriented work environment
• Ongoing training and development
• Opportunities for advancement within Ophelia Tavern, Bar Top, and our growing restaurant group

Why Join Our Opening Team?

Joining an Opening Team is an opportunity to help establish the culture, service standards, and guest experience of a brand-new restaurant from day one. We're looking for Hosts who take pride in being the face of the restaurant and understand the responsibility that comes with managing the front door. The right candidates will be confident without being rigid, warm without losing professionalism, organized during high-volume service, and capable of making thoughtful decisions that support both our guests and the restaurant team.

If you're an experienced Host who enjoys working with people, thrives in a busy full-service environment, and wants to help create a neighborhood destination guests return to again and again, we'd love to meet you.

Apply today and become part of the Opening Team at Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top!