Esquire Bar Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Location: 58 East Oak Street, Gold Coast, Chicago, IL Employment type: Full-time Classification: Salaried, exempt Reports to:  General Manager

Why Esquire

Esquire is a 265-seat luxury steakhouse in Chicago’s Gold Coast where Japanese precision meets French technique — anchored by an elite Wagyu and seafood program, a four-level Wine Tower, the OakShō omakase counter, and the invitation-only Maison 58. We hold an uncompromising standard and hire people who want to set it, not just meet it. Esquire is operated by M Street Collective, the group behind Nashville’s Virago, Moto, Kayne Prime, and Saint Añejo.

The Role

Runs the day-to-day operation of the bar and Trophy Room — the operational owner of cocktail execution, bar staffing, and bar cost. Where the Beverage Manager owns the wine program, the Bar Manager oversees the beverage vision and makes the bar run every night to that standard, holding quality and consistency across a high-volume craft program.

What You’ll Do

• Build and curate the sake, spirits, and cocktail programs; own lists, sourcing, and pricing.
• Own nightly bar operations across the main bar and Trophy Room; set up, run, and close down to standard.
• Lead and develop the bar team (Lead Bar, Bartenders, Bar Backs).
• Execute the cocktail and barrel-aged program to recipe and presentation standard set with the Beverage Manager.
• Own bar inventory, par, ordering, and cost; protect margin and minimize shrink.
• Train and certify bartenders on the program, service standards, and responsible-service compliance (BASSET).
• Partner with the Beverage Manager on the program, the by-the-glass and rare-spirits offering, and pricing.

What You Bring

• 4+ years bar leadership in upscale or craft-cocktail settings, including supervisory or management experience.
• Deep cocktail, spirits, and rare-spirits knowledge; strong inventory and cost-control systems.
• Proven team development and scheduling.
• Calm command of a high-volume bar and a refined guest presence.

Certifications & Requirements

• Illinois BASSET (alcohol) — REQUIRED. Valid BASSET certification after any shift that involves selling, serving, or checking ID for alcohol, and no later than 30 days after hire (company policy; statute allows 120); renew every 3 years.
• Illinois Food Handler — REQUIRED. ANAB-accredited food-handler certificate within 30 days of hire; renew every 3 years. (Waived for holders of a current CFPM.)
• Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) — RECOMMENDED, so the role can serve as an on-duty CFPM (at least one required on site during all food prep and service hours). 
• Level 3 Sommelier certification

Compensation — Pay Scale

$71,000 to $96,000 per year, paid as an annual salary (market-aligned). The final offer is confirmed in writing. This position is eligible for a performance bonus as a component of total compensation.

Benefits & Perks

Eligible team members receive group medical, dental, and vision insurance (the Company pays part of the premium); a 401(k) plan; Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, STD, and LTD; and a confidential Employee Assistance Program. Time off includes Paid Time Off for eligible salaried positions, Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave, and paid bereavement leave, plus the protected leaves required by federal and Illinois law (FMLA, VESSA, military, jury, and voting). Final plan details and eligibility are confirmed in the written offer.

How to Apply

Interested? Send your résumé — and references where applicable — to View email address on us.fitly.work or apply through the platform where you found this role.

Held to Esquire’s four pillars — quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation — and the five universal competencies: professionalism, teamwork, growth mindset, excellence, and hospitality.

About Esquire

Esquire is a modern luxury steakhouse on Oak Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast — Japanese precision built on a French foundation, anchored by an elite Wagyu program and a seafood-and-sushi program that earns equal billing. Across a 265-seat dining room, a four-level ~5,000-bottle Wine Tower, the Trophy Room, the invitation-only 58 Club, and the OakShō omakase counter, it delivers omotenashi-inspired hospitality and culinary theater in a vintage-Hollywood setting.

About M Street Collective

M Street Collective is the hospitality group behind Esquire, with operations in Nashville and Chicago. Built on four pillars — quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation — and a commitment to innovation, leadership development and world-class training, the Collective creates restaurants and experiences defined by an uncompromising standard and genuine, anticipatory care.

M Street Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race (including traits associated with race under the CROWN Act), color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital or family-responsibilities status, disability, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, arrest or conviction record (as limited by law), credit history, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, Illinois, or Chicago law. Consistent with the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, we do not ask about criminal history on the application, and we do not ask about salary history. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities, for pregnancy and related conditions, and for religious observance — contact People Operations. This position is performed in Chicago, Illinois.