Front of House Manager

Hospitality & Operations Leadership Opportunity Cru is an independently owned neighborhood bistro in the heart of Brookside. We believe exceptional hospitality is personal, details matter, and culture is built intentionally—not accidentally. We’re looking for a Front of House Manager who wants more than simply running a shift. This is a leadership role for someone who enjoys building systems, developing people, creating accountability, and helping shape the future of a growing restaurant. You’ll work directly alongside ownership, have meaningful influence over daily operations, and play a key role in defining how our team, culture, and guest experience continue to evolve. This is not a role for someone looking to maintain the status quo. We’re looking for someone who sees opportunity, takes ownership, and gets excited about building something exceptional. As owner-operators, we work hard, care deeply and hold ourselves to a high standard. We expect the same from the people we bring onto our team. If you’re looking for a place to simply clock in and clock out, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for a place where your ideas matter, your leadership is valued, and your impact is visible, we’d love to meet you. What You’ll Do Lead front of house operations during service and ensure a consistently exceptional guest experience. Serve as the primary day-to-day leadership presence for the FOH team. Build, refine, and uphold systems, standards, and operational processes that support long-term growth. Coach, develop, and support team members while maintaining clear expectations and accountability. Participate in hiring, onboarding, training, and ongoing professional development of FOH staff. Foster a culture of hospitality, professionalism, ownership, and teamwork. Build genuine relationships with guests and create memorable experiences that drive loyalty and community connection. Partner closely with ownership on scheduling, staffing, operational planning, and strategic initiatives. Assist with labor management, operational reporting, and cost controls. Support inventory management, opening and closing procedures, and daily operational execution. Help plan and execute private dining experiences, events, and future growth initiatives. Identify opportunities for operational improvement and take ownership of implementing solutions. What We’re Looking For 3–5+ years of progressive restaurant leadership experience with increasing levels of responsibility. Proven experience leading teams, coaching employees, and developing talent. Strong operational instincts and a demonstrated ability to improve systems, processes, or standards. Experience within highly structured hospitality environments, corporate restaurant groups, hotels, multi-unit operations, or organizations known for strong training and accountability standards is highly valued. Financial literacy and comfort managing labor, costs, and operational performance metrics. Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust with both guests and team members. High emotional intelligence and the ability to navigate challenges with professionalism and composure. A self-starter mentality and a willingness to take ownership rather than wait for direction. Professional, polished, dependable, and deeply accountable. Availability to work evenings and weekends. Experience with Toast POS is a plus. Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus. This Role May Be a Great Fit If You’ve helped build systems, training programs, or operational standards—not just followed them. You enjoy developing people and helping team members succeed. You understand that great hospitality and strong accountability go hand in hand. You enjoy identifying opportunities for improvement and creating solutions. You want direct access to ownership and the ability to meaningfully influence the future of a business. You thrive in environments where initiative is valued and contributions are visible. You’re excited by the opportunity to help shape culture, operations, and guest experience. This Role May Not Be the Right Fit If You’re looking for a role where every system and process is already fully built and defined. You prefer working within a large organization with multiple layers of management and oversight. You’re uncomfortable providing coaching, feedback and accountability on a daily basis. You’re seeking a primarily administrative role rather than active floor leadership. You’re looking for a predictable Monday–Friday 9-5 schedule. You’re not interested in helping build, improve, and evolve an operation alongside ownership. Starting salary: $62,000–$65,000, commensurate with experience. Additional compensation opportunities, including bonus and/or profit-sharing structures, may be available as the role and leadership responsibilities expand. Health insurance stipend available. 401(k) with employer match. Paid time off. Steward Program. Most major holidays off, including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Super Bowl Sunday. #J-18808-Ljbffr Cru Bistro & Bottles