Restaurant Manager

About Side Saddle

Side Saddle Wine Saloon is a neighborhood restaurant, wine bar, and gathering place built around thoughtful food and drinks, genuine hospitality, and a welcoming, energetic environment.

We believe the best hospitality feels personal, intentional, inclusive, and a little bit fun. We’re looking for aManagerwho loves being on the floor, developing people, creating memorable guest experiences, and helping a busy restaurant operate at a consistently high level.

The Role

The Side Saddle Manager is a hands‑on leader responsible for supporting the day‑to‑day operation of the restaurant and bar.

This is not a position for someone who wants to manage from the sidelines. Our managers are present on the floor, connected to the team, engaged with guests, and willing to jump in wherever the business needs them. You’ll lead shifts, coach and support the team, maintain operating standards, solve problems in real time, and work alongside senior leadership to continuously improve the guest and employee experience. This role reports to the General Manager.

What You’ll Own

Service & Hospitality

• Lead the floor during service and ensure guests receive warm, attentive, knowledgeable hospitality.
• Set the pace and tone of the shift while maintaining strong standards for service, cleanliness, organization, and presentation.
• Build relationships with regulars and help create the neighborhood hospitality Side Saddle is known for.
• Respond thoughtfully and professionally to guest concerns and service recovery opportunities.
• Ensure opening, shift‑change, and closing procedures are completed thoroughly and consistently.
• Maintain awareness of reservations, events, programming, and other factors affecting service.

Team Leadership

• Lead by example and help create a positive, accountable working environment.
• Conduct pre‑shift meetings and make sure the team understands priorities, specials, events, and expectations for the day.
• Coach team members in real time and provide clear, direct, respectful feedback.
• Help train and develop servers, bartenders, baristas, support staff, and other team members.
• Reinforce expectations around attendance, professionalism, communication, teamwork, and hospitality.
• Support progressive coaching and documentation when performance expectations are not being met.
• Promote strong communication and collaboration between FOH, BOH, and leadership.

Run Great Shifts

• Serve as Manager on Duty and confidently make operational decisions during service.
• Manage breaks, sections, cuts, shift transitions, and staffing adjustments based on business needs.
• Monitor sales and labor throughout the shift and communicate opportunities or concerns to leadership.
• Ensure cash handling, comps, discounts, voids, tip procedures, and closing paperwork are accurate.
• Support inventory, receiving, stocking, and organization as assigned.
• Identify maintenance, safety, cleanliness, or facility concerns and ensure they are communicated and followed through.
• Help execute private events, weekly programming, busy weekends, and special events.
• Ensure the restaurant remains guest‑ready through the end of service.

Business Performance

Great hospitality and strong financial performance go hand in hand.

As a Manager, you’ll help leadership:

• Protect the guest experience while maintaining efficient operations.
• Meet goals related to sales, labor, COGS, guest satisfaction, and team retention.
• Identify opportunities to increase sales through thoughtful hospitality, product knowledge, and team education.
• Minimize waste, unnecessary comps, and operational errors.
• Take ownership of problems rather than simply identifying or passing them along.

Who We’re Looking For

You may be a great fit if you:

• Have previous restaurant, bar, or hospitality leadership experience.
• Are comfortable leading a busy floor and making decisions in real time.
• Genuinely enjoy hospitality and connecting with guests.
• Know how to hold people accountable while still treating them with respect.
• Communicate clearly, directly, and professionally.
• Are organized and comfortable balancing people, service, and administrative responsibilities.
• Are willing to jump behind the bar, run food, clear tables, greet guests, or do whatever else helps the team succeed.
• Have an interest in wine, cocktails, coffee, and food—or are excited to learn.
• Are comfortable working evenings, weekends, holidays, and high‑volume events.
• Want to help build and improve a growing hospitality business, not simply maintain it.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Side Saddle Manager creates shifts where:

• Guests feel taken care of.
• The team knows what is expected of them.
• The restaurant is clean, organized, and ready.
• Problems are addressed instead of passed along.
• Sales opportunities aren't missed.
• And people enjoy coming back—to work and to visit.

Benefits

• 7 days paid time off
• Employee food and beverage discount
• $250/month toward insurance benefits or an equivalent benefits package once the company's new insurance program becomes available
• Leadership development and opportunities for advancement

This position requires availability for nights, weekends, holidays, and other high‑volume periods based on the needs of the business.

Side Saddle Wine Saloon is a women‑owned neighborhood wine bar created to bring people together over thoughtfully selected wines, warm hospitality, and meaningful connection. Founded by entrepreneur and community builder Kayla Bellman, Side Saddle was built on the belief that great wine should feel approachable, welcoming, and accessible to everyone.
Drawing on her experience creating community through Finca to Filter, Kayla envisioned a space where guests could discover new wines, gather with friends, and enjoy memorable experiences in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Side Saddle blends a modern wine program with the spirit of a neighborhood gathering place, a destination for both seasoned wine enthusiasts and those just beginning their wine journey.

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