Chicago native Neil Jamin grew up a White Sox fan but during his three years behind the bar at Friday's Front Row at Miller Park, he's managed to find room in his heart for the Brewers, too.
He took a few minutes before a recent game to talk about what it's like working at a bar, inside the stadium.
OnMilwaukee.com: Are you from Milwaukee?
Neil Jamin: Chicago, actually. Moved up here for my girlfriend's schooling.
OMC: Chicago? So, are you a Brewers fan?
NJ: I wasn't, but I am now.
OMC: How long have you been working here?
NJ: I've been with Friday's for about three years and at this location, at Miller Park, for two. This is going to be my third season.
OMC: Have you been tending bar for a long time?
NJ: Yeah, I've been bartending about seven years now.
OMC: What's the difference between working here and in a more traditional bar setting?
NJ: Working in, say, a corner bar or someplace like that, you get a lot more regulars over time. Working here, there are new faces, new people every day. Working here, sometimes during a baseball game, it's like fighting a war – and I don't say that to make light of anything – but you're fighting to do your job while dealing with drunk people, cleaning up after crazy people. It's a lot of fun but, honestly, you really don't know what to expect coming into a day of work here during a baseball game. You can build those regulars at the corner bar but here, you get the crazy, drunken Brewers fans – which is still fun.
OMC: When the team is on the road, or in the offseason, does it go back to being more of a "regular" bar?
NJ: Yeah, a little bit. We have our own regulars, too, though we don't see as much of them because baseball is here six months of the year. We have our regular busy Friday and Saturday nights, like any other place. And we do kind of have that corner bar feel after games here and during the offseason.
OMC: Do you get to see any of the game?
NJ: When I tell people I work at the park, they think it's awesome because they think I get to watch baseball all the time. But actually, I don't get to see one second of the game. I'm usually taking care of guests, making drinks, cleaning up ... just doing whatever because it is a job. Every now and then, you get a glance of the TV and see a big play or a home run; for the most part, I don't get to watch much baseball.
OMC: Were you a baseball fan before you were working here?
NJ: Oh yeah. All my life. I grew up playing baseball.
OMC: Who'd you root for?
NJ: The White Sox. I'm a big White Sox fan. Frank Thomas was my favorite player.
OMC: Is it hard to split your loyalties now that you're in Milwaukee?
NJ: Not really. It's worked out pretty good. The White Sox are in the American League so they're my AL team and the Brewers are my NL team. And obviously, if the Brewers do well, that means I make more money.
OMC: Do you have a signature drink?
NJ: We're pretty well-known for our Long Island Ice Tea. It's an ideal drink to make, even during games, because it's what sells. Even in the offseason, people come in for it. It's fun to make because you can present some of your showmanship in making it.
OMC: Is being a good showman important behind a bar?
NJ: It is. Yeah, I think so. It helps. If you put a little flair in your everyday routine, it adds to it. Who doesn't want to see a little something, you know?
OMC: When you're out and about, what's your drink of choice?
NJ: I like vodka, mixed with pretty much anything. I'm a big red wine drinker, too. When I'm at home, I'm having a glass of red wine. But when you're out and about in Milwaukee, you kind of have to drink beer. There are so many good, local craft breweries around here that you just have to try.
OMC: This one gets some interesting responses from female bartenders, but do you get hit on behind the bar? Do you get a lot of pick-up lines?
NJ: We do. (Women) try to get our attention a little quicker by calling us "hottie" or "sexy" or things like that.
OMC: Do you hear some pretty bad lines get used on your female co-workers?
NJ: Some of these guys, they can be pretty ruthless. They don't care. Some of them, it gets borderline disrespectful but I guess as a female bartender, you get kind of a thick skin.
OMC: It can get pretty packed in here, do you ever have problems with fights or things like that?
NJ: From time to time, yeah, we have. But for the most part, the people in here are all here to do the same thing: have a good time and watch the Brewers. Every so often, you get somebody who's had a little too much fun and takes it a little too serious. Luckily, we have a really good security staff. They do a great job keeping everybody safe.
OMC: When you see someone who's had a bit too much, how do you go about cutting them off?
NJ: The management here is really cool about letting you do your job and knowing when a guest has had too much. Loud behavior, cursing at the bar demanding ... that's how we kind of know that it's time to watch somebody and, if need be, if it goes too far, to cut them off. They usually have our back on that.
OMC: What do you like best about working here?
NJ: I've always been a people person. So, getting to see new faces, meet new people every day, that's pretty cool. It's a place where major league sports is played. You can talk sports with people. We get a lot of different kinds of cool alcohol in here, too, so I get to talk with people about new drinks. I love working here. I love the hours. I love the job. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
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