Barcode’s Kirby James Henderson

By Johnny Trlica

Have you ever been cut off by a bartender? If so, instead of arguing with said bartender, try thanking him/her instead. Bartenders do not stop serving alcohol to someone just for the hell of it, but they can usually see something in you that you do not see — that you are drunk.

In Texas, bartenders are legally obligated to stop serving alcohol to patrons who are visibly intoxicated. Failure to do so puts not only the customer at risk, but the bartender and drinking establishment, as well. So the next time a bartender tells you, “Hey man, I’m not comfortable serving you anymore alcohol,” instead of denying you’ve had a little too much, just say “Thank you,” close your tab and catch an Uber home.

July’s Bartender of the Month was referred to us by several people, all impressed with his professionalism, friendliness and expertise in making a good drink.
The MONTROSE STAR’s Bartender of the Month is Kirby James Henderson.

Name: Kirby James Henderson

Pronouns: He/him

Hometown: Humble, Texas

Married, single or not telling? Newly single.

Newly single

Tell us about your experience bartending.
I’ve been bartending since right before I turned 19. I started at the airport at a burger joint called Ruby’s Diner, a California ’50s diner that the Pappas brothers bought into and brought to the airport. It was more of a specialty bar, so I learned a lot of specialty drinks in the beginning of my bartending career. I didn’t do a lot of shots or anything like that.

Then I began working at Mojo Sports Bar in Atascocita. That’s when I really started learning more of the fast-paced drinks recipes, shot recipes, keeping up with everything and keeping your cool under stress. I was there for seven years, as well. They overlapped with each other. Toward the end of my Ruby’s employment is when I started Mojos. I left Mojos and landed the most wonderful bartending gig I’ve ever had at Barcode in Montrose. Amazing patrons, amazing coworkers, and the most amazing manager anyone can ask for. This place really cares about its employees. You’re not just a number. And then over the years, I picked up random gigs at St. Patrick’s Day parties or random pop-up shops. I do private parties. I’ve done weddings. It’s just a really a fun flexible job – stressful but fun.

What is your drink specialty?

I’ve never really thought of a specialty drink that I make. I get complimented on my generic margaritas, but I get the most compliments on Margaritas, Bloody Mary’s and my Micheladas.

What is your philosophy on being a good bartender?

I would say what it takes to be a good bartender is your attentiveness, your ability to multitask and pay attention to everything going on at the bar at the same time. You can’t just stop at one spot and sit there. You have to keep it moving or this ship is gonna sink and you’re the captain, so always keep moving. Make sure you pay attention to everyone, not just that one guy you know is gonna leave you a bunch of money! That’s not fair to everyone’s experience. Listen to the customer. We’re not only their bartender, we are also a counselor and therapist, and sometimes people just need to vent!

Besides the money, what do you enjoy about being a bartender?
Honestly, I like the fast pace to keep my attention. There’s never a whole lot of downtime. Even when you’re slow, there’s things you can be doing. I like hearing other people’s drama. I’m not gonna lie, that keeps it interesting. Knowing y’all’s little drama between the regulars, some funny and some serious, some crazy, but I like listening and it’s safe with me. You get to know individuals for who they are, and I think that’s cool. You become a part of these people’s lives, and they become part of yours, like an amazing experience. I met a lot of amazing people in my years bartending. I also like the flexibility bartending affords me. I just like bartending in general.

If a customer wants to impress a date, what drink do you recommend?
A drink to impress a date is a martini or a perfect Cosmo, something like that. It depends on the type of liquor they want first, and then go down the list of questions from there to figure out the perfect drink to get them. Not everybody likes the same stuff.

What is a pet peeve about being a bartender?
Although there are several pet peeves, I would have to say the biggest pet peeve I have is when your favorite patron goes from being your favorite patron to your worst enemy. The second they get cut off they think you are the worst, even though just before they were talking about inviting you to their family wedding and they text you randomly throughout the day, or throughout the week. But when you cut them off, oh no, it’s done. They hate you. You’re the worst because you’re doing your job. Even though nine times out of ten once they sober up, they are going to apologize. But still, that’s one of the biggest things I don’t like about the job.

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever seen from behind the bar?
I’ve seen some really crazy things from behind the bar, from barstools being tossed across the bar, to a lady once getting punched right in the face right in front of me while ordering a drink. People even lining up their favors of the night on the bar top.

But I would have to say the craziest was shortly after I started at Barcode. There are these three guys standing there. I was waiting to get their drink order, and they started talking about their penis size. Each one said, “Mine is bigger,” and somebody said, “Prove it.” The next thing I know, there’s three dicks dangling out of their pants right in front of my register. I have to say going from being at straight bars to gay bars there’s definitely a difference, but I love it.

What do you do for fun? Any hobbies?
Honestly, being a bartender takes up most of my social capacity, if that makes sense. When I’m not working, I’m a homebody. I used to party and then go out overnight and drink, and I don’t really do that anymore. I like to be home to freshen up on my hair venture in being a hair stylist but not as much as I should be. I’m going to start focusing on that a lot more. Other than that, just chilling with close friends. I’m kind of boring!

Are you on social media?
I do have Instagram at Kirbyjamess92. And my Facebook is just Kirby Henderson.

Where and when can we catch you for a drink?
You can catch me behind the bar at BARCODE – Friday, 2 ’til 8pm and Saturday through Monday, 11 ’til 8 pm

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