Julie Reiner: NYC’s Trailblazing Mixologist & Mentor of Modern Cocktails
🌺 Early Roots in Hawaii: Hospitality Begins at Home
Julie Reiner’s love for hospitality began thousands of miles away from New York, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Growing up in a household where entertaining was a way of life, she absorbed the art of hosting at an early age. Her mother often threw parties, with Julie blending mango margaritas in the kitchen and serving hors d’oeuvres to guests. This wasn’t just child’s play—it was an education in generosity, warmth, and attention to detail.
Hawaii’s tropical bounty of fruits, spices, and fresh herbs left an indelible impression on Julie. She developed a passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients—an ethos that would later define her career. While many bars of the 1980s and ’90s relied heavily on artificial mixers, Julie’s foundation was rooted in authenticity and flavor drawn straight from nature.
Even as a teenager, she recognized that the role of a host was not merely about serving food and drinks. It was about creating memorable experiences, a lesson she carried with her as she prepared to leave Hawaii for new opportunities on the mainland.
🎓 From Florida State to San Francisco: Discovering the Bar World
After high school, Julie enrolled at Florida State University, where she studied communications. College provided her with structure and discipline, but her heart was already set on hospitality. She gravitated toward bartending jobs, seeing in them the same storytelling and performance elements she loved about hosting back home.
Upon graduation, she moved to San Francisco in the mid-1990s, a city that was just beginning to rediscover the magic of craft cocktails. Here, she learned to navigate high-volume environments while also experimenting with recipes that showcased her Hawaiian influence. San Francisco was her training ground, exposing her to a diverse, experimental culture that encouraged innovation.
But it was New York City—the beating heart of American nightlife—that would become the canvas for her most groundbreaking work.
🗽 Arriving in New York: A City of Opportunity
In 1998, Julie Reiner relocated to New York City, eager to test her skills on the biggest stage in America. She began managing the bar program at C3 inside the Washington Square Hotel, where her inventive cocktails began to generate buzz. Customers frequently came not for the restaurant’s food but specifically for Julie’s creations.
Her reputation grew quickly. At a time when most New York bars were still serving overly sweet cosmos and vodka sodas, Julie was hand-squeezing citrus, crafting syrups, and balancing cocktails with elegance. She brought with her the Hawaiian ethos of freshness, blending it seamlessly with New York’s cosmopolitan flair.
By the early 2000s, Julie had become one of the most talked-about bartenders in the city. Her ambition, however, was not just to work behind someone else’s bar—it was to create her own vision of what a cocktail establishment could be.
🍸 The Flatiron Lounge: Birth of NYC’s Cocktail Renaissance
In 2003, Julie Reiner made history by opening the Flatiron Lounge, New York City’s first high-volume craft cocktail bar. Until then, the concept of combining artisanal cocktails with a bustling bar atmosphere was unheard of. Most “serious” cocktail bars were quiet, exclusive, and intimidating. Flatiron changed everything.
Julie introduced innovations that became industry standards:
- Cocktail flights, allowing guests to explore multiple drinks in one sitting.
- Batched and bottled cocktails, ensuring consistency in high-volume service.
- Seasonal menus, inspired by fresh produce and global flavors.
The Flatiron Lounge became a sensation. It wasn’t just a bar; it was a movement, teaching New Yorkers that cocktails could be both craft-driven and approachable.
🌿 Clover Club: Redefining Brooklyn’s Bar Scene
In 2008, Julie expanded her empire with the opening of Clover Club in Brooklyn. Named after a 19th-century Philadelphia cocktail society, the bar combined old-school elegance with modern creativity.
Clover Club quickly earned recognition as one of the best bars in the world. In 2009, it was named Best New Cocktail Lounge globally at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Julie’s menu featured classics like the Clover Club cocktail (gin, raspberry, and egg white) alongside her own innovative recipes.
The success of Clover Club helped transform Brooklyn into a hub for world-class mixology. What had once been overshadowed by Manhattan’s nightlife now had its own cocktail mecca, thanks to Julie Rein
🇲🇽 Leyenda: A Pan-Latin Celebration
In 2015, Julie teamed up with her longtime protégée Ivy Mix to open Leyenda, a bar celebrating the flavors of Latin America. With a focus on agave spirits, rum, pisco, and cachaça, Leyenda was both a passion project and a cultural statement.
The bar showcased tequila flights, mezcal-based cocktails, and bold Latin flavors like mole, tamarind, and chili. It offered New Yorkers a new education in spirits while also celebrating diversity and inclusivity behind the bar.
Leyenda went on to receive multiple awards, solidifying Julie’s reputation as not only a visionary but also a mentor dedicated to uplifting the next generation.
🍹 Milady’s and The Saloon: Honoring History, Building Legacy
Julie’s passion for revitalizing the past continued with her work on Milady’s, a beloved SoHo dive bar she helped revive in 2022. The reopening brought together nostalgia and modern craft, appealing to old fans and new patrons alike.
In 2024, she expanded her Clover Club brand with The Saloon at Clover Club, a refined extension that offered an even more immersive cocktail experience. These ventures demonstrated Julie’s ability to balance heritage with innovation, ensuring her influence remained as dynamic as ever.
📚 Author, Educator & Innovator
Julie Reiner has not only built bars but also written the playbook for cocktail culture. In 2015, she published The Craft Cocktail Party, a guide to elegant entertaining. Unlike technical manuals aimed at bartenders, this book was designed for home hosts, teaching readers how to bring professional-level cocktails to their own gatherings.
Her influence also extended into ready-to-drink innovation. She co-launched Social Hour Cocktails, a premium canned cocktail brand, proving her foresight in recognizing market trends without compromising quality.
Julie has also served as a judge on Netflix’s “Drink Masters”, inspiring a global audience by highlighting creativity, precision, and artistry in cocktail-making.
🏆 Awards and Accolades
Julie’s career has been decorated with some of the industry’s highest honors:
- Wine Enthusiast Mixologist of the Year (2014)
- Tales of the Cocktail Awards: Best Mentor, Best American Cocktail Bar, Best High-Volume Cocktail Bar (2013)
- Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award (2022)
- Roku Industry Icon Award (2025, North America’s 50 Best Bars)
She has also been frequently recognized by James Beard, Food & Wine, Drinks International, and featured in major publications including The New York Times, Esquire, GQ, and Bon Appétit.
🌟 Mentor, Leader, and Advocate for Women in Bartending
Perhaps Julie’s greatest legacy lies in her mentorship. She has nurtured dozens of bartenders, many of whom have gone on to open their own acclaimed bars. In an industry historically dominated by men, Julie has been a fierce advocate for women, creating opportunities and leading by example.
Her collaborations with organizations like Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) and her partnerships with women like Ivy Mix demonstrate her commitment to inclusivity and progress.
🌍 Cultural Impact: Redefining Cocktail Culture
Julie Reiner’s cultural impact extends beyond New York. By pioneering high-volume cocktail bars, championing inclusivity, and mentoring countless bartenders, she helped transform cocktails into a global cultural movement.
Her philosophy emphasizes that cocktails are not just drinks—they are experiences, stories, and expressions of community. Every bar she has touched carries that ethos, blending creativity with hospitality.
✨ Legacy in Motion
From her Hawaiian upbringing to the cocktail capitals of New York, Julie Reiner’s story is one of vision, persistence, and generosity. She has proven that bartending is not just about spirits and recipes—it is about culture, mentorship, and creativity.
Today, Julie continues to innovate, inspire, and educate. Whether through her bars, books, or mentorship, she remains one of the most influential voices in modern mixology.
Her journey is far from over, but her legacy is already secure: Julie Reiner is not just a bartender or entrepreneur. She is a trailblazer, mentor, and cultural icon who redefined what it means to create and share a cocktail.
Julie Reiner’s Journey: From Hawaiian Roots to NYC Cocktail Icon
Julie Reiner’s story begins on Oahu, Hawaii, where hospitality was part of everyday life. Growing up, she often helped her mother host lively gatherings—blending mango margaritas and passing hors d’oeuvres to family friends. These early experiences instilled in her a love for fresh ingredients, generosity, and the art of making people feel at home.
After studying communications at Florida State University, Julie moved to San Francisco in the mid-1990s, where bartending became her craft. The city’s experimental spirit encouraged her to embrace creativity, and by 1998 she was ready for a bigger stage—New York City.
Her breakthrough came at C3 in the Washington Square Hotel, where her inventive cocktails began drawing more attention than the restaurant itself. In 2003, she opened the Flatiron Lounge, New York’s first high-volume craft cocktail bar, pioneering ideas like cocktail flights and bottled mixes to ensure quality.
Five years later, she launched Clover Club in Brooklyn, a bar that redefined neighborhood cocktail culture and won global recognition. In 2015, she partnered with Ivy Mix to create Leyenda, celebrating Latin American spirits. Later, she revived Milady’s and expanded with The Saloon at Clover Club, blending heritage with modern innovation.
Beyond her bars, Julie authored The Craft Cocktail Party (2015), co-founded Social Hour Cocktails, and mentored countless bartenders—especially women breaking into a male-dominated industry. Her accolades include Wine Enthusiast Mixologist of the Year, the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Roku Industry Icon Award.
From Hawaiian roots to the heart of Brooklyn, Julie Reiner has built more than bars—she’s built a legacy. Her journey is one of creativity, leadership, and passion, making her one of the most influential voices in the modern cocktail renaissance.