We're Hey Bartender® but our friends call us HB. We're the first virtual bar™
Cheers
The last few years have taught us the importance of connection.
Our events are live, interactive & FUN; they're led by memorable Bar Stars from premiere cocktail bars.
Our products are curated by the best in the biz and purchased with or without a virtual happy hour.
We are here to help you plan or host your next celebration
Our Hey Bartenders
Name
Thomas Spaeth
Lives In
Brooklyn, NY
Current Gig
Chief Cocktail Officer at Hey Bartender
PREVIOUSLY
The Raines Law Room, NYC
a top ten finalist for Best Bar in the US
Dear Irving, NYC
rated #26 top bar in North America
Mister Paradise, NYC
NYC’s most fun cocktail bar
Thomas was our very first Hey Bartender in 2020 during a Negroni-themed virtual birthday happy hour; helping to start a cocktail movement and open this virtual bar.
When not behind the bar, you can find him singing Taylor Swift (just the bops) cruising around NYC on his motorbike.
Name
Veronica Correa
Hometown
Brooklyn, NY
Current Gig
Cocktail + Social Media Consultant
PREVIOUSLY
Pouring Ribbons, NYC
Imbibe’s Cocktail Bar of the Year
Fort Oak, San Diego
highly acclaimed SD hot spot
A woman of many talents, Vee was an OG HB and is also our rollerskating social media queen. A Brooklyn native and San Diego transplant, Vee has worked at every kind of bar you can think of, from upscale whiskey bars, to high end restaurants and top craft cocktail bars.
Now Vee is "shaking" things up on the social media front for small and large spirits brands alike.
Name
Drew Johnson
Lives In
Brooklyn, NY
Current Gig
Westward Whiskey
PREVIOUSLY
Sleep No More, NYC
world famous play set in 1927. Stage name: Theodore.
Grand Banks, Hudson River
Celebrated bar on a historic fishing schooner from 1935
Dear Irving, NYC
Elegant speakeasy of legend
Drew has been an avid member of the cocktail community in New York City for the last 10 years. He is actively involved with the USBG (United States Bartenders Guild) and has competed in several cocktail competitions.
Drew has also been featured in a number of large publications such as Forbes, Timeout, Eater, and Food and Wine Magazine.
Name
Iain Griffiths
Hometown
Molong, NSW Australia
Favorite Cocktail
French 75
PREVIOUS GIGS
Supernova Ballroom, Toronto
‘Not to Be Missed’ bar to watch, The Spirits Business
Silver Lyan, Washington, D.C.
Best New American Cocktail Bar, Tales of the Cocktail
Lyaness, London
World’s Best Bar, Tales of the Cocktail
Iain has literally founded some of the most important beverage companies of the last decade that have also won more awards in the cocktail world than any other businesses.
Iain has had a one of a kind career, from throwing raves in Berlin to working as a global sustainability ambassador as well as creating a pop up that became a global phenomenon & toured the world for a year.
Name
Brian Prugalidad
Hometown
San Diego, CA
Current Gig
Realm of the 52 Remedies
PREVIOUSLY
Craft & Commerce, San Diego
Top 50 Bars in America, Food & Wine
Polite Provisions, San Diego
Top Volume Bar in America, Tales of a Cocktail
Bracero Cocina de Raiz, San Diego
James Beard Nominee
If you’ve had a cocktail in San Diego in the last fifteen years, there’s a good chance Brian has had a hand in it. He is also an inaugural member of the San Diego chapter of the Hubertus Circle, "... an exclusive, non-competitive programme run by Jägermeister for elite bartenders with a proven commitment to their art and craft.”
When not behind the bar, he enjoys spontaneous dance-offs with his kiddies.
Party with HB
Bespoke Virtual Bar
Interactive Entertainment
Hang with a Bar Star
Happy Hour- Delivered
How We
SOME OF OUR GUESTS
Our
LIFT YOUR SPIRITS
COCKTAIL PAIRINGS
MOCKTAILS
Origin Story
It all came to be over a few Negronis...
Founder and CEO Lauren Mendell developed the concept for Hey Bartender in 2020.
While in lockdown, Lauren organized a surprise birthday virtual happy hour in hopes of recreating an ideal night out over Negronis.
Meeting over Instagram, she DMed the Head Bartender of NYC's The Raines Law Room, and fellow Negroni enthusiast Thomas Spaeth, to lead a virtual mixology class.
Just because they couldn’t go to the bar, didn’t mean the bartender couldn’t come to them. Too many Negroni's later over Zoom, Hey Bartender,® the First Virtual Bar,™ was born.
That original happy hour turned into one of hundreds celebrated globally. We take pride in our Bar Stars and the fun events we are honored to host.
Cheers to celebrating life.
-HB
ps stay tuned for Hey Hospitality's next ventures: Hey Chef and Hey Som!