A two-bartender bar works best as two complete stations, each with its own ice bin, speed rail and dump sink, with the glass washing shared in the middle. Stretching one station wider does not work, because two people end up reaching into the same ice and the same rail all night.
Shop the equipment in this article: three compartment under bar sink with right drainboard, UD-1836 underbar drainboard and underbar hand sink with cabinet base. Freight is included on every order.
Two stations, not one big one
Each bartender needs a zone they can work without moving their feet much. Common practice is about 4 to 5 feet per station. Inside it:
- an ice bin with a speed rail on the front
- a dump sink or mixology station for rinsing tins
- a small drainboard or a spot for a glass rack
The usual order along the bar is station one, shared section, station two.
What goes in the shared center
The middle of the bar is where either bartender can reach without crossing the other’s station, so put the things both use and neither uses constantly.
- The three compartment sink for washing, rinsing and sanitizing glassware.
- Drainboard space beside it for clean glasses to air dry.
- The blender, the POS terminal and backup bottles.
- Beer taps, if the draft tower is on the front bar.
Our three compartment under bar sink with right drainboard is 48 inches long and 19 inches deep. The version with bowls only is listed at 38 inches wide. A separate UD-1836 underbar drainboard adds 36 inches of draining space where the run allows it.
Hand sinks for two
Each bartender should be able to reach a hand sink without walking through the other station. On a long bar that often means two, one toward each end. On a shorter bar one hand sink in the shared section can serve both, if the health department accepts the location. Ask before the plumbing is roughed in, because the local health department has the final say on how many hand sinks a bar needs and where they go.
The underbar hand sink with cabinet base gives closed storage for soap and towels under the bowl. Read more in how many hand sinks a restaurant needs.
Wells and speed rails
Give each station its own rail, stocked with the same bottles in the same order. When both wells match, bartenders can swap sides in the middle of a shift without slowing down. Use a double rail where one station pours a long list. Our speed rails come in single and double tier from 22 to 72 inches long, so the rail can match the length of the ice bin it hangs on.
Ice for two stations
Two bins mean twice the refills. Plan the path from the ice machine so a barback can reach both bins with a tote without squeezing past the bartenders. If the machine is in the kitchen, walk the route with a full tote before you settle the layout.
Size the machine for both bins plus whatever ice the kitchen and beer tubs use. An ice machine’s daily output is on its spec sheet. As one example, the Coldline ICE180 is listed as a 180 pound machine. Compare that kind of figure with what you go through on your busiest night.
A 12 foot example with real lengths
A 12 foot bar gives 144 inches of underbar run. Here is one way to fill it with pieces from our own product pages. The length is the measurement along the bar.
- Station one: hand sink 12, ice chest 24, one compartment under bar sink used as a dump sink 12. That is 48 inches.
- Center: underbar drainboard 12, three compartment sink with right drainboard 48. That is 60 inches.
- Station two: one compartment dump sink 12, ice chest 24. That is 36 inches.
The total is 144 inches, which is an exact fit with no slack. If your clear run is a little under 144, or you want a second hand sink at the far end, drop the 12 inch drainboard or one dump sink. Our underbar hand sinks are listed in sizes from 18 by 12 to 22 by 18 inches, so confirm on the product page which dimension runs along the bar before you rely on the 12 inch figure.
Everything else moves to the back bar: coolers, liquor display and glass chillers. For a single station on a shorter bar, see how to lay out an 8 foot bar.
The aisle behind the bar
Two bartenders have to pass each other, sometimes while a cooler door is open. Common practice is about 3 feet of clear aisle between the front of the underbar equipment and the back bar. Swing doors on a back bar cooler take more aisle when open than sliding doors, so with two people behind the bar sliding doors are worth a look. There is more detail in how much aisle space you need behind a bar.
Mistakes to avoid
- One long ice bin shared by two people.
- Different bottle orders in the two wells.
- The only hand sink at one end, behind the other bartender.
- Glass washing inside one bartender’s station, so the other has to cross over.
- Adding up equipment against the length of the bar top and not the clear space under it.
Buying from Express KitchQuip
Express KitchQuip stainless steel underbar equipment is NSF certified. Freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price, non-powered items can be returned within 14 days and powered equipment within 7 days, and lease-to-own financing is offered on items from 500 dollars.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a bar be for two bartenders?
Common practice is to allow 4 to 5 feet per station plus a shared section, so two full stations with glass washing between them need around 12 feet of underbar run. Shorter bars can work with a smaller shared section.
Do two bartenders need two hand sinks?
Not always. It depends on the length of the bar and on your health department. Each bartender has to be able to reach one conveniently.
Should each bartender have their own ice bin?
Yes. A shared bin is the main cause of collisions and slow service on a two-person bar.
Where does the three compartment sink go on a two-person bar?
In the middle, so either bartender can use it without entering the other’s station.
Next steps
Draw both stations first, then fill in the center. Price the pieces from bar sinks, underbar ice bins and underbar drainboards, and see the full range under bar equipment.