1 Custom Margarita
Mestiza Negra mezcal base. Every other ingredient is your call. 7 min per bartender.
Taste · Creativity · Narrative
Top 4 survive
Free Entry 21+ only Mon Jun 29 · 2026 Crybaby · Oakland 8 Bars 3 Judges $2,000 Prize The Golden Cock Trophy Free Mezcal Pours Drink Specials Hotboys in the Kitchen Philthy Dronez Closes Bartenders’ Day Off Free Entry 21+ only Mon Jun 29 · 2026 Crybaby · Oakland 8 Bars 3 Judges $2,000 Prize The Golden Cock Trophy Free Mezcal Pours Drink Specials Hotboys in the Kitchen Philthy Dronez Closes Bartenders’ Day Off
The Rundown
Eight bartenders compete across three rounds for $2,000 and a year of bragging rights, while the rest of us drink
What you get
- Free Entry RSVP and you’re on the list
- Free Pours Mezcal laybacks all night, straight from the bottle. Open sesame
- Drink Specials Cheap specials behind every bar all night
- Prizes & Giveaways Random free shit all night
The Lineup
The party around the competition
- World Famous Hotboys Hot chicken in the kitchen, all night
- DJ × 2 Two DJs, two sets. Names announced closer to the event
- “The Dating Game” Love-is-blind half-time show. Winning pair: dinner for two at Popoca Want a date? Pitch yourself →
- Philthy Dronez Cumbia + Bay funk + gangster rap, played solo. Closer
To Be Decided
Lineup drops in
--Days : --Hrs : --Min : --Sec
The Format
Eight bartenders walk in.
One walks out with the cash and the trophy
2 Speed Round
Six Sidecars, fast as your hands will move. House tools only.
Speed · Taste · Wash lines · Style
Top 2 survive
3 Chopped Final
Two of four secret ingredients, 15 min on the clock. Highest score takes the cash and the cock.
Taste · Base spirit · Secret usage
Winner
$2,000
+ The Golden Cock Trophy
The Trophy
The Golden
Cock
A bronzed rooster on a polished black base. Each year's winner takes one home
Once a year, one bartender takes the cock home. There are five Golden Cocks out there right now, in the hands of the previous five champions
FAQ
No, you don't need to ask. Just RSVP
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Do I really need to RSVP?
No. But you might not get in. RSVP
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Can I bring people?
Up to four per RSVP. Set your count when you RSVP. Bring friends you can actually stand
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Is it really free?
Yes. Entry’s free. Drinks aren’t, but they’re cheap
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Why a Monday?
Bartenders work weekends, so Monday is everyone’s day off. That’s the whole point
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What if I’m under 21?
Then this isn’t for you, sorry. Come back next year
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What if I show up at 10:55?
The competition wraps earlier than that, but we’re at Crybaby til late. Slide through
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What should I wear?
It’s a bar in Oakland. There’s no dress code
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How drunk do you expect us to get?
That’s up to you. The safety setup, seriously: on-site medic, free fent test strips, a hydration station, and venue security. Drink water between drinks, watch your friends, call a Lyft to get home. Please drink responsibly
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What does the winner actually get?
$2,000 cash plus The Golden Cock (a bronzed rooster trophy they take home) and a year of bragging rights
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Can I be on The Dating Game?
Yes. Love-is-blind format: a single contestant questions three hidden suitors. Two rounds. Audience picks the winning couple. Winning pair gets dinner for two at Popoca Pitch yourself here