Host / Hostess - Kress Cocktail Bar

Host / Hostess 

Department: Front of House / Guest Relations
 Reports To: Floor Manager / General Manager / Food & Beverage Manager
 FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
 Location: Kress Food Market, Downtown El Paso

Position Summary

The Kress embodies the culture, spirit, and traditions of downtown El Paso while offering a work environment focused on the overall employee experience. This Host position supports our Cocktail Bar. Team members have the opportunity to be part of a unique hospitality destination while enjoying growth opportunities across our family of businesses.
 
 The Host is responsible for creating a welcoming first and last impression by greeting guests, managing reservations, supporting waitlists, coordinating seating flow, and communicating with team members to support smooth front-of-house operations. This role helps set the tone for the guest experience while balancing hospitality, organization, guest communication, and efficient table management throughout each shift.

Key Responsibilities

Guest Greeting & Hospitality

• Greet guests warmly and professionally upon arrival and departure
 • Create a positive first and last impression while supporting the overall tone and guest experience
 • Escort guests to assigned areas, present menus or guest materials, and communicate seating updates promptly
 • Answer guest questions, provide general information, and communicate policies according to management direction
 • Maintain professionalism, friendliness, discretion, and composure in a guest-facing environment

Reservations, Waitlists & Seating Flow

• Manage reservations, walk-ins, waitlists, seating charts, guest notes, special requests, large parties, and timing expectations accurately
 • Coordinate seating flow with servers, bartenders, support staff, security, and management to support balanced sections and smooth service
 • Provide accurate wait time estimates when available, communicate delays professionally, and keep guests informed during busy periods
 • Monitor guest arrivals, no-shows, table turns, seating changes, and changing guest flow throughout the shift
 • Balance hospitality with operational needs, including pacing, table turns, section rotation, and service team communication

Front Door, Communication & Guest Support

• Answer phones or messages professionally, respond to guest questions, confirm details, and communicate policies as directed
 • Communicate seating updates, guest needs, timing concerns, and special requests clearly with the service team and management
 • Support guest recovery by promptly escalating concerns, complaints, overcrowding, access issues, disruptive behavior, or safety concerns to management
 • Maintain awareness of guest flow, entrance traffic, waiting areas, large parties, private events, and high-volume periods
 • Use calm, courteous, and professional communication when handling delays, guest concerns, and changing priorities

Host Stand, Cleanliness & Side Work

• Maintain a clean, organized, and guest-ready host stand, entrance area, waiting area, menus, reservation tools, and guest-facing materials
 • Assist with opening, running, closing, and side-work duties, including menu organization, reservation notes, front-door setup, light cleaning, and end-of-shift communication
 • Organize menus, signage, supplies, host materials, and seating tools throughout the shift
 • Protect company property and follow management direction related to front-of-house standards
 • Support service readiness before, during, and after high-volume periods, events, and changing business needs

Safety, Responsible Service Awareness & Teamwork

• Support responsible service and safety by notifying management of intoxication concerns, disruptive behavior, overcrowding, access issues, guest conflicts, or safety matters
 • Communicate professionally with servers, bartenders, hosts, support staff, security, and management to support smooth service
 • Assist coworkers with guest flow, host stand organization, seating updates, guest communication, and service support as needed
 • Maintain professional appearance, conduct, guest privacy, cleanliness, and safety awareness at all times
 • Contribute to a positive team culture through reliability, organization, respectful communication, and a helpful attitude

Qualifications

Education, Experience & Certifications

• Previous host, guest relations, reservation, customer service, restaurant, bar, lounge, hotel, or hospitality experience preferred but not required
 • Experience with reservation systems, seating charts, waitlist tools, phone etiquette, large party coordination, and guest recovery preferred
 • Basic understanding of service flow, table management, guest hospitality, responsible alcohol-service awareness, and front-of-house teamwork preferred
 • Food Handler certification, alcohol awareness training, or other required permits must be obtained and maintained where applicable by law, regulation, or company policy

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to communicate professionally with guests, coworkers, and management while maintaining composure, accuracy, discretion, and attention to detail
 • Ability to manage seating flow, waitlists, guest notes, phone calls, reservations, and changing priorities in a busy guest-facing environment
 • Strong organization, teamwork, professional communication, problem-solving, and attention to detail
 • Ability to stay calm, organized, and friendly during high-volume periods, events, weekends, late-night service, and special occasions
 • Ability to stand and walk for extended periods during the shift
 • Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull items up to 25 pounds with proper technique or assistance when needed
 • Ability to reach, bend, twist, squat, escort guests, organize menus, reset host materials, and work around crowds, noise, music, wet floors, entrance traffic, and fast-changing service needs

Success Factors

• Creates a warm, professional first and last impression for guests
 • Manages reservations, waitlists, seating flow, and guest communication accurately
 • Balances hospitality with operational needs, including pacing, table turns, and section rotation
 • Maintains a clean, organized, and guest-ready host stand and entrance area
 • Communicates clearly with teammates and management during changing service conditions
 • Escalates guest concerns, safety matters, or service issues appropriately
 • Demonstrates reliability, composure, organization, and ownership of the guest arrival experience

Compliance Statement

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee may perform other related duties as required to meet business needs.
 
 Let’s bring people back to the heart of El Paso through great food, new friendships, and a strong sense of community.