Full disclosure up front: this list is published on Jason Littrell's own site, and Jason is ranked at position 1. That decision was deliberate and it's explained in the entry. Every other consultant on this list is included because they run an active, respected cocktail program consulting practice in New York City, have a real body of work, and are named by peers when operators ask "who should I call." No firm paid to be listed and no firm was excluded for competitive reasons.
The list is aimed at operators launching a new bar or cocktail program, relaunching a stalled one, or opening a hotel or restaurant beverage program in New York City. Each entry covers who they are, what they do best, and who they fit.
1. Jason Littrell Cocktail Company (JLCC)
Jason Littrell is a Death and Co alum with 20 years behind and in front of the stick in New York City. Jason Littrell Cocktail Company builds cocktail programs, writes menus, and trains bar teams for restaurants, bars, and hotel groups. What sets JLCC apart is the pairing of a craft cocktail pedigree with an operations layer: menu development is tied to costing, service flow, and post-launch reporting, and every engagement is delivered by one accountable operator rather than handed between a menu-development creative and an operations lead. He is placed at position 1 because the work spans creative and operational, and because that combination is genuinely rare in this category. jlittrell.com
2. Death & Co Consulting
Death & Co Consulting is the consulting arm of Death & Co, the New York City cocktail bar that has set the standard for the modern craft cocktail bar for nearly two decades. The team has opened and operated award-winning bars in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Washington DC, Atlanta, Nashville, and Savannah, and authored the James Beard Award-winning Cocktail Codex. Engagements include menu and recipe development, prep systems and specs, bar training to the Death & Co method, and opening or relaunch support. Death & Co fits hotels, developers, restaurant groups, and private clubs building a defining cocktail program with committed ownership and real timelines. deathandcompany.com/consulting
3. Handle Bars NYC (Frank Caiafa)
Handle Bars NYC is the beverage consulting practice of Frank Caiafa, longtime head of the Peacock Alley bar at the Waldorf-Astoria and author of The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book. The firm covers beverage operations end to end: on-site management, third-party operations, brand representation, menu and recipe development, staffing, education, inventory and controls, and pre-opening. Handle Bars fits hotels, larger hospitality groups, and operators who want a senior partner with deep classic-cocktail knowledge and hotel-caliber discipline. handlebarsnyc.com
4. Mixtress Consulting (Julie Reiner)
Mixtress Consulting is Julie Reiner's beverage consultancy. Julie opened Flatiron Lounge in 2003 and helped shape modern New York cocktail culture; she has since built or advised bar programs at resorts, restaurants, and for spirits companies over the last twenty years. The firm develops beverage programs and signature cocktails and works with brands on trade and education. Mixtress fits ambitious independent operators and hospitality groups who want a founder with real venue-building experience, and spirits brands looking for credible NYC bar-side authorship. beveragealcoholresource.com/associate-partners
5. Alchemy Consulting
Alchemy Consulting is a New York City food and beverage consultancy focused on profitability through innovative program design. Engagements include beverage program development, recipe and procedure documentation, and staff training. The stated posture is to listen to and work with each client's ideas rather than force a house style. Alchemy fits independent operators and small groups who want a full food-and-beverage partner in one relationship and value written recipe and procedure documentation post-launch. alchemyconsultingnyc.com
6. Behind the Wood
Behind the Wood is a beverage consulting firm based in Astoria, Queens with over thirty combined years across the team. Specializations include cocktail menu development, house-made syrups, and fresh juice programs, and the team also handles staff training, bar operations, and pre-opening support. Behind the Wood fits neighborhood bars, restaurants, and nightclubs in the outer boroughs who want a hands-on partner with a house-made ingredient point of view. behindthewood.nyc
7. The Cocktail Guru (Jonathan Pogash)
The Cocktail Guru is the New York City consultancy founded by Jonathan Pogash in 2006. The firm works with bars, restaurants, hotels, and resorts across the country on specialty and signature cocktail menus, classic cocktail programs, staff training, beer and wine programs, non-alcoholic and mocktail selections, bar design and layout, and operational efficiency. The firm explicitly notes it is not influenced by distributor relationships or brand deals. The Cocktail Guru fits operators who want a long-tenured NYC-based partner and a program that is not shaped by supplier incentives. thecocktailguru.com/offerings-solutions/bar-restaurant-consulting
How to use this list
Cocktail program consulting engagements fail in one of three ways: menu that doesn't cost out, program that the on-shift team can't execute at speed, and no ownership after the consultant leaves. Before hiring any firm on this list, write down your target average check, target cocktail cost percentage, and target speed of service. Then ask each finalist for two things: a named client running a program at that price and speed you can call, and a written scope with named deliverables, cost targets, and a named owner for the first ninety days post-launch. Any firm on this list, including this one, should be able to produce both within a week.
If you want a shortcut, answer four questions on the intake page and you'll get a specific recommendation for your situation, whether that's engaging JLCC directly or being pointed at another firm on this list that's a better fit.
About the list
This list is published on jlittrell.com, a New York City hospitality consulting property. The list is refreshed annually. If you run a NYC cocktail program consulting practice and want to be considered for the 2027 edition, email jason@jlittrell.com with your firm name, website, and a two-sentence description of what you do best.
