By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com San Diego Bar Blogger
When you walk into 710 Beach Club in Pacific Beach, you had better be ready to be entertained. Because behind the bar on certain days and nights is the very lively Natalie, who is PubClub.com’s San Diego Bartender of the Month for November!
From the tiny town of Issaquah, Washington (the corporate home of Costco) outside of Seattle, Natalie displays a playful energy that makes everyone on both sides of the bar smile and laugh. She might break out into a dance when getting a beer or seltzer out of the cooler, play around with the ski shot ski that’s hanging above the bar or add some type of funky flair when handing a drink to a customer. She’s always interacting with people, which fits the loose and fun PB party vibe. She is the roommate of past Bartender of the Month Cute Kate and she does crazy things there such as putting a skeleton in a doorway to keep Kate on her toes.
“I just like to laugh,” she said in a soft voice that is as sweet as the bar’s Mission Blvd., Mai Tai. “Work is hard enough, you might as well smile.”
And smile she does, and that spills over to the patrons. Natalie’s personality almost quite literally leaps out from behind the bar and you can’t help but get caught up in it. 710 is a laid-back beach bar for sure, and Natalie helps to keep it that way.
“This is who I am,” she says somewhat sheepishly.
As for the key ingredients that makes a great bartender, she listed the following: “have fun, speed, accuracy and being personable.”
She is all of those things yet there’s more to her than meets the customer. Beyond her playful activities, there is depth to her that belies a more serious, down-to-earth self. When talking about herself, as you can see in the above video, she is humble and is as grounded as a palm tree. It’s that Washington upbringing. She is also a self portrait photographer. Scroll through her Instagram account and you can see she has great talent and a keen eye for creativity, composition, lighting, backgrounds, wardrobe and photo locations.
Natalie works Sunday morning and afternoons, Wednesday nights, Saturdays as well as sometimes Thursdays and Fridays. 710 Beach Club is owned by a native of Chicago and therefore is a game-watching bar for the Chicago Bear, Cubbies, Blackhawks and Bulls.
Check out some of her self portraits here!
Name: Natalie Kralicek
Occupation: Bartender
Bar/Restaurant: 710 Beach Club, Pacific Beach
Hometown: Seattle, WA Area
How Long Have You Been In San Diego? 3 years
Personality: “Fun. Funny. Creative.”
Favorite Drink To Make: A shot of tequila. She makes a “Natalie special” tequila shot that’s awesome!
Favorite Drink To, Well, Drink: A shot of tequila and wine.
Things You Like To Do When Not Bartending: Photography.
Available For Hire For Private Parties & Events? “Yes I am. I thought you would never ask!,” she said with her characteristic laugh.
Instagram: @natalicek
TikTok: @natalbear
Now Hop On The Party Bus To Other Featured San Diego Bartenders & Staff
• Cute Kate, Miss B’s Coconut Club
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