Meet the winners of the 2023 Servies Awards presented by Yelp for Restaurants
It’s that time again—time to announce 2023’s Servies Award winners! Servies are awards presented to outstanding members in restaurant front-of-house (FOH) service, nominated by Yelp members and voted upon by customers and industry workers alike.
With thousands of nominations across all 50 states representing specific areas of the FOH, winners of the award have a lot to be proud of. This is the Oscars of FOH service, and winning is a well-deserved, enormous compliment demonstrating appreciation and recognizing hard work and talent.
The restaurant industry is made up of people, and without talented and rising stars, it wouldn’t exist. As such a huge part of our culture, the restaurant industry’s best players deserve plenty of kudos for making everyone’s lives better.
So, let’s get right to it. This year’s categories are:
- Front-of-House MVP
- Best Bartender
- Best Host
- Best FOH Team
- Best Manager
- Best Server
Front-of-House MVP
Drumroll, please…this year’s Front-of-House MVP goes to Kim Tang, representing the Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant in Selma, California. As a voter put it, “Kim is the front-of-house MVP for the small mom-and-pop restaurant Golden Dragon for the past 35+ years.”
Another voter commented: “Read the Yelp reviews and you will see multiple compliments about the customer service received from the owner, waitress, and most importantly, FOH MVP Kim!”
Running a mom-and-pop shop, Kim juggles all sorts of responsibilities—from managing the business to serving tables and everything in between. Anyone who has loved a small restaurant before knows how much personality the owner-operator brings to it. Restaurants like Golden Dragon become a pillar of the community and something diners can count on as part of their regular eat-out repertoire: a true home away from home.
Customers at Golden Dragon get that personalized care that small mom-and-pop restaurants are famous for. One reviewer reported that when it was time to order, Kim said, “Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it,” lending to an environment of care, personalization, and above-and-beyond customer service.
Another said: “The owners take pride in providing the freshest homemade recipes that they have accumulated through their many years of experience. We love the owner that waits on tables. She makes you feel like family.” That’s the kind of service that makes customers feel like coming back, and gets them to vote for you as FOH MVP.
Such a long tenure and so many votes and positive reviews speaks to overwhelming success. Congratulations to Kim for her win—your community is in awe of you!
Runner-up: Raquel Smith of Alpenglow Bistro in Wilmington, Vermont
Best Bartender
Any bar connoisseur knows that a good bartender is the heart and soul of a bar, both in terms of personality and skill level. Bartending is a skill set that combines human interaction with mixology knowledge, kindness, a good sense of humor, and impeccable timing.
This year’s Best Bartender Servie Award goes to Taj Mahal, of Austin’s Violet Sky Rooftop Lounge. So, what did voters have to say? Only good things!
Let’s start with Violet Sky’s manager: “Taj’s remarkable journey at the restaurant has been marked by his exceptional talents and strong work ethic. From curating artisanal cocktails that tantalize the senses to his well-deserved promotion to Bar Lead, Taj has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence that elevates both our team and the guest’s experience.”
Violet Sky’s manager continued, “Taj’s influence extends far beyond the bar counter.” Taj trains new staff and takes over managerial responsibilities when needed. “His ability to forge genuine connections with both guests and colleagues is truly inspiring, fostering an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality that resonates throughout the establishment.”
That’s some high praise, indeed! To round it out, here’s a final comment: “Taj’s unflagging commitment, leadership, and genuine rapport with our guests make him an exemplary asset to our team and an emblem of the exceptional service we strive to provide.”
Runner-up: Celso Lopez-Quintero of The Boardroom & Mansion House 37 in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Best Host
Being a host is a significant responsibility in any establishment, and especially a restaurant. The first interaction a customer has is with the host, so that interaction sets the tone for the whole guest experience. No small task!
This year’s Best Host Servie goes to Iris Hernandez of Tujague’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Tujague’s is a 160-year-old historic bar and restaurant. Representing such a distinguished restaurant is itself something to be proud of, but Iris’s success runs deep.
As a nominator wrote, “If there was a person that could personify Southern hospitality, Iris would be it.” Those familiar with Southern hospitality know that’s about as big a compliment as one could receive.
Another nominator noted, “She goes out of her way to make sure that all guests are familiar with the history and notoriety that comes with dining at the second-oldest restaurant in the city. Whenever I have dined there, she always goes above and beyond her duties, and makes sure that all of her guests are having an exceptional experience.”
Runner-up: Kaylee Shear of The Old Salty Dog in Sarasota, Florida
Best FOH Team
Running an FOH is truly a team sport. Team members have to work together, interact with customers, and perform an elaborate routine to make service happen. At Asayoru Maid Cafe in Arcadia, California, the FOH team literally does a song and dance routine on top of their other duties. The FOH Team Servie goes to a team who pulls out all the stops to create a fun, immersive experience for their guests.
Maid cafes are a themed cosplay restaurant found in Japan and Taiwan where the servers are dressed in costume, do role-playing, and provide entertainment. High praise came from nominators, who say that the FOH team members “provide maid magic where they teach patrons their magic spells, calls, and do food art on their dishes ranging from entrees to drinks and desserts.”
The award-winning FOH team is also in charge of “dancing, light stick cheering, singing songs ranging from pop to heavy metal, doing tarot card readings, and so much more.”
This immersive restaurant experience attracts fans of anime and Japanese culture who normally don’t get to experience maid cafes in the United States.
It’s an intense job, and the maids go all out for it. As another voter wrote, “The amount of work doesn’t stop.” The merch and art at the cafe is designed by the FOH team. They also plan events like holidays, birthdays, and more that come with limited edition merch designed by the maids.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re fully into the scene or have no idea what it is—the staff make sure you have fun.
Another supporter said: “They are amazing in what they do, keeping the theme of the cafe super magical, unique and welcoming even if it’s your first time there and you’re not into anime that much or if it’s your 50th time and you’re an otaku. From the second you enter, all the maids ring a bell and welcome you in … and likewise make sure you leave with this warm departure message.”
Runner-up: Southern Yankee Crafthouse in Houston
Best Manager
Managing a restaurant means knowing every nook and cranny of the business and navigating a wide variety of tricky, time-sensitive issues. It also means making sure customers enjoy their time at a restaurant as much as possible while further ensuring all staff members are supported and valued.
This year’s Best Manager Servie goes to Jayson Mai of The Kickin’ Crab in Buena Park, California. As one nominator wrote, “Jayson is a great manager because he has always put our needs first before even the customers.”
They continued, “Whenever anyone needed a day off or just a cover, Jayson was there to help. I want to say that 100% of the time if someone wants a day off, Jayson makes it happen. He believes in work-life balance!”
Anyone who’s worked a stressful job knows how much a simple day off can mean. Being able to rearrange schedules to accommodate workers’ needs requires flexibility and mental fortitude.
Another nominator wrote, “He’s not one of those ‘Here’s a pizza party celebration’ managers. He’s a, ‘Let’s drink, eat tacos, take photos, rent an AirBnB, and make memories’ manager. Jayson really is the best and deserves this award for the awesome memories he has given us since 2015.”
Runner-up: Bryan Vendiola of 1618 Asian Fusion in Austin
Best Server
We all know what servers have to do. Think long stints on your feet, running between tables, keeping a smile no matter what, making sure customers are happy, and working well with other teammates. It’s a truly social job that requires quick thinking and a deep well of resilience.
So, this year’s Best Server Servie Award goes to Heather Bullock of Smok’n Crew BBQ and Heavy’s Bar and Grill in Mooresville, Indiana.
As one customer nominator wrote, “I have health problems that can make it difficult for me to get around. If we go into the restaurant (and even if the table hasn’t been bussed) if the first table in the door is available, she makes sure that we get it so I don’t have to walk any further.”
That’s the kind of kindness that makes both a server and a restaurant stand out in a customer’s heart, and why Heather received the votes she did.
Another nominator wrote, “She is usually the only server who works on Wednesday and it’s a busy day, but she handles it like magic! I have never felt inclined to nominate someone before and I have been involved in both working for a restaurant review website, and I was a Yelp Gold Elite for five years!”
High praise indeed. Congratulations to Heather for her accomplishment.
Runner-up: Milla Beckwith of PB Sushi in San Diego, California
Stand out with guest-centric restaurant technology
Maintaining excellence in the FOH of any restaurant is a marathon and a sprint at the same time—essentially, a permanent marathon full of daily sprints. It’s hard work, but we love it, and customers appreciate that excellence. It does not go unnoticed.
For an FOH team of any variety to do their best work, they need the best tools possible. That’s why we’ve created Yelp Guest Manager, which provides all the tools needed for excellent FOH management. From online reservations, check-ins, and waitlists, to third-party integrations, fully customizable floorplans, and all sorts of data to play with, Guest Manager gives FOH teams far more than just a fighting chance. It gives them the best in the business.
If that sounds like something you’d like to learn more about, reach out to us for a free demo. When your FOH service is firing on all cylinders, your restaurant will stand out. Your team members will stand out, too. Who knows—maybe one of your team members will win a coveted Servie next year.