Rising Stars: Meet Crystal Mendoza of Long Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Mendoza.

Hi Crystal, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started working in the service industry in 2013 while attending university in Texas. I began as a host and eventually worked my way into bartending as a way to make ends meet, without really knowing what I wanted to do long term. In South Texas, bartending is often viewed as just a job to get by, so for a long time I thought it was something I would eventually move on from.
When I moved to California, my perspective on hospitality completely changed. I discovered how many opportunities existed within the industry and became more involved in the local hospitality community. While working at a neighborhood bar, I started hosting industry nights and building connections, which eventually led to co founding a private independent bartender guild that ran for a few years.
From there, I became more involved in cocktail competitions, especially those focused on speed and efficiency behind the bar. In 2023, I competed in Speed Rack for the first time and became the California regional winner. Around the same time, I started entering more local speed competitions, where I realized I had a real talent for working quickly while maintaining quality and consistency. Those competitions helped me build a name for myself and opened opportunities internationally, taking me to places like New York, London, Sweden, and Scotland. Along the way, I continued expanding my network through hospitality programs especially through collaborations.
In 2024, I joined Death & Co Los Angeles. Then in 2025, I was named a Top 10 World Class U.S. National Finalist and was also recognized by Bartender Magazine as one of the “26 Bartenders to Watch in 2026.”

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Growing up and working in the South, it’s very normalized in the hospitality industry to survive on wages as low as $2.15 an hour plus tips. When you’re in that environment, it’s easy to feel like bartending is just something temporary and not a real long term career path. In many smaller Southern markets, those realities are so common that people rarely speak up about them, even though the work is demanding and often undervalued.
That was one of the biggest struggles for me early on. For a long time, I saw bartending as something I would eventually have to move on from rather than a career I could truly grow in. Moving to California changed my perspective and helped me realize hospitality could actually offer long term opportunities, community, and creative growth.
Another challenge has been navigating relationships within the industry. Hospitality is built on collaboration, and many opportunities come through friendships and community connections. Learning how to separate work relationships from personal ones has been a huge learning curve for me.
Over the years, I’ve also learned the importance of setting boundaries, embracing communication, and speaking up for myself and others. I used to stay quiet and avoid conflict because I wanted to keep the peace and make people around me comfortable. At times, that meant overlooking situations where I was being passed up or taken advantage of because I convinced myself it was “just a one time thing” or “probably for the best.” Experience eventually taught me that advocating for yourself is necessary in this industry.
Because of those experiences, I’ve become a little more guarded, but I still don’t let that stop me from collaborating with people or pursuing new opportunities. If anything, those challenges helped me grow into someone who is more confident in standing firm in what I believe in. One of the most rewarding parts of receiving recognition in this industry has been the ability to share knowledge with others, support people around me, and encourage a healthier and more open culture within hospitality.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think the biggest thing for me has always been showing up, being authentic, following through on your word, and doing the best you can every single time. Putting yourself out there and not being afraid to go the extra step matters because people notice that. When you’re genuine, your work and the results speak for themselves.
I also believe energy is important. I try to walk into every room in a good mood and create an environment where people feel motivated and supported. I genuinely want to see others succeed. One of the biggest compliments I can give myself is the work life balance I’ve created. I’ve built a career and personal life that feels fulfilling, and because of that, work rarely feels like “just work.”
I collaborate a lot with local spirit groups such as Women Who Whiskey, teach cocktail classes, and like to give back by volunteering my time in hospitality based programs. I also enjoy doing pop ups, especially when they’re themed, because I love creating experiences that bring people together.
I also love competing. Hospitality is one of those industries where there are endless possibilities, and that’s what keeps me excited about it. One avenue I’ve especially enjoyed is the events side of the spirits industry. I do freelance experiential marketing work part time with some of the biggest spirit brands, and it’s become one of my favorite parts of my career. I enjoy building fast paced programs that focus on efficiency while still maintaining a high level of quality and guest experience.
My experience in hospitality has taken me all over the world and given me opportunities I never would have imagined, and for that I’m incredibly grateful. I’ve always tried to take the opposite approach by sharing what I’ve learned, supporting others, and helping create a more collaborative community within hospitality.

What’s next?
I always say that my answer to this question changes every year because my goals are constantly evolving as I grow. That’s one of my favorite things about the hospitality industry, there are so many possibilities and no single path to follow. You can constantly reinvent yourself, explore different avenues, and create opportunities you never expected.
Hospitality is such a unique field because it teaches you how to do every aspect of a job. You’re creative, you solve problems in real time, you manage the energy of a room, and you connect directly with people every day. It’s one of the few industries where you wear so many hats at once while still being completely consumer facing.
I tend to move quietly and stay very focused on whatever goal is in front of me. Right now, I’m taking a step back from competing for the rest of the year and focusing more on the next phase of my career. I’ve been especially interested in experiential marketing and finding ways to merge my degree in marketing with the many different aspects of hospitality and bartending that I’ve worked in over the years. My goal is to use that experience to help shape and impact cocktail culture on a larger scale.
I also have my eyes set on Long Beach as a place where I’d really like to build something long term, and I’m excited to see where that journey leads me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocktailswcrystal/

Image Credits
@shelbymoore.co (The darker images)