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Christine Kim
World's 50 Best Bars
- Discipline
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i. Biography
Christine Kim has been bartending at Service Bar in Washington, D.C, since 2018, and the work has settled into a style built on recognition, pace, and direct service. The craft here is not distance but access: getting guests’ names, introducing herself, and moving the room with enough clarity that people know where they stand. As she puts it, “I’m very big on getting the names of our guests and introducing myself.” That habit gives the bar its shape. “I like to play Sherpa with our guests,” she says, describing a service style that guides without overplaying the role.
The Climb
Bartending at Service Bar since 2018 has meant building consistency under pressure, and Christine Kim’s work shows up in the fundamentals: presence, timing, and the ability to make a guest feel seen quickly. In that setting, service becomes less about performance than about reception. The bar is treated as a working space for introductions, not just orders.
Today
The current register of her service is personal and direct. A greeting, a smile, and a menu are treated as part of the craft, not as decoration around it. Christine Kim describes bringing guests into her “home,” and that framing puts the emphasis where it belongs: on hospitality as a practiced act, carried through the flow of service.
Signature
Christine's signature dishes include Griselda Blanco, Green Leaf, Abslout Elyx, Al Pastor, and Ocopa Cocktail. Together, they hint at the range and personality of her bartending: playful, composed, and attentive to detail. The names themselves carry a certain sparkle, and in her hands they become part of the bar’s language, each one an invitation to explore, linger, and return for another round.
In Their Words “I always welcome guests with a smile, a menu, and a greeting. I enjoy embracing guests into my “home.” “I’m very big on getting the names of our guests and introducing myself.”
Recognition
The defining marker is the bartending role she has held since 2018. It is the through-line at Service Bar in Washington, D.C.: steady hospitality, direct engagement, and a clear commitment to face-to-face service. Christine Kim’s work treats the bar as a place where the first exchange matters, starting with a name and carried by the basic discipline of looking after people.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Christine
What is Christine Kim known for?
She is known for bartending there and for greeting guests by name.
What are Christine Kim's most notable roles?
Bartender at Service Bar in Washington, D.C, beginning in 2018.
