Interview with Daniil Goldman, the founder of multiple acclaimed bars across Tel Aviv, Georgia, and Eastern Europe. He’s not your typical “hospitality guy.” For Daniil, a great bar isn’t built on vibes alone; it’s built like a company, with struggles, rituals, and exits. We sat down to talk about what actually makes a bar not just cool, but profitable and sustainable.
Let’s start with the basics. What makes a bar award-winning in your eyes?
I don’t think you can aim for awards, they’re a byproduct of operational and emotional excellence. An award-winning bar is one where you walk in and think, “Damn, they’ve thought of everything.” The drinks, the lighting, the way the music shifts after 10PM, and how the staff treats the guests.
But more importantly, it’s repeatable. If it depends on one charismatic bartender or the mood of the owner, it’s not scalable — and it won’t last.
You talk about scalability in an industry that’s so people-dependent. How do you build a bar that scales?
You need to build a bar like you’d build a product. After so many years of experiments, successes, and failures, I came up with my own formula.
First, codify the Rituals. Every bar has energy rituals: when the lights dim, when the music turns up, what the welcome line is, how the first cocktail is explained. These need to be written down and trained like choreography.
The second one sounds boring, but it is essential: build systems for staff rotation. You should be able to plug-and-play a bartender from another location within 24 hours. That means universal POS systems, standard garnishes, documented recipes, and training decks.
Third, be obsessed over prep, not performance. What makes service feel seamless is what happens before opening. We run “mise en place drills” — literally timing how long it takes to restock, refill, rearrange. We log it, improve it, automate what we can.
How do you handle difficult staff or mis-hires?
We hire for emotional intelligence first. I’d rather train someone who’s a little green than onboard a “star” with toxic energy. That said, when someone’s not a fit, we move fast and clean.
What was your biggest ops mistake and what did you learn?
Blind trust in people. It’s failed me so many times. And I keep making this mistake. If we’re talking specifically about operations — I don’t know how to maintain systems. I know how to build them, launch them, and make them work. But keeping them going long-term is something I’m still learning. Right now, I’m in the process of developing that inner consistency. Learning to just show up every day, do the work, no matter what.
You’re known for creating concepts, not just bars. Where do you start when building a new venue?
There are two ways to go about it, and I’ve done both. Sometimes you start with a concept and then look for the right space to bring it to life — that’s the “textbook” approach. But other times, a great location pops up, and you build a project around it. That’s happened to me more than once. Either way, I always try to keep a few concept ideas in my back pocket — just in case.
How do you keep consistency — especially when scaling or launching new projects?
So that’s exactly where I’m having difficulties, but I’m always looking for the right partners or managers for the team who can take on that function.
Can you give an example of an unexpected innovation that worked?
Well, for starters, I invented the concept of a Jewish cocktail bar. That simply didn’t exist before. I was always annoyed that you could find bars inspired by Mexico, China, Japan, America — but my own Jewish culture was basically invisible in hospitality. So I created it myself. And it worked. More than once.
What’s your approach to menu engineering?
It’s impossible to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. It all depends on the project’s concept, location, and target audience. That said, I do follow a few key principles: I never serve anything that’s knowingly subpar. Every dish and drink must fit the concept. Like, obviously, no pasta on a Japanese menu. I try to stay about 10% below the competitors on pricing, and I keep the menu tight. Better to have a strong rotating special than overload people with options.
What about marketing and community building?
I have a marketing background, so this part is extra exciting for me. These days, of course, it’s all about great social media — and it needs to match the moment and the concept. Sometimes that means polished, aesthetic visuals; other times, it’s about off-the-cuff jokes shot on a phone. I love working with bloggers and journalists — but my absolute favorite part is events. I’m obsessed with holidays and themed activations. Creating unique celebrations or limited-time offers that are hyper-relevant to each bar brings me real joy.
And then there are rituals. They might be silly, but that consistency — those tiny signature touches — is what truly builds a community.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on several projects in New York, including a Jewish bar Esther, and Fats, a jazz bar. At the same time, I recently launched a youth-oriented bar and disco spot called Cringe in Tbilisi, which opened in October 2025.
