Esquire Service Manager

M Street Entertainment Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 74,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Plan

Life Insurance

EAP

Paid Time Off

Chicago Paid Leave

Sick Leave

Bereavement Leave

FMLA Leave

Job summary

Esquire is a modern luxury steakhouse on Oak Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast, renowned for its Wagyu program and wine list. This role leads a service zone, coaching premium wine, sake, and A5 wagyu; ensuring superb tableside presentations and timely service across micro-units.

The position emphasizes guest focus, composure under pressure, and a strong knowledge of service steps, with a path to on-site leadership and guest excellence.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a lead or supervisory FOH role in upscale dining
• Demonstrated premium-beverage and coaching to guide the guest; command of steps of service
• Composure and warmth in a fast, high-expectation room

Responsibilities

• Lead a defined zone; ensure every unit serves to the timing and presentation standard
• Coach premium sales — wine, sake, rare spirits, and A5 Wagyu — and the tableside theater that drives it
• Support Captain functions to keep service seamless; lead complex requests and service recovery
• Run line checks on stocking, polish, and station readiness before and during service
• Create accountability and consistency across micro-units; feed the post-shift debrief

Skills

Lead FOH experience

Premium beverage coaching

Steps of service

Composure under pressure

Job description

• Pay or shift range: $74,000 USD to $100,000 USD The estimated range is the budgeted amount for this position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications and other job-related reasons.
• Front of House
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: ESQUI001108

Description

Location: 58 East Oak Street, Gold Coast, Chicago, IL Employment type: Full-time Classification: Salaried, exempt Reports to:General Manager

Why Esquire

Esquire is a 265-seat luxury steakhouse in Chicago’s Gold Coast where Japanese precision meets French technique — anchored by an elite Wagyu and seafood program, a four-level Wine Tower, the OakShō omakase counter, and the invitation-only Maison 58. We hold an uncompromising standard and hire people who want to set it, not just meet it. Esquire is operated by M Street Collective, the group behind Nashville’s Virago, Moto, Kayne Prime, and Saint Añejo.

The Role

Owns a service zone and the units within it — the closest manager to the guest and the Captain-led teams in the moment. Service Managers protect quality and consistency micro-unit by micro-unit, and actively drive revenue: coaching premium wine, sake, and A5 Wagyu sales and reinforcing the tableside presentations that lift check average.

What You’ll Do

• Lead a defined zone; ensure every unit serves to the timing and presentation standard.
• Coach premium sales — wine, sake, rare spirits, and A5 Wagyu — and the tableside theater that drives it.
• Support Captain functions to keep service seamless; lead complex requests and service recovery.
• Run line checks on stocking, polish, and station readiness before and during service.
• Create accountability and consistency across micro-units; feed the post-shift debrief.

What You Bring

• 2+ years in a lead or supervisory FOH role in upscale dining.
• Demonstrated premium-beverage and coaching to guide the guest; command of steps of service.
• Composure and warmth in a fast, high-expectation room.

Certifications & Requirements

• Illinois BASSET (alcohol) — REQUIRED. Valid BASSET certification before any shift that involves selling, serving, or checking ID for alcohol, and no later than 30 days after hire (company policy; statute allows 120); renew every 3 years.
• Illinois Food Handler — REQUIRED. ANAB-accredited food-handler certificate within 30 days of hire; renew every 3 years. (Waived for holders of a current CFPM.)
• Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) — RECOMMENDED, so the role can serve as an on-duty CFPM (at least one required on site during all food prep and service hours).

Compensation — Pay Scale

$74,000 to $100,000 per year, paid as an annual salary (market-aligned). The final offer is confirmed in writing. This position is eligible for a performance bonus as a component of total compensation.

• Group medical, dental, and vision insurance (the Company pays part of the premium)
• 401(k) plan
• Company-paid life insurance
• Confidential Employee Assistance Program

• Paid Time Off for eligible salaried positions
• Chicago Paid Leave
• Paid Sick and Safe Leave
• Paid bereavement leave
• Protected leaves required by federal and Illinois law (FMLA, VESSA, military, jury, and voting)

About Esquire

Esquire is a modern luxury steakhouse on Oak Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast — Japanese precision built on a French foundation, anchored by an elite Wagyu program and a seafood-and-sushi program that earns equal billing. Across a 265-seat dining room, a four-level ~5,000-bottle Wine Tower, the Trophy Room, the invitation-only 58 Club, and the OakShō omakase counter, it delivers omotenashi-inspired hospitality and culinary theater in a vintage-Hollywood setting.

About M Street Collective

M Street Collective is the hospitality group behind Esquire, with operations in Nashville and Chicago. Built on four pillars — quality, consistency, hospitality, and innovation — and a commitment to innovation, leadership development and world‑class training, the Collective creates restaurants and experiences defined by an uncompromising standard and genuine, anticipatory care.

M Street Collective is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race (including traits associated with race under the CROWN Act), color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital or family‑responsibilities status, disability, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, arrest or conviction record (as limited by law), credit history, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, Illinois, or Chicago law. Consistent with the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act, we do not ask about criminal history on the application, and we do not ask about salary history. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities, for pregnancy and related conditions, and for religious observance — contact People Operations. This position is performed in Chicago, Illinois.

Experience

Required

2 years: Lead or supervisory FOH role in upscale dining

Preferred

Demonstrated premium-beverage and upsell coaching; command of steps of service

Composure and warmth in a fast, high-expectation room

Licenses & Certifications

Preferred

Cert Food Protection Mgr

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.