Seasonal Restaurant Host - Mermaid Bar

Saks Fifth Avenue; New Mexico; On-site; USD 25,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Basic life insurance

Supplemental life insurance

Disability insurance

Employee discount

Job summary

Neiman Marcus is seeking a conscientious Restaurant Host to welcome guests with warmth and elegance at the front of the house. You will manage reservations, guide seating, and collaborate with the service team to deliver a premium hospitality experience from arrival to departure.

The role emphasizes exceptional guest relations, a strong communication ethos, and the ability to adapt to a fast-paced luxury environment. A flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, is required.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED preferred.
• Direct hands-on knowledge with OpenTable or similar reservation software.
• Excellent oral and written communication and phone etiquette.
• Outstanding customer service under fast-paced conditions.
• Flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Physically able to stand for extended periods and lift up to 35 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Greet guests warmly at the host stand.
• Manage reservations and seating flow to optimize dining room pacing.
• Coordinate with service team to ensure seamless hospitality.
• Answer guest inquiries about hours, specials, and events.
• Maintain clean menus and assist with floor adjustments.

Skills

Customer service

Hospitality mindset

Strong communication

Phone etiquette

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

OpenTable

Job description

WHO WE ARE:

Since 1907, Neiman Marcus has been a leader in luxury retail, providing a uniquely curated product assortment, unparalleled services and exclusive activations for customers in Pursuit of the Extraordinary. Known for creating Neiman Marcus magic through exceptional experiences, Neiman Marcus has a rich history as a brand builder, bringing together the world’s top luxury designers and customers to foster a dedicated following for generations. We serve customers across our stores, digital channels and through remote selling. Neiman Marcus is part of Exemplar Luxury Group, the luxury collective uniting coveted brands with unrivaled customer experiences.

Job Description:

WHO WE ARE:

Neiman Marcus is a leading luxury retailer that provides a curated product assortment, unparalleled services, and exclusive activations for customers in Pursuit of the Extraordinary. It is known for creating the Neiman Marcus magic through exceptional customer experiences including the Neiman Marcus Awards, Fantasy Gifts, seasonal campaigns, and “Retail-tainment” initiatives. Neiman Marcus has a rich history as a brand builder, bringing together the world’s top luxury designers and customers to foster a dedicated following for generations. It serves customers across its 36 stores, digital channels, and through remote selling. It is part of Exemplar Luxury Group’s portfolio of world-class luxury retailers and real estate assets.

YOU WILL BE:

As a Restaurant Host, you are the crucial first impression and ambassador of the Neiman Marcus dining experience. Positioned at the front door, you will welcome every guest with genuine warmth, sophistication, and a gracious demeanor. Beyond greeting and seating customers, you will strategically manage reservation flows, coordinate dining room seating sections, and collaborate with the service team to ensure a seamless, high-end hospitality experience from the moment guests arrive until they depart.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Front-of-House Ambiance & Guest Relations

• Luxury Welcome: Maintains an elegant and attentive presence at the host stand, greeting arriving and departing guests with the utmost professionalism and grace.
• Strategic Seating: Guides guests to their tables while systematically balancing wait stations to ensure an optimized service flow for the front-of-house team.
• Reservation & Floor Management: Organizes daily reservations, maximizes seating capacity during peak hours, and strategically balances customer traffic to optimize restaurant pacing.
• VIP & Inquiries Handling: Manages reservations (including VIPs, regular clients, and special requests) and handles telephone inquiries regarding restaurant hours, daily specials, and private events with impeccable phone etiquette.

Operational Support & Team Collaboration

• Service Monitoring: Observes dining room flow and server performance throughout the meal period, communicating with management to ensure guests receive seamless service.
• Menu Integrity: Maintains the cleanliness, organization, and pristine presentation of all physical menus and menu covers.
• Financial Administration: Adheres strictly to established accounting procedures for any host-related transactions, utilizing the POS system efficiently for authorized payment methods.
• Team Alignment: Actively participates in daily pre-shift meetings to stay informed about daily covers, culinary specials, and floor adjustments.
• Physical Setup: Assists with the physical adjustments of the dining room floor as needed, which may involve safely moving tables, chairs, or highchairs.

Professional Standards & Compliance

• Maintains the highest level of personal hygiene and luxury presentation standards, including a clean, pressed uniform and professionally styled hair and nails.
• Schedule Reliability: Adheres strictly to the posted work schedule, practicing absolute punctuality and following established restaurant procedures for any schedule or shift changes.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:

• High School Diploma or GED preferred.
• Technical Proficiency: Direct hands-on knowledge and experience with the OpenTable platform (or similar modern reservation software) is highly preferred.
• Communication: Exceptional oral and written communication skills with polished verbal telephone etiquette.
• Hospitality Mindset: Outstanding customer service and intuitive problem-solving skills, with a natural ability to interact graciously with the public under fast-paced conditions.
• Attributes: Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and a strong champion of a collaborative “win together” team mentality.
• Physical Requirements: Role requires physical stamina for extended periods of standing at the host stand, bending, climbing stairs, and the ability to lift and carry up to 35 pounds.
• Scheduling Flexibility: Must be willing to work a flexible schedule tailored to premium retail and hospitality business needs, which will include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

YOUR LIFE AND CAREER AT NEIMAN MARCUS:

• Opportunity to work in a dynamic fast paced environment at a company experiencing growth and transformation

• Exposure to rewarding career advancement opportunities across the largest multi-brand luxury retailer from retail to distribution, to digital or corporate

• Comprehensive benefits package for all eligible full-time employees (including medical, vision and dental)

• An amazing employee discount

SALARY AND OTHER BENEFITS:

The hourly rate for this position is between $18-$20 per hour. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include market, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Benefits: We offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, disability insurance, and a variety of additional voluntary benefits (such as critical illness, hospital and accident insurance).

Neiman Marcus is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with Exemplar Luxury Group and would like to request special assistance or an accommodation, please contact our HR staff member.

YOUR LIFE ANDCAREER AT EXEMPLAR LUXURY GROUP:

• Opportunity to work in a dynamic fast paced environment at a company experiencing growth and transformation

• Exposure to rewarding career advancement opportunities across the largest multi-brand luxury retailer from retail to distribution, to digital or corporate

• Comprehensive benefits package for all eligible full-time employees (including medical, vision and dental)

• An amazing employee discount

Benefits: We offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, disability insurance, and a variety of additional voluntary benefits (such as critical illness, hospital and accident insurance).

Salary Range $18.07 - $22.60*

Compensation for this role varies by geographic location. The listed range reflects multiple markets, including higher-cost areas. Actual starting pay will be determined based on work location, experience, and other job-related factors.

Exemplar Luxury Group is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with Exemplar Luxury Group and would like to request special assistance or an accommodation, please contact [e-mail].