A little about us:

Known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, unparalleled roster of tequila and mezcal-based specialty cocktails, and numerous commendations from the Chicago restaurant community, Mercadito, 108 W.Kinzie St., embodies the flawless pairing of authenticity and modernity, allowing guests to enjoy a multitude of homemade guacamoles, salsas, entrees, and libations against the backdrop of a lively, upscale ambience. Located in the heart of Chicago’s storied River North neighborhood, a newly renovated Mercadito presents local diners and visitors alike with one of Chicago's most desirable culinary destinations. Mercadito’s avant-garde design language captures a uniquely Mexican essence in one of Chicago’s most bustling neighborhoods. With an expansive lounge and main dining room replete with both table and booth seating, Mercadito’s large garage-style windows and doors create a distinct indoor-outdoor appeal, leading guests to a newly renovated patio adorned with string lights and floral accents -- and a meal al fresco. A massive bar area allows guests to enjoy the Mercadito experience at its epicenter, with bartenders handcrafting cocktails with fresh ingredients, and occasionally even setting them aflame! A trip downstairs leads diners to the restaurant's speak-easy style lounge bar, a space host to a wide variety of happenings like private events, curated mixological and culinary offerings, and of course, the classic restaurant dining for which Mercadito has long been known. 


The role of General Manager at Mercadito is easily the restaurant’s most comprehensive role. A GM must have a command of both finances and the floor, possessing a deep understanding of the processual and interpersonal elements of maintaining an exemplary guest experience (i.e. training, steps of service, hiring/firing, cleanliness, guest interaction, etc.), as well as an exhaustive knowledge of the basic accounting principles of restaurant management (i.e. drafting PNL/budget reports, liquor and food ordering, costing cocktails and menu items, etc.). Beyond front of house duties, any applicant for the position must have a facility for maintaining food quality and interacting with chefs in order to best utilize the kitchen’s capabilities, staff, and resources. A GM at Mercadito must be in constant contact with chefs and cooks in order to uphold the lofty dining standards we have long held ourselves to. Known nearly as much for its exciting atmosphere as for its award-winning culinary offerings, Mercadito demands applicants with not only a willingness to stage engaging events -- but a passion for doing so. This ability to plan large scale events and work in concert with liquor reps to make them cost effective is essential to this process, and is what separates us from more simple dining concepts. While event planning, leading a large staff, and financial management are of the utmost importance, the bedrock of Mercadito’s success is our team’s ability to engage with, retain, and genuinely care about the patrons we loyally serve. At Mercadito, a GM is not simply an administrative head, but instead, the ultimate exemplar of our company’s mission and values. Any applicant for the position must display professionalism, interpersonal skills, patience, and most importantly, a genuine desire to bring Mercadito’s special brand of joy and service to all those they interact with. 

Position Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years of restaurant management experience
• Understanding of Operations: Must uphold rules and standards, run shifts, reach sales and attendance objectives, interface with various clients and departments. 
• Knowledge of restaurant finance: Analyze PNL’s, create budgets, keep BOH and FOH labor to certain percentages based on sales, cost liquor and food, check payroll, curtail unnecessary spending, etc.
• Employee management: Must demonstrate strong leadership skills, conduct both initial and long-term employee training and track individual performance, assess employee abilities and assign them accordingly, address concerns, etc.
• Purchasing and costing: Must develop and maintain liquor bars, closely monitor waste and theft, maintain a cleanly and organized liquor room, maintain certain sales-based liquor and food costs, appraise menu items on the basis of cost efficiency, etc.
• Health and safety: Must ensure restaurant’s compliance with health and safety protocols, enforce similar behavior among staff, actively promote a safe and healthy environment, etc.
• Guest Interaction: Must provide an engaging experience for patrons, regularly gauge guest satisfaction, intervene in negative guest interactions, interface with customers via outside platforms (i.e. Yelp, Opentable, Facebook, etc.), behave in a composed and professional manner, set staff-wide standards for customer interaction, touch tables and build relationships with new guests and regulars alike.
• Weekend Availability: Must be able to work weekends, night shifts, and the occasional holidays. Hours generally range between 6-9 hours on weekdays and 8-12 hours on weekends.