Poll: Who is the Best Bartender in Alameda?

A great bartender is many things: an excellent mixologist, a sympathetic listener (or at least a listener who appears sympathetic!), an efficient server and, on occasion, a tactful but firm problem solver.

Alameda has many and varied drinking establishments and restaurants with bars. There's no way one person can know them all, so we asked Alameda Patch's Facebook users to nominate candidates for this week's Readers' Choice 2012 poll. We narrowed the list to a half dozen bartenders who received the most nominations and favorable comments on our Facebook page and via email.

Vote for your favorite in the poll at the end of this article. Click on the links below and rate the business where he or she works on its Patch Place listing. You can even leave a review.

Jessica Bennett,

Samantha Beran,

Kimberly Gutleben,

Rick Myers, and (busy bartender!)

Bob "Rocko" Rhodes,

Jenni Smith,

If we left out your favorite – and there's a good chance we did, given the number and variety of places to raise a glass on the Island– start a write-in a campaign in the comments section below. In the event of a tie, we will break it based on the comments, so please explain your choice.

Because our poll is not scientific, it is not the sole consideration in choosing a winner. The winner will be determined by the Patch editor, based on poll results, comments and reviews on Patch Places. Please vote only once per survey, per Patch.

The poll closes at 9 a.m. Friday. Come back later that afternoon for the results.

If you want to suggest a topic or candidates for future "best" contests, post it in the comments below, and don't forget to vote.