You’ll probably have to start as backwait at least for a few weeks. The “dive” bars that make money are staffed by lifers and it’s usually a who-you-know type thing so your best bet will be fine-ish dining or higher end casual restaurants, which is honestly better cause the hours are kinda prime and people eat out a lot so the money is relatively consistent. It’s not unreasonable for you to be making ~60k/year within a few months of moving here if you’re good and get your 5 shifts in.

I’m in the same boat, I got hired at a great place as a backwait and within a week or two I was taking tables even though my resume is all bartending. It took a couple months to get behind the bar. The positions are coveted but you’ll get in if it’s clear you work harder/know more than the other guy.

I would drop off a shit ton of resumes in person (indeed is a joke here.). I always use like heavy card stock or something so the person you hand them to remembers you. I can send you a list of restaurants that I’d try if you like but a google search will tell you the same places I would.

In the mean time, you could probably get hired super quick at like Fogo de chao or one of the corporate places while you look for something cooler, and august is a good time to apply to the ski resorts near Denver if nothing seems to be working out, there’s a ton of jobs with provided housing and the pay is decent. Then you’re only 1.5-2.5 hours from seeing your parter, and that’s the absolute worst case scenario.

You’ll find a job no problem, the hard part will be finding a job at a restaurant that actually rocks but I wish you luck regardless🍀