Today we’d like to introduce you to Dmytro Velyush.
Hi Dmytro, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to the United States from Ukraine when I was 21 and began working in the food and beverage industry because, at the time, it was the most accessible way for me to start paying my bills. At one point, I tried to leave the industry and pursue something else, but I quickly realized how much I missed being behind the bar. It was one of the few places where I felt completely comfortable, especially when connecting with people.
Eventually, I found a job at a local cocktail bar in Galveston called Daiquiri Time Out, or DTO. It was an eye-opening experience that introduced me to the world of craft cocktails. I began reading everything I could about cocktail history, spirits, bartending, and the world’s best bars. After some time at DTO, I knew I wanted to continue growing, so I started looking for opportunities in Houston.
One of the best things that has happened in my career was getting a job at Anvil Bar & Refuge—one of the most respected cocktail bars in Texas and across the country. Anvil shaped me into much more than someone who could make great cocktails quickly. The team taught me how to build a career as a bartender and showed me what genuine hospitality looks like. I will always consider Anvil home.
New York was the next chapter. It was where I finally realized that it was time to stop simply talking about opening my own place and begin taking real steps toward making it happen.
Somehow, that journey brought me back to Galveston, Texas, where I launched Queen Margie, a pop-up cocktail bar inside a beautiful, historic space full of character. That is where I am today—continuing to learn, building something of my own, and figuring out what the next chapter will be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There is no such thing as a completely smooth road. The path toward your dreams is not the Milky Way—it is rarely clear or easy to follow. It is a journey filled with unexpected turns, bumps, mistakes you learn from, challenges you never anticipated, and moments of genuine joy and fulfillment.
My biggest struggle was finding my place in life. For a long time, I resisted the idea that hospitality could be a meaningful career. Over time, I learned to accept it, embrace it, and ultimately fall in love with it.
Once you understand who you are and what you want to do, everything else becomes easy—well, perhaps that is an exaggeration. The challenges do not disappear, but they become clearer, more purposeful, and easier to navigate.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is in the glass in front of you. I am a bartender. I make people happy and mad; I make them laugh, smile, and cry. But most importantly—and luckily for me—they always come back. I am very thankful for that.
My name is Dima, and I’m from Ukraine, as I mentioned before. I have a pop-up bar that is currently based in Galveston, Texas—for now.
Our industry is very vibrant and diverse. It is filled with people and personalities from different countries who bring their cultures to the table. I’m not trying to separate myself from others; I want to be part of it. I’ll let my guests decide the rest.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Books and podcasts are like food for me. Of course, just like with food, you need to know what is good for you and what isn’t. The best way would be to try everything—I’m joking, of course.
I mostly read and listen to content related to my line of work. If you want to stay relevant, you need to keep your mind in shape. There are plenty of books, podcasts, blogs, and YouTube channels about bars, cocktails, spirits, and hospitality. I can’t name just one because they all deserve attention in one way or another.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @queenmargiebar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590193299849
