CJ’s Pub and Grill / Smithton Station - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits CJ’s Pub and Grill in Smithton, Illinois.

CJ’s Pub and Grill is owned by Jeremy.

He is an army vet who bought the bar in 2023.

Jeremy ran it full time with his wife Christy and veterans loved the bar.

Christy is a full-time Nurse and returned to work.

She now comes to the bar after work.

They have had a problem attracting a newer and younger crowd.

With all this, and the couple's lack of experience, the bar was suffering.

They were resistant to new ideas and change.

Jon arrives in the surveillance vehicle with expert mixologist Mia Mastroiani and expert chef Jennifer Murphy.

There they found out the bar had been open since 1947, and the exterior looks like it.

Inside, they see the kitchen has household equipment for cooking.

They have asked former NHL stars to go in as spies along with Jon.

They were greeted quickly and ordered food.

They do not have a drink menu or any specialty drinks.

After the order, Jon talked to the owners, telling them the menu was not inspiring.

Jon was enthusiastic about the history of the bar, telling the hockey stars what he knew.

Jon saw the bartender making the Old Fashioned but caught him mixing it with his fingers.

He confronted Jeremy with what he had seen and the fact that there were cooking tools in the bar.

The drinks arrive but they were tasted off and were too sweet.

Jon saw the bartender take a drink to the back and then bring it back out.

He inspected the room and saw the area was a walk-in.

The back area is in a state.

There is a premade margarita in a jug with mold on the floors and walls.

With this evidence, he confronted the owners and then shut down the bar service.

Jon thinks it is a health risk and can’t serve customers.

He lets all the customers know that they must stop drinking and leave.

The staff now need to clean up and remove the sources of the contamination.

The next day, they found out Jeremy had stayed all night to clean.

Jon comes in to meet with all the staff.

There are several new staff and the ones who have been there the longest say there was a lack of organization.

The bartender says that Jeremy drinks at work.

Christy confirms that it is affecting not only the business but the marriage.

Jeremy accepts he has a problem and has to make a change.

He is still in denial that he is the main problem of the bar.

Jon has a few choice words about this before he introduces his experts.

They did not see much the night before, so they go in to assess.

Jennifer sees that the kitchen is a mess of tools and packages on counters.

The walk-in has lots of issues with cross-contamination.

Sausages that were cooked over two weeks ago are still in storage.

They decide that the kitchen needs to be deep cleaned, decluttered and organized.

Mia wants to assess the staff and asks them to make an Old Fashioned.

This time they could mix properly but the drinks they made are still bad.

They are trained to make them correctly.

For the stress test, Jon has a table of customers start a timer to see when they get served.

The orders were taken on paper and given to Jeremy to input into the POS.

Then he goes into the kitchen to put pizzas in the oven.

The tickets in the kitchen are handwritten and the system ensures that the kitchen gets slammed.

In 15 minutes, only 8 people were served.

Jon found some misplaced tickets and no one knew who took them.

One table got nachos in 22 minutes.

However, they were actually supposed to go to another table that had ordered before them.

It was clear food and drinks were going to the wrong tables.

The night was a failure and Jon calls out Jeremy before shutting the stress test down.

The next day, the training continueds with Jennifer, who showed them how to carve sirloin strip.

They are taught to prep every part of it for sandwiches, steak, tacos and burgers so no part would go to waste.

Jon sits with the couple and tells them about all the improvements that would make the system easier.

This includes moving the pizza making to the kitchen and installing a better ticketing and POS system.

Jeremy finally agrees he is the problem for resisting small changes that would make the bar better.

A few days later, they were all gathered outside the bar for the unveiling.

Jon points out their biggest asset is the railroad attached to the bar that has such a rich history.

They unveil the bar, which has been renamed to Smithton Station, with a brand new sign.

The inside had been redone to look more upscale with a railroad theme.

There is a brand new bar was installed in another corner.

They have SkyTabs, POS printers in the bar and the kitchen.

There are new bar products, new rockless tables and new wall murals.

There is an overhauled plumbing system and a train station board for announcements.

Jon gives Jeremy advice that for the business to work, he has to stop drinking at the bar.

Jeremy gives his word that he will.

After setting up, customers were let in.

On relaunch, the orders come through.

The tables now have table numbers so drinks and food did not get lost.

Drinks are being made quickly (10 every 8 minutes).

The bar is almost fully served and in record time.

Jon, the experts and the owners are so happy with the difference in service.

What Happened Next at CJ’s Pub and Grill?

Six weeks later, the community was in love with the new look and theme of the bar.

Food costs had gone down and the kitchen was more efficient.

Due to Christy relocating for her day job, they decided to sell the bar.

They had also received offers to sell the bar following the rescue.

CJ’s Pub and Grill is closed.

They closed in September 2024, two months after the rescue.

The bar was bought by Terra and Dave.

They reopened and renamed the bar to The Roost Bar and Grill.

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Previous episode - Calendar's Pizzeria

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Calendar's Pizzeria - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Danny Trejo to visit Calendar’s Pizzeria and Sports Bar in Macclenny, Florida.

Calendar's Pizzeria is owned by Terri.

She opened the bar in 2005 and it was an initial success, becoming popular in Macclenny.

But soon, her management style started to show as the staff rebelled and the business suffered.

Terri turned to her daughter for help but she is still resistant to her advice for change.

Danny is in the surveillance truck with expert mixologist Nick Ortega and expert chef Jennifer Murphy.

They see the exterior and it looks nothing like a sports bar.

The name of the bar brings a stationary store to mind.

Inside, there are no TVs and there are decorative gnomes, even though it is a sports bar.

They find out Terri is in debt and is losing $8,000 a month.

They see all the staff on the footage.

The cook is making French fries in a pizza oven.

The bar serves all of its drinks in plastic cups.

The spies are well known food bloggers, which Danny says helped him grow his business.

One orders the special drink and the other orders a classic Negroni.

The sandwiches are named after the days of the week.

It is confusing as no one knows what is in them.

The Negroni stumps all the bartenders.

They have to Google it and finally tell the customer that they cannot make it.

They decide to order margaritas but they arrive and are lumpy.

The food comes and the salad comes with a packaged sauce that the customer has to add on their own.

Danny has seen enough, as the owner is nowhere near the customers.

When he walks in, he goes to the bloggers to get their direct feedback.

Danny talks with Terri while the experts go to the bar and the kitchen to tell them all they have seen.

Danny points out Terri can save more money by using glasses than by buying plastic cups.

The next day, Terri is reflecting, saying that she was embarrassed by the encounter with Danny.

Jennifer says she has said the exact same things as Danny but her advice was ignored.

Danny walks in and meets with the staff, along with his experts.

The experts highlight all they saw the night before.

They put the blame on Terri, who is the one who did not put in the right systems.

The staff all give their insights into why they think the bar is failing.

Jennifer says the staff frequently do not come into work and are not punished for this.

Terri has to overextend herself due to the missing staff, causing herself stress.

The staff are to do training and Nick has them try to make a Negroni to assess their skill level.

Somehow, they use the proper tools and glassware.

Nick demonstrates the proper way to make a Negroni.

Jennifer takes the staff through making a panini sandwich as they have been gifted a panini press.

Before the stress test, Danny consults with Jon to help get his thoughts together.

He is hoping Terri will step up and greet customers and let her daughter run the staff and operations.

Customers are let in, and right off the bat, it starts falling apart.

The bartenders only make one drink at a time.

In the kitchen, the cook makes pizza as Jennifer watches.

There is no system for the tickets or communication between the staff.

Danny hangs out with customers and their drinks come incomplete.

Their food is delayed and takes a long while to leave the kitchen.

The cook is overwhelmed by the number of orders.

She wants to walk out as she is very behind in the ticket queue.

Danny has seen enough and shuts down the stress test.

The next day, they start training by making a twisted version of a Hugo.

It will be their signature drink.

In the kitchen, Holly is back.

They start training on making a pizza that takes minutes to make.

Danny sits with Terri and Jennifer.

Terri is aware the bar needs new systems.

She is willing to relinquish the bar management to Jennifer.

Jennifer is equally ready to step up.

Danny meets with Jon’s renovation team to work on a new theme.

A few days later, Terri and all the staff are gathered to see the new bar.

Danny unveils to them a new bar called Terri’s, named after the owner.

The signage is clear as an Italian kitchen and bar.

People will know that it is not a stationary store.

They are then let in, and the interior is now more put together.

There is a subtle mix of Italian and nightlife themes.

Behind the bar, they have new glassware and bar tools.

There are two terminals for Skytabs, new menus and a new chef’s jacket for Holly.

They are all in shock and close to tears.

Danny says one thing that was missing before was pride but he sees it in them now.

They quickly set up and let customers into the bar.

Jennifer quickly steps up, organizing the bartenders.

She is pushing them to make more than one drink, which they can do to get ahead.

The kitchen is also doing great and is cooking food faster.

They are sending it out quickly to positive feedback.

Jennifer is confidently directing staff and Terri is not in her way.

What Happened Next at Calendar's Pizzeria?

Six weeks later, sales are up slightly over the previous year.

The new kitchen equipment has helped them expand their menu.

Terri is still at the bar every day but lets Jennifer take the lead.

Calendar's Pizzeria is open.

They don't appear to have kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

The pizza receives many compliments.

There are some complaints about service.

They have added new items to the menu including a pickle pizza.

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Previous episode - The Airliner Bar and Grill

Next episode - CJ's Pub & Grill

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The Airliner Bar and Grill - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Spike Mendelsohn to visit The Airliner Bar and Grill in East Alton, Illinois.

Airliner Bar is owned by Sherry.

Her and her late husband Richard have owned the bar since 1988.

It was a success mainly because of Richard’s personality.

Sadly, Richard passed away.

Sherry had to step up and asked her daughter Ashley to support her at the bar.

The staff are not happy with Ashley, as she has no management skills.

The place has fallen apart without any guidance.

They are now losing $5,000 a month.

Spike is leading the rescue with expert chef Anthony Lamas and expert mixologist Daniel Ponsky.

They see that the bar is dated.

Spike breaks down the situation of the bar and the staff, who have been there for up to 30 years.

They see the bartenders refuse to make two common drinks for customers.

They will only make simple drinks.

The customers also order food from a large menu .

The drinks are made and served but do not taste right.

The food that they receive has no flavor.

They see that the fryer is so dirty and coated in grease that there is a small fire in the back.

Spike goes in to meet the owners and Ashley refuses to answer immediately, feeling ambushed.

He takes her around to show her all the problems.

She says they have a cleaning schedule and it was cleaned recently, which is not the case.

The staff say that the grill has caught fire before.

Spike finds wilted and moldy vegetables.

There is also mold in the ice machine.

With this information, he shows the customers the evidence and tells them to stop drinking.

After Spike exposes everything, the staff all stay back to clean.

The first thing on Spike’s agenda the next day is to inspect the bar for cleanliness.

He meets with the staff and immediately notices that someone is missing.

It is the cook who had been there since the 90s.

He left the night before and refused to come back to work.

Once the staff are asked what the problems are, they point to Ashley’s lack of direction, which she does not take well.

Sherry tries to defend her daughter while she walks away.

The staff say they have said nothing new and some refuse to speak against Ashley.

Sherry has to talk Ashley into understanding that they must take ownership of the things that are not working.

The experts are introduced and training begins.

Daniel trains them on making a basic margarita.

Ashley is made to go through the steps one-on-one.

There is a new cook called Brett.

Anthony trains him and staff on cooking wings in their open kitchen.

They are shown how to make it entertaining for the guests.

For the stress test, all eyes are on Ashley to see if she really has what it takes to manage the bar.

Customers are let in and orders come through fast.

They started off okay but tickets started to build up as they were moving too slowly.

The bartenders start making mistakes with the pressure piling up on them.

Food is made and ready but left on the counter as no one is expediting or running the food.

Tickets have missing information.

The food and drinks are ready but no one knows where they are going.

Ashley is flailing and it is obvious she does not know what she is doing.

They soon run out of glasses and have to collect and wash dirty glasses.

When Ashley is asked what is going wrong, she blames the film crew and does not take ownership.

They shut down the stress test.

The next day, the training continues with one of the bartenders having a blind pour test, which she failed.

They are trained on making two new signature cocktails.

Spike sits with Sherry to learn more about Richard.

Sherry paints a picture that Ashley was a part of his legacy.

She feels some guilt running the bar after her father died.

The renovations continue and the following night the staff and community are all gathered for the unveiling.

The exterior has not been changed.

Neither has the name, to preserve the legacy.

The interior has been given a much needed update.

It is now a modern bar space with pops of color and an airliner themed decor.

They have three workstations with Skytabs, new fryers and other kitchen equipment.

There is a deep cleaned kitchen, a new HVAC system and a new beer tap system.

Their menu has also been stripped down from 75 items to a basic few items that they can then add on to as needed.

Sherry said Richard would have loved all that they had done to the place.

Members from the community and regulars come in and love the ambiance of the new space.

Orders come through and it quickly shows that Ashley is stepping up.

She is helping to expedite both food and drinks.

Drinks and food are great.

Sherry says that the smiles from everyone is the best reward.

What Happened Next at The Airliner Bar and Grill?

Six weeks later, the community loves the new bar decor.

Revenue has increased by 10% due to the new menu.

Sherry and Ashley have split duties in managing the business.

The Airliner Bar and Grill is open.

Reviews are mostly positive.

The food is highly reviewed.

There are a few complaints about service.

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Previous episode - Bar 8 / Legacy Bar

Next episode - Calendar's Pizzeria

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Bar 8 / Legacy Bar - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Bar 8 in Houston, Texas.

Bar 8 is owned by Mikayla.

She purchased the bar in 2021 after a long time of working in bars.

Mikayla bought it as a surprise for her husband Brandon without consulting him first.

With no management experience, she has struggled.

Her husband keeps sinking funds into it to keep it afloat.

The staff are also disorganized because of the leadership.

The suffering business is close to shutting down completely.

Jon is in the surveillance van with expert mixologist Derrick Turner.

From the exterior, the signage is confusing.

The interior is just as confusing as it has a club feel.

Jon breaks down the history of the bar and how Mikayla bought the bar.

The couple are $320,000 in debt and they have four children.

The bar does not have a kitchen but they have someone renting out hookahs in the bar.

Two radio celebrities are sent in as the spies.

They go in and order classic drinks - a Collins and a Sidecar.

They see the drinks mixed on top of a small fridge at the back of the bar.

The spies hated the taste of the drinks.

The back bar is a bunch of empty bottles, which is not a great sight for customers.

Jon goes in to meet with Mikayla and asks her to be honest about how the bar looks.

Jon says the customers dress better than the bar looks.

Mikayla and her husband should care more about how the bar is presented.

He tears into them and then leaves them to get the bar into better shape before the next day.

Jon comes in the next day and meets the staff.

Brandon admits if he could have a do-over, he would not have supported her buying the bar.

Mikayla says she feels sorry about the amount of money he has sunk into the bar.

They are losing about $6,000 a month and are a few months from closing.

Mikayla says she wants her husband to help her out more.

However, he has a separate family business that he runs.

Jon points out that she should take ownership of the failing bar.

She finally admits she wasn't prepared and she needed to learn.

Derrick is introduced as the expert and they move to the training.

He takes them through making a variant of a Sidecar so they can pick up on the basics of blending.

For the stress test, they will be serving 30 people in 30 minutes.

They are given a little head start but the bar staff are stumbling and the tickets pile up.

They are encouraged to make two drinks at once to catch up.

Brandon is trying to help but Mikayla kicks him to the floor.

Some drinks are made but they can't find the ticket.

With 10 minutes left, over half the bar still does not have drinks.

Some drinks are piling up and not being run to the correct customers.

At the end of the stress test, a portion of the room still didn't have drinks.

The night was a failure.

The next day, the training continues with a new signature cocktail.

Jon meets with Mikayla and Brandon.

He opens the dialogue between them, reminding Mikayla that what she does is for her family.

She should accept Brandon has been supportive all the way.

Also that he is not responsible for the running of the bar, she is.

Jon meets with his team to fix the inefficiencies of the bar to make it a better nightclub spot.

The most challenging part is a metal retractable wall as the ceilings are 11 feet high.

The following day, they are gathered along with their staff and children at night to unveil their new bar.

The bar has been renamed to Legacy Bar.

The bar now has an upper-class nightclub feel with a cohesive decor.

They have a new workstation, a new ice machine, Skytab tablets and Rockless tables.

There are new bar products, new plumbing, a hookah corner and custom vinyl wrap.

He shows them the new dividing door that makes the bar much more intimate.

Later in the night, they can pull it away to expand the bar into a nightclub.

The couple invite the waiting customers in, and they get to work.

Mikayla is coordinating the bar.

Brandon is supporting with serving and wherever he is needed.

After a successful service, the walls are pulled back.

The customers and the owners head to the dancefloor.

What Happened Next at Bar 8 / Legacy Bar?

Six weeks later, customers love the new look and menu of the bar.

Brandon is helping with promotions while Mikayla is managing the bar.

They are still trying to figure out a better work-and-home balance.

Bar 8 / Legacy Bar is open.

They have kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

The venue space and drinks are praised.

There are a few complaints including one about an unexpected closure.

They hosted a watch party for the episode.

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Previous episode - Brothers on Main / Blue Velvet

Next episode - The Airliner Bar and Grill

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Brothers on Main / Blue Velvet - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Jason Santos to visit Brothers on Main in St Clair, Missouri.

Brothers on Main is owned by Daniel and David.

Daniel invited his brother David to go 50/50 on the bar in 2021.

After some initial success Daniel checked out.

He left David to work 6 days a week.

David eventually quit the bar to get a job so he could pay his bills.

The bar is now in trouble and is losing money.

It is 2 weeks from closing, with the brothers not even on speaking terms anymore.

Jason is in the surveillance vehicle with expert chef Anthony Lamas and expert mixologist Tatiana Lacerda.

Jason introduces the owners situation to them and then decides to have a one-on-one chat with David.

David gives Jason more details on how their dynamic broke down.

Then they both watch as the experts, acting as the spies, go in to order from the menu.

They order martinis and they say they can't make it.

They then ask for a margarita and fried pickles and chicken.

The pickles have pieces of chicken in them as they are using the same oil to fry everything.

The chicken served is still raw in the middle.

Jason and David see Daniel hiding in the kitchen rather than checking the quality of service in the front of house.

Jason has seen enough and goes in to confront Daniel.

He stops the spies from eating the chicken.

Jason hears Daniel out and he tells a different story from David.

He confronts them both and he sees they are both at fault and stubborn.

Daniel did abandon the place but so did David.

He was working down the street for competition.

Jason shows them the state in the kitchen and tasks them to clean up.

It is an opportunity for the brothers to talk for the first time in 4 months.

The next day, Jason comes in to meet the staff.

He calls out one of the things that baffled him was the ice machine.

He has no idea why it is in the middle of the dining room.

Daniel admits they are over $150,000 in debt and just weeks from closing.

Daniel’s girlfriend and her mother are in tears about the future of the business.

Jason is not happy that the brothers have still not figured out the issues that have made them stop speaking for 7 months.

Jason doesn't want to put all the effort into renovating the bar when the brothers can't agree on how to run the place.

They start to try to hash it out and then Jason has them face the staff who all have grievances to share.

They are mostly tired of working with the brothers, not tired of the business.

The experts are introduced and Tatiana starts with training them on making "slime" cocktails.

For Stress Test, David will be working back of house and Daniel will be front of house.

Customers are let into the bar.

Daniel needs direction on being more vocal.

Customers are left unserved on the floor.

Customers water glasses are filled from a dirty sink in the kitchen.

Daniel says the bar was too busy for him to disturb them.

The bar runs out of ice and a customer helps run ice from the ice machine to the bar.

The kitchen does really well but Daniel is flailing.

It is obvious where the pain points are.

The stress test is shut down.

The next day, the staff continue with the training as Tatiana trains them on making a Rose Collins.

Tyler is asked to make it on his own after the demonstration and he does well.

In the kitchen, Anthony trains the staff on making meatloaf bites.

It is a comfort food that will bring customers back.

Jason sits with David and Daniel’s girlfriend to say Daniel is not made to run the business.

He thinks that they need to step up in different roles.

Daniel is invited in and told to take a step back.

He will still remain as owner but just to support them.

Daniel breaks down in tears because he says he needs to reevaluate some things.

Jason leaves them to join his team with the renovations.

A few days later all the staff are gathered to unveil a new bar exterior.

There is a new sign and a new name.

The bar is now called Blue Velvet.

The interior has been upgraded with a new look that is more lively.

They have a new POS system from Skytabs, a subscription to Partender and new glassware.

There is a new ice machine that is now behind the bar where it belongs.

Daniel is the most moved by the changes and he is appreciative of the work.

David and Daniel let in the waiting customers.

They start ordering food and drinks immediately.

The kitchen starts on orders and Tim is doing great with the cooking and David expediting.

Daniel is in a reduced role but still focused on service.

Drinks are also made correctly and sent out with the bar staff working more cohesively.

What Happened Next at Brothers on Main / Blue Velvet?

Six weeks later, the brothers were once again fighting.

David left the business so Daniel hired some former employees to run operations.

Sales remain the same but they have a more upscale crowd.

Brothers on Main is closed.

They closed in December 2024.

The bar closed before the episode aired.

The episode was filmed in July 2024.

The bar was also put up for sale in December 2024.

It quickly sold.

Reviews were mostly positive prior to the closure.

The food and service were highly praised in reviews.

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Previous episode - Backroads Bar and Grill / Taylor’s Tavern Bar

Next episode - Bar 8 / Legacy Bar

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Backroads Bar and Grill / Taylor’s Tavern Bar - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Phil Wills to visit Backroads Bar and Grill in Holly, Michigan.

Backroads Bar and Grill is owned by Gary and Tina Helton.

They have owned the bar since 2015.

Gary previously owned two thriving but labor intensive businesses.

He got a health diagnosis that made him sell those businesses.

They decided to open a bar, which they thought would be fun.

Tina kept her full-time job and still helped at the bar.

Their daughter also helped at the bar but the owners were clueless.

The lack of knowledge has driven the business downhill.

It is now a strain on the couple’s marriage.

They have nearly drained all their retirement savings to keep the doors open.

Phil surveys the bar with expert chef Tatiana Rosana and expert mixologist Derrick Turner.

They think the interior of the bar is soulless due to the mismatch of the clashing decor.

They introduce the staff and the owner Gary is disrupting the cooking in the kitchen.

They see customers order drinks.

The bartenders are not busy but share the order.

The drinks themselves do not look how they should look.

In the kitchen, the cook is making a Philly cheesesteak with questionable meat and the wrong bread.

Tina has to remove Gary from the kitchen as he is temperature checking french fries, which is unnecessary.

Phil has seen enough and he goes into the bar to sit with Gary and Tina.

They share how they started the business.

Tina shares how their relationship has been so affected that she thinks they are on the brink of divorce.

Gary gets teary, saying he was not aware and wants to keep both his wife and the bar.

The next day, Phil comes in and meets the staff.

They all complain of lack of communication and clear direction.

Daughter and bartender Taylor complains about how she has been dragged in between her parents.

This is made worse when they fight especially when it comes to arguments about the bar.

While Tina is speaking her piece, Gary is defensive as he feels ganged up on.

He says that he just wanted to help and the staff and his family are worried about his health.

The staff are trained by Derrick on making an Old Fashioned, one of the drinks they messed up the night before.

Tatiana trains them to make a French Dip sandwich.

They train until the stress test, where Phil wants to see more communication from the owners and the whole team.

Gary and Tina let customers in and orders come through quickly.

In ten minutes, they have only served three cocktails.

They quickly see the bar has only one well, causing the bartenders to bump into each other.

In the kitchen, Tatiana is expediting, and Jeff gets flustered by the directions.

Gary offers to help, seeking direction rather than meddling.

Things get tense at the bar with Tina and Taylor trading words.

Taylor is stressed by the pressure as the customers at the bar are served.

The ones on the floor are still waiting to be served.

She has to step away to catch her breath but she goes back.

It is finally clear to Gary and Tina where the inefficiencies are.

Phil has them shut down the stress test.

The next day, they are back to training with Derrick.

He trains them on pre-batching cocktails to cut down on the mixing time.

Phil meets with the family, including Taylor.

He feels the family dynamic needs to be fixed for them to work better in the bar.

Phil tells them they need to be more open to Taylor.

They need to have more confidence in her working at the bar.

At some point they will leave it to her to take over when they want to retire.

Something sticks, as they are all receptive to the feedback.

It is finally opening night and the family are gathered for the unveiling.

The exterior is still the same but the name is now Taylor’s Tavern Bar and Kitchen.

It is named after their daughter to remind them of the legacy.

Inside, there is elegance and warmth with new furnishings, flooring, walls and a better ambience.

They have new stage lights, a Partender subscription, Skytab tablets and new bar products.

There is new kitchen equipment, an ice machine and an additional well.

Taylor is moved to tears, which are not out of frustration this time.

They quickly set up and the waiting customers are let in.

Orders come through and Jeff is in his element, cooking dishes quickly.

The bar is also working cohesively.

Drinks are made and served correctly and quickly.

Taylor is being more direct with instruction and her parents are not bothering her.

Gary and Tina love how smoothly the service is going and see that their previous actions were more of a hindrance.

What Happened Next at Backroads Bar and Grill / Taylor’s Tavern Bar and Kitchen?

Six weeks later, customers love the new look and concept of the bar.

Taylor is thriving behind the bar and leading the rest of the staff.

Gary is working at the bar daily but not interrupting others anymore.

They have kept the new name.

They still go by Backroads Bar online on Yelp etc.

Reviews are mostly positive.

There seem to be fake reviews that reference the show/similar to things seen on the episode.

Tina has told the press that it was an emotional experience but also a great experience.

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Previous episode - Daq Shack / Royal Street

Next episode - Brothers on Main

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Daq Shack / Royal Street - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Daq Shack in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Daq Shack is owned by India and Michael.

They got the idea of a theme from New Orleans and opened the bar in 2021.

They both had no hospitality experience but threw themselves into opening a Daiquiri bar.

They were successful at first, making $100k a month.

Their lives outside of the bar started affecting them.

Michael hired his sisters to work in the bar and he had a family member that fell ill.

The family relationships have interfered with professionalism as the staff are not properly trained.

Now they are owe about $200,000 and their family livelihood is on the line.

Jon is with expert chef Anthony Lamas in the surveillance truck.

They see the bar's exterior and interior as sterile, it is just white with no warmth.

Michaela and Nia are Michael’s sisters and Chanel is his cousin.

They see the cook make chicken wings that look good.

They are being stored in a way that will make them soggy.

On the bar front, they see colorful ice machines that make the bar look like a frozen yogurt shop.

Jon decides to go in himself to experience the service.

He goes in with Anthony and they order a round of drinks first.

They feel like Daiquiris do not work in Milwaukee.

Jon and Anthony ask for recommendations for the food.

They are pointed to barbecue and jerk chicken along with fries.

When the food is served, they can taste the difference.

They like the presentation but that is it.

The drinks have minimal alcohol in them.

The owners are called to the table.

Jon tells them there is nothing New Orleans in the bar from decor to the food and drinks served.

On a tour of the space, they see a room dedicated to selfies with colorful designs on each wall.

The liquor is all pushed to a corner.

Jon notes that the bar and kitchen are both clean.

The problem is the atmosphere and presentation.

Jon did not have to raise his voice once or was overcritical, recognizing they were clueless.

The next day Jon comes in and meets the staff, along with the daughter of the owners.

He tells them that they have the foundations but need guidance on bringing it all together.

When asked about the bar the staff could not agree on a proper, consistent identity.

Jon pointed out all they need to get to the next level and be more profitable.

The training begins with expert mixologist Tassia Lacera.

She doesn't know their skill .

Tassia she asks them to make a Daiquiri from scratch.

They fail badly and they cannot even count properly.

Tassia takes them through making a basic classic daiquiri with the right pour counts.

In the kitchen, Anthony wants to solve their problem of cooking out of one small area.

They have been gifted some new equipment so they do not have to use their crock pot as storage.

He trains them on making a simple shrimp dish.

For the stress test, Jon has the owners try to treat the staff like staff and not family.

The Daiquiri machines have been retired so the drinks are made fresh.

Customers are let in and orders and tickets flow.

The bartenders make their first drink and as it goes out everyone is quiet.

They want to see the customers reaction, and it is positive.

However, the drinks do not go out together for groups who came in together.

The bartenders are reminded to make multiple drinks.

While the food is coming out quickly it is without cutlery.

There is often no drinks accompanying the food.

Soon the food service breaks down more with double orders coming through.

The consistency is off with raw chicken wings going out.

India and Michael are shown the major challenges of the night.

The stress test is shut down.

Work begins on the renovations not long after.

Jon discusses with his team on moving the selfie section closer to the entrance.

He also wants to tie in the New Orleans theme in the decor and the menu.

Jon leaves them to talk to the owners about their duties and miscommunication.

The next day, the bar is ready to be unveiled.

The staff are gathered and they are shown a new exterior that has warmth.

The new name is Royal Street, named after a famous street in New Orleans.

Inside, the bar is warmer with more character on the walls, the furniture and lighting.

The video and audio system was overhauled.

There are subscriptions to both Partender and Skytab.

They also have new glassware, plumbing, a Manitowoc ice machine, workstations and kitchen equipment.

This all moves the family to tears as they started from nothing.

They quickly set up and the waiting customers are let in.

On relaunch, there are a lot of gushes as the customers see the new space.

They are enthusiastically greeted by servers.

Orders come through and up to 10 dishes are going out quickly, made to perfection.

The bartenders are also working quickly and cohesively.

Communication was the difference, as food and drinks were arriving at the same time.>

What Happened Next at Daq Shack / Royal Street?

Six weeks later, the community is thrilled and excited about the new branding of the bar.

Sales of cocktails picked up, offsetting the winter revenue dip they usually experience.

India and Michael are optimistic about expanding to a second location.

Daq Shack / Royal Street is open.

They kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

There is praise for the food and staff.

There are a few complaints on some food items.

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Pete's Cutting Board Reuben Tavern and Grill / Pete’s Butcher Block Bar - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer sends Jason Santos to visit Pete’s Cutting Board Reuben Tavern and Grill in Chesterfield, Michigan.

Pete’s Cutting Board is owned by Pete Daka.

After 25 years in the restaurant business, he bought the bar.

He later brought his children Simon, John and Madison into the business.

There is a lot of tension as he is not the best manager and his staff are untrained.

After Pete’s father’s recent death, he started drinking more.

He began ignoring his duties, leaving the bar in disrepair.

They are now deep in debt and in desperate need of help.

Jason is in the recon trailer with expert mixologist Diana Small and expert chef Jennifer Murphy.

They see the name of the bar as a mouthful to say and the bar itself is neglected.

They also watch Pete start his drinking while the bar staff do many things incorrectly.

John and Simon are in the kitchen, cooking in an unsanitary environment.

Two radio personalities are in the bar as spies and they are recommended cocktails.

When the drinks arrive after being made incorrectly.

They hate the taste but go ahead to order Reubens as it's in their name.

The food is made incorrectly and they can taste that the ham is off.

Pete is seen giving away free shots to customers.

Jason goes in to meet with Pete and calls him out on his behavior during the night.

He calls him out on his drinking and giving away free drinks.

Jason is shown the iced beers in coolers, which is very bad for beer.

Pete does not seem to care about the state of the bar or the fact he is robbing his staff of tips by giving away drinks.

When Jason leaves, Pete’s children are unhappy with their father and he quickly sobers up.

The next day, the staff and the children are at the bar along with Pete.

The good news is that Pete did not have a drink since Jason left the night before.

The staff say the biggest problem is Pete giving away drinks.

People come to the bar for the free drinks so there is no space for real paying customers.

Jason gives them the Partender report and it reveals that they lost $1100 in one weekend on free drinks.

They owe $193,000 and the lost $84,000 in free drinks could have cleared half the debt.

Jason tells Pete he himself has never had a drink in his own restaurant.

He says that Pete should not treat his business as his playground.

Pete agrees to change his attitude and the experts are introduced.

Jennifer asks Pete to make a Reuben sandwich, which is okay but cold in the middle.

Jennifer shows them how to make a Reuben with a twist to stand out from the competition.

Diana decides to go back to the basics of bartending with the staff.

She has a bartender make a Baybreeze and it is too heavy on the cranberry.

Diana shows them how to make it correctly with a small deviation.

They get ready for a stress test where Pete is expected to be present and working.

Pete lets customers into the bar for the stress test.

The place is quickly packed and a bartender attempts to make 2 drinks at once.

She makes mistakes and is advised to master making one first before making two.

Food is made correctly but there are no runners, leaving the food cold and needing rewarming.

They see the drink ordering process, which involves wet, soggy napkins.

The bartenders work out of one well, piling on each other.

The kitchen staff get frustrated at having to refire food.

Pete is focused on the wrong things.

The stress test is shut down after too many customers are left without food or drink.

It was obvious they would not be able to catch up.

The next day, Jennifer trains the staff on making a simple roast beef sandwich.

Diana trains them on making and mastering one drink at a time.

Jason meets with Pete at another location as work is being done at his own bar.

Pete is unclear about his role and Jason points out he is going into himself and hiding.

They connect on Pete’s loss of his father and he is driven to find inspiration from that.

Sometime later, the renovations are complete.

The staff and community are gathered for the unveiling.

They have a new sign along with a new name.

The bar is now called Pete’s Butcher Block Bar.

Inside has been elevated just as the sign and name have been.

The theme of bistro and bar carries through with upscale lighting and furnishing.

Pete is overwhelmed by a photo of his father and the children also tear up at this.

They have an underbar charging system, Skytab POS system with tablets and a subscription to Partender.

There are new bar tools from barproducts.com, a new ice well, a 3-sink system, new kitchen hoods and much more.

They let in customers and Pete is reminded they are all to pay for their own drinks.

The staff get to work, and Jason is impressed everyone is working hard.

This includes Pete, who has his children in awe.

What Happened Next at Pete's Cutting Board Reuben Tavern and Grill?

Six weeks later, business had picked up significantly.

Pete has stopped drinking at the bar.

He helped his sons open a restaurant down the street from the bar.

They didn't keep the new name.

Pete shortened the name slightly to Pete's Cutting Board and Reuben Tavern.

Reviews are mostly positive.

They praise the service and staff.

There are a few complaints about food.

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Next episode - Daq Shack / Royal Street

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