In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Rocky Point Cantina in Temple, Arizona.
Rocky Point Cantina is owned by Fran and Mary.
They bought the Mexican themed bar that’s close to the state university for their sons Scott and Jason in 2010.
Scott is the manager and Jason is the cook/janitor.
Scott had no prior experience and mismanages the bar.
Jason tries his best to keep the bar from falling apart.
Scott hired his friend Anthony as a bartender and they have a turbulent relationship.
Scott hired a local metalhead band that attracts the wrong crowd and does not make them any money.
It drives away young women and paying customers.
They are losing $10,000 a month and Fran and Mary are $1.5m in debt with no retirement fund left.
They are weeks away from closing.
Jon recons the bar with expert chef Tiffany Derry and expert mixologist Russell Davis.
They see the exterior is bland and deserted.
Jon fills them in on the ownership situation.
Jon brings in three university aged girls as spies to sample the service and ambience.
They are left at the bar as no one comes to serve them and they find another bar area and move over.
They see Jason constantly working while Scott is locked in his office.
The girls order a signature drink and they are not impressed.
They decide on beers but the bar has a draft beer system but sell bottle beers instead.
The recon team see how dirty the bar and kitchen are then make a questionable quesadilla.
The girls also go to the bathroom and it is equally as dirty.
The metal band goes up and they are loud.
The girls cannot hear the band or themselves.
Jon wants to know if the family are serious about getting better and the experts are sent in to assess the respective areas.
Russell gives the bartenders a hard time on how dirty the bar.
Tiffany has Scott come meet her and explain why the kitchen is not managed properly.
There are health code violations in the kitchen and chicken wings are not wrapped and dated.
At the bar they use pool noodles to drain spills and dirt.
The bartender makes a long island iced tea, it is made incorrectly and is too strong.
They are made to clean up the bar that night for an inspection the next day.
They do start cleaning but Anthony and Scott also fight.
Jon arrives with the experts and they inspect the bar and kitchen and it is passable.
Jon has a meeting with them and the parents.
They are disappointed in Scott not managing the bar well and Anthony piles it on too calling Fran and Mary Mom and Dad.
They quickly say Anthony is a nightmare to work with.
Jason also says Scott does not get down to help.
He becomes upset and leaves.
Jon takes Scott to the bathroom and it is in a state so Scott is made to clean the toilets.
Russell starts training Anthony and asks him to make four basic cocktails.
He does a bad job.
Tiffany has to train Jason from scratch on Quesadilla, chicken wings and tacos.
The stress test is started later that night.
They forgot the cash register which halts the business for a bit.
They are slammed with orders at the bar and in the kitchen.
Mary is running the food and Fran helps in the kitchen.
Anthony makes lots on small mistakes.
Forty-five minutes in and it is a disaster.
People are still waiting at the bar and the wait time for food is thirty minutes.
Scott is nowhere to be found.
After the test, the feedback is brutal.
Scott cannot run the bar and Jason is not an experienced cook.
Jon wants to bring in a manager and Scott has to be convinced to get on board.
Jon sits with the family the next day and introduces Steve Lynch a manager of Four Peaks Brewing company, a neighbouring bar.
Jon meets with the staff and he wants a decision on Anthony.
Scott decides to give him another chance.
Jon brings in two new experienced cooks and three new bartenders, who are female and students from the university.
Steve will work with Scott to get better at managing.
Tiffany trains the kitchen staff on a new menu for the Mexican restaurant.
Russell trains the bartenders on some new signature drinks that tie in with the university.
Anthony is tested on making all the drinks and he makes lots of errors.
The bar is then renovated over thirty six hours.
The staff are gathered in the afternoon to reveal their new bar.
The bar has been renamed and is now called Havana Cubana Bar and Grill.
There is a new colourful entrance that is attractive and fun.
Inside is more colourful with the Havana theme everywhere.
There are pops of colour and the island bar is now the focal point.
Constant Contact is now managing their social media so Scott has no excuse to stay in the back office.
The bar at the back now has a covering so it is only opened when they are busy and need to extend.
The back bar has a new draft beer system and future POS system.
The bathrooms were cleaned and repainted.
The staff run around to set up before the relaunch.
On relaunch, customers are let in and they are busy almost immediately.
The kitchen is swamped but is barely keeping up.
Anthony is slower than the new bartenders and he needs some talking to but decides to leave.
They really and pull through and Anthony is not missed.
What Happened Next at Rocky Point Cantina / Havana Cubana Bar and Grill?
Six weeks later, it is revealed the bar brings in $6000 a night.
Steve is still training Scott.
Fran and Mary are finally enjoying their retirement.
Anthony tried to come back but Scott refused.
They didn't keep the name after Jon renamed the bar and undid most of the changes that Jon made.
The show failed to get relevant permits for the exterior paint job which led to a city investigation finding previous modifications that also weren't permitted.
Rocky Point Cantina closed in August 2013.
They closed after the owners were forced to declare bankruptcy.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - Marley's on the Beach /St Michelle’s Beach Club
Next episode - Underworld Grill and Bar / The End
This post was last updated in February 2022.
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