In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Cielo Lounge in Port St Lucie, Florida.
Cielo Lounge is owned by Mark Maffei and Os Ou.
He bought the bar in 2021, his second bar after the first closed due to Covid-19.
He partnered with a Latin dancer Os Ou, who rented out his previous bar space for dance events.
Their partnership saw a split in responsibilities and the bar was a hit on weekends but empty on weekdays.
With these challenges, there was no training for staff and they were inconsistent.
The bar was on the verge of closing as the partners were also losing their homes in the process.
Jon has brought expert chef Brad Miller and expert mixologist Mia Mastroianni with him to see the bar.
The bar’s exterior does not have a clear name or logo.
Jon breaks down the business history of the partners and they see that the interior was not properly decorated.
They watch the cook working, he makes mistakes and they see fire hazards.
Jon sent in two local radio celebrities as his spies.
They order a mojito, an amaretto sour and some calamari.
While the bartender made their drinks, they saw there is no drinks well.
The bartender has some skill but is not performing well.
The spies did not like the drinks, as they were too sweet.
They call the mojito a "salad in a cup."
The cook made chicken and rubbed raw chicken meat on door handles, knobs and utensils.
The cook also used month old calamari to make the dishes.
When it was being plated, Jon and the experts rushed in to stop the dish from going out.
The spies confront both the cook and the owner.
They defend the calamari, saying it was a mistake but it smells bad.
They are tasked with cleaning up the kitchen and throwing out all the bad food.
The next morning, Jon came in and all the staff are gathered.
The cook said he was not given all the recipes and was not trained.
Os said his primary role was marketing and promotions.
The dance classes only brought in people who drank water or sodas.
Their Partender report showed they were losing over $100,000 a year on over-poured drinks.
Soon, Jon and Mark get into a screaming match.
Mark does not accept that it is mostly his fault that the business is failing.
The staff were dismissed to begin their training.
Mia has the bartender demonstrate making an amaretto sour.
She corrects their actions while pointing out there was no well.
Mia correctly makes the cocktail properly, telling them what to do.
In the kitchen, Brad trains the cook and owners on how to make calamari properly with a dip and garnish.
For the stress test, Mark and Os are to divide their roles.
The customers are let in and started ordering.
Mario is slow; he takes his time making drinks and interacting with the guests.
In the kitchen, the cook is floundering and Os helped.
It is still chaos as the tickets continue to build up.
Mark jumps in to help make drinks and he needs direction.
Food soon comes out but is cold by the time it gets to the customers.
Mark and Os are made to shut the bar down as food was taking 45 minutes and drinks 20 minutes.
Jon makes them apologize to the customers properly.
Jon and the experts brainstorm and they think that simple would be better.
They think that they should switch their menu to simple tacos.
The next day, the staff are gathered and Mario has a medical appointment so is not available.
They are shown how to make a new simple signature cocktail.
Jon sits with the owners and they discuss the future of the business.
They reflect on all that they have realized and learned so far.
They properly divide their responsibilities in the business and what they should watch out for.
In a few days, the staff are gathered outside to reveal a new name and concept.
The new name is Don Marco's Cantina, a combination of the two partners' names.
Inside, the bar had been completely revamped with warm colors and warm lighting.
It looks more Latino-inspired, like a cantina.
They have Sky Tab POS systems with tablets and a Partender subscription.
There is a custom music program, new plumbing with two new workstations.
They spend some time setting up and Mark and Os let in the waiting customers.
The bartenders are energetic.
Mario spent a lot of time training and is making multiple drinks at once.
Mark and Os are completely engaged and supporting the bar service.
Joel is making tacos easily and in a good time.
The customers love the drinks, food and ambiance.
What Happened Next at Cielo Lounge / Don Marcos?
Six weeks later, customers love the updated concept, especially the new name.
Mark is less stressed about running both the back and front of house operations.
Os has stepped up to manage inventory, ordering and kitchen systems.
Cielo Lounge / Don Marcos is open.
They kept the new name.
Reviews are mostly positive.
They added an open mic night that has been popular.
There are a few complaints about the air conditioning and overcrowding.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - Inland Tavern / Shores Bar and Kitchen
Next episode - Tumbleweed Grill & Bar
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