In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Coaches Pub in Houston, Texas.
Coaches Pub is owned by Robbie Curry.
He bought the 15-year-old bar in 2022 after 20 years of working in the bar business.
When he took over, he wanted to make positive changes.
The patrons and staff didn't want things to change.
Robbie checked out mentally after the pushback.
The staff now lack leadership and direction, which is affecting the business.
Jon is with expert mixologist Diana Small and expert chef Brad Miller in the surveillance truck.
They see the owner Robbie, who is almost $400,000 in debt but taking shots at the bar.
They see so many health code violations in the kitchen.
Robbie gives a thumbs-up to the chef.
Lo and Riggs are local radio hosts and the spies for this bar.
They order a margarita and Tequila Sunrise.
The drinks are made in plastic cups.
The spies hate the drinks and pull faces while they notice fruit flies.
They order steak, a sandwich and wings.
The steak is so tough it is a struggle to cut.
They have to spit it out when they eventually get to eat it.
There is clear contamination in the kitchen with cockroaches and rat droppings.
Jon goes in to confront Robbie.
Since he was in the restaurant business, he knows health codes and inspections.
He does not seem to have that focus on his restaurant.
There are a lot of cleanliness issues.
Robbie is quick to admit this to Jon and promises to clean the place and show he cares.
The staff think Robbie is a nice guy but admit they are also at fault.
They commit to cleaning with him all night.
The next day, the staff are gathered and Jon meets them.
Robbie shares his story of how he got the bar and his current debt situation.
The manager is only a manager by name and isn't assigned with the task of scheduling.
The staff have been there longer than Robbie and know how the bar was.
They think that Robbie is running it down.
The experts are introduced and the training begins.
Diana starts with testing the bartenders for consistency.
She has all of them make a margarita.
They all taste different because of bad pour counts.
They are then trained on making an upside-down margarita.
Brad takes them through making a dry rub rib eye steak properly.
By the stress test, they do not have a cook.
Robbie steps in with one other staff member to cover it.
Robbie lets customers in and goes into the kitchen.
The kitchen is a mess, losing chicken wings.
Drinks are dumped because of uneven pours.
Tickets soon start piling up.
Jon has 9 baseballs for strikes and soon 5 are gone with 4 left.
The steak in the kitchen caught fire and lots of food is thrown away for being burnt or overcooked.
The last ball goes after they see lots of drinks are being dumped.
The night is ended with Robbie apologizing and inviting everyone back for the relaunch.
The next day, Diana takes them through using a mnemonic device for pour counts.
They train on a signature cocktail called a Buckin’ Bronco.
Robbie sits with Jon to find out how he is after the stress test.
Robbie shares his struggles since his friend had brain tumors.
Jon recommends he leans more on his manager Kristina as she is qualified.
The bar is renovated over a few days and it is time for the unveiling.
The community and staff are gathered for the relaunch.
The bar is now called Midtown Pub with a bold sign.
Robbie is moved to tears by the changes.
The bar now looks upscale with warmth and ambiance.
They now have 2 work stations with soda guns and SkyTab POS systems.
There is new glassware, a new TV and audio-visual system and new refrigeration.
The waiting customers are let in and they all settle down to order.
There is a gimmick with the bronco that the customers love.
The kitchen is moving smoothly through the orders.
Customers compete with the bronco cocktails for a t-shirt.
Robbie’s friend is there and he is proud of him and the success of the bar.
What Happened Next at Coaches Pub / Midtown Pub?
Six weeks later, business has picked up with old and new customers.
Kristina is leading both front and back of house more regularly.
Robbie has been able to take time off work for his mental well-being.
Coaches Pub / Midtown Pub is closed.
They appear to have closed in November 2024.
They are marked as closed on Yelp.
Social media pages went quiet in September 2024.
Reviews were mostly positive.
There was praise for the staff, drinks and food.
Not to be confused with the similarly named and nearby Midtown Bar & Grill, which is open.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - The Wagon Wheel / The Pour Station
Next episode - Interlude II Bar and Grill
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