In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Top Shelf Bar and Grill in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.
Top Shelf Bar and Grill is owned by Kari and Craig.
The bar is a hockey-themed sports bar.
They are a big hockey family and Kari ran the bar whilst Craig had a day job.
It was a success when they first opened.
They suffered a loss when their son got into a car accident.
Things were not the same afterwards.
Kari threw herself into work and started frustrating her staff.
She hardly saw her family as she was always at the bar.
The business is now suffering and needs help.
Jon surveys the bar with friend and restaurateur Donnie Wahlberg.
They meet the staff and the family who run the bar.
Donnie can relate to what is going on.
They see staff use the microwave and a bartender looking confused when he is asked to make an old fashioned.
The customer hates the drink once it is made.
In the kitchen, there is a sauce that has meatballs and burger patties soaking in.
Jon and Donnie know the five most popular items on their menu and they go in to order every item on the list.
They order cocktails and it comes without ice.
The bartender is confused as to what kind of ice to put in.
The drinks are awful.
When the food arrives, they invite the owners to sit with them.
They are given feedback on the service, food and drink.
Kari breaks down, telling them about her son.
They feel sorry for her and tell her she needs to make a lot of change.
Changes to systems, procedures, recipes and branding to be able to get the business back.
Kari and Craig appreciate their kind words.
The next day, Jon comes in to meet with the owners.
He shares some inspirational words to remind them that their son should be the reason they succeed instead of failing.
After this, they meet with the staff.
Jon gives them a lesson on the glass they should serve an old fashioned in.
He is astounded by the cooking process they use.
There is a Partender report that has been generate.
They are losing just over $100,000 in a year to overpouring.
Proper training and use of the correct glassware can help that.
The experts are expert mixologist Mia Mastroianni and expert chef Vic Vegas.
Mia gets started by testing the bartenders on making an old fashioned, one at a time.
Both drinks are wrong for various reasons.
Mia shows them how to make an old fashioned properly.
Vic trains them to make a proper meatball sandwich.
For the stress test, Jon clarifies who does what.
Kari wants to jump in the kitchen but she is told to manage and not micromanage her staff.
The customers are let in.
Jon will be putting hockey pucks in a bucket for every mistake the staff makes.
Mistakes at the bar earn some pucks.
They get delayed with every drink they dump due to incomplete ingredients.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, orders pile up but as the food is made, no one comes to pick it up.
While the food is cold, it is picked up but they do not know where the food goes.
Soon, raw food comes out of the kitchen and drinks do not look the same.
The orders are overwhelming the kitchen.
They don't know where the orders go so the last puck is dropped and the night is ended.
The next day, Mia has some new tools for them and she trains them further on using them.
The staff are glad to learn to use the tools.
Jon sits with the owners to get insight into what the success of the bar would mean to them.
They are finally committed to turning the passing of their son into a positive from the negativity they have been wallowing in.
Days later, the staff and community are gathered for the unveiling.
The name has been changed to Blue Line Tavern.
The name still has a connection to hockey.
Indoors, the bar finally has some life with pops of color on the background of warm wood.
One whole wall is a hockey rink mural and there is a photo of their son in a hockey uniform.
Donnie is present for the relaunch and gifts the couple hockey tickets for a weekend in Las Vegas.
He also gifts them some of his brand name Cognac.
They have new table tops, stone finishes and SkyTab POS systems with tablets.
There is a subscription to Partender, two new ice machines and a new draft beer system.
The couple are overwhelmed and extremely grateful.
The bar is opened, and the owners let customers in.
Kari is transformed as she is an owner but still steps in to help when needed.
Mia is also proud of the bartenders.
A staff member dresses up as a referee and takes customers to a timeout box to take shots.
Customers love the ambiance.
What Happened Next at Top Shelf Sports Bar and Grille?
Six weeks later, they had some immediate success with new customers and increased sales.
However, many of the staff left their roles.
As a result Kari has not been able to step away from the bar.
Top Shelf Sports Bar and Grille is open.
The bar was renamed to Blue Line Tavern.
The owners kept the new name.
Reviews are mostly positive.
There is praise for the food, service and drinks.
There are some negative reviews on service but these seem to be due to the staffing issues.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - Harbor Lights
Next episode - Pete's Cutting Board Reuben Tavern and Grill
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