In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Slotzy’s Bar and Grill in Worden, Illinois.
Slotzy’s Bar and Grill is owned by Nick Lang.
He took over the bar in 2022 when his father retired after owning it for 30 years.
The bar has a lot of slot machines and is well known for them.
When Nick took over, he hired a manager, Mel, and set up a drinks and food menu.
He left her in charge of his complicated menus, and she is not thriving in the role.
This is affecting the bar as there is no consistency.
The bar has four cooks, which is also not helping with consistency.
The bar is losing money.
Mel has been offered the bar after Nick retires, so she is invested.
Jon is in the surveillance trailer with comedian Cat Timpf.
Jon introduces the bar, and they discover that the bar is off Route 66.
He introduces the owner and his staff and sees how clueless they are.
Two radio personalities are sent in as spies.
They order off the extensive menu, and the items have strange names.
They watch the bartender make the drinks.
Her fingers are in the drink and on the edges.
In the kitchen, the cook is inconsistent and cooks on a dirty grill.
Before the spies eat the food that they ordered, Jon and Cat go in to stop them.
They taste the food, and the meat is rubbery and tastes like charcoal.
Jon tells them what he saw and calls the owner and manager to see the bad food.
Jon lays into them for the bad practices he has seen at the bar before he leaves.
The next day, the staff and owner gather to meet with him.
Jon asks basic questions, and they give him responses with no standards or consistency.
Jon has the numbers report, and the slot machines are helping.
Without them, the business would have lost $29,000 a month.
Nick says Mel has a passion for the bar, but Jon points out that it doesn’t look like it.
Mel is moved to tears, claiming she does have a connection to the bar but is not properly supported.
Jon introduces the experts: expert mixologist Rebecca Dowda and expert chef Brad Miller.
The staff is trained before the stress test.
Rebecca tests the bartenders' skills in making a basic Margarita.
They flail, as they have no idea of the ingredients, tools, or even the recipe.
She takes them through making another basic cocktail.
Brad tests them on making steak for a salad and later trains them on making it the proper way.
They all train before the stress test.
The customers are let in along with a mountain of orders.
Things are off to a slow start, and Mel is instructed to be a manager for the night.
After some time, no one has been served, and tickets are lined up in the kitchen.
They make big mistakes with the temperature.
Drinks made are taken to the wrong customers.
Food is sent back to the kitchen at the wrong temperatures.
The kitchen is a mess, and Jon is so upset that he has Nick throw in the towel.
They are unable to recover, as it will take an hour and a half to get through all the tickets.
Mel is overwhelmed by the experience and moved to tears.
When all the customers are let out, Jon sits with his experts to see what the bar needs.
They decide on a prohibition theme to attract more people from the competition.
The next day, the staff are trained on making a new and easy cocktail called a French 75, which is popular in the area.
Jon sits with the owner and manager.
He tells them of all the processes and systems that he will put in place that the bar is lacking.
Jon wants Nick to set Mel up for success.
Nick admits Mel has proven herself to want to carry on the legacy of the bar.
He believes it will be in good hands.
After days of work, the renovations are complete.
The staff is all gathered for the grand reopening.
The bar is unveiled, and the new name is Vitale’s Hideaway Prohibition Bar and Grill.
The exterior has been revamped with bright colors that will be eye-catching.
Nick loves the new theme, and they go inside.
Inside, the space has been revamped to be warmer and more inviting.
There are wood finishes from the prohibition era.
Nick is moved to tears, and he hugs Jon.
They have two stations with POS systems, a subscription to Partender, new bar tools, and supplies.
There is a glass chiller, ceiling tiles, and brick wall detailing, along with a hidden room with a secret drink.
They quickly set up and let customers in for the relaunch.
On relaunch, customers love the new ambience, and orders come through.
Mel starts managing immediately.
Drinks and food are moving out fast and are of high quality.
Nick is backing up Mel and the kitchen staff.
They read the tickets, knowing where orders go, so there are no mix-ups.
What Happened Next at Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill / Vitale's Hideaway Gaming Bar and Grill?
Six weeks later, business has improved significantly since the rescue.
The new concept is a hit with the community, which embraced the mobster branding.
Mel is still managing the bar and is on the path to ownership whenever Nick retires.
Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill / Vitale's Hideaway Gaming Bar and Grill is open.
They have kept the new name and concept.
Reviews are mostly positive, with praise for the food and staff.
Click for more Bar Rescues
Previous episode - Club 21
Next episode - Main Street Hideaway
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