Havana Haven Lounge / Bimini Bay - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Havana Haven Lounge in Powder Springs, Georgia.

Havana Haven Lounge is owned by Cassandra and Edward Dallas.

They are a divorced couple who bought the bar in 2024.

Neither had any experience and Edward wanted to open a classy, cigar bar.

He soon discovered that indoor smoking isn't allowed in the bar.

Stuck on what to do, they decided to carry on with a Cuban theme but minus the cigars.

Jon and the experts watch from the surveillance van.

In the kitchen, the cook puts a piece of frozen salmon directly on the grill.

The salmon should be defrosted for 24 hours before being grilled.

The packaging is opened, and it is being defrosted in the hand sink.

The printer is printing ticket after ticket and they are not being removed from the printer.

The issue is that the printer is above a box of old tickets, so if it falls off the end, the order will be lost.

The bar is so far behind with the service but Edward is sitting playing on his phone.

Someone asks him if they order a burger, does it come with fries, and he says that he has no idea.

He also says that the kitchen is nothing to do with him.

His guests have not been given a menu.

The cook is cooking one meal at a time, and they sit on the pass with no heat lamp.

There is also no mats on the floor, which is a violation.

The salmon dish is received by the customer, who picks at it and pulls a face.

Jon decides that he has seen enough and goes in to confront Edward.

He goes into the kitchen and immediately tells them to stop cooking.

Jon tells the cook that they won't be allowing anything to be served from there.

He explains to Edward everything that he saw with the frozen salmon.

Edward doesn't know that you aren't meant to cook salmon from frozen.

This is despite buying the salmon every day.

Jon shows him the trail of tickets and Edward admits that he doesn't know what he is doing.

Jon continues in the kitchen, showing him the meat sitting at room temperature.

He pulls out the chicken as it is not in a food service container, which is illegal.

This will make someone sick, and the cook can't be properly trained, as Edward does not know what he is doing.

Jon sits down with the owners.

They reveal that they have just 2 weeks before they would have to close.

The staff is shocked that they may need to be looking for a new job shortly.

Jon says that Edward thinks that because they are still open, they haven't failed.

But Jon sees being so close to closure as a failure, as do the staff.

Being $400,000 in debt is his failure.

Edward finally admits that he has failed and promises to step up.

During the stress test, Jon is in the kitchen.

A customer ordered 8 wings and only got 4 wings.

It turns out the wrong wings went to the wrong table.

They fire the remaining wings for her, but there is no receipt.

At the bar, Edward struggles to make drinks.

In the kitchen, there are 15 tickets and a 30-minute wait.

Neither Edward nor Cassandra is any help as neither can cook nor make drinks.

Jon speaks with the owners and tells them there is an hour wait for drinks and food.

It is better to stop the stress test than to carry on.

Jon asks the customers to come back in two days.

His team works on the bar, giving it a makeover.

The owners, staff, and customers are gathered outside the bar two days later.

The bar has been renamed to Bimini Bay.

There is new signage that is bright and inviting.

The theme is now an island bar.

The bar has been brightened up with new lighting and brighter colours.

Edward loves the new look of the bar.

There are new sinks, new plumbing and a new SkyTab POS with a handheld.

There is a subscription to Partender, a brand new Manitowoc Ice Machine and a whole new kitchen.

What Happened Next at Havana Haven Lounge?

Havana Haven Lounge is closed.

They closed in October 2025.

Reviews stopped around this time but there was no closure announced.

The website went down in 2026.

With being so close to closure during the filming of episode, this is not a huge surprise.

The episode was filmed in June 2025, so they lasted 4 months, more than the 2 weeks they had left on the show.

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Previous episode - Big Dog Saloon

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Big Dog Saloon - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Big Dog Saloon in Mt. Dora, Florida.

Big Dog Saloon is owned by Paulette Monaco.

The bar was originally bought by Don Johnson.

He offered her a third ownership stake to manage the bar.

Don sadly passed away, leaving her to run the bar.

Struggling to run the bar, she asked her daughter and her husband for help.

Her son-in-law, Josh, is in the surveillance van with Jon.

The spies order their drinks, and he asks the bartender to pick a drink with Bourbon.

She suggests a simple bourbon and Coke for him.

The other spy asks for a margarita.

Jon comments that it is hard to mess up a simple drink like a bourbon and Coke.

He also notices that due to the shortball glass that is going to be used, it is going to be too strong.

The first thing that he says after sampling the drink is that it was strong.

He has also noticed that there are many fruit flies up at the bar with them.

In the footage, we see a large swarm of fruit flies coming from the bar.

One of the spies asks for a food menu and is offered pizzas and popcorn.

Jon watches as the cook gets a frozen pizza out of the freezer.

They also comment that it is an expensive pizza that has been bought at a store and not from a wholesaler.

The cook ties her hair up in the kitchen.

Jon notices that Paulette isn't interacting with any of the staff or bartenders.

As the food arrives, the spies have to bat away even more flies from it.

Jon says that he has seen enough, and it is sad as it is pulling down Nikki and him.

Josh tells Jon that he has four children and doesn't have the money to throw at the bar.

Jon enters the bar with Josh and asks for Paulette.

In the bar, he runs a cloth around the ice bin and finds that it is covered in black mold.

The whole ice bin area is covered in black mold.

The customers put down their drinks as they discover there is mold in the ice.

Jon rubs a glass in the mold and offers it to a bartender who had seen the mold.

He tells them that they have no pride and won't help them unless Paulette cleans the bar.

Jon meets with Paulette and Josh.

He explains that as the bar declines, the quality and quantity of customers decline as the customers' mix lowers.

This also means that they spend less.

Jon tells them that they need to get more people in and people willing to spend money.

He tells the staff that he was so angry because the staff is heavily praised.

They are just let down by the state of the bar.

For the stress test, Jon is going to pack the bar to find out where the issues are.

The staff had told Jon that there were no bugs in the liquor bottles.

Jon reveals that he snuck back into the bar the previous night after they had all left.

He brings out a liquor bottle that is infested with flies.

Jon's team works on the bar, and the new look of the bar is revealed.

They didn't change the name of the bar.

The bar has been brightened up with new lighting and given a more modern look.

There is a tribute behind the bar.

All the plumbing and soda guns have been replaced.

There is a new SkyTab POS system with a handheld unit and a subscription to Partender.

There is a whole new audiovisual system and a whole new kitchen with new equipment.

Jon tells the staff to get ready for the relaunch.

What Happened Next at Big Dog Saloon?

Big Dog Saloon is open, with new owners.

The bar closed in December 2025.

They held a party to mark the closure.

The site was sold to a developer, Big Dogs Mount Dora LLC, who is affiliated with G3 Development.

The developer reopened the bar with the same name.

It has positive reviews since it reopened in 2026.

Nikki now works at Fat Cats bar.

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Previous episode - VFW Post 8093

Next episode - Havana Haven Lounge

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VFW Post 8093 - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits VFW Post 8093.

Jon meets with the bar manager of the post and asks how the base is run.

She tells him that it could use some TLC, and there is some drama now and again.

There is no leadership, and some in-house arguing takes place.

In the kitchen, the cook has around 3 months of experience in the kitchen.

The bartender tells the expert that the bar sucks.

The customers like the food, branding it really good.

Jon meets with John, who explains it is a 7-person committee that oversees the post.

John is the Post Commander.

Jay is the Committee Chairman.

He is told that the members run the post, but Jon asks who oversees that.

Different things are overseen by John or Jay.

The cook seems to have established the issues and tells the expert that the politics are the issue.

If that were resolved, it would help him in his role.

John represents the members, and Jay gets what they need done.

They often clash over being able to make decisions for the post.

Jon tells them that every other post he has worked with has a clear chain of command.

Jon questions if he asks the staff who the commander is and who is in charge, would they be able to answer?

To prove his point, Jon calls a meeting after the service.

He asks the staff who their boss is.

One member of the staff says that Paula is their boss.

Paula says that her boss is the Committee, with 7 bosses.

Jon says that even in the biggest corporations in the world, there are not 7 bosses.

He asks what happens if they disagree, and Paula says it is a problem.

She suggests that it has happened multiple times before.

Jon asks if it closes tomorrow, who is held accountable?

Everyone points to the post commander.

Jon asks, then why is the committee able to overrule the commander?

The staff doesn't agree with this, but Jon shuts that line down.

He tells them that the committee chairman does the schedule, but the commander runs the place.

This does not make sense to him.

The chairman should not be involved in the day-to-day operation of the post.

Jon reveals that he spoke to the District Commander, who also thinks that their structure is ridiculous.

The District Commander has had to come in to resolve disputes between the two of them.

After the meeting, Jon sits with John and Jay to discuss the politics and procedures.

Jon wants to replace the beer sales with cocktail sales to increase profit.

The bar staff will need to push the cocktails to the patrons.

The food menu will also be more profitable.

With these new things in place, they can focus on supporting the veterans.

John and Jay agree to support each other.

For the next few days, Jon's team will work on renovating the bar.

As with most of the VFW rescues, they don't change the name.

The sign for the post is now lit up.

They have painted the exterior darker to make the sign pop out more.

Inside, they have new furniture, and the bar looks warmer and more inviting.

The dining room has tablecloths and seat covers, with a red, white, and blue theme.

In the bar, they have a new custom wall with USA imagery.

They have a new SkyTab POS system with two handheld units.

There is a subscription to Partender to manage their inventory.

There is new brickwork detailing, screens, lighting, and more.

A charity supporting veterans, Tunnels to Towers, will be at the bar that evening.

Jon has written them a cheque for $10,000.

The production company has matched this with their own $10,000 donation.

As have the network, who have also given a cheque for $10,000.

Jon tells them that they have inspired him this week.

What Happened Next at VFW Post 8093?

VFW Post 8093 is open.

Jon doesn't usually rename the VFW branches, so the name is the same.

Reviews are mostly positive.

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Previous episode - 615 District

Next episode - Big Dog Saloon

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615 District - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits 615 District in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

615 District is owned by Markita Medaries.

Her boyfriend, Marcus, is the manager.

Neither has any experience in the bar industry.

The spies order a margherita with sugar around the rim and a Manhattan.

The bartender makes one drink at a time and very slowly.

She acts like she doesn't know where anything in the bar is.

One drink is served while the bartender makes the second drink.

The margarita tastes like dishwater.

The bartender can't make the drink as she can't find the Vermouth.

They order food or try to, but they are out of meatloaf.

The spies decide to order the lobster tail, and Jon and the spies say how risky of a choice the order is.

They also ordered a hamburger steak with spaghetti and collard greens.

The cook puts the meat on the grill, and it is grey and pink.

The meat is clearly off.

Jon and the experts notice that everything is pre-cooked and stored in bags before being served.

One of the spies spits out the hamburger steak.

The lobster was overcooked and sat on the grill for nearly 20 minutes, turning it into leather.

The experts decide to go into the bar.

The expert chef asks how long things have been cooking, and they admit they've lost track.

They also find that they actually do have some meatloaf left and are not out.

The expert mixologist asks the spies how their drinks were.

They say that the drinks are unflavorful.

The bartender says that she asked how the drinks were, and they said that they liked them.

The spy says she said it was okay, not that she liked it.

The bartender is upset with their comments and walks away from the bar.

In the kitchen, there are dangerous practices with a risk of fire from the fryers.

A fire would be catastrophic, as the fire protection measures are not working due to being covered in caked-on grease.

The kitchen has not been cleaned, with caked-on grease on everything.

In the bar, the glasses are sticky as they are directly on the shelf.

There are flies and debris in the bottles that have not been refrigerated.

There is mold in the ice machine.

The expert says that Jon may even leave due to the poor state, as it shows no care for the bar.

The next day, Jon goes into the bar and meets the owners and staff.

During the stress test he is not happy as the customers do not like the food.

They won't even take a bite of the food due to how poor it looks.

Jon says if the food is going to come out looking like that to not even bother sending it out.

He speaks with some customers who tell him that they have been waiting for 30 minutes just to order.

The customers say that the food is bland and they haven't finished it.

They are still hungry and not happy.

The stress test is shut down.

Over the next few days, Jon's team worked on renovating the bar.

The owner, staff, and customers are gathered at night to reveal the new bar.

The bar has been renamed to The Southern Still, with new signage.

Jon tells them that they need good food to be able to survive in the town.

Inside, the bar is warmer with darker tones rather than the previous clinical white.

There are two new pool tables, new screens, and new signage.

They have new lighting, bar stools, a wine cooler, and a back bar.

There are two new workstations with their own sink.

They have a SkyTab POS system with a handheld tablet.

The sound system has been overhauled, and they have a Partender subscription.

What Happened Next at 615 District?

615 District is open.

The name of the bar was changed to Southern Still.

They have kept the name.

Reviews have been mostly positive since the episode.

There is praise for both the service and the food.

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Previous episode - Urban Pie

Next episode - VFW Post 8093

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Urban Pie - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Urban Pie in Atlanta, Georgia.

Urban Pie is owned by Lisa Curtis.

For the recon, Jon has sent in two of the biggest food influencers in the state.

Kristen Truett and Angie Green both have large followings on social media.

Jon wants them to order a selection of drinks and especially food to give their opinion.

Angie orders a drink called Respect Your Elder, and Kristen orders an old-fashioned.

The old-fashioned is poured out of a can rather than being hand-made.

The bartender over-shakes the drink, and Angie isn't impressed.

Kristen can taste that the drink isn't fresh.

They ordered food, including a margherita pizza and a calzone.

The dough in the kitchen is wrinkled and looks awful.

Jon says to Rob that he has never seen chicken that looks like that.

Rob explains it is from a plastic bag, as the dough is frozen.

He is surprised as Chef Q looks like he is experienced in pizza.

Q is handling the dough well, but all of the ingredients are pre-prepared.

The sauce is from a can, and the cheese is pre-grated.

The calzone is overstuffed, so it won't be cooked properly.

An order of pasta was returned to the kitchen as it was not the correct order.

Jon and Rob enter the bar to meet with the recon spies to hear their opinions.

They sample some of the food that the spies received.

Rob brands the pizza a flop, as despite the fresh basil, the dough has let it down.

There is too much cheese, and the chunks are raw tomato.

The tomato isn't even an Italian variety, and there is no mozzarella.

The cheese that they use is cakey, and the bottom is burnt.

It is given a 4/10 by Angie, a 3/10 by Kristen, and Rob says they are being generous.

They barely ate the pizza, and both spies are pizza people.

The calzone is dry because there is too much cheese and pepperoni.

It is also still raw inside, as there was too much filling.

Rob says that it could make someone sick.

Jon meets with Lisa to discuss issues at the bar.

He thinks that the plastic cups make it not look like an adult bar.

The cartoon artwork on the exterior also makes it look like a children's playground.

Jon doesn't think it would attract young, hip customers to the bar.

Kids won't want to come to a bar, and adults don't want to come to a child's bar.

Jon says that they've blown it either way.

Lisa says she is exhausted and lets things go, and hopes things will change without making the changes.

She tells the staff that they are losing $8000 a month, $440,000 in total.

Lisa is about to lose her father's truck, and she can only stay open for two more months.

Jon introduces his experts.

They observe the bar staff and kitchen staff.

The experts train the staff on improving their pours and the food.

During the stress test, Jon has asked customers to use the stopwatch on their phones.

He wants to time how long it takes for food and drink to come out.

The bartenders struggle to mix drinks fresh, and there is little room behind the bar.

A customer receives their drink in three minutes, and it is good.

Jon encourages them to speed up, but the bartenders are nervous.

They discover that the pizza oven isn't working properly, and they are down to one oven.

The bartenders hold the glasses rather than put them on the bar to make the drinks.

Jon shows them the dangers of a busy bar.

Someone could get injured by a broken glass, or it could break into the ice bin, stopping service.

In nearly 10 minutes, no food has left the kitchen.

Jon's team has worked on the bar for two days.

Lisa, the staff, and customers have gathered at night for the reveal.

The bar has not been renamed, but bar and pizzeria have been added to the signage.

The exterior has been repainted, so it looks more grown-up and modern.

Inside, the bar is colourful and modern with matching tables and chairs.

Lisa is very grateful and hugs Jon.

Jon has given them another workstation, a SkyTab POS system with handhelds, and a subscription to Partender.

Orlando Foods has donated flour for dough and tomatoes for the sauce.

They have working ovens and a new mixer to make their own dough.

Caleb has been given a chef jacket, and there are new t-shirts for the other staff.

Lisa says that they loved her when she didn't have good pizza, and imagine how they will now.

What Happened Next at Urban Pie?

Urban Pie is open.

Reviews are mostly positive, especially for the new pizza.

There are a few complaints about service and some about food items.

They held a watch party for the episode at the bar.

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Previous episode - Hurricane Creek Saloon

Next episode - 615 District

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Hurricane Creek Saloon - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Hurricane Creek Saloon in Melbourne, Florida.

Hurricane Creek Saloon is owned by Randy Bennett.

Jon has sent in Former Miss Florida Kylie Blakely and her friend Monica for recon.

She is local to the area and knows the bars in the area and what to expect from them.

Monica orders a Watermelon Crawl, and Kylie orders The Redneck Girl.

They order a grilled cheese and try to order pizza, but there is none available.

Kylie orders a burger instead.

The drinks look awful, and Monica says her drink is sour and she would not have ordered it.

They are offered samples from their frozen daiquiri range on offer by Randy.

Monica orders water due to being offered cups and cups of sugar, essentially.

They don't like some of the samples she has been given.

They watch the chef preparing the grilled cheese and are concerned that he is going to cut his finger off.

Randy is refilling the daiquiri machines, a job that should be delegated to the bar staff.

The burger is swimming in grease, and it soaks into the bun.

They sample the food and are not impressed.

Kylie immediately notices the oil and squashes the burger, leading to more oil coming out, which she drains off.

Monica's grilled cheese doesn't have much chicken in it.

She also thinks the chicken is frozen and the sandwich is greasy.

The food was taken away, and Jon decided to enter the bar to speak with them.

Jon meets with Randy, who describes the bar as a country-themed bar/restaurant.

But Jon questions what in the bar says country; he sees nothing that shows what their theme is.

The zebra wood doesn't fit the theme, nor does the wide range of frozen drinks.

Part of the theme says bikini bar, and nothing makes any sense.

The bartenders all agree that there is no identity, but Randy struggles to accept that there is no theme.

Jon sits with Randy to talk about the bar, and he tells Jon that honouring his parents means a lot to him.

Jon tells him to make it count, and he'll have a new bar to do that.

He says to seize the change, and Jon tells him that he believes in him.

Jon knows he can be successful with the bar and asks for commitment from Jon.

The team works on the bar over the next 48 hours.

Randy, the bartenders, and customers are gathered outside at night for the reveal.

The bar has been renamed to Neon Rodeo, with new signage and lighting.

The bar is more youthful with the aim of drawing in a younger crowd.

Inside, the bar has been completely changed.

There is new artwork, lighting, and equipment.

There are new workstations, new SkyTab POS systems, two handheld units, and a Partender subscription.

They have an Easy Brew to be able to create their own beer.

The bar has a new vibe with the lower lighting, and is more suited for date nights.

They have an electronic stage that can be lowered when a band is on, or the area can be used as a dance floor.

What Happened Next at Hurricane Creek Saloon / Neon Rodeo?

Hurricane Creek Saloon is open.

Jon renamed the bar to Neon Rodeo.

Randy did not keep the new name as he felt that it didn't fit the bar.

After the episode was filmed, the owners said that they are thankful for Jon's help.

Reviews are mostly positive; there is praise for the food, but a few complaints about service.

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Previous episode - Happenchance Social Lounge

Next episode - Urban Pie

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Happenchance Social Lounge - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Happenchance Social Lounge in Nolensville, Tennessee.

Happenchance Social Lounge is owned by Dillan and Amanda.

Amanda was a criminal defence attorney.

Dillan didn't have a career so they decided to open a bar.

They spent $250,000 to open the bar.

Amandas parents lent them $250,000.

Jon does surveillance with Chris Kirkpatrick from NSYNC.

He has made the leap from the band to investing in the bar and restaurant industry.

Chris has also been a patron at many, many bars around the world during his career.

Jon tells him about the local demographics - the locals are wealthier and older than average.

They look at the exterior and don't think it looks too bad.

Jon doesn't like the grafitti on the walls as it looks almost grungey.

The seperation in the word cocktails does not look upscale.

Jon asks what is in the bottle and it is a pre mixed drink.

He thinks that it cheapens the experience as the customer does not see the drink made.

The customer also has no idea what they are getting as the branded liquor can be replaced with cheaper alternatives.

Jon asks the owner what she wanted the place to be and she says "fun".

He tells her that the income of the locals is twice the national average and 64% is married.

Jon doesn't think that fun fits the upscale neighbourhood.

He has to question why they have the word "c*ck" in huge letters...

They are not pleased to hear his opinion that their bar sucks.

During the stress test, one tables hasn't received food and drinks after 20 minutes.

They also have no water in their glasses.

One table has their food but no drinks.

The majority of the tables have no drinks but have received food.

The kitchen is outperforming the bar.

This is because many of the drinks are being dumped due to errors.

The staff are also working slowly.

Rob tells Jon that they have put out three drinks in 20 minutes.

In the kitchen they are doing well but speed is also an issue.

Jon shows Amanda a huge pile of printed tickets that the staff have yet to even look at.

Jon brands the stress test a failure it would take at least 2 and a half hours for them to catch up.

Jons team works on the bar over the next few days.

The staff and owners are gathered outside the bar at night for the reveal.

The bar has been renamed to The Regal Room.

They have new signage from a local company sending the message that they are upscale.

Inside, the bar has a more upscale feel with updated lighted and is homey and warm with dining nooks.

The space has been split into a lounge area and dining area.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Happenchance Social Lounge?

Happenchance Social Lounge / The Regal is open.

They have kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive, there is praise for the food.

There are however, a handful of complaints about service.

Sometimes once an episode has aired there are some fake reviews.

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Previous episode - Blu Rose Art Bistro

Next episode - Hurricane Creek Saloon

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Blu Rose Art Bistro - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Blu Rose Art Bistro in Douglasville, Georgia.

Blu Rose Art Bistro is owned by Michelle and Nate Jones.

Jon has sent in Kevin and Mercedes as his spies for the recon.

He is watching the recon with Expert Chef Anthony Lamas.

Kevin orders the Island Rum Punch.

Mercedes orders the Blu Rose Margherita.

Michelle doesn't know is they have Mescal and has to ask.

Kevin orders the Catfish and Fried Green Tomatoes.

In the kitchen the shrimp is sat on top of flour, that should be thrown as it has been contaminated.

The bar is not set up for more than one bartender making drinks.

The cook uses the contaminated flour for the fried green tomatoes.

This could be dangerous to someone with a shellfish allergy.

The fish was dipped in the same milk mix/dredge as the meat, veg and shrimp.

The drinks arrive at the table.

The margerita tastes like a sour Koolaid.

Jon rushes in as he won't let them eat the contaminated food.

He tells them not to eat the food as he enters, just as they are about to eat.

Jon sits with Michelle and Nate to discuss the bar.

She paid around $200,000 for the bar five years ago and they have not made money.

They also have a $200,000 SBA loan, taking the debt to $400,000.

Jon tells them that the outside doesn't make any sense to him.

He doesn't like the artwork and the drink is too sweet.

Jon says that Michelle looks but she doesn't see the issues at the bar.

Nate says that it bothers him but uses the excuse that she's never run a restaurant before.

Jon questions her passion for the business.

During the stress test, Jon calls for the staff to get some drinks out to the customers.

Mark is running around doing everything from making drinks to serving food.

Food is taken to customers without silverware.

Jon points this out to Michelle, telling her they are disorganised with every table.

Mark starts to panic behind the bar.

In the kitchen, a lot of the equipment is not working.

Jon raises the white flag and abandons the stress test.

There is no staff, silverware, POS system and food is sitting on the counter.

A stopwatch reveals that a customer has not received a drink in 26 minutes.

Jon doesn't want the customers to sit there and suffer.

They have blown it as far as Jon is concerned.

It is clear that drinks will not be coming out any time soon and the same with food.

The owners are in denial that they have blown it so Jon asks the customers who agree with him.

Jon wants to close it down and get on with the training needed for the staff.

The owners and staff are gathered at night to reveal the new bar.

The bar has been slightly renamed to Blu Rose Art Bar.

Jon explains that as it is a historical building they aren't able to make many changes.

They have been given a brighter sign.

Inside, they have continued with the blue colour scheme and added more artwork.

The chairs and tables have been replaced.

There are easels allowing for artwork to be created in the bar.

The pieces of artwork have spotlights on them.

They have two new workstations, ice bins, soda guns and a new hand sink.

There are two new SkyTab POS systems with two handhelds.

They have a subscription to Partender and all new bar products including glassware and silverware.

They will be serving Taffer's own bourbon in the bar.

He will be giving them exclusivity in the state for a month.

Local companies did the plumbing and electrical work.

They have all new kitchen equipment and a new Mantioc ice machine.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Blu Rose Art Bistro?

Blu Rose Art Bistro / Blu Rose Art Bar is open.

They have kept their slightly changed name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

There is praise for the food but a few complaints about service.

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Previous episode - Alley Cat Bar and Grill / Chase's Garage

Next episode - Happenchance Social / The Regal Room

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Alley Cat Bar and Grill / Chase's Garage - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Alley Cat Bar and Grill in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Alley Cat Bar and Grill is owned by Chase Martin.

Jon has sent in his experts, chef Nick Liberato and mixologist Nick Ortega, to spy on the bar.

Chef Nick orders a margarita on the rocks, and Nick asks for a cocktail menu.

He is told that there isn't a menu, but she tells him to order what he wants, and she will make it.

Mixologist Nick orders a Long Island.

Jon notices that there is no pourer on the bottle and the glass is too big.

A bigger glass means more liquor needs to be in the drink to be able to taste it.

Jon says that with college prices, they won't make money like that.

Chef Nick orders some food. He orders wings, mozzarella sticks, and a smash burger.

The experts try their drinks.

The Long Island is their own take on the drink and it is not good.

On the Margherita, the lime garnish is old.

The bartender walks the handwritten order through to the kitchen and explains it to the cook.

The cook, BJ, is washing dishes so that they can make the order.

They have dropped the food in the fryer, but it isn't even turned on or up to temperature, already ruining it.

The chicken is store bought, and the cook is handling everything after touching raw chicken.

Becka is standing by and watching the cook working, but not commenting on or noticing the poor practices.

The cook pours sauces into dirty bottles and puts them into smaller pots.

Jon has seen enough and goes into the bar.

He goes into the kitchen to speak with the cook.

The cook has no experience, as he was working security and was thrown into the kitchen.

He wanted to keep his job, so he did what he had to do.

There is mould in the kitchen, and the fruit in the bar is old.

The equipment in the kitchen is broken, as there is a dead rat in there.

During the stress test, customers are left waiting for both food and drinks.

The staff walk around with drinks and food with no idea where anything is going despite having tickets in their hands.

One bartender, Chevy (?) is friendly and welcoming, but another has shut down completely and is trying to focus on making drinks only.

Jon says that he has seen enough and shuts down the stress test.

He invites the customers back in two days.

Jon's team works on the bar for over two days.

At night, Chase, the staff, and customers gather for the reveal of the new bar.

The bar has been renamed to Chase's Garage.

There is new signage, and the exterior has been repainted.

Chase loves the look of the new bar from the outside.

Jon encourages the customers to come and spend some money in the bar.

They enter the bar and are blown away by the changes as the garage theme continues inside.

They have been given two new workstations, two new soda guns, and a new triple sink.

SkyTab has provided two new POS systems with three mobile units.

There is a Partender subscription and all new barware.

PJ has been given a chef's jacket.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Alley Cat Bar and Grill / Chase's Garage?

Alley Cat Bar and Grill is open.

During the rescue, the bar was renamed to Chase's Garage.

They have kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive, with praise for the atmosphere and service.

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Previous episode - Game Room and Social Club / The Cask

Next episode - Blu Rose Art Bistro

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Game Room and Social Club / The Cask - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Game Room and Social Club in Orlando, Florida.

Game Room and Social Club is owned by Tim Garito.

He owns a business called Garito and Co.

They appear to be a commericial real estate company.

He bought another bar next door called the Sly Fox Pub.

The Sly Fox was profitable when he bought it and it is still making money.

He decided upon having success with one bar to open another next door.

When he bought The Game Room it was an Irish bar.

The vision was an upscale gaming place for customers to have something to do rather than sit on their phones.

The Game Room is failing and losing $6000 a month, eating into the profit from the successful bar next door.

Jon is surveiiling the bar with Chef Nick Liberato and Mixologist Alli Torres.

He can see from the van how messy the bar is and questions why.

There is no manager or procedures.

The kitchen is actually in the Sly Fox and Rob brings the food over when it is ready.

Nick can see that the fryers are filthy, with dirty oil that is not up to temperature.

Tim is walking some food down the sidewalk and stops to give someone directions.

Dr Michael Anis and Johnny Magic are the spies.

Michael is a Doctor of Internal Medicine and Johnny is a local radio personality.

Jon wants to hear Michael's opinion of how filthy the bar is.

He also wants to hear what he thinks about food being at an incorrect temperature.

The spies order an old fashioned from bartender Sway.

They think that the drink is watered down and bland.

The bartender doesn't check in to see how the drinks are.

Johnny is overly polite about how bad the drinks were.

The spies order food.

Johnny orders mozarella sticks and a chicken wrap.

Michael orders jalapeno poppers and chicken tenders.

In the kitchen, the cook Rob is cutting raw chicken with a serrated knife.

He also uses a jaccarder on the chicken.

Rob is going back and forth to the fridge and touching things with raw chicken on his hands.

The experts feel like this should already be prepped ahead of the service.

The spies ask about the games on offer and are told they are out the back.

They are confused by a storage area with a rack of a few messily stacked board games.

They ask the bartender if the food is good and she says yes.

The experts note that he is using the same knife on the cooked chicken that they used on the raw chicken.

Jon is forced to go in to stop them eating the food.

He speaks with Tim about why he thinks it is failing and he blames inconsistency.

Jon says that he wants to show him why he is failing.

He is not impressed with the state of the bar and lays into owner Tim.

Jon questions Tim on why the bar has not been cleaned up.

There are brooms, paper supplies and an ashtray that has been left out.

There is a box filled with what looks like trash in a well and ice bin that Jon throws around.

The fruit behind the bar has mold on it and the straw holder is also filthy.

Everywhere Jon looks there is filth and he says that it not an upscale bar.

Jon reveals that he is breaking the law by not declaring that they are jacardding the meat.

For the stress test, the bartenders struggle with the drinks and many are poured away.

No one is running food, the cook is expected to leave and take the food.

Jon asks who has ordered food and they go next door.

The food is just sitting there, waiting for a runner.

The kitchen is stacked with tickets and Nick says that it isn't his fault.

Jon speaks with customers who haven't even ordered yet.

They run out of plates in the kitchen and are at 70 minutes for food.

Jons team work on the bar for two days.

The owners, staff and customers are gathered at night for the reveal.

The bar has been renamed to The Cask, with new brighter signage and call to actions.

Inside, there is new furniture and new lighting.

Tim says it now looks like he had imagined all those years ago and everything ties together.

There is a new finishing kitchen, so the prep can be done next door and finished in the bar.

They have new SkyTab POS Systems, a Partender subscription and new graphics.

Jon has given it more of a date night feel with low lighting and warm tones.

On relaunch night, Tim opens the bar.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Game Room and Social Club?

Game Room and Social Club is open.

The bar was renamed to The Cask.

They have kept the new name.

They have been slow in changing over the name on some online pages.

Reviews are mostly positive, service has been hit and miss at times.

They held a watch party at the bar for the episode.

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Previous episode - Bar 44 / Apex Social

Next episode - Alley Cat Bar and Grill / Chase's Garage

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Bar 44 / Apex Social - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Bar 44 in Marietta, Georgia.

Bar 44 is owned by Alade Aminu.

Alade is a former athlete; he was previously a professional basketball player.

He has played professionally for teams around the world.

Alade purchased the bar when he returned to his hometown.

He had no experience in the industry and decided to bring in a partner.

Gary Ellis was brought in due to his experience, and he was promised sweat equity.

If the bar was successful, he would take on some shared ownership of the bar.

Unfortunately, the bar has not been as successful as the pair had hoped.

Gary blames the young staff for the failure of the bar.

The staff blames his lack of management skills as a big part of the problem.

Alade is now in over $1 million of debt, and they are losing $15,000 a month.

It appears that Jon and Alade are the spies for the recon?

Their ordered drinks arrive, and Jon asks Armani if the drinks are consistent.

She says that she can already see that mistakes have been made on his drink.

Jon asks Gary to join them and calls him out on the bartenders not following the recipes.

Gary says that he is a partner in the place, but Jon says that he is not.

He has no ownership at all, and Alade is financing the place.

Gary admits that he has not improved but is trying.

The food arrives, the jerk chicken fries look good, but Jon is given plastic cutlery rather than silverware.

Jon calls Gary out on how lazy it is and the poor impression that it gives.

The next morning, Jon meets with Alade, and he makes references to big brands like Amazon.

Jon says he is in denial about his strategy, especially as he has admitted he would have to close in 4 months.

During the stress test, the expert questions why the chicken isn't pre-prepared before the service to save time.

Multiple orders come through at once, but the cooks are still having to prep.

They are partially completing orders, and there is a lot of wasted movement.

There is no chicken or tortillas on the grill, despite orders waiting.

The bartenders are struggling to make the drinks and are not working the bar correctly.

Many drinks are dumped.

The next day, Jon meets the owners, and he says that he likes them but feels like they are in a fantasy land.

He thinks that they think the business is a brand and operating well, but Jon doesn't think they are as great as they think.

Jon introduces himself to the staff and talks to them about business at the bar.

Bartender Armani tells him that Saturday is their busiest night.

Jon believes that they have lost 60% of their Saturday business, and she confirms this.

Jon compares the bar to an empty basketball arena and questions the brand.

He reveals that he had googled him, and he doesn't feature in the top athletes from Georgia.

Jon basically makes it clear that, as far as he is concerned, Alade is not a brand and no one has heard of him.

(I think that is a bit unfair, as he does have a heavy online presence for his basketball career)

He says that the number 44 is irrelevant and they have lost $1.5million over three years.

Jon reveals the Partender report results, which reveal they have poured more than they sold.

They poured $8150 and sold $6750 worth of liquor in three days.

This is a loss of over $92,000 a year.

Their food costs at 50%, and they are barely making money on the food.

Jon says that anyone else would have fired Gary years ago.

He calls Gary one of the worst managers he has ever met.

Gary tells him that he is wrong; he knows the correct figures, so Jon says he is full of it.

He gets defensive, and Jon continues that he is all talk.

Jon tells Gary to admit the failures so they can move forward.

Alade vouches for him, and Jon calls him an idiot for standing up for the huge loss.

Jon says that he is going to change the brand, and if Alade wants to keep the brand, he will leave.

He says he is leaving the brand in the past and won't put money into something he doesn't believe in.

Alade is reluctant to drop the Bar 44 branding, despite the fact that it is failing.

Jon also wants Gary to admit he has failed too, and he is still defensive and failing to take ownership of the failure of the bar.

Eventually, he admits he has caused the failures at the bar.

The bar has been renamed to Apex Social, with new exterior signage.

At the time of writing, the episode is not available on demand, so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Bar 44?

Bar 44 is open.

The bar was renamed to Apex Social during the rescue.

Unsurprisingly, they did not keep the new name.

Reviews are positive with praise for the food (it didn't look too bad during the rescue).

There are several fake reviews based on the episode, particularly the owner/manager, rather than genuine visits.

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Previous episode - Main Street Hideaway / Kiki’s Chicago Bar

Next episode - Game Room and Social Club / The Cask

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Main Street Hideaway / Kiki’s Chicago Bar - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Main Street Hideaway in Ashland City, Tennessee.

Main Street Hideaway is owned by Darren and Kiki, a husband and wife team.

The bar is a family affair with both their daughter and son-in-law working at the bar.

It appears that the owners daughter Bella has reached out to Jon for the rescue as she is sat with him in the recon van.

Jon has asked Gregg, Josh and Sam from Craveworthy Brands to be the spies at the bar.

He refers to them as his A team of restaurant professionals and says they will give the best feedback.

The spies sit down at a table waiting for someone to serve them.

Bella tells Jon that they don't have a waitress.

A bartender brings them over some menus but tells them that they have to order at the bar.

They order an old fashioned, old fashioned with a bullet and a margherita.

Whilst the bar is busy her parents are on their phones, ignoring all that is happening in the bar.

The bartender doesn't have a muddler so instead he uses a zester.

The spies aren't impressed with the drinks and aren't eager for a second sip!

They order chicken wings, a burger and irish nachos.

They are called Irish nachos as they use fries instead of nacho chips.

Jon says that Bella's father looks like a broken man and says it must break her heart.

Darren gets off his chair when the spies order comes through to the kitchen.

He doesn't wash his hands before he starts preparing the food.

The cheese for the Irish Nachos is stored in a giant tub.

Jon questions how old the cheese in and Darren also agrees it is old and tips it into the bin.

Darren opens a new jar of fake cheese and puts it into a paper cup.

It is microwaved in the cup but the cup is not meant to be microwaved and the wax would leech into the cheese.

The spies ask for extra boats to share the nachos.

They aren't impressed with them as they are unsalted and taste of fake movie theatre cheese.

Darren handles a raw burger before touching the bun, leaving a thumb print.

Next, he handles the spices and touches various other places in the kitchen.

Jon tells Bella that her father doesn't care and he needs to get to the bottom of it.

He enters the bar with Bella to stop his friends from eating the burger.

Jon goes straight into the kitchen and confronts Darren about his not washing his hands.

He questions whether Darren or Kiki would want to eat the filthy spices they are adding to the food.

Jon calls Darren out about his poor practices.

He went outside for a cigarette and didn't wash his hands.

Darren is also not wearing gloves to handle the food.

Jon questions how clean the kitchen is.

The burgers aren't wrapped in the kitchen and the bottom ones are brown.

Jon questions whether he's an ahole who doesn't care, is ignorant or is lazy.

He questions Kiki on whether Darren learnt how to work the bar.

They reveal that they are running out of money.

Darren says that he doesn't know any different.

Jon tells Darren to clean the bar up overnight or he won't return the next day.

During the stress test, it becomes clear that the current set up of the bar isn't working.

The bartenders have to go from one side of the bar to the other for ice.

They are also lacking wells to make the drinks.

The food orders are taken by hand by one person, going to one table at a time.

In the kitchen, Darren is unsure of one of the orders as one order came in on and piece of paper.

He has also lost the piece of paper the order was on.

He is standing up tall and making multiple quesadillas.

Jon feels like he might have got through to him.

Out the front things are going wrong and no one has been served after 25 minutes.

Over a few days, Jon's team work on the bar.

The owners, staff and customers are gathered at night to reveal the new bar.

The bar has been given a makeover, mostly in the interior.

It has also been renamed to Kiki’s Chicago Bar and Grill and given new signage.

The owners are overwhelmed with the new look and hug Jon.

Jon talks about thhe influence that Chicago has over Nashville.

The bar is warmer with new brick accents and it is no longer dark and gloomy.

There are new bar stools and under bar lighting.

There is a new pool table and an upgraded stage with a shot chair.

SkyTab has given them two new POS systems.

They have two new workstations, each with an ice well.

Jon has also given them a subscription to Partender.

He worked with local companies to provide the plumbing and electrics.

At time of writing, the episode is not available on Demand so I have been unable to do a full recap.

What Happened Next at Main Street Hideaway?

Main Street Hideaway is open.

They have kept the new name, Kiki’s Chicago Bar and Grill.

Officially the name change wasn't registered until months after the show was filmed.

They hosted a watch party for the episode.

Reviews are mostly positive.

Some locals are sceptical about whether the theme fits the area.

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Previous episode - Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill

Next episode - Bar 44

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Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill / Vitale's Hideaway Gaming Bar and Grill - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

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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Club 21 / Rix Ranch - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has ask Dustin Drai to visit Club 21 in Goodells, Michigan.

Club 21 is owned by Dave Ricks.

He bought his first bar in 2014, but it failed and closed.

Dave tried again in 2017 with another bar, before getting a loan for Club 21 in 2019.

His daughter, Alex, came on as manager but had to start work elsewhere to make money for a living.

Meghan is a manager, but no one respects her or listens to her.

The bar has no leadership, training, or support for the staff.

Dave is in the hole for almost $1M from all his failed endeavors, including Club 21.

Dustin is sat in the surveillance truck with expert chef Vic Vegas, and expert mixologist Daniel Ponsky.

They think that the exterior is very uninspiring and it definitely does not look like a club.

Dustin introduces the dynamics of the bar, noting there are two managers.

They see that there are bugs in the drinks at the bar.

Their process for taking orders is pen and paper, with no POS in place for the staff to use.

Two local radio hosts are sent in as spies.

They are greeted, and they order a Bloody Mary.

The bartender cannot make a Moscow Mule because they have run out of one of the ingredients.

The drinks are thrown together haphazardly, and the spies hate the taste of them.

They order food, and they see the cook use thick slices of bologna with no seasoning.

The spies complain about the food to the owner, and he complains to the cook, who in turn offers excuses.

Dustin and the spies go into the bar to meet the owner and the manager, Meghan.

Dustin asks for the sales figures, and she shows him slips of paper.

Dave is even more clueless, as he has no system for admin.

Dave admits there are no systems or even training given to the staff.

The next day, the staff and owner are all gathered.

While Dustin is introducing himself, they recognize his business in Las Vegas.

Dave says he was humbled by the experience last night and is ready to take charge.

They know they are in debt but have no idea how much they are losing a month.

It is revealed that the manager and the owner are not there when the business closes.

This had happened the night before.

The friction between leadership is revealed, and Dave shows remorse at the state of the situation.

Dustin introduces the experts, and they get straight into training.

Daniel takes them through making a batch of Bloody Mary to make it easier and faster.

In the kitchen, Vic is training them on how to make a burger the right way.

They practice, and it is soon time for the stress test.

There are ten wanted posters of Dave on the wall.

With any major mistake, one will be pulled down.

The customers are let in, and orders go through.

It starts off really slow, with customers waiting, and staff needing instruction.

When only one drink has gone out and half the room has not given their order, a poster is taken down.

Six tickets are waiting to be processed in the kitchen, and that is after the ones that are currently being worked on.

Another poster is taken down due to the long wait times.

When the food goes out, a customer notices her tater tots are cold.

Two other customers have the same issue, so another poster is taken down.

Burgers are delayed due to the wait for fries to be ready.

The returned food is never fired again as the kitchen is too behind.

Bad drinks are sent back and spills occur behind the bar.

All the posters get pulled down, and the stress test is ended.

The experts meet with Jon and complain about all the issues they observed.

He gives them some words of advice on how to proceed with the rescue.

The next day, Dustin meets with Dave and his daughter.

Dustin lets them know Dave has to be more consistent and committed to get out of the hole he is in.

This is important, especially if he wants to leave a legacy for his daughter.

Dave is committed, especially because he admires Dustin and his business.

After a few days of renovations, the staff are gathered outside their bar for the reopening night.

The bar is unveiled, and the front has been completely revamped so it looks more like a business.

The name has been changed to Rix Ranch Bar and Grill.

There is a large horse sculpture as an attraction to draw people in.

The staff enter the bar, and it has been given a much-needed facelift.

The space is warmer and well-lit with new furnishings.

Dave is lost for words at the changes that have been made.

They have a new SkyTab POS system with two terminals, two printers, and two tablets.

They have a subscription to Partender, new bar tools and glassware, a new cold press system, and a heating lamp.

After they quickly set up, the customers are let in for the relaunch.

The regulars are also shocked by the transformation.

They all like the changes and their orders are made.

The staff are ready, and they are quick in the kitchen, especially with the new processes.

The food is getting compliments from the customers.

Drinks are made quickly and they are serving multiple drinks at a time.

Dave and his daughter are happy and thankful for the intervention.

What Happened Next at Club 21 / Rix Ranch?

Six weeks later, the customers love the new name, and the menu items are popular.

Meghan left the bar, but Alex and other family members have stepped up to help.

With the new systems in place, Dave is finally seeing a positive cash flow in his bank accounts.

Club 21 / Rix Ranch is open.

They have kept the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive with praise for the food.

They closed briefly in early 2025 for restructuring.

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Previous episode - Pat and Dandy's

Next episode - Slotzy's Gaming Bar and Grill

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Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Phil Wills to visit Pat and Dandy’s Sports Bar and Grill in Toledo, Ohio.

The bar is owned by Matt and his partner, Cathy.

They bought the bar in 2019 using his wife’s retirement money.

They decided to open a bar, despite having no hospitality experience.

The bar was a staple of the community, so they left everything exactly the same.

However, the bar began to decline, and they currently have 27 employees.

The stress has had an impact on Matt’s health, and he is now limited in what he can do.

They are losing money and are in $400,000 debt.

Phil sits in the surveillance van with expert Mixologist Mia Mastroianni and expert chef Brad Miller.

They think that the exterior of the building looks run-down, but they recognize its significance to the community.

The owners and staff are introduced to the experts, along with an explanation about their debt.

The bar is full on a weekday, which is great, so where is the money going?

General Manager Sarah has been at the bar for 14 years, and her daughter is the assistant GM.

Nine staff members are working that night, and the experts think that there are too many.

The bar is big, with a large front of house, a large bar area, and a large kitchen.

They have asked some radio personalities to be their spies there.

The spies go in and immediately notice the dust in the bar.

They get given a dirty table with used glasses.

The pair is overlooked for a long time before they get served.

They ordered a spicy margarita from the menu.

They see the drink being made poorly.

It is served in a mini bucket and tastes awful.

In the kitchen, the chicken is getting warm in the breading, and there is cross-contamination.

The experts, along with Phil, go into the bar to confront the owners.

Phil meets the owners and asks about their situation.

They have a lot of heart but no business sense due to a lack of experience.

Mia asks about the bucket.

She notices they are inconsistent in pours and undercharge for the amount of liquor they serve.

Brad asks about the chaos of the kitchen, and the cook says she loves it.

The night is shut down, and the next morning, the staff are all gathered.

The next day, Phil comes in and sits with the owners.

He tells them they are being too nice, and the staff is taking advantage.

The owners agree to see things his way.

They meet with the staff.

The experts are introduced to them, and they outline all the bad practices they saw the night before.

They ask all the staff about their situation.

They are shocked to hear that an inexperienced bartender, who received no training, was in charge of training new hires.

They ask the General Manager what food costs should be, and she says 37%.

She is corrected that it should be 24%.

The managers don't know what beverage costs should be.

Their Partender report shows they lost almost 25% due to overpouring.

This comes to $130,000 a year that they are losing.

Matt is shocked to see this, and he sees that he can't trust his staff.

After this, Mia takes the staff through making a spicy margarita properly.

In the kitchen, Brad takes them through making slider smash burgers.

They train and are ready for the Stress Test.

The expectation is for Sarah to act as GM, and the owners to watch her.

The customers are let in, and it gets busy so quickly.

The bar staff have to constantly be reminded to prepare drinks on the bar top.

The kitchen is slammed, and the cook is slow, so tickets pile up.

Wait times reach 20 minutes.

Sarah has a bad attitude, and Matt is made to speak to her to get things under control.

It doesn't work, as chicken wings are sent out almost raw to a customer.

The food has to be sent back.

It is then refired, but this time it is burnt on the outside, but still raw in the middle.

Sarah’s attention is called to the dish as she nearly misses it.

With the AGM in the kitchen, the meal should not have been sent out.

Drinks are being made slowly, but taste good.

The kitchen is in chaos and is unable to keep up with the orders.

The Stress Test is shut down.

Matt speaks to the staff once the bar is empty.

He outlines their duties to them, especially to the GM.

Sarah is frustrated and just wants to go home.

The next day, Phil meets with the owners.

They have news that Sarah and Jose, their GM and AGM, skipped training.

They both have not come to work and refused to answer calls.

The owners decide they want to keep them, but they will be in the kitchen instead.

They will take over management instead.

Phil takes them through what they need to do to get ahead.

Jon has time to consult with the renovation team and Phil on the best way to use the space.

The team works long hours, and a few days later, the bar is ready for the reopening.

The staff and owners gather at night.

The bar is unveiled, and the exterior has been revamped with a bigger, brighter sign.

There is one small change to the name.

They are now Pat and Dandy’s Sports Central Bar and Grill.

They have a dolphin in front to signify their record as the biggest Miami Dolphins sports bar in the country.

The owners and staff are let in, and they love the changes.

The bar is warmer with updated decor and massive viewing screens.

They have four new Sky Tabs POS systems and three Sky Tabs.

There is a subscription to Partender, new bar tools and barware, new liquor, and new kitchen tools.

The staff is down two members, but they are ready to push ahead.

They prep and open up to the customers.

They make multiple drinks at a time, and the bar cheers.

The kitchen is ready for the tickets to come in.

Matt is making sure the food is expedited quickly.

The change is night and day.

What Happened Next at Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill?

Weeks later, Matt and Cathy are doing better at managing inventory.

They expect to start seeing profits soon.

The community is happy the bar stayed a neighborhood bar and embraces the changes made.

Sarah still works at the bar but is no longer a General Manager.

Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill is open.

They didn't keep the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

There is praise for the food, atmosphere, and drinks.

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Previous episode - Swamp Tales

Next episode - Club 21 / Rix Ranch

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Swamp Tales - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Jason Santos to visit Swamp Tales Bar and Restaurant in Carlyle, Illinois.

Swamp Tales is owned by Sarah and Nick.

They bought it from Sarah’s uncle in 2022.

They put up their farm as collateral.

They were misled, as they thought it was making money, but the reality was different.

Since they had the farm and a young family, they hired Chloe as a manager.

Former cook, Bree, also became a manager.

Neither of the managers has any training.

Everything is falling apart due to the incompetence of the management team.

The couple is in danger of losing everything if the bar fails.

Jason is in the surveillance truck with Expert Chef Tatiana Rosana and Expert Mixologist Alli Torres.

He briefs them on the owners and how they were made promises.

Jason tells the experts that the owners are now $793,000 in debt.

Chloe is only 21 and is the front-of-house manager.

The cocktails are served in Styrofoam cups.

The decor is a mix of various gimmicks.

The spies are comedians who eat on the road a lot.

They make fun of the decor and ask for popular New Orleans drinks that they cannot make.

The drinks they receive are bad, and they order food from the menu.

The kitchen is worse, as the grill is dirty.

Gloves are thrown on the floor, and prep practices are poor.

The food served is dry, and the spies hate it.

Jason has seen enough and goes in to meet the owners.

He takes them to the kitchen to show them its poor condition.

The owners try to admit fault, but it is obvious they are too laid back.

He confronts them with the food storage and the state of the kitchen.

Jason tasks them with cleaning the kitchen out overnight.

The next day, Jason meets with the staff, introducing himself.

The staff all think consistency and service are the bar's major problems.

The staff is defensive of the alligator meat they serve.

The owners drive eleven hours to get it.

The issue is that they mistreat the meat, serving it overcooked and dry.

Their Partender report shows they lost $1,700 a weekend, or $93,000 a year.

The owners do not know about any of the food or operational costs.

The experts are introduced, and to begin, Alli takes the bartenders through making the drink they served to the spies.

She sees they do not measure the ingredients properly, leading to a lack of consistency.

Alli takes them through making a basic Daiquiri, which they had said they could not make earlier.

In the kitchen, Tatiana watches them make nachos and gives them a note on cleanliness.

She teaches them to make a Cajun Poutine, which is easy and fast to make.

For the stress test, the owners have been tasked with helping where they see support is needed.

Customers are let in, and it gets instantly busy.

The bartenders are all cramped around a well.

Nick is lost as to what to do.

Chloe looks miserable and is just focused on her task rather than directing.

Drinks have been made and left sitting on the bar with no one claiming them.

Chloe is offered help, but she is too stressed to even accept it.

Nick is directed to coach her, but she rolls her eyes at him.

In the kitchen, Bri is doing better, cooking well, and cleaning up after herself.

Jason has seen enough, and they shut the night down.

The next day, Jason sits with the two managers.

He praises Bri and tells Chloe everything she did wrong.

Chloe explains that she was nervous, which is why she could not relax.

Jason talks to the owners about food costs and how to price the dishes on their menu.

He tells them that they are losing lots of money on their alligator meal.

They either need to reduce the portion sizes, garnish, or charge more so they can break even.

Alli trains the bartenders to make a Hurricane, a basic drink for their location.

Then they take some time to practice.

Jon's team works hard, and they renovate the bar.

The staff is gathered around the bar at night for the unveiling.

The bar has been renamed to Swamp Town Cajun Kitchen and Cocktails.

There is a new lit-up sign that no one can miss.

Inside, the space has been brightened up with warm lights and more coordinated decor.

They are excited to see two ice wells.

They have new bar tools with real glassware, new SkyTab POS systems, and tablets.

There is a subscription to Partender and a merch wall.

They love it all and can't wait to open.

On relaunch, customers are let in, and orders come through.

The staff is all too happy to serve.

Chloe has a better disposition and is smiling whilst making drinks.

Bri is busy in the back, keeping up with orders with great ticket times.

Nick and Sarah are working, helping with food and drinks without being prompted.

Jason commends them for stepping up.

He assures them that if they keep it up, they will get through their debt.

What Happened Next at Swamp Tales Bar and Restaurant?

Six weeks later, customers love the food and drinks.

The upgraded menu is bringing in new customers.

Chloe and Bri are thriving as managers and provide great customer service.

Swamp Tales is open.

They didn't keep the new name and reverted to their old name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

A few have mentioned the alligator not being available consistently.

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Previous episode - Tropic

Next episode - Pat and Dandy's Sports Bar and Grill

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Tropic - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits Tropic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Tropic is owned by Hyacinth Nembhardt.

She opened the bar after selling another bar, wanting a Jamaican-themed bar.

Hyacinth sold her home to raise funds to renovate the bar.

She put her daughter as GM, who then hired her friends to work at the bar with her.

The staff are all too laidback and take advantage.

Hyleah is fully pregnant and resistant to her mother.

Jon has asked Bobby, a basketball player from the Milwaukee Bucks, to join him in the surveillance truck.

Jon says that she had been successful previously but is now in a lot of debt.

Bobby’s brother and his trainer are the spies.

They go into the bar, but no one attends to them for a while.

They order drinks, and only one is served first.

He does not like it, especially when the bartender tells him how to drink it.

They are then the first food orders they wanted are not possible.

After 20 minutes, they are still waiting for the reorder.

Jon decides to enter the bar along with Bobby.

Hyacinth recognizes Bobby immediately.

She is shy and overwhelmed at seeing him.

The food gets delivered, and Jon goes straight to Hyacinth.

Hyacinth explains that she just had to let staff go for getting too comfortable with her nine-month pregnant daughter.

She can't discipline her daughter's friends, who are still working at the bar.

Jon says Hyacinth needs to take responsibility for the state of the bar and the poor service.

The next day, Jon sits with both mother and daughter to figure out their dynamic.

Once they interact after Jon’s probing questions, it is obvious Hyleah does not want certain responsibilities in the bar.

However, a manager cannot pick and choose what they want.

Once Jon points out that Hyleah will need a break once she has her baby.

He leaves them to sort out what needs to be done.

They must decide whether to get a temporary or permanent manager in to cover her maternity.

Once the mother and daughter have time together, it goes badly.

Hyleah does not care about what happens, and Hyacinth is frustrated with her attitude.

They leave it at an impasse.

Hyacinth and Jon meet the rest of the staff, and the experts are introduced.

The experts are expert chef Tatiana and expert mixologist Mia.

The training begins with the experts.

Mia trains the staff on making a classic daiquiri.

In the kitchen, the cook makes jerk wings in front of the expert, who tastes the chicken with and without the jerk.

The jerk is great on its own.

However, they have bad jerk sauce that detracts from the taste.

The staff is then trained for the stress test.

Customers are let in for the stress test.

Orders come in very quickly for both the food and drinks.

The first pizza order comes through, and the cook is reminded that he needs to be quick.

At the bar, mistakes are made, and the experienced bartender only wants to make one drink at a time.

The customers at the bar are served their drinks.

However, the tickets from the tables are missing, and drinks are left at the bar.

The kitchen has only sent out one pizza, but several wings still need to be made.

They find out the printer is out of paper, and orders have been lost.

That is why table orders are not coming through due to the tickets not printing.

It is unraveling in the kitchens and at the bar, so the stress test is shut down.

The next day, they are trained on making some signature drinks.

Jon sits with Hyacinth on her motivations and what she wants from her daughter.

He gets her to accept that her daughter may not have the same passion she has, especially for the bar business.

A few days later, the staff is all gathered in front of the bar along with Hyleah and Hyacinth.

After the unveiling, they see from the signage that the bar has been renamed.

The new name is Montego Bay Beach Club.

Inside, the bar has been elevated to an upscale restaurant and bar with blue highlights, like a club.

They have an Orange Door entertainment system, Skytab tablets, and POS systems.

There are new bar tools and a subscription to Partender.

Now Hyleah feels that this is a place she can work in.

They quickly set up ready for the relaunch.

Customers are let in.

The staff is wearing pink customized shirts and is ready to receive orders.

The tickets come quickly into the kitchen.

The cook is cool and calm, cooking through everything quickly.

The bartenders are more confident and are making drinks quickly.

Hyacinth is managing the place well and running drinks and food.

Everything is working well, and the relaunch is a success.

What Happened Next at Tropic / Montego Bay Beach Club?

Six weeks later, the new name and upgrades to the bar have brought in more customers from around the city.

Hyacinth is hoping to pass on her lessons to other small business owners.

Hyleah had her baby and came back to work.

She is determined to follow in her mother's footsteps and grow the business.

Tropic is open.

The owner did not keep the new name.

Reviews are mostly positive.

There is praise for the food and drinks.

There are a few complaints about the service.

Hyacynth has said the new design elevated the space and had ideas she hadn't thought of.

Click for more Bar Rescues.

Previous episode - Jon’s Goodtime Bar and Grill / Brother's Smokehouse Bar and Grill

Next episode - Swamp Tales

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