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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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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Next Level Chef Season 5 Where are they now?

Next Level Chef Season 5 aired from 29th January 2026.

There were 15 contestants and the show aired on FOX.

The chefs compete to be named the Next Level Chef by competing in cookery challenges.

If the contestants do well they move up a level and when they perform poorly they drop levels.

The prize for the winner was mentorship by all three mentors and $250,000 cash.

In this season, the mentors were Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais.

Please read before you copy sections of this post onto Fandom/other websites..

Amber Kellehan was a Home Chef from Los Angeles, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Amber is a social media chef.

She shares food content with other contestants from the season.

Amber hosted a watch party for one of the episodes.

Andy Allo was a Social Media Chef from Malibu, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Andy is the owner of Akone.

Akone offers a cameroonian fine dining experience.

She also continues to share food content on social media.

Andy was previously an Actor and Singer.

She also offers coaching and personalised videos on Cameo.

Christian Alquiza was a Social Media Chef from Austin, Texas.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Christian continues to create food social media content.

He is the a culinary producer and host of Hot Kitchen on YouTube channel First We Feast.

Christian did a pop-up dining event.

His third child is due in July 2026.

Cole Lawson was a Pro Chef from Los Angeles, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Cole is a Private Chef.

She also does pop-up dining experiences.

Cole is also a food content creator on social media.

In June 2025, she appeared on Yes, Chef! Season 1 as a sous chef for Zain Ismail.

Connor Caine was a Pro Chef from Manhattan Beach, California.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Connor is a a private chef and caterer at Eats By Connor.

He is a food social media content creator and launched Rank Every Cookie on Instagram.

Connor appears to have launched a cookie company Connor's Cookie Co before abandoning the project.

Connor has recently started a YouTube channel.

Danielle Kartes was a Home Chef from Puyallup, Washington.

She was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Danielle is a food blogger.

She also has a YouTube channel.

Danielle has had a number of cookbooks published and appeared on a number of TV shows. Connor has recently started a YouTube channel.

Darian Bryan was a Pro Chef from Buffalo, New York.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Darian returned to the restaurant he owns, Bratts Hill by Chef Darian.

Darian is also a Private Chef.

He has previously appeared on multiple TV shows and hosted many pop-up dining events.

Elise Jesse was a Home Chef from Cincinnati, Ohio.

She was mentored by Richard Blais.

Elise was eliminated in episode 5 after her New York Strip was delicious but the potato was lumpy and the presentation was lacking.

After Next Level Chef, Elise continues to create food content alongside working as a reporter.

She is a sports reporter, mostly covering the Cincinnati Bengals.

Elise has a YouTube channel called The Sick Podcast - Orange Report, covering Bengals games.

She is also a food blogger at Elise Jesse's Kitchen and shares her recipes online.

Elise hosted a watch party with funds raised for charity.

Emerson Bartolome was a Home Chef from San Diego, California.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Emerson is a food content creator.

He has recently started a YouTube Channel, BT Cooks.

Emerson has appeared in other contestants social media content.

He is a brand ambassador for Kamado.

Emerson had previously appeared on Guy's Grocery Games un 2022.

Gabrielle Coniglio was a Pro Chef from Palm Beach, Florida.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

After Next Level Chef, Gabrielle is a Private Chef.

She has had a number of high profile clients including Ben Affleck, who there was a false rumour she was dating.

Gabrielle also owns a meal delivery company, Gab’s Organics.

Jared Veldheer was a Home Chef from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Jared was in charge of the school lunch programme at jis childrens school.

Jared was a former NFL player, who retired in 2021.

He had previously retired in 2017 but returned in 2019.

Jared creates NFL content and runs a line back training programme called The Veldheer Lineman Vault.

Trinidad, aka Machete, Gonzalez was a Pro Chef from Houston, Texas.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Machete is the owner of Gordo Niños, a taco restaurant.

He and some of the other contestants did a meet and greet event.

Machete hosted a watch party for his audition episode.

He is competing in the 2026 World Food Championships.

Mareya Ibrahim-Jones was a Social Media Chef from Capistrano Beach, California.

She was mentored by Gordon Ramsay.

Mareya was eliminated in episode 4 after her pork loin with mole dish was overcooked and overspiced.

After Next Level Chef, Mareya is a Freelance Consultant and owner of FitLife Corp.

She is the Founder of Superfood Sprinkle, a food supplement.

Mareya is also a health and wellness public speaker.

She hosts a podcast called The Real Dish.

Mareya released a cookbook called Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive in 2019. (*AD - Amazon).

Matt Starcher was a Social Media Chef from Chesapeake, Virginia.

He was mentored by Nyesha Arrington.

After Next Level Chef, Matt sells MaD seasoning online and at farmers markets.

He also creates food content on social media as MattDad.

Matt was previously approached to appear on the show for season 1 but declined at the time.

Tim Laielli was a Social Media Chef from Dripping Springs, Texas.

He was mentored by Richard Blais.

After Next Level Chef, Tim is a full time photographer.

Tim continues to create food content for social media.

He has over 1 million followers on Instagram and is approaching 1million on YouTube.

Tim is currently writing a cookbook, due for release in 2027.

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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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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.

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Jon’s Goodtime Bar and Grill / Brother's Smokehouse Bar and Grill - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Phil Willis to visit Jon’s Goodtime Bar and Grill in Inkster, Michigan.

Jon’s Goodtime Bar and Grill was owned by Derrick, along with his friends Eric and Andre.

They opened the bar in 2020.

Derrick was the operations manager, running the day-to-day of the bar.

He was put in charge despite being a salesman and having no experience in the industry.

They all agreed to rent out the kitchen to an outside caterer.

The staff complained that it was like working for two businesses, as the businesses were separate.

Derrick was overworked; the other two were not present and offered no help.

They are over $400,000 in debt and close to shutting down for good.

Phil is in the surveillance truck with barbecue expert Kevin Bludso and expert mixologist Tassia Lacerda.

They listen as Derrick breaks down the history of the bar along with the ownership situation.

Anthony is the chef who has rented out the space in the kitchen.

The spies are popular athletes from the Detroit Lions, who enter with Derrick.

They order a basic Moscow Mule, but there is no ginger beer for the drink.

When they then ordered food, they were told they were out of some of the ingredients.

Derrick is right in front of the spies but does not acknowledge them.

In the kitchen, they see fries being made in a foaming grill.

The drinks served were so poor that they could hardly drink them.

The food comes, and they are reluctant to taste it based on how poor it looks.

The experts see fly traps above the customers and exposed electrical outlets.

Phil enters the bar and meets with the spies to get their feedback directly.

Phil calls the owners and introduces them to the spies.

They are well-known Detroit Lions players, and no one recognized or approached them.

Phil takes the owners to the kitchen and confronts Anthony about the state of the fryers and the kitchen.

Phil notices a smell and follows it to the walk-in, where there is food going bad.

He pulled out food that was all going bad.

He tells the owners that the state of the kitchen was a reflection of them, and their customers have noticed.

Phil tasks them with cleaning up the kitchen.

The next day, the three owners have all come together to clean, and Phil is happy with what he has seen.

Phil then spoke with Derrick, and he explained that he used to run the kitchen.

He says he lost his mother at around the same time his son got cancer and has since recovered.

Phil was touched and understanding, and they joined the rest of the staff.

Phil meets all the owners and the staff.

There is a bar manager, and Phil questions her on why she let the bar fall apart.

The owners reveal how close they are to closing.

Phil tells the other two owners that they need to step up to help Derrick.

He has the most riding on it, and he has also lost a lot.

This makes Derrick emotional, and he tears up.

When the owners agree to work something out, Phil brings in and introduces the experts.

Kevin admits he wasn't supposed to be there, as he was due to bury his father after the show.

He showed up after he heard Derrick’s story.

The training begins, and Tassia trains the staff on being engaging and making a new drink called the Orange Dream.

Next, the staff is trained with Kevin on barbecuing ribs, from rubbing a dry rub on some raw ribs.

The cooked version is taken to the kitchen, and Kevin is surprised by the kitchen's cleanliness.

For the stress test, Phil meets with the three owners to clearly divide up operations.

Derrick lets in all the waiting customers, and orders come in fast.

The kitchen is quickly overwhelmed with tickets.

At the bar, some bartenders are still rusty on the proper way to use the shaker.

They quickly see where all the inconsistencies are at the bar and in the kitchen, where food is left waiting.

Phil has to tell one owner to just focus on running food.

Food finally goes out to a table of four, but they haven't got their drinks.

Soon, the kitchen has no tickets, which is odd as they expected orders.

Everything is breaking down as the service is too inconsistent, so Phil shuts down the stress test.

The next day, Tassia takes them through making a new signature cocktail with a really enticing smoke show.

All three owners are taken to Kevin, who has a present of a brand new smoker.

With this smoker, they can prep meat days ahead.

The owners are excited to taste the final product and make the same for their customers.

Phil sits with the owners to see what they have agreed on regarding sharing the load of operations.

They took Phil's advice to strike a better deal with the caterer in the kitchen.

The previous caterer was pocketing all the money he made, but some of it should come back to the bar.

A few days later, all the staff and owners are gathered outside the bar.

The bar is unveiled along with a new name, Brothers Smokehouse Bar and BBQ.

They all love it and are enthusiastic about getting inside.

From dark and dank, the place is now upscale and warm.

There are pictures of the three owners all over to symbolize their long-standing friendship.

They have new POS systems from Skytab, new ice machines, soda guns, and bar tools.

They have a subscription to Partender, new electricals, and premium wood for the new smoker.

Anthony has been given a Chef's jacket with the bar’s name on it.

The staff loved all the surprises.

On relaunch, the owners let in all the waiting customers.

The staff is ready for the orders, and the new workstations are great.

The bartenders are making drinks well and sending them out quickly.

The kitchen is also doing great, fulfilling orders to the delight of customers.

What Happened Next at Jon’s Goodtime Bar and Grill?

Six weeks later, sales increased significantly after the launch.

Eric and Andre have stepped up to support Derrick.

The BBQ concept has been a big hit.

Derrick stayed in touch with Kevin Bludso afterwards for guidance on their menu.

They have kept the new name,

Jon’s Goodtime Bar and Grill / Brothers Smokehouse Bar and BBQ is open.

Reviews are mostly positive.

Most of the reviews praise the food.

Some diners have reported issues with their food, mostly that it was cold.

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The Fireplace - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer has asked Spike Mendelsohn to visit The Fireplace in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Fireplace is owned by Stephanie.

She dropped out of school to take over the bar after her fiancé sadly passed away.

With no experience, she threw herself into running the bar, as she inherited the debt as well.

The staff is not disciplined or trained, and they all drink at the bar.

This has contributed to the bar losing money.

They are in $250,000 of debt and losing $5,000 a month.

With about 10 months left until they would have to close, she needs help.

Spike is in the surveillance truck with expert mixologist Nick Ortega and expert chef Vic Vegas.

He tells them the history of the bar, which was previously a hunting lodge.

They all learn about how Stephanie inherited the bar.

She is also struggling with MS, raising two sons while taking care of her father, who is in a nursing home.

They see the bar staff making drinks incorrectly and a kitchen with two small pizza ovens for cooking frozen pizzas.

The spies are two local radio personalities.

They ask for a menu, but there isn’t one.

The staff must verbally tell them what they have.

Bartender Lucy takes a smoke break in the middle of service.

The wait for pizza is 30 minutes, which is not ideal as it is supposed to be fast food.

Lucy also has a drink along with her cigarette.

She then goes back to work without washing her hands.

Spike goes into the bar and meets with Stephanie to hear her out.

She tells him Meridian acts as a manager but is not officially a manager.

Stephanie cannot afford to increase her pay.

When Spike enters, all the other staff run away, and he has to call them back to question them.

Lucy is problematic, saying she only does shots and not cocktails.

Stephanie is blamed because she has no control over her staff.

The next day, Spike comes in to meet with the staff and introduces himself properly.

Stephanie has news for Spike and the other staff.

She has terminated Lucy’s employment due to her behavior the night before.

The staff all introduce themselves.

They admit they are losing money from drinking on the job and giving away free drinks.

Spike has a Partender report to show them.

They are losing about $2,000 a week and $90,000 a year from free drinks and staff drinking.

This brings the problem into perspective for Stephanie and the staff.

The experts are introduced to the owner and staff.

They have been given some new equipment to train for the stress test, as they did not have much that was usable.

Nick takes the staff through making a Washington Apple.

Two of them demonstrate the drink and make mistakes.

They are thrown into the stress test after some more training.

They have some cardboard fires on their fireplace.

Every time someone does something wrong, one is extinguished until there are none left.

The customers are let in, and orders come through.

The bartenders are on top of each other trying to make drinks.

In the kitchen, they are only serving pizzas, and each new order takes an extra 15 minutes.

Drinks are dumped, and two fires are put out.

In the kitchen, the pizza line gets longer, with an hour wait time for food.

They decide to sell hot dogs in the meantime.

Stephanie does well and pushes the hot dogs.

They arrive cold because they are not getting delivered fast enough.

More fires are extinguished once customers complain, and there are just two fires left.

After some more mess-ups, the last fire is put out because of a hair in a drink.

The night is shut down.

The experts meet with Spike to discuss what the bar needs to be successful.

They need to work on a theme for the drinks and food menu.

The next day, Spike meets with Stephanie.

She is happy with all the training her staff has received.

Meridian joins them, and they are told that they have been given some more equipment.

Sandwiches will now be a part of their menu as they are fast and tasty.

Stephanie is advised to relinquish control to Meridian.

There are workarounds to the salary problem.

She can be incentivized with profit sharing along with her tips.

They are both happy with that arrangement and agree to it.

The staff is gathered outside the bar a few days later for the unveiling.

The name is unchanged, but the sign has been updated for better visibility.

The interior has been updated to give it more life.

They are leaning more into the hunter's lodge theme.

It is also modernized with audiovisual equipment.

They have new pro bar tools, Skytab POS systems, and two new terminals.

There is also a lifetime subscription to Partender, a sandwich prep cooler, a panini press, and a hot dog roller.

After setting up, the waiting customers are let in, and the orders come through.

The kitchen is staying on top of orders, with prepped food items ready to cook and send out.

The bartenders work very hard and fast, and most of the bar is served quickly.

Spike is happy for Stephanie and her manager, and they say their farewells.

What Happened Next at The Fireplace?

Six weeks later, the community loves the new decor and menu, especially the Cubano sandwich.

There are plans to expand the kitchen to provide an even bigger menu.

Lucy remains friends with Stephanie.

She now drinks at the bar as a patron and not a staff member.

The Fireplace is open.

Reviews are very positive.

There is praise for the staff and food.

They have made further changes, including to the patio area of the bar.

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Previous episode - CJ's Pub & Grill

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

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CJ’s Pub and Grill / Smithton Station - Bar Rescue Update - Open or Closed?

In this Bar Rescue episode, Jon Taffer visits CJ’s Pub and Grill in Smithton, Illinois.

CJ’s Pub and Grill is owned by Jeremy.

He is an army vet who bought the bar in 2023.

Jeremy ran it full-time with his wife, Christy, and veterans loved the bar.

Christy is a full-time Nurse and returned to work.

She now comes to the bar after work.

They have had a problem attracting a newer and younger crowd.

With all this, and the couple's lack of experience, the bar was suffering.

They were resistant to new ideas and change.

Jon arrives in the surveillance vehicle with expert mixologist Mia Mastroiani and expert chef Jennifer Murphy.

They found out the bar had been open since 1947, and the exterior looks like it.

Inside, they see the kitchen has household equipment for cooking.

They have asked former NHL stars to go in as spies along with Jon.

They were greeted quickly and ordered food.

They do not have a drink menu or any specialty drinks.

After the order, Jon talked to the owners, telling them the menu was not inspiring.

Jon was enthusiastic about the history of the bar, telling the hockey stars what he knew.

Jon saw the bartender making the Old Fashioned, but caught him mixing it with his fingers.

He confronted Jeremy with what he had seen and the fact that there were cooking tools in the bar.

The drinks arrive but they tasted off and were too sweet.

Jon saw the bartender take a drink from the back and then bring it back out.

He inspected the room and saw that the area was a walk-in.

The back area is in a state.

There is a premade margarita in a jug with mold on the floors and walls.

With this evidence, he confronted the owners and then shut down the bar service.

Jon thinks it is a health risk and cannot serve customers.

He lets all the customers know that they must stop drinking and leave.

The staff now needs to clean up and remove the sources of the contamination.

The next day, they found out Jeremy had stayed all night to clean.

Jon comes in to meet with all the staff.

There are several new staff and the ones who have been there the longest say there was a lack of organization.

The bartender says that Jeremy drinks at work.

Christy confirms that it is affecting not only the business but also the marriage.

Jeremy accepts he has a problem and has to make a change.

He is still in denial that he is the main problem of the bar.

Jon has a few choice words about this before he introduces his experts.

They did not see much the night before, so they went in to assess.

Jennifer sees that the kitchen is a mess of tools and packages on counters.

The walk-in has lots of issues with cross-contamination.

Sausages that were cooked over two weeks ago are still in storage.

They decide that the kitchen needs to be deep-cleaned, decluttered, and organized.

Mia wants to assess the staff and asks them to make an Old Fashioned.

This time, they could mix properly, but the drinks they made were still bad.

They are trained to make them correctly.

For the stress test, Jon has a table of customers start a timer to see when they get served.

The orders were taken on paper and given to Jeremy to input into the POS.

Then he goes into the kitchen to put pizzas in the oven.

The tickets in the kitchen are handwritten, and the system ensures that the kitchen gets slammed.

In 15 minutes, only 8 people were served.

Jon found some misplaced tickets, and no one knew who took them.

One table got nachos in 22 minutes.

However, they were actually supposed to go to another table that had ordered before them.

It was clear that food and drinks were going to the wrong tables.

The night was a failure, and Jon called out Jeremy before shutting the stress test down.

The next day, the training continued with Jennifer, who showed them how to carve a sirloin strip.

They are taught to prep every part of it for sandwiches, steak, tacos, and burgers, so no part would go to waste.

Jon sits with the couple and tells them about all the improvements that would make the system easier.

This includes moving the pizza-making to the kitchen and installing a better ticketing and POS system.

Jeremy finally agrees that he is the problem for resisting small changes that would make the bar better.

A few days later, they were all gathered outside the bar for the unveiling.

Jon points out that their biggest asset is the railroad attached to the bar that has such a rich history.

They unveil the bar, which has been renamed to Smithton Station, with a brand new sign.

The inside had been redone to look more upscale with a railroad theme.

There is a brand new bar installed in another corner.

They have SkyTabs and POS printers in the bar and the kitchen.

There are new bar products, new rockless tables, and new wall murals.

There is an overhauled plumbing system and a train station board for announcements.

Jon gives Jeremy advice that for the business to work, he has to stop drinking at the bar.

Jeremy gives his word that he will.

After setting up, customers were let in.

On relaunch, the orders come through.

The tables now have table numbers, so drinks and food do not get lost.

Drinks are being made quickly (10 every 8 minutes).

The bar is almost fully served and in record time.

Jon, the experts, and the owners are so happy with the difference in service.

What Happened Next at CJ’s Pub and Grill?

Six weeks later, the community was in love with the new look and theme of the bar.

Food costs had gone down, and the kitchen was more efficient.

Due to Christy relocating for her day job, they decided to sell the bar.

They had also received offers to sell the bar following the rescue.

CJ’s Pub and Grill is closed.

They closed in September 2024, two months after the rescue.

The bar was bought by Terra and Dave.

They reopened and renamed the bar to The Roost Bar and Grill.

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Previous episode - Calendar's Pizzeria

Next episode - The Fireplace

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