Griff's Las Vegas - Bar Rescue Update

In this week's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are once again in Las Vegas, Nevada to rescue Griff's Las Vegas.  Griff's Las Vegas is a premier billiards hall owned by Mark Griffin that is struggling after having to close during the pandemic.  Mark missed some time at the bar due to health reasons and he felt that his manager Gary didn't do enough to step up while he was gone.  When Jon Taffer is there, he also finds that the general manager Gary may be part of the problem at Griff's.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to keep the name of Griff's Las Vegas like all other bars this season.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Griff's Las Vegas since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):

La Casona - Bar Rescue Update

In this week's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are once again in Las Vegas, Nevada to rescue La Casona.  La Casona is a Mexican bar/restaurant that has a 40-year history and was purchased during the pandemic.  Parents Victor and Claudia got their daughter Febe to put her name on the mortgage, which is putting her future in jeopardy. The family is struggling to pay their staff and were recently evicted from their home, so they are currently living above the bar.  This is also the 200th episode of Bar Rescue.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to keep the name of La Casona like all bars so far during this season. Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for La Casona since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):

Champagne's - Bar Rescue Update (2nd Visit)

In this week's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are once again in Las Vegas, Nevada to rescue Champagne's.  This is the second time that Jon Taffer has visited Champagne's because he did a makeover of the bar in 2016.  

As Champagne's was already on Bar Rescue, there will not be the normal update.  You can visit the other update done for the bar to see all of the links for the bar and reviews. Champagne's still uses the name of Champagne's Cafe and they put up their old sign, but they seem to use Champagne's and Champagne's Cafe interchangeably.  Here is a preview video of the episode if you are interested. 

Champagne's posted on their Facebook page about the upcoming episode, "Check out our second (yes second) Bar Rescue remodel.  They did a great job....again.  In addition to the remodel, we have another new drink menu and panini menu.  Thanks to Jon Taffer for committing the entire next season to  the Vegas bar industry surviving Covid!"

So, it appears they are happy with the makeover and are happy that Jon Taffer came to the bar again. 

One recent update for Champagne's is that a bartender (one that wasn't featured on Bar Rescue) died after an assault at the bar just a month ago.  Here is the link for that story.

Capo's Restaurant & Speakeasy - Bar Rescue Update

In this week's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are once again in Las Vegas, Nevada to rescue Capo's Restaurant & Speakeasy.  Capo's Restaurant & Speakeasy is a mob-style restaurant with a speakeasy theme that is owned by Nico Santucci.  Capo's was forced to shut down for months due to the pandemic and Jon Taffer is attempting to save Capo's Restaurant and bring it back to its pre-pandemic success.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to keep the name of Capo's Restaurant & Speakeasy. Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Capo's Restaurant & Speakeasy since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):

Paradise Cantina - Bar Rescue Update

In this week's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Las Vegas, Nevada to rescue Paradise Cantina.  Paradise Cantina is owned by Ronnie Pellegrino who had immediate success and took in $1.2 million in his first year in business in 2019.  The year 2020 started out well too and there were plans to open additional locations until the pandemic hit and disrupted everything.  Now Ronnie is supposedly $750,000 in debt and has lost his life savings.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to keep the name of Paradise Cantina which may be a common theme this season.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Paradise Cantina since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):

Bartender From Bar Rescue's Champagne's Dies After Assault at Bar

On Saturday April 24, 2021 a bartender at Champagne's in Las Vegas, Nevada died after an assault at the bar.  According to Fox5, bartender Mark Heilman refused to serve an intoxicated customer, who then jumped behind the bar and assaulted him.  Mark ended up having a heart attack and later died at the hospital.  

A customer helped stop the assault, but Mark had a heart condition and his heart couldn't take the struggle.  

Champagne's appeared on Bar Rescue during season 5 in 2016 (update here) and will also be featured in the upcoming season that is filmed entirely in Las Vegas.  Mark was not on the first episode in season 5, but it remains to be seen if he will be involved in the upcoming episode.  

Owner Greg Sims has set up a GoFundMe to help cover Mark's funeral expenses and other financial needs. 

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has not made any arrests yet and everything is pending a coroner's investigation into the cause of death.

New Season of Bar Rescue Starts May 2nd

The wait for new episodes of Bar Rescue is finally over with the show announcing that new episodes will start on Sunday, May 2nd.   Due to the pandemic, this is the first new episode of Bar Rescue to air since September 2020.  

The new season will makeover bars that are all located in Las Vegas, Nevada and there will be ten new episodes.  The new episodes will still air on Paramount Network despite reports that Bar Rescue would move networks with the Paramount channel rebrand.  COVID related issues pushed back a lot of filming of planned miniseries and television movies for Paramount, which has delayed the rebrand.

Below is the announcement made for the upcoming season:

It should be interesting to see how this season is filmed as packing a bar for a stress test will probably not be an option.  With bars and restaurants all over the country struggling due to the pandemic, we will also see if Jon Taffer is any less dramatic.  

As always, I will have bar updates for each of the new Bar Rescue episodes that air.  I also have updates for some bars from the show that have closed and I will get those out before the season starts.

Bar Rescue - UNLV Episode

On this weeks episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer is in Las Vegas, Nevada to try to help UNLV hospitality students get ready for the real world in just one week.  This is a special episode where he isn't helping a struggling bar, so there will not be much of an update for this episode.  If you are interested in watching a long preview video of the episode, there is one on the Paramount YouTube page.


I figured I would do a post in case anybody wanted to discuss this episode.  Also if anything is worthy of an update after the episode airs, I will update this post.

Bar Rescue - The Regan Lounge (Jack's Place) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Las Vegas, Nevada to try to rescue Jack's Place. Jack's Place is supposedly $500,000 in debt and the bartenders do not respect the owner.  She is acting more like a maternal figure than a business owner and it is costing her business.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer changed the name of Jack's Place to The Regan Lounge and the bar has kept the name. Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for The Regan Lounge since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):

Bar Rescue - Champagne's (Champagne's Cafe) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Las Vegas, Nevada to try to rescue the Champagne's Cafe.  Champagne's Cafe was bought in 2015 by Greg Simms with the help of a $150,000 loan from his mother.  The bar was once a famous mob hangout, but now it has issues such as outdated decor, not enough customers, and an owner that is a pushover.  Also, when locals got word that Bar Rescue was coming to the bar, they got a little upset and hoped that nothing was changed.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to change the name slightly from Champagne's Cafe to Champagne's.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Champagne's since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):