Watch The First Episode of Season 4 of 'Bar Rescue' With The New Spike TV App

Spike TV launched its first ever app today, where viewers can access many episodes of shows that appear on their network.  The app is free and is available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.  The link to download the app is here, and one of the bonuses of the app is that is has the full first episode of season 4 of Bar Rescue available to watch.  So you can download the app if you are interested in watching the episode before the season starts on Sunday, October 5th.  Stay tuned for the update on the first episode before it airs.

*Other shows available on the app include: Ink Master, Auction Hunters, Tattoo Nightmares, Catch A Contractor, Frankenfood, Thrift Hunters, Hungry Investors, COPS, Deadliest Warrior  and 1000 Ways To Die.

New 'Bar Rescue' Episodes Begin October 5th

Here is just a reminder that the fourth season of Bar Rescue begins in a little over a week.  The first episode of the season premieres on October 5th at 9pm on Spike TV.  The fourth season will have 30 episodes, but these will most likely be broken up into segments such as the third season and will probably not air 30 straight weeks. 

So far, Jon Taffer and Bar Rescue have filmed episodes in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia for the upcoming season.  The season premiere is at a bar in Huntington, NY, and a preview of the episode is below.  Jon finds bugs in their liquor bottles, then tries to make the owners take a shot of the liquor with bugs in it.

Bar Rescue

As always, come here to Bar Rescue Updates to see updates on every episode of the new season. To see how all of the bars that have appeared on Bar Rescue are doing, visit the Bar Rescue Update page.

Judge Says O'Face From Bar Rescue Should Be Allowed To Renew Liquor License

You may recall back in May, the Council Bluffs City Council voted against renewing O'Face's liquor license due to their appearance on Bar Rescue and the negative publicity surrounding the bar.  O'Face appealed this decision to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division on July 28th, and on August 11th an Iowa judge ruled that O'Face should be allowed to renew their license.  The judge ruled that there wasn't enough evidence to support the denial of the liquor license, and that Council Bluffs didn't provide the episode of Bar Rescue on which it relied on to deny the license.  The only evidence was owner Matthew Overmyer's testimony, and based on the limited evidence, the judge ruled to reverse the decision of rejecting O'Face's liquor license renewal.

This decision is still not final, as it can be appealed by either party within 30 days.  Also, the Iowa Beverages Division does not have to agree with the judges decision.  If they do not agree with the judges decision, Matthew Overmyer can then appeal to the district court.

Another thing that is interesting is the testimony of Matthew Overmyer at the hearing. The full document is here, but the highlights include:

• He was told during their audition video, which had a staged fight, that the footage would only be shown to Jon Taffer and Spike TV executives.
• When the film crew arrived, they "wanted to show chaos at the bar, including fighting, disorderly conduct, and an empty bar without customers."
• The bar was not open to the public or regular customers during the filming, and Bar Rescue provided the customers for the stress test to complain about the food, drinks, and service.
• Both fights on the episode were done after the Bar Rescue crew suggested they needed more drama.
• He said he told the film crew that he was done with the "shenanigans" and would not cooperate with filming any more staged scenarios.  The crew left saying they would use the footage they had.  
• Matthew was surprised and embarrassed to see the casting video as part of the footage of the actual show.
• O'Face has seen a decline in business since their Bar Rescue episode aired.

It is pretty much things we assume and have heard with other Bar Rescue episodes, however it is interesting that he says they told the crew they were done staging scenes which caused them to leave. 

Would Jon Taffer have walked out on this Bar Rescue if O'Face continued giving the film crew what they wanted?  Or are we to even believe what Matt claimed?  I guess the only people that know for sure were the people involved in the taping of the show.

New Episodes of Bar Rescue Begin In October

Bar Rescue is currently filming new episodes for season 4 of the show with recent stops in Long Island and Yonkers, New York.  Jon Taffer recently revealed that season 4 of the show will premiere in October on Spike TV, and that there will be 30 new episodes.

The 4th season of the show was originally supposed to have 20 episodes, but it looks like they added another ten.

Dual Ultra Nightclub (Cashmere) From Bar Rescue Has Closed

Dual Nightclub in Raleigh, North Carolina, which was featured on season 3 of Bar Rescue has closed. They seem to have closed some time in May 2014 as they stopped updating their Facebook page and had the following statuses on their Twitter page:

When somebody asked them on Twitter if they were closed, the bar responded with: "Yep. Bar sold. #RIP #ThatShowIsTheKissOfDeath"


I reached out to the bar to ask why they closed, and they said "owner received offer on the property and decided it was time to sell. The owner got out of the bar industry."


This episode is mostly known for the "All In" manager James aka DJ Blue Steel. I reached out to James to ask him why the bar closed, and he decided to take a shot at Jon Taffer.

A local article shortly after the Dual Nightclub episode aired said that James wasn't even the manager at the time the Bar Rescue episode was filmed.  He left the bar in February of 2013, but was asked back to do the show because Bar Rescue supposedly said they wouldn't do the show without him.  While filming the show, James said it was "coached reality" with the producers egging him on to behave badly.  The article also said that one of the cocktail waitresses on the show was a friend of the owners and never actually worked there.

Dual Ultra Nightclub has now been marked as 'Closed' on the Bar Rescue Update Page.  Visit that page for updates on all bars that have appeared on Bar Rescue, and Like Us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter for additional updates.

Bar 702 (Sand Dollar) From Bar Rescue Has Been Sold

Bar 702 in Las Vegas, Nevada, which was featured on season 3 of Bar Rescue has been sold and is under new ownership.  This happened in May 2014, and a post on their Facebook Page stated:

"So as some of you may or may not know Bar702LV is now under new ownership and the calendar is staying the same. We are really excited about the new endeavor!!!"

 Also, the About Us section of the Bar702 website now says:

Hi Everyone!! My name is Brooke Alexander, and I am the owner at Bar 702.

I moved to Las Vegas two years ago, after running and owning a string of successful bars in Chicago. But I always wanted a bar in Las Vegas. My dream finally came true in May 2014. I found Bar 702, and when I learned of the history as the Sand Dollar Lounge, I knew it was the perfect place.

Of course nothing worthwhile comes easy. I know of the struggles many bars have had trying to succeed in the Las Vegas market, and particularly how hard the Sand Dollar was hit back in the mid 2000's. I look forward to the challenge of making the Sand Dollar Lounge at Bar 702 the coolest place to be in vegas!

Staying true to the roots of the bar, we are going to focus on live entertainment. Having great bands here nightly is going to be our main objective. We want you to know that no matter what night you are looking for something to do, you will find the best music in town. During the week we will have many recurring events including things like our popular open mic night, funk jam and other local bands. On the weekends we will be booking a variety of local and touring acts, featuring different genres like hard rock, classic rock, blues, reggae, ska and much more. You can always take a look at our schedule to see who is playing throughout the month.

But we are going to be more than just live music. We will have many big screen TV's for you to come in and enjoy all the sports action week in and week out. Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer...If there is a game or sporting event you want to see, we will turn it on for you.

So come on down to the ALL NEW Sand Dollar Lounge at Bar 702, and introduce yourself. I look forward to rockin' with you for many years to come!

You may recall that Dr. Wilkes, one of the previous owners of the bar, is suing Bar Rescue and Jon Taffer, but who knows if that had any impact on their decision to sell the bar.

Side Note - a podcast on Real Sports Talk had the new owner of Bar 702 and many other owners that have appeared on Bar Rescue to talk about their experience and to give updates on their bars.  Here is the link if you are interested.

Bar 702 has been marked as 'Sold' on the Bar Rescue Updates page, which has updates for all Bar Rescue episodes.

The Chicken Bone (The Bone) From Bar Rescue To Close For The Summer

The Chicken Bone in Framingham, Massachusetts, which was on season 1 of Bar Rescue announced today that they would be closing for the rest of the summer.  The Chicken Bone was renamed to 'The Bone' during their Bar Rescue makeover, but they quickly went back to their original name.

In a status on their Facebook Page, the bar stated:

Dear Friends of The Chicken Bone:

Summertime has always been a very slow time of year for us here at The Chicken Bone. Many people are away on vacation and/or enjoying outdoor activities. This, combined with the changes in the economy and the rise in cost of living expenses, means we all have less money to spend on eating out and entertainment.

Up until last summer, The Chicken Bone had always been open 7 days a week. Last summer, in an effort to minimize the impact of the slow season, we reduced our operating hours and decided to be closed on Mondays. We have made the difficult decision to suspend our operations for the entire summer this year, with a re-opening scheduled for right after Labor Day.

We want to thank all of our staff and all of our customers for your friendship and support over the years. We know that The Chicken Bone would not be the special place that it is without all of you. We hope that you enjoy the summer and come back to see us in the fall for the great food and live music that The Chicken Bone is known for.

We will close beginning Tuesday June 17th and re-open after Labor Day. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you again in the fall.

Sincerely,
Bill & John

You would think that in a place like Massachusetts that business would be better in the summer than in the winter, but who knows.  Whether they follow through on their word of re-opening on Labor Day remains to be seen, so this will be one to watch.  For now, this bar will not be marked as closed on the Bar Rescue Update list, but if anything changes, there will be another update.

UPDATE - The Chicken Bone never reopened and closed for good.  More information on the closing.

Bar Rescue Specials To Air In The Coming Weeks

Photo - Spike

Just a heads up that this Sunday, there will be two half-hour Bar Rescue specials on Spike TV.  They will be at 9pm ET, and the first one is "Taffer's Top 10: Most Disgusting Bars", where Jon Taffer will count down the ten most "repulsive establishments" he has encountered up until this point.

The second half-hour special this Sunday is "Taffer's Top 10: Worst Owners", where there will be a countdown of the most unpleasant owners from the show over the years.

Next week on Sunday, June 29th, there will be two more Bar Rescue Top 10 specials at 9pm ET.  The first one will be "Taffer's Top 10: Angriest Moments" where Jon Taffer counts down his angriest moments from the show.  The second one is "Taffer's Top 10: Toughest Rescues" that counts down the toughest rescues that he has encountered.

O'Face's Liquor License Suspended Seven Days and Fined $1,000

On May 30th, O'Face agreed to a settlement with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division for an incident that occurred at their bar on November 11th, 2012.  The bar admitted guilt and said they "sold, dispensed, or gave an alcoholic beverage or beer to persons who were intoxicated at the time."

According to the settlement, O'Face will have their liquor license suspended for seven days from 8am, October 5, 2014 to 8am, October 12, 2014.  During that period, the bar can remain open for other lawful activities, but no alcohol of any kind can be sold or given away during that time frame.  They also must pay $1,000 to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division.

Here is the link with information regarding the settlement.

This comes just after the Council Bluffs City Council rejected their liquor license.  O'Face appealed that decision, and has a hearing date for their liquor license renewal on July 28th (link to documents).  Look for an update on that after the hearing occurs.

Bar Rescue - The V Bar (South Park Bar & Grill) Update

Tonight on Spike TV is the special 'lost' episode of Bar Rescue where they will be showing the pilot of the show for the first time.  Bar Rescue started airing on Spike TV in July of 2011, and this pilot was filmed in June of 2010.

In the pilot episode, Jon goes to South Park Bar & Grill in Montclair, New Jersey.  The bar has a hot head owner who is kicking both customers and employees out of his bar.  He also doesn't seem to respect his employees or Jon Taffer's knowledge.

It appears that they renamed South Park Bar & Grill to The V Bar (short for Vodka Bar) during the makeover, but the name did not stick.  The bar changed their name again to The Park Sports Bar not long after Jon Taffer made all of the changes.  Lets take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for The Park Sports Bar since Bar Rescue came to their bar in 2010.

The Never Before Seen 'Bar Rescue' Pilot Airs Sunday

This Sunday on Spike TV, the first ever episode of Bar Rescue that was filmed will be airing for the first time on TV.  Jon Taffer is at a New Jersey bar, where the owner has a habit of kicking out both customers and employees.

Spike TV has been airing this 15 second ad for the show, and there has also been a lot of chatter on social media about it.  Many people thought that when they saw a "lost" Bar Rescue episode would be airing that it would be the Music City Mess episode.  That was the Bar Rescue episode that was pulled after the bar owner killed someone at the bar just days before it was scheduled to air.  That episode accidentally aired once on Spike TV, but has not aired since. 

So if you are interested in seeing the first ever Bar Rescue filmed and seeing how much has changed since, be sure to tune in to Spike TV this Sunday at 8pm ET.  As a bonus, you get to see Jon Taffer rocking bowling shirts (pictured) and with a little more hair on his head.  Look for the update for the bar appearing in the episode to be posted here on Sunday.

Bar Rescue - Houston Sports Hub (End Zone) Update

Tonight on the season finale of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Houston, Texas to try to rescue End Zone Sports Bar and Grill.  The bar and the kitchen in the End Zone is filthy and the beer they are serving the customers is sour.  The bar is owned by two "muscle-bound meatheads" who get in a fight with each other during the recon.  Two other female employees also get into a fight while the bar is under surveillance.  Despite all of the fighting, Jon Taffer still goes through with the rescue and makes over the bar.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, End Zone Sports Bar and Grill was renamed to Houston Sports Hub, and they seem to have kept the name.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Houston Sports Hub since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar:

O'Face's Liquor License Renewal Rejected By City Council

Last night at the Council Bluffs, Iowa City Council meeting, the O'Face bar was trying to get their liquor license renewed, and it was rejected by the city council by a vote of 3-2.  There were seven liquor license applications reviewed that night, and O'Face's was the only one rejected.

The three city council members who voted against the renewal said that O'Face's appearance on Bar Rescue put the city in a bad light, and the mayor agreed.  They said the city is suffering as a result of the show and the mayor has received emails from around the country telling him how embarrassing it was for the city.

The mayor told the owner Matthew Overmyer "I understand this is a reality show, but the depiction of this inaccuracy has caused irreparable harm to the city.  This sort of show concerns me that you would hold out this community in a false light.  We all make mistakes, but we have to pay for them.”

Matt said that he has gotten a lot of negative feedback from people and even death threats and apologized for putting Council Bluffs in a bad light.  He was quoted as saying the experience has "been nothing but hell."   Matt plans to appeal the council decision to try to keep his license.

I guess as Jon Taffer would say, SHUT IT DOWN!

The local news is at the bar tonight interviewing employees, so we will see what they have to say tonight after the story airs.  I will do an update to this post or do another post if there is anything interesting said.

(Nonpareilonline)

Bar Rescue - Thirsty's Roadside Bar (Mary's Outpost) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Grand Prairie, Texas to try to rescue Mary's Outpost.  Mary's is a struggling dive bar with an owner who is handing out free drinks despite the fact that the bar is struggling.  The owner Bill also crosses the line with one of Jon Taffer's experts and tries to get girls to take their tops off in his back office.  He does this despite his wife working in the bar.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Mary's Outpost was renamed to Thirsty's Roadside Bar.  From the looks of their website/Facebook, it looks like they are going with a combination of the two and will not commit to one name.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Thirsty's Roadside Bar since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar:

Bar Rescue's Metal & Lace (Headhunters) Has Closed

Headhunters in Austin, Texas, which was on season 3 of Bar Rescue has closed.  When the bar appeared on Bar Rescue, it was renamed to Metal & Lace, and that name stuck for a bit, but looking at their Facebook page, it seems they reverted to Headhunters on all of their ads/flyers.

During the Headhunters episode, you may remember roaches in liquor bottles, the owner Steve Ricci clashing with Jon Taffer and also not paying his bartenders.  Jon didn't even say goodbye to him after he rescued his bar.

Last night, the Austin Chronicle is reporting that the door was locked and the staff was removing production gear from the stages.  When the owner Steve was asked for a comment he declined "citing legal reasons and a personal hatred for the Chronicle (“sucking cock backwards and only caring about themselves"), then asked me to leave".

Steve said he has nine locations he is considering for a future venue site, and there is speculation that there were issues with keeping his lease after the property was bought.  With Headhunters closing and moving out on the last day of the month, that speculation may be correct.

Looking at the public tax records for mixed beverage receipts in Texas, Headhunters claimed $598.77 in mixed beverage receipts in 2/2014 (in the 4-22 file).  For reference, other Bar Rescue bars in Texas had the following receipts for 2/2014 - The Brixton in Austin - $3204.54, and Bryant's Icehouse (Wildcatter) in Katy - $2258.10.

This is the 11th bar that has appeared on Bar Rescue to close, and the Bar Rescue Update Page has been updated with this information.

Bar Rescue - Taza (Oasis Hookah Bar) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Omaha, Nebraska to try to rescue Oasis Hookah Bar.  When Jon gets there, he notices a bad odor and also bad behavior from the bar employees.  The odor is supposedly a dead rat and the bar is also serving "toxic" drinks to customers.  One of the "toxic" drinks makes a customer puke after just one sip.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Oasis Hookah Bar was renamed to Taza Nightclub.  The bar seems to be using both names and goes by Taza Nightclub/Oasis Hookah Bar.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Taza/Oasis since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar:

Bar Rescue - Pat's Cocktails - A Mixology Bar Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Valley Village, California to try to rescue Pat's Cocktails, which is a sports bar.  The bar manager is too busy "canoodling" in his bar to notice the things that are going on around him.  Jon Taffer gets one of the bartenders to help out with the recon, and gets her to give out tons of free drinks to customers in the bar to see if the manager notices, which he does not.  Jon will need to change how the manager operates to turn this bar around.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Pat's Cocktails was slightly renamed to Pat's Cocktails - A Mixology Bar.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Pat's Cocktails since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar:

Bar Rescue - Wildcatter Saloon (Bryant's Ice House) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Katy, Texas to try to rescue Bryant's Ice House. The bar is a struggling biker bar owned by Jeff, a former tax accountant.  It is struggling due to a bad reputation and a dysfunctional staff.  One of the bartenders is so drunk and obnoxious, Jon Taffer threatens to "knock his ass out"

During the Bar Rescue makeover, Bryant's Ice House was renamed The Wildcatter Saloon.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for The Wildcatter Saloon since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar:

Is Bar Rescue Fake? - Lawsuit Says So

While Jon Taffer always claims that Bar Rescue is real and nothing is ever scripted, most people who watch the show feel otherwise.  Yesterday, a lawsuit was filed by Dr. Paul T Wilkes against Bongo LLC (a Bar Rescue production company), Jon Taffer, and his wife Nicole Taffer.  Paul was an owner of the Sand Dollar in Las Vegas, which was on season 3 of the show and renamed to Bar 702.  You may remember the episode titled as "Don't Mess With Taffer's Wife" where Jon gets mad that Paul was hitting on his wife.  The full lawsuit is here from Deadline, but here are some of the highlights that give a lot of insight into the Bar Rescue process:

Bar Rescue - The Shot Exchange (The Tailgate) Update

On tonight's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Santa Clarita, California to try to rescue The Tailgate bar. The bar is owned by a dysfunctional family, which is causing most of the problems at the bar.  The dad aka Pops is an in your face type of guy who co-owns the bar with his son Matt and daughter Diane.  Some of the problems Jon encounters at the bar besides the family are the exterior, tacky dollar bills on the walls, money being counted on a cutting board, a kitchen fire, and raw chicken contamination in the kitchen.

During the Bar Rescue makeover, The Tailgate was renamed The Shot Exchange, and has a menu featuring 50 shots.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for The Shot Exchange since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar: