Bar Rescue (season 3)

The owner, Brad, has come to hard times when his work setting up the nearby bar Tropical Isle resulted in him being kicked out of the business. He builds his new bar, Turtle Bay, in the shadow of the Tropical Isle with an uninspired theme drawn heavily from his former work. The bar is so empty and unattractive that the recon team walk right past it. Taffer is highly critical of the bar's lack of identity, focusing especially on their signature drink, using the same gimmicky glass design and color as Tropical Isle's "Hand Grenade", and also their use of microwaved food. To make the bar stand out, Taffer remodels and rebrands the bar as "Spirits on Bourbon", playing on the ghostly theme, changing the bar's primary colour to blue, creating unique cocktails such as the "Resurrection" and providing fresh, authentic Louisiana food.

Note: For the recon in this episode, Jon brought in the bar manager and kitchen manager of The Black Sheep (re-branded as The Public House), featured in the sixth episode of Season 2.

Jon tries to save a roach-infested bar and deals with a stubborn owner who refuses to pay his employees.

Note: Instead of doing the recon, Jon and his experts accompany Nicole instead of having her go in alone after reviewing the customer's point of view in addition to a disturbing concert that took place that night. This is one of the few rescues where the owner did not thank Jon for his help.

Jon has a lot of work to do when he helps an owner and his frat brother friends who recently purchased a hangout notorious for bartenders who drink on the job and serve people with fake I.D.s.

Jon has more than just a bar to fix when he helps a couple, the husband of which is belligerent, insulting to customers, and doesn't know how to make proper drinks, which threatens to derail everything they worked hard for.

Note: This is the fourth bar that reverted to its name at the end of the episode.

Jon gets more than he bargains for when he has a face off with a very prideful and stubborn owner who is desperate to keep his bar alive after a car crash a few years back ruined its success when his old staff failed to control it while he was recovering.

Jon goes to work at a reformed night club that used to cater to an older crowd, but was forced to accommodate to the younger hip hop crowd. The bar staff is not trained, food is served in oversized portions in styrofoam takeaway containers, and security is very lax. Consequently, the night club has a bad reputation due to violence and gangs. Taffer orders a clean-out of the dirty kitchen and the team reduce portion sizes and forces the staff to serve on plates rather than in containers. The bar staff is trained in pouring techniques. Unusually for the show, Taffer brings in a third expert, specializing in security. During the stress test, Taffer plants liquor bottles on several patrons, which security guard Ron fails to find during pat-downs. Owner Shelton finally takes a stand against his lazy staff and fires Ron. In the next day's training, the kitchen develops fresh food items, the bar staff learn new cocktails, and the security team learn to diffuse fights, including Taffer's method of using a frozen towel to restrain women. The bar is remodeled with the improved decor, better lighting on the dance floor and a service station are installed. The security team manages to confiscate alcohol and drugs at the door. Chef Diego turns up drunk and abusive and is fired by Shelton. Taffer is impressed with Shelton's renewed rigor, and the relaunch is successful.

Note: Jon revisited the club almost four years later in a Back to the Bar special where he admits that he and Shelton cried when they went over the plans for the remodel. For the special, Jon checked out the club personally rather than sending one of his experts to do it. Jon discovered that not only did Shelton pay off his debts completely, but he has turned the Kasbah into an extremely profitable business with plans to retire and leave it to his son while Shelton moves to Florida. When asked about security issues, Shelton confirms that they have had no problems in over two years.

Jon works with a passive owner whose poor decisions, including putting in a controversial lobster crane game and her ignorant manager, has caused her bar to hit the rocks.

When America's first karaoke bar is facing closure, Jon decides to go hands on to help this historic establishment.

Jon heads to the Arizona desert to help a family-owned bar whose members drink on the job and allow running motorcycles and horses inside, creating health hazards for the customers.

Jon journeys to a comedy club, where he must assist the business with achieving more laughter and securing a larger amount of profit from the customers.

A Las Vegas bar owner tries to pick up Nicole, leaving Jon in a frenzy and tough predicament. He also has to get the owner's partner to become a manager, get a new sound to attract more people and loosen gambling rules in their games.

Note: Due to a lawsuit involving the Taffers and the bar's former owner, this episode no longer airs in reruns on Paramount Network or appears on the network's website and apps.

Jon learns that a North Carolina nightclub has an immature and partying manager who is refilling premium liquor bottles with cheap alcohol, and must get the owner to hold him and his employees accountable to save his bar.^[1]

Jon tries to get two partying sisters to stop binge drinking in order to save a biker bar. Mixologist: Russell Davis, Chef: Brian Duffy

Jon must put an end to a feud between two owners, whose bitter resentment towards each other is allowing their staff to get away with theft, drinking on the job, and constant fighting at their failing sports bar.

Jon looks to save Las Vegas' first gay nightclub from its verbally abusive and intoxicated owner.

Note: This is the first episode whose epilogue specifically states that the bar has closed down since Jon's visit. In this case, the owner expressed his belief that the overhaul was a mistake, then closed the bar two days after its relaunch.

Jon deals with a Yankee family who is having trouble adapting to a more Dixie environment, mostly because the brother is a hot-head who verbally insults his family and staff, and the other members wear ridiculous costumes to support one of the worst concepts Jon has seen to date. The episode also had a flashback to the infamous Piratz Tavern episode.

Note: During the Back to the Bar special, it was shown that not only is Moonrunners successful, they are scouting out a second location for a franchise. Later, they started a food truck business and the owner, Guy, use his vehicle to do a road trip across the US to visit Spirits on Bourbon and George & Dragon before heading to Jon's place for another Back to the Bar special. Part of the food truck's artistic design is a drawing of Jon himself with the caption "shut it down," which Jon often says when he shuts down a bar during a rescue.

Jon must humble an arrogant and condescending U.S. Marine/bar owner who bulldogs his employees and fails to capture the local military personnel due to poor design choices.

Jon tries to help two siblings who are wasting their father's retirement with a rickety mechanical bull, get hold of their inexperienced, over-pouring bartenders, and help them recover from a family loss that had the owners closing the kitchen, in a New England whaling community.

Note: This is the first episode where the owner watches the recon with Jon.

Jon helps repair the strained relationship of two classically trained chefs who have a blue collar bar in desperate need of help.^[2]

Jon tries to save a marriage and a bar by splitting one bar into two, but has trouble with an inexperienced staff, including a good, but frustrated cook, and the husband not doing anything to help. First time the landlord and rival business owner appear as part of the recon team.

Jon must do a reality check on a bar whose oblivious owner, ill-conceived death metal theme, and filthy bathrooms are driving away the college-age crowd.

Note: For this episode, Jon's experts access the problems in the bar without him being there. He stays outside and watches footage of their visit, then enters the next morning after the staff has cleaned the bar.

Jon encounters poor food service, tacky decor, and deep distrust between employees and management as he tries to save a Halloween/horror-themed bar run by two former rockers.

Jon confronts a bar owner's adult grandchildren, whose lax oversight of inventory and money handling have brought the bar close to failure.

Note: This is the second episode where the owner watches the recon with Jon.

Jon faces the triple challenge of rebuilding a successful bar that was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, getting the five brothers who own it to set aside their disagreements, and retraining staff members who are long out of practice.

Note: For this episode, the staff training and stress test were done at a bar in Manhattan, since the Bungalow Bar was undergoing extensive reconstruction. Prior to the grand re-opening, the owners of Turtle Bay (re-branded as Spirits on Bourbon, episode 1 of season 3) visited to present the staff with a new set of souvenir cups and T-shirts and a $5,000 donation. As Jon prepared to leave, the owners presented him with an autographed picture of an American flag raised amid Hurricane Sandy's floodwaters, framed with wood taken from the portions of the Rockaway Beach boardwalk that were destroyed in the storm. This is also the first bar that was not a failure prior to an overhaul, but a way for Jon to give back to his community.

A motorsports bar's female-unfriendly theme and its employees' vulgar behavior - including display of a sex doll - prompt Jon to push the owner to reassert control over the business.

Note: "Attack of the Yummy Mommies" was the original title for this episode.

A Tennessee bar without a liquor license has severe sanitation problems in the kitchen and basement, female bartenders who routinely flash their boobs at customers, and an owner who has a reputation for ingenuity yet leaves all the hands-on work to his wife.

Note: Big Smo, who used to perform at MT Bottle, joins Jon to watch the recon. He later appeared during the grand re-opening of the bar's new name. In addition, mixologist Russell Davis almost injured himself during the stress test due to the slippery floor of the bar.

Surveillance on a golf-themed bar reveals terrible sanitary conditions and incompetence in the kitchen, which is run by the owner's friend, that threaten to ruin the owner's investment, unless Jon can get the borderline-oblivious owner to take control and fix things up.

A country music snob with an explosive personality turns to Jon for help.

Note: This episode was originally billed as the 28th episode, but on the day of the airing, the owner of the bar was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing country singer Wayne Mills during an argument.^[3] Spike pulled the episode, which was scheduled at 9:00 PM on the 24th, and replaced it with a rerun. An oversight by the network, however, led to the intended 12:00 AM encore on the 25th airing as scheduled and drawing complaints from viewers.^[4]

Jon must help a sports bar's owner and staff overcome long-held infighting, poor training, and a lack of publicity and promotion in order to succeed against the local competition.

When a personal feud between twin brothers threatens the future of the bar they own, one brother's son calls Jon in to save the business.

Note: The son of one brother, who is also the nephew of the other brother, works with Jon ahead of time to give him inside information on the bar's problems in addition to watching the recon with him.

When an owner's heavy drinking and loud antics threaten the bar's fortune, Jon must get the owner's brother and his best friend, who together hold a majority stake, to overrule him and act to save the bar.

Note: Two of the three co-owners join Jon to watch the recon. This is also the first episode where he performed a hostile takeover.

Jon must make a members-only club into an asset, but has trouble with a carefree owner and his aloof son, bartenders who over-pour, a manager who is set to take over but has little power, and a raccoon infestation that poses a major health hazard.

Note: After turning the bar around, Jon was presented with a raccoon hat and a membership card for the bar.

Jon Taffer and mixologist Russell observe the bar from the SUV. They note the sexual reference of the bar's name, O'Face, and the trailer-like appearance of bar's exterior. The staff spend most of the evening drinking shots and becoming intoxicated, with only server Cerissa and security "Syck"^[who?] showing concern for the patrons. Owner Matt refuses to tell customers the contents of their signature O-Gasm shot and orders Cerissa to sell them. This leads to a confrontation between Cerissa and manager Amanda, which drags outside. Amanda pushes Cerissa to the ground and begins to beat her up, forcing Jon to stop the recon to break up the fight. Jon demands that Amanda be fired, but owner Karen defends Amanda and fires Cerissa instead, stating that Cerissa had it coming. When Jon discovers this the next morning, he walks out. Matt convinces Karen to fire Amanda, and Jon returns and brings Cerissa back. Having lost their training time, Jon immediately puts the bar through the stress test. Matt takes an hour to serve inedible frozen pizzas, Karen refuses to work positively, and bartender Dave breaks all of the mixing glasses, forcing the bar to shut down. Short on time, Jon orders the team to train all day, but the staff argue with each other as Jon Taffer and mixologist Russell Davis sit and listen in disbelief,^[5] compounded by Karen's absolute refusal to accept any responsibility for her actions and Matt's stubborn defense of her despite her constant disrespect and blaming him. Jon tells them to stop complaining and start training or he will leave. After the bickering ceases, they fail to perform in the little training Russell can complete. Meanwhile, Jon does a full business background check. He uncovers numerous reports of violent behavior, including video of Matt slapping Dave and offering Syck a pay-rise to throw him through a window. Jon confronts the owners and declares that he will not have anything to do with the bar, and walks out with a suggestion that they seek professional counseling though he feels bad for Syck and Cerissa. Jon states that this is the first time in thirty years of rescuing bars that he has ever walked out.

Note: On February 4, 2016, the owner Matt was arrested on suspicion of second-degree sexual abuse and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. He served 90 days in jail and was released on April 4, 2017 but was sent back to jail on April 14, 2017 for not registering as a sex offender as part of his plea deal.

Jon is joined by celebrity guests Maria Menounos and Adam Carolla as he takes over a failing sports bar, wrangles with an incompetent owner, whose father owns the building as a whole, and undertrained staff.

Note: Maria and AfterBuzzTV co-creator Kevin Undergaro went undercover during the recon.

Jon must mend the relationship between the owners and their father, who's fed up with the staff's unruly behavior, but can't do anything since the owners are too lenient and refuse to fire them. However, when one of the employees causes a disaster in the kitchen, Jon must convince them otherwise.

Note: During the Back to the Bar special, despite the bar is sold, the new owners decided to remain it as the same thing that Jon has rescued.

Jon must give a bar a major overhaul, from the staff to the name, when a tax-accountant-turned-owner bought it and the bad reputation and that it gained a few years back, whilst dealing with bartenders who spend more time drinking and creating drama, and one of the worst locations he's dealt with.

Jon recruits the bar's bartenders to get inside help about the bar's problems and must get the manager to stop treating the place like a romantic playground, while convincing the owner to go more hands on with his business.

Finding a hookah bar plagued by unsanitary smoking equipment, putrid odors, an inexperienced manager, and an owner who lets his staff run wild, Jon wonders if the bar's concept can ever turn a profit.

Jon faces off with an owner who is lecherous and disrespectful towards women patrons, treats his wife/general manager with little respect, and gives away his products, after he crosses the line with one of his experts.

Two meatheads' tempers and testosterone threaten their friendship and their Houston bar, forcing Jon to address not only their management style, but their personal issues.