20 Best Episodes Of Bar Rescue, Ranked

Dec. 1, 2023, midnight

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20 Best Episodes Of Bar Rescue, Ranked

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Summary The best Bar Rescue episodes are filled with iconic moments and dramatic fights, making them entertaining and interesting television.

Jon Taffer's no-nonsense approach and extensive knowledge of the business make him successful in remaking struggling bars.

Some episodes show Taffer walking out and leaving managers and staff to their own devices, while others highlight the transformation of owners and their businesses.

The best Bar Rescue episodes are full of iconic, memeable moments and freakouts, making it a continued reality TV hit. Starring nighttime entertainment consultant Jon Taffer, the premise of the series sees Taffer remake and remodel bars that are in danger of being closed for various reasons. Jon Taffer himself is a complicated figure, known for some of his Gordon Ramsay-type freakouts and no-nonsense approach to bar patronage. However, it's clear that he is extremely knowledgeable about the business and genuinely cares about his contestant's successes.

Some bars on Bar Rescue have disgusting findings, while others have pushover managers or a staff that's running wild. Either way, Jon Taffer's job is to get the place back in shape and in a better place, overall. Taffer's methods are anything but subtle, and dramatic fights are commonplace in the series, which is possibly what makes it such interesting television. He is often successful, but he's had to turn his back on more than one establishment beyond saving. The best Bar Rescue episodes are often the most dramatic, but there are some heartwarming success stories too.

Bar Rescue is available to stream on Paramount+

Related Bar Rescue: 13 Behind The Scenes Facts You Should Know About Jon Taffer's Reality Show Jon Taffer's reality show Bar Rescue is wild TV, but what are some behind the scenes facts fans should know? From lawsuits to grim tales, let's look.

20 "Remembering Billy"

Season 8, Episode 11

In season 8, Jon visited the Country Line Lounge and Grille in Tucson, Arizona, and what resulted was one of the best Bar Rescue episodes. The owners were a couple named Denise and Billy, as it was Billy's dream to own a bar, and they got a friend Paul to help invest in the bar for 49% ownership. Sadly, just three months after opening, Billy died and Denise kept the bar open to honor her husband. Things got touchy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the bar reopens, Denise tries to keep it running but is struggling.

Jon renamed the bar The Billy Bar: An Arizona Bar & Grill to honor Denise's husband.

That makes this an emotional Bar Rescue episode, as it is not just about keeping a business open. It is about keeping the memory of Denise's husband and Paul's friend alive. However, Jon sees that Denise is drinking with the customers and the bartenders are free-pouring the alcohol. Jon explains the bar is losing massive money by over-pouring drinks. This episode had a wonderful ending too, as Jon renamed it The Billy Bar: An Arizona Bar & Grill to honor Denise's husband.

19 "The Gaslamp Redemption"

Season 7, Episode 15

In the Bar Rescue season 6 episode, "The Gaslamp Redemption," Jon visited Jolt’n Joe’s in San Diego, California, a sports and pool bar that also hosted various events. The owner, Phil Paccione, said he wanted to make it a Chickie Cheese for adults. Sadly, despite years of success, when Phil contracted cancer, he turned the bar over to a general manager, and it started to falter. While Phil was able to return to the bar, he developed a tough relationship with his general manager since the bar started to fail.

It seems that everything ended well for the renamed Gaslamp Social thanks to Jon and the Bar Rescue team.

When Jon shows up, he rips into the general manager, Sean, and the GM then decides to blame the cook, who, in turn, blames Sean. This causes Jon to have to figure out how to best fix this bar thanks to the dysfunction existing between the owner, general manager, and staff. Jon re-trains the bartenders and the kitchen staff and Phil agrees to give Sean a percent of the bar's earnings. It seems that everything ended well for the renamed Gaslamp Social thanks to Jon and the Bar Rescue team.

18 "Wreck It Ralph"

Season 8, Episode 12

"Wreck It Ralph" in Bar Rescue season 8 concerns the True Grit Tavern in Maricopa, Arizona. The episode title refers to owner Ralph Skryzpczak, who borrowed money from his father to open the bar. When Jon showed up, it was clear that the employees had no respect for Ralph, one saying working for him was a "challenge" and another who believed he just used money made there to fund other investments. Jon also owned a comic book store and a dating site, but he said if his bar went under, he would lose it all.

Jon comes in and sees that the staff isn't making the drinks right and the food is terrible. He agrees to help out the bar for Ralph's dad, but not for Ralph himself, who he blames for the bar's struggles. They train the bartenders and get the kitchen in better order before changing the name to The Roost Sports Bar & Cafe. By the end, Jon congratulates Ralph and his dad even says he is proud of his son. The best thing is that Ralph took all the advice and worked hard to make the bar successful.

17 "Green Walls And Donkey Balls"

Season 6, Episode 41

The Bar Rescue season 6 episode, "Green Walls and Donkey Balls" sees Jon head to a bar called the Drunken Donkey in Lewisville, Texas. This bar has been open since 2014 when two best friends opened it. One of the friend's wives named it, and then they painted it all bright green. As expected, the first thing that Jon hated was the color of the walls when he arrived with his expert mixologist Mia Mastroianni. There are also problems because the drinks are not made properly, and the design is impractical.

Jon ends up making some big changes, including changing the name to Butcher and Brew Pub.

This is a case where Jon and Mia have to re-train the staff and get the bar ready to perform at a higher level if it wants to remain open and not end up going out of business. After firing a manager, things go downhill when Jon and one of the owners get into an argument about the changes. However, Jon ends up making some big changes, including changing the name to Butcher and Brew Pub and improving the layout of the bar itself. It worked, and this Bar Rescue bar remains open to this day, although it did change its name back.

16 "Magically Atrocious"

Season 8, Episode 20

In "Magically Atrocious," Jon Taffer heads to the Cerealhikuc Cafe, which is located in Tampa, Florida. However, there were several problems with the bar when Jon showed up. It is located in an area of Tampa known for boutiques and vintage shops, and it is located in a historic church, which is unique, to say the least. However, it is also a nostalgia-based bar and, as the title suggests, it is based on breakfast cereals. This is causing it to fail as the theme could work for a restaurant but not a bar.

Jon has to convince the owners to completely remodel the bar.

This is a case where Jon can't just come in and clean up a bar or re-train the staff. Jon has to convince the owners to completely remodel the bar and change its entire theme. This resulted in a nice remodel, as Jon changed the name to The Loft Elevated Bar + Food and removed the entire cereal focus. It had a great ending, as the couple who owned it seemed very grateful, and everything looked so much better. Sadly, the bar ended up shutting down a few months after Jon's remodel.

15 "Mother Doesn't Know Best"

Season 5, Episode 21

In Bar Rescue season 5's "Mother Knows Best," John Taffer and his team take their advice to Sin City. Upon arrival in Las Vegas, Taffer and his crew meet a matronly woman who owns a severely struggling dive bar along the strip. Prone to having a good time and abdicating her professional responsibilities, Taffer makes an impassioned plea for the woman to take greater ownership of her business and conduct herself with more discipline.

Taffer's efforts are rewarded when bar owner Corrine finally decides to become what a boss should be. Watching Corrine's failures, in the beginning, is entertaining, but watching her successes as the episode goes on is even better. If Taffer's interior transformation of the space isn't enticing enough, seeing Taffer's words really make an impact on Corrine, and seeing her step up to the challenge makes this one of the best Bar Rescue episodes.

Related Bar Rescue: 10 Fakest Things About The Show, According To Cast And Crew Former participants of Bar Rescue spilled the secrets behind the production of the reality series and clarified which parts are fabricated.

14 "All Twerk And No Pay Makes Taffer Shut It Down"

Season 5, Episode 16

Taffer tries to save the Speakeasy Bar & Grill in Louisiana, owned by husband and wife Keith and Amanda. In this season 5 Bar Rescue episode, the bar and owners experience several setbacks, and it all becomes understandably overwhelming as both of them worry about their well-being and the bar's future. Unfortunately, wife and mother Amanda has taken to shirking all responsibilities and twerking her way to better business — an effort that obviously fails.

The fights that break out between Keith's drinking and Amanda's inappropriate behavior are finally matched when Taffer shows up.

The fights that break out between Keith's drinking and Amanda's inappropriate behavior are finally matched when Taffer shows up. Taffer is able to give them a reality check about their relationship and how it has affected their bar. In another astonishing endeavor, Taffer saves not only their bar but possibly their relationship as a whole. Seeing the transformation of both owners, and how they treat their business, and each other, is a true victory.

13 "Still Bill"

Season 7, Episode 4

This season 7 episode follows Jon Taffer as he tries to rescue The Union bar that has fallen into disarray under owner Bill Rowe's leadership. This ranks among the best Bar Rescue episodes because The Union is one of the more disgusting bars in the show's history. Rowe is a passive leader who isn't sure about what he should be doing in his position and tends to let everyone do what they want (especially after hiring his friends) instead of being a successful and clear-spoken leader.

Taffer tries to get him in shape and help him become a successful leader, so he can run the bar at a profit and pay back his in-laws. This episode features a ton of iconic Bar Rescue moments, funny lines from Jon Taffer, and a particularly embarrassing speech by Taffer to patrons before they close the bar for renovations. Taffer proves that he doesn't just fix bars, but relationships as well, as he shows owner Bill how his passiveness in his business affects his family.

12 Storming The Castle

Season 4, Episode 16

Taffer and company get more than they bargained for when attempting to help an attitudinal bar owner in one of the best Bar Rescue episodes. When Taffer arrives at a barroom called Stein Haus, modeled after an ancient castle, he meets the owner, Ivan Vuich. Taffer soon realizes Vuich has extreme temper issues and an inability to control his anger. Taffer makes suggestions on how to improve Stein Haus, but they are met with surly sneers at every turn.

Taffer and Vuich's exchanges are certainly entertaining, as the screaming matches rival those of some of Gordon Ramsay's best freakouts.

Taffer and Vuich's exchanges are certainly entertaining, as the screaming matches rival those of some of Gordon Ramsay's best freakouts. However, Taffer uses his skill to change Vuich's attitude from an owner who used to scream expletives as his staff to a coolheaded cook in the kitchen. "Storming the Castle" showcases Taffer's ability to recognize where people's talents truly lie and turn a stressful (and possibly toxic) work environment into a successful business.

11 Casually Tapped Out

Season 5, Episode 19

In "Casually Tapped Out," Taffer faces a unique problem he never experienced in all his time on Bar Rescue, owner fatigue. Taffer arrives at a shuddered neighborhood bar and learns the owner, who happens to be a firefighter, is completely burned out by the business. Taffer is tasked with reopening the bar, which cannot occur until the firefighter rekindles his passion and summons the energy to press on.

The main issue is that in his exhaustion, Steve has handed the bar over to two bartenders to run the show, which neither of them excels at. Taffer is able to whip into shape not just one, but three managers, a testament to Taffer's skill in the business. Seeing Steve go from unenthusiastic to heavily involved is a worthwhile journey to witness, making it stand out as a Bar Rescue episode.

10 Antisocial Media

Season 5, Episode 4

In one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue, "Antisocial Media," Taffer attempts to help out a self-defeating bar owner and his brother, a military vet in California beset with severe PTSD. In small-town California, John discovers a pub owner who is not only known for bad service in the dramatic Bar Rescue episode but also for negative social media posts thanks to a charity video that turned out to be a lie. The owner also takes care of his brother, whose severe PTSD causes issues in the business setting, pulling his attention away from his bar.

"Antisocial Media" proves that Taffer truly is the best and most versatile at what he does.

It's an interesting Bar Rescue episode as it tackles issues that the series doesn't often see. Between learning how to be better on social media and building charitable contributions that positively impact the community, the scope of the episode is much greater than other Bar Rescue installments, and "Antisocial Media" proves that Taffer truly is the best and most versatile at what he does.

9 Phishing For Answers

Season 6, Episode 12

Taffer travels to save the bar Phish Heads when a couple asks him to come and try to push their son to successfully run the bar. The couple is on the verge of bankruptcy, and their son is failing at running the bar and is threatening his parents' financial future if he doesn't get his act together. In the episode, their son refuses to try and instead lazily approaches the issue of their finances and his responsibility to the bar and doesn't have any determination or passion.

Watching James ignore his responsibility is difficult, and watching Taffer whip him into shape is all the more satisfying. Outside of the general business struggles the bar faces, the biggest issues are between James and his parents, and Taffer is able to play family therapist and bring them all together, while also forcing James to take a hard look in the mirror.

Related Bar Rescue: 10 Most Intense Arguments Between Jon Taffer & Bar Owners Jon Taffer isn't afraid to put failing bar owners in their place, which often leads to intense fights between the two parties.

8 Quick-Sandtown Rescue

Season 8, Episode 18

Jon Taffer and his team go to Atlanta to save the Sandtown Pub bar, as owner Janice has been struggling financially for years. It certainly doesn't help that the bar's equipment is failing, and cleanliness is an afterthought. The main issues at the Quick-Sandtown Rescue are, surprisingly, the staff, rather than the owners, which is usually the case.

Taffer does what he does best in this episode and is able to turn things around with new equipment, a bar makeover, and a new menu.

Taffer does what he does best in this episode and is able to turn things around with new equipment, a bar makeover, and a new menu. He also helps Fredericka realize that her daughter Amber can take over more responsibility at the bar, and to great success. The episode showcases the wonders Taffer is capable of and his ability to see the potential in even the most unappealing establishment.

7 Desi, You Got Some 'Splainin' To Do

Season 5, Episode 18

In the 18th episode of Bar Rescue's Season 5, Taffer takes fellow nightclub consultant Brad Bohannon to help an elderly bar owner recover his business after suffering from a near-fatal stroke. In one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue, John and Brad meet the owner, and they realize he's too ill to keep his business afloat, much less successful. The man's alcohol abuse has only made matters worse, dwindling his own alcohol supply and dipping into his profits.

The best thing that Taffer does for Desi isn't the bar makeover or the changes to drinks and the menu, but that he helps him realize that his daughter Lindsay is able to step up and take over for her ailing father. Taffer makes Desi admit that he's reached his limits due to his health, and can make Desi feel more confident in giving his daughter more responsibility. This saves his bar in the long run and not just within the confines of the episode.

6 Breaking Brandon

Season 7, Episode 3

Taffer tries to offer his services to a bar owner who is experiencing mental health issues over his failures with the business. After Brandon sunk his mother's life savings into a business investment, the man is left with only four days to shut down his dream bar. Between supply issues and a serious lack of cleanliness, Taffer has a lot on his hands.

Taffer is able to miraculously turn Brandon's attitude around, which was no easy feat.

Taffer is able to miraculously turn Brandon's attitude around, which was no easy feat. Promising that Brandon will one day be successful enough to pay his mother back, seeing Brandon pull himself out of his deep depression is both heartwarming and inspiring. It's clear he wouldn't have been able to do it without Taffer's help and guidance, showcasing once again just how much Taffer truly cares about the business — and the people running it.

5 Things That Go Pahrump In The Night

Season 5, Episode 23

In addition to Taffer, the show features fellow consultants Tom Bonello and Chef Vic Vegas. Taffer's task takes a medical turn when arriving in Pahrump, Nevada to find a bar owner in desperate need of salvation. Not only is the man's bar in financial ruin, but a medical condition may claim his eyesight. Russ has taken on over $100,000 in debt from his mother and coworkers, and Taffer and his team race against time to help the man before it's too late.

It's one of the few more heartwarming episodes of Bar Rescue. Taffer is able to convince Russ that his employee Tawna can shoulder more of the responsibility at the bar. He also makes valiant attempts to fix the relationship between Russ and his mother, Pat, who technically owns Paddy's Pub. After the makeover, Taffer shows Pat that she's able to step back and finally let her son and Tawna run the pub in a truly triumphant conclusion.

4 A Commander And His Post

Season 8, Episode 8

Jon Taffer and his team return to Pahrump, Nevada in one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue, "A Commander and His Post." The episode sees Taffer try to save a Veteran of Foreign Wars hall from closure, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the midst of all this, the owner's wife is dealing with a litany of health issues. Like something out of Kitchen Nightmares, Taffer has more than he bargained for on his hands as he must redesign everything from the menu to the interior design to make it work, and the results are truly an astounding feat.

Taffer rarely encounters an owner who cares as much about their business as Marty does.

It's clear that Marty truly cares about his bar and gives everything he has, but between his wife's health issues and the pandemic, he's falling apart at the seams. Taffer makes a valiant effort to pick the place back up and help Marty transition his leadership over to Steve. Taffer rarely encounters an owner who cares as much about their business as Marty does. However, Taffer being able to help Marty let go of control is a major feat in and of itself, making this one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue.

3 Operation Puerto Rico

Season 6, Episode 15

In the one-hour special Bar Rescue: Operation Puerto Rico, Taffer was joined by the celebrities such as Mark Cuban, Luis Guzman, Bethenny Frankel, and NBA player J.J. Barea for a major humanitarian effort. Taffer and his crew faced his biggest challenge yet in one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue when tasked with helping rebuild the family-owned beachfront bar called El K'Rajo in Puerto Rico. The establishment was destroyed by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, leaving its owner in total ruin as a result.

It's not often that Taffer takes on a humanitarian project, which is why this episode is certainly one of the best that Bar Rescue has to offer. In what Taffer himself describes as his "biggest rescue yet," the scope of the episode is arguably bigger than most, as the failure of the establishment is through little fault of its owner and staff. Taffer proves he has a huge heart in this episode, helping the family-owned establishment with everything he's got.

Related Bar Rescue: 10 Bars That Jon Taffer Should Have Walked Out On Jon Taffer has rescued hundreds of bars, but not all of them were deserving of the Taffer treatment and should've been left alone.

2 Punch-Drunk & Trailor-Trashed

Season 3, Episode 31

Featuring some of the best Taffer vs. Bar owner fights, Taffer's patience is pushed to the ultimate limits in "Punch-Drunk & Trailor Trashed," in which he and mixologist Russell Davis get involved with an abusive and dysfunctional family in Council Bluffs, Iowa. When arriving in Iowa to help rescue the O'Face Bar, Taffer meets a volatile family whose argumentative antics are too much to bear. Taffer ultimately decides the family and bar are beyond repair and walks away.

It's the first bar in the history of the series that Taffer refused to rescue. In 2014, the government of Council Bluffs was so outraged by the owners of the bar that they refused to renew their liquor license. The decision has since been reversed upon appeal. Jon Taffer's walkout is the reason this episode is one of the best, as it also features some of Bar Rescue's most iconic moments.

1 Second Base Third Strike

Season 4, Episode 11

This Bar Rescue episode follows Jon Taffer as he returns to a bar that the team had already rescued in 2012. He attempts to re-rescue a bar called the Second Base Bar & Grill, in the only re-rescue situation in the show's history. As one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue, the installment features some of the most memorable fights, great Taffer quotes, and moments of sheer audacity.

Taffer returns to a bar to find that the entire staff and bar are struggling mainly because the owner has become disengaged with actively running the bar, and everyone is suffering because of it.

Taffer returns to a bar to find that the entire staff and bar are struggling mainly because the owner has become disengaged with actively running the bar, and everyone is suffering because of it. It's one of the few episodes where Taffer walks out and refuses to help (with good reason). The fact that the bar finds itself in the same situation makes this episode incredibly unique, which is why it's one of the best episodes of Bar Rescue.