Bar Rescue

Anyone else watch this (it's on Spike Sunday nights..)? I am curious to hear your take on his ideas of "bar science" or "reaction management" (the latter the host has trademarked btw). Personally, I like it how they dive into the numbers/nuts and bolts of ownership. I kinda dig his ideas. Anyone else? Cheers!

Yeah, I like the show and the guy seems to know his stuff. He can come across as a total Richard at times, but it is usually when that type of attitude is needed. I'm just curious how well these bars do after the remodel/tv hype is gone. I'd guess the motivation and customer base return to the old ways in a hurry.

Yeah, I like the show and the guy seems to know his stuff. He can come across as a total Richard at times, but it is usually when that type of attitude is needed. I'm just curious how well these bars do after the remodel/tv hype is gone. I'd guess the motivation and customer base return to the old ways in a hurry.

A few have crashed and burned after. The followups at the end have even mentioned it. They usually have a "3 months later bar sales were up 12%" kind of thing. But there have been a few where it was "They went back to original name and sales continue to plummet".

I dont like how in every episode he has to have one guy he almost gets into a fight with. I did like that in the last one, it wasnt the owner, as he seemed to be on the page to turn things around from the beginning. Which, I would think, if you are calling him in, you have already accepted.

So, this is sort of like Restaurant Impossible?

So, this is sort of like Restaurant Impossible?

Yep.

John does a real good job of reestablishing a concept and giving the owners a starting place from which to build. The truth is that he's only there for at best, one week. You can't change habits in a drive-by consultation. It takes longer than that.

Truthfully, some of the episodes are painfull for me to watch. If I walked into a bar that had (x) going on, my head would just explode.

So, this is sort of like Restaurant Impossible?

Yep.

John does a real good job of reestablishing a concept and giving the owners a starting place from which to build. The truth is that he's only there for at best, one week. You can't change habits in a drive-by consultation. It takes longer than that.

Truthfully, some of the episodes are painfull for me to watch. If I walked into a bar that had (x) going on, my head would just explode.

Did you see the episode in Austin with the bar with the roaches in the bottles? That was hard for me. Not just that but the owner didn't pay his employees. They worked only for tips with no payroll. Gah!

Yep.

That would be the episode that got my goat the most. The thing that wore me out was the attitude of the owner- towards his guests, his employees and himself.

And his name was 'Steve.' Nails on a chalkboard, if you get my drift...

PS. A band called 'Miscarriage?' Seriously? You should be slapped for being a tool. Those employee-owners banded together and tried to make that place work, in spite of him. Disgusting.

PSS. To end on a positive note- the Bourbon Street Bar he did hit the nail on the head. They're going to have to hire more employees, they are going to be that busy.

PSS. To end on a positive note- the Bourbon Street Bar he did hit the nail on the head. They're going to have to hire more employees, they are going to be that busy.

I agree. That owner was clueless with his souvenir glasses and for ripping off his old place. The souvenir glass they came up with was perfect. Totally 1000% over the top ridiculous New Orleans goof. But Bar Rescue literally saved them. I wonder how much $$ they are willing to sink into a place when they renovate them? It doesn't seem like budget is an issue.

I love Bar Rescue. After careful research my girlfriend and I have found this show is pretty legit (some reality shows are faked). Yes his ideas are good and you can follow up by searching the bars on the internet. It seems that after all the cool renovations many owners end up going back to their original ideas and then close. Why, I will never understand. Someone comes in and assists to get your business goind in the right direction and then you trash it. Some people are just stupid.

I do feel as though this show is based in reality. I think it is still scripted and reenacted. They always have a bad guy role. It's also obvious that diagio is financing the entire show. Non diagio products are always faced with labels facing in. Whenever someone orders a drink it is a diagio product.

I do feel as though this show is based in reality. I think it is still scripted and reenacted. They always have a bad guy role. It's also obvious that diagio is financing the entire show. Non diagio products are always faced with labels facing in. Whenever someone orders a drink it is a diagio product.

Nice!

You caught that. Jason's comments were apropos as well.

Adam brought up a great point. This thing is financed by supporters for promotional considerations. John plays this game better than anyone I know. He's a name-dropping fool.

That's the way the liquor industry works. Product placement and 'keep your name on thier lips.'

No shame to it- you can have the best thing since sliced bread. If nobody knows about it, it's unsliced bread.



PS. It should also be said that when working with brands, one doesn't pimp onself out with lesser quality. Like my relationship with Russian Standard Vodka. I'll happily do a side-by-side with any vodka available (except some eccenteric stuff done by someone's grandmother in Alaska.) I can talk, but here it is, in the glass. He's good at that- and that's kind of powerfull. You can't argue with results.

I do feel as though this show is based in reality. I think it is still scripted and reenacted. They always have a bad guy role. It's also obvious that diagio is financing the entire show. Non diagio products are always faced with labels facing in. Whenever someone orders a drink it is a
diagio product.

One thing the mixologist taught the bartenders in one episode, which was obvious after hearing it, but I had never thought about/noticed before -- when pouring top shelf liquor, pour with label facing customer, when pouring house brands, label faces bartender.

Love this show!

I am shocked at seeing how little control or oversight some of these managers have of these bars. The sports bar where the "beer tenders" were serving 3 ounce pours to make better tips... I was blown away that they had no clue where all the profits were. I can remember managers weighing bottles at the end of the night! Couldn't believe there was no one watching over the liquor.

I think some of his redesign ideas are fantastic. I can really see how the redesigns make a pragmatic sense. Like I also hate chairs with backs at bars too, makes me feel claustrophobic.

I was googling around last night, there are lots of articles and stuff talking about the outcomes afterwords for many of the bars.

The general theme seems to fall into Niven's Law #18: Not responsible for advice not taken.

Why would you ignore the advice that you got in that situation? I get that some of his names are stupid, but that isnt a reason to go back to the original damaged name.

Swanky Bubbles?

That was a place featured on the show in Philly, it is now closed...

Who names these things!!?? Swanky Bubbles... no. do. not. want.