The Most Intense Reality Show On TV

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Well gang, it's been over 2 years since I last covered the hit TV show Bar Rescue. So, you know what that means?

[00:00:07]Time to flex the strongest muscle I have, which is to take shows I've already covered and cover them again.

[00:00:13]Now, if you've been living under a rock andor have a life outside of screens and better mental health than most, than to summon up briefly, Bar Rescue is the show where bar expert John Taffer travels the country in search of struggling bars in need of help and rescues them. As I've mentioned before, John Taffer is to bars what Gordon Ramsay is to restaurants. He acts as both God and the devil. Because while he does come to help, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Okay, this is an extreme makeover home edition. But it does make for some entertaining TV, of course. So, without further ado, let's take a look at Bar Rescue. Bust my balls.

[00:00:49]>> They're going to eat egg rolls. This is somewhat irrelevant, but this dude looks just like the father of the girl I was in love with for years in high school who I was deathly afraid of and now see every day in the gym. So, can't wait to dive deeper into this one.

[00:01:06]>> In 2001, Mike Flory purchased a failing restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor with the vision of opening a sports bar.

[00:01:13]>> I love him initially purchasing a failing bar and being like, you know what, I'm going to turn this [ __ ] around. And then next thing he knows, John Taffer is busting down his door and the bar is in even worse financial ruin than before.

[00:01:26]>> I think our food menu doesn't reflect the city of Ann Arbor very well. Mike has held the menu back for so many years.

[00:01:32]>> Jesus, that looks like you try to recreate an appetizer sampler from TGI Fridays with ingredients from the Dollar Tree.

[00:01:39]>> Mike as an owner is abrasive and can be scary at times.

[00:01:43]>> I got too much to think about. I mean, you ordered them. They should be on there. It's his job to make sure they're here. Not only does he own the bar, sometimes I feel like he owns me.

[00:01:52]Sometimes that's not a good feeling.

[00:01:55]>> OKAY.

[00:01:55]>> Something I always think about with shows like these is if they're like this when the cameramen are there, like him going knowing this is going to be on TV, then they must be a real sweet treat when the cameras aren't there.

[00:02:08]>> Now losing over $10,000 a month, Mike is left with a rundown bar.

[00:02:15]>> All right. If I were that guy, I'd be like, "You guys, you guys have to [ __ ] delete that. Delete that right now, please. My friends are going to see this, and I'm not going to hear the end of it."

[00:02:23]>> A staff constantly on edge and a million dollar debt.

[00:02:27]>> This is our heart and soul, so it's hard to see it dwindle down to nothing.

[00:02:32]>> Okay, so I'm pretty sure the bar from my last bar rescue video was also a million dollars in debt. And now this place. I don't know what it is with these bars and waiting until they hit the $1 million mark until being like, "All right, we we better we better [ __ ] call the guy from the TV." Or maybe Spike just sifts through the submissions until they find one with at least that amount of debt. I don't know. Speaking of, I didn't originally know this aired on Spike. For whatever reason, I had True TV in my head. But no, it's Spike, now owned by Paramount, who's also about to own Warner Brothers Discovery, which is great if you've been itching for a new giant mega corporation to own everything. You're in luck.

[00:03:12]>> Financially, I can't pull any money out of my pocket. I've already closed four of my retirement accounts, so there's nothing left in them. My kids's college fund is just just gone. I'm supposed to be the bread winner, and I'm not right now, and it hurts.

[00:03:24]>> Holy [ __ ] It's always the worst when they start dipping into the college funds. I'd be so pissed. Like, Dad, I could I could care less if you never retire because of this. But don't [ __ ] up my future, I say. As if I went to college. Needing to secure a future for his wife and children, Mike has agreed to pull back the doors, bust open the books, and make a call for help to bar rescue.

[00:03:47]>> Running a bar is not just a business, it's a science. No one knows more about bar science than John Taffer.

[00:03:54]>> You know, it's been bugging me not being able to quite put my finger on what shape John Taffer is. And I think I've got it. He's very close evolutionarily to the Thumbmen from Spy Kids. The Thumbman.

[00:04:06]>> So, here we are, guys. Ann Arbor, Michigan with a median age of about 27.

[00:04:10]One of the most important college towns in America. University of Michigan has a half of a million alumni. No kidding.

[00:04:17]How many cameraman checkpoints do they have posted up around the city? And how long are they standing on a random corner waiting for Jon and his goons to drive by just to get a second and a half shot?

[00:04:27]>> For the bar, Jon brings in veteran mixologist Andrew Benj. Andrew's vast experience operating in bars focused on the young emerging customer base can turn any tired establishment from old news to the talk of the town.

[00:04:40]>> Look at these homes. All college homes.

[00:04:42]Look at this. All rental homes with college students in them.

[00:04:44]>> You're right. The potential is here, >> boys. We are going to get so much [ __ ] tail this weekend. It is going to be bananas.

[00:04:50]>> For the kitchen, John brings in expert chef Ryan Scott. Ryan's background running kitchens that create familiar yet upscale flavors. Can turn any bar's outdated food menu into a crowd-pleasing sensation.

[00:05:02]>> This is obviously an unbelievably powerful marketplace. University of Michigan.

[00:05:10]>> There it is. The arena.

[00:05:11]>> Okay, >> look at that. A prime corner location.

[00:05:14]They're just practically parked at an intersection right now with a green light getting a recon on this bar.

[00:05:19]Meanwhile, 17 cars are honking behind them.

[00:05:22]>> It says in the awning, the arena, restaurant of champions. Yes.

[00:05:25]>> Then my eyes move to the left. It says and pub.

[00:05:29]>> And pub.

[00:05:29]>> What pub? Who knows? Did it say grill and pub? Did it say bar and pub?

[00:05:35]>> Lost its identity and pub.

[00:05:37]>> What the [ __ ] was that? Oh, I I just thought that I thought that maybe I could like >> Oh, okay. Okay. Oh, yeah. That's That's it. You You thought You thought You You were thinking You were thinking. See?

[00:05:48]Yeah. We We We We We don't do that here.

[00:05:50]Okay. You hear that? Yes. Mr. John Taffer. Sir, >> sell something. There's Jen.

[00:05:58]>> I wish I had a candle. If I had a candle, you can have a little candle light dinner. You know, >> she's a bartender and she's Mike's wife.

[00:06:05]>> And that's Mike's wife. So, she's like off limits or Yeah. Yeah, she's off limits. God, Jesus Christ.

[00:06:15]>> Best bartender ever.

[00:06:18]>> [ __ ] Every shot of this dude in the front seat, the bar expert, he looks really scared. And not in like a, "Oh my god, I can't believe this is the operation they're running." No, he looks genuinely terrified. So now, before John can enter this bar and get anything done, we have to send in some decoys to get an idea of how this place is ran.

[00:06:37]even though we already have set up a dozen cameras and a pretty [ __ ] good idea of how this place is ran.

[00:06:43]>> This will be my sixth year as a student here at the University of Michigan and I've never been to the arena because I've never heard anyone really talk about it.

[00:06:50]>> Yeah, I've been going to the university for about 6 years now. Uh actually, I'm just I've been trying to get my associates. So, um the things uh things haven't been uh going great. My girlfriend broke up with me last month.

[00:07:01]Uh so, I had to move out. I've been uh you know kind of couch crashing and um you know to be honest like hey we just need you to go in order a few drinks that's it. Oh yeah. Yeah. Totally.

[00:07:13]Sorry. Uh [ __ ] it. I think I do need one or six.

[00:07:18]So the guys go in and grab a table and it's pretty much par for the course for when they send in these reconnaissance decoys to get to the bottom of it. They order drinks that shocker the bartender doesn't know how to make. They order food that doesn't turn out to be good.

[00:07:30]Except when they get the nachos, they really focus in on this cheese pole so much that it looks like they're trying to frame this as a bad thing when it's just cheese doing what it's supposed to do. Dude, they're [ __ ] nachos. It's the one thing they seem to somewhat get right. Okay, we don't have to nitpick every little detail, you know, now that I say that out loud. And while we've seen how angry and spiteful Mike can get towards his staff, now we get to see that his bubbliness extends to customers as well because he just gets pissed off at them, too. Even though they're kind of going in here trying to make things difficult, if we're being honest, >> what was up with the steak wipes? Not evenly cooked. I'm making them a new one. That's >> a side of uh stay home.

[00:08:13]>> And aside of stay home, you know that that wasn't good. I I I can do better. I don't don't leave that in.

[00:08:21]Don't leave that in.

[00:08:22]>> The other ones were fine. They just were not cooked right now.

[00:08:26]Mike, >> your veins are starting to pop out.

[00:08:27]>> Something tells me that his wife telling Mike his veins are popping out is not an uncommon thing for her to say to him.

[00:08:34]Like, this is a regular occurrence.

[00:08:38]Don't punch him in the face.

[00:08:39]>> Not very nice. Mike, >> would you want to work for this guy?

[00:08:42]>> Would you want to work for this guy? You know what, John? If I'm being honest, I don't really want to do this episode anymore. I'm I'm kind of kind of [ __ ] scared. And I'm usually just scared of you.

[00:08:51]>> Look at this. Mike is allowing a customer to pour liquor into a mixing cup to set it on fire.

[00:08:58]>> So, you're letting them be the bartender on the other side of the bar with a dangerous drink. It is illegal to let somebody make their own drink. And the liability is off the charts.

[00:09:08]>> That shows how crazy they are.

[00:09:16]Look, safety issues aside, I can't think of a more bro, you're scaring the [ __ ] hose thing than to do this whatever this dude is doing at this bar right now.

[00:09:35]>> Can you believe that Mike allowed that to happen?

[00:09:37]>> I don't know, man. I mean, everyone else around him seems to think it looked pretty [ __ ] sick. You know what? Get this man some car keys. So, I'm pretty sure now that they're actually just parked across the street, but damn, it still looks like they are hogging up a green light at an intersection right now. Now, after we got to see how Mike treats his customers after previously just seeing how he treats his staff, it's time for John to swoop in and get some insight from the employees and talk to them one-on-one and see how they feel. And of course, not happy. Who would have thought?

[00:10:06]>> Bars next door are full.

[00:10:07]>> Yep.

[00:10:08]>> Bars down the street are full. Why isn't this one full? Mike's slightly terrifying. Mike is an [ __ ] and I always tell the new people, "This is a hostile environment and if you don't have thick skin, you're not going to make it."

[00:10:17]>> John then tells Mike before sitting down with him, he's got to go talk to his employees and hear from them himself.

[00:10:22]>> It's a hostile work environment.

[00:10:24]>> I mean, there are definitely things that need to change, >> such as what?

[00:10:27]>> If you lose product, you lose money, you lose business, you lose customers, you're going to get angry.

[00:10:32]>> Guess what? My family depends on us making money. If we don't make money, we can shut the doors. If I get angry about that, it's just I'm trying to save everybody's job.

[00:10:40]>> Biting your tongue maybe would be more beneficial.

[00:10:43]>> I don't think I'm doing anything wrong.

[00:10:45]I can't fix it. There's no way.

[00:10:46]>> Those conversations obviously irritate Mike. As we can see, an additional coat of lacquer has developed on his head, as well as some new veins since the last time we saw him.

[00:10:55]>> I don't really see that hostile. What do you know?

[00:10:58]>> I don't think I'm hostile at all. Hey, hey, hey, [ __ ] you.

[00:11:04]>> TACTICAL NUKE INCOMING. SO, it is the next day and I think after last night, we made a bit of headway. So, let's see how things are going today.

[00:11:13]>> Where does the cinnamon go?

[00:11:15]>> Upper ass.

[00:11:17]>> All right.

[00:11:17]>> Hello. Hello.

[00:11:18]>> Hi.

[00:11:19]>> Come on over, everybody. Let's meet.

[00:11:21]>> Okay. So, either Mike has not gone to bed yet, which I could 100% see, or he has a Spongebob type closet filled with the exact same blue V-neck.

[00:11:30]>> Last night, I saw how unapproachable you were. You look like a bouncer, not an owner. Yeah, I I've had people tell me that all the time.

[00:11:37]>> But you don't care. So, you come in dressed this way anyway.

[00:11:40]>> People say that comment, I think about it, and then I just blow it off. Don't worry about it. You know, that's just one person.

[00:11:44]>> Do you ever see them again?

[00:11:46]>> No.

[00:11:46]>> Mike seems to have two different faces he is capable of making. One that is Bruce Banner halfway through turning into the Incredible Hulk. And the other is just and that's about it.

[00:11:56]>> You've owned this place for how long? 14 years.

[00:11:59]>> What do you have to show for it?

[00:12:00]>> And what do you have to show for it, Mike? Oh, I mean I dug out their shirt. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm done with the shirt joke.

[00:12:07]>> Everybody has something in common in this town, don't they? University of Michigan. 57,000 alumni live right around here. It's a captive market, but there's a lot of bars in this area, >> right?

[00:12:18]>> You need something to pull them in, Mike, that connects this audience. You with me?

[00:12:22]>> Yeah. Okay, let's go to work.

[00:12:23]>> All right. So, while this started off rocky as it usually does with a lot of eye rolling, head scratching, veins on the brink of bursting, everyone seems to be on the same page now following that interaction. Let's hope that sticks.

[00:12:36]We're going to start out today with rum based drink. Rum has become one of the most popular liquor choices amongst millennials. We've been just putting a slight twist on some of these for you.

[00:12:45]Start with 1 and 1/2 oz of Captain Morgan Original Spice Rum. Add a/4 ouncez of vanilla syrup, a splash of pineapple juice, shake with ice, and pour. Garnish with a fresh pineapple wedge. This cocktail is called the maze runner.

[00:13:00]>> I have to assume these experts just dropped a [ __ ] bag on dental work or veneers and are trying to get their money's worth with these lipsplitting smiles they are constantly doing in these B-roll transition shots. This is a sports bar, so I want to create a take on a classic sports bar sandwich. We're going to make a really cool Reuben with ingredients that scream Michigan pastrami turkey. Seasoned really well, griddle really well. It keeps food cost down and it's quick to make. Okay, so we learned some new drink and food item. I used the singular term because we only saw those two things. I'd imagine they taught them more, but could honestly see it either way. Let's hope these college kids like rum and Reuben's. I guess one thing I noticed this show do more than Kitchen Nightmares is the stress test where after giving just the bare minimum in coaching, they overload the hell out of the place with a [ __ ] ton of people.

[00:13:49]Like I think John just made an Instagram post shouting this place out and was like, "Hey, uh, I will be here tonight.

[00:13:55]I, John Taffer, will be here tonight, so come." And then expect everything to run smoothly. They don't expect that it's going to crash and burn. They just want to create fuel for the fire that is John Taffer's angry dad rampage. they're going to get afterwards.

[00:14:10]>> We've been waiting in line now for 15 minutes to see if we're still acknowled.

[00:14:21]>> Is the show just passing around the same old camcorder for these people to complain to, eagerly complain to because they know it's going to make it on TV.

[00:14:29]Like, there has to be some people in here having a good time that got decent service that they will most definitely not show if is the case. My god, I'm so far behind. Sorry about the way.

[00:14:40]>> We got to take us down to the floor right now. She needs your help. She get her ass kicked. Vinnie, make sure you get in the bar, but make sure you can help her out.

[00:14:46]>> Holy [ __ ] I know I said they overload the place before, but this is insane. I don't think the last episode we watched did it this bad.

[00:14:54]>> How's the drinks?

[00:14:55]>> Very strong.

[00:14:56]>> Want to try something else?

[00:14:57]>> And we got this [ __ ] goober over here complaining that his drink's too strong.

[00:15:01]If you ever catch me at a bar complaining that my drink is too strong, put a bullet in the back of my [ __ ] head. But at least when they do make a mistake or slip up, John seems to be pretty chill about it.

[00:15:13]Stop.

[00:15:14]>> I think what would annoy me the most about working in this stressful environment, aside from John Taffer yelling at me, of course, is seeing all these patrons recording themselves [ __ ] all over me. Especially this [ __ ] guy.

[00:15:25]>> Jealous of the drain who had the most drink supported it tonight. I don't know anything about him or his trials and tribulations, but I don't like him.

[00:15:33]>> I'm super sorry, guys. Right now, we've been waiting for about 45 minutes to an hour. We've ordered drinks, but we haven't had a waiter check in with us or anything like that.

[00:15:42]>> And they have to be sticking around just because they're going to be on TV because in what world are you waiting at this random bar for 45 minutes before you just leave? We know there's a [ __ ] ton of bars in the area. Why are you still here?

[00:15:55]>> I need that for table one. Thank you.

[00:15:59]>> Steak bite or steak? No. Now, >> I'm not going to pretend like Mike is this perfect business owner. His million dollars in debt and temper have shown us otherwise. But cut him some slack here.

[00:16:10]I think if this were normal conditions, they probably would have been doing a lot better than normal because, you know, this bar has not seen this kind of traffic in god knows how long. So, let's cut some slack.

[00:16:21]>> Come with me. I want you to see what success feels like. Again, let's walk in here. Look at the bartender. He comes here with an attitude to win. Look at his smile. He's just [ __ ] happy. I mean, this place feels like it's successful, doesn't it? Yeah. Let's try to make this happen there.

[00:16:38]>> Let's do this.

[00:16:39]>> So, after putting this bar through the [ __ ] ringer and taking Mike over to one of the more successful bars nearby, I'd say last night was well, let's see how John would put it.

[00:16:49]>> Last night's stress test was a complete disaster.

[00:16:51]>> Acute observation, John. Now, I do think they only learned how to make that one new drink and that one new food item last night because now we're going to learn two more items for them to add to their tool belt. So, that puts us at what, four new things, which while on one hand it's like, all right, you just got four new items. And then on the other hand, it's like that's probably a lot to like learn all at once and then just like be able to belt out one after another to a busy crowd. And I think the only thing different aside from that today is Mike's shirt. He finally changed. He must go off a two-day clothes cycle or something. But now John has finally a real heart-to-heart sit down with Mike to see if we can fix Mike's attitude. And while I'll admit he wasn't the well the best composed last night, for the hell they rained down on him, I'd say he did better than I would have expected.

[00:17:42]>> Last night was interesting, huh?

[00:17:45]>> Yeah. Yeah, it was tough.

[00:17:46]>> I want to talk about this debt. You're in debt per million.

[00:17:49]>> Jesus Christ. You think I don't know?

[00:17:51]Okay, I know. All right. Yeah, I did the math last night. We're have to sell a lot of [ __ ] Reubins to get out of this hole.

[00:17:57]>> This staff is ready. Mike is ready. And the hostile work environment is gone.

[00:18:02]Now, I'm going to finish building this bar. It's killer.

[00:18:05]>> It's killer.

[00:18:06]>> I mean, aside from the sign on the outside needing a bit of work, this place didn't seem to be in that rough of shape as far as local bar pubs go. I think the show just needs something to show that they need to be there.

[00:18:18]>> Hi, Mike.

[00:18:18]>> Hi.

[00:18:19]>> Okay, we are moving way too fast with the shirt changes. I I was used to the the same shirt for the two nights in a row and now we're just doing one after another. It's happening way too quick for me.

[00:18:28]>> This is quite a roller coaster ride the past few days, huh?

[00:18:30]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:18:31]>> What was your toughest moment?

[00:18:33]>> Listening to my staff tell me, you know, what what was wrong, what they thought was wrong with me. I hope to God all those people lined up across the street aren't lined up to come here tonight when they open and just do exactly what they did the previous night just with more items added to their roster being the only change. Oh, and Mike's attitude, I guess.

[00:18:56]>> Still the arena. It's still the arena.

[00:19:00]>> Nice.

[00:19:02]>> Wow.

[00:19:03]>> I love the logo.

[00:19:04]>> I love the logo. I love the logo. Now, as I said, the place didn't really need much renovating before, but it does look like they've freshened the place up a bit. They fixed the sign, updated the booths, turned those TVs on. They really went all out.

[00:19:16]>> Now, you guys have to understand how important you are to the future of Mike and his family. That hostile work environment stuff doesn't exist anymore.

[00:19:25]>> Makes me so so happy.

[00:19:27]>> They really focus on this bad attitude thing with Mike, but we really haven't seen any actual process for tackling that beast. We just had two sitdowns with John and then those nights of stress tests and that's it. Like I could see this going on for weeks over and over again with no change whatsoever.

[00:19:44]>> Hi Manny.

[00:19:45]>> What do you think?

[00:19:47]>> Awesome.

[00:19:52]>> Okay, I know I emphasized earlier that if I were his kids, I would be so mad if he just pissed away my college fund on this shitty bar, but I didn't know they were this young. I don't think they could give less of a [ __ ] >> This is so cool what they did. I love it.

[00:20:06]>> You like the bar?

[00:20:07]>> I do. Thank you.

[00:20:10]>> Give your mom and dad big hugs. They worked really hard this week to make all this happen.

[00:20:14]>> Okay, go give your mom and dad a hug.

[00:20:15]All right. They worked really hard on this place. Hey, you know, let's get these kids some drinks. Spiced rum for the little Tikes.

[00:20:30]>> You ready? I'm ready. Looking at this line outside, I'm pretty sure we are just going to do the exact same thing we've been doing the last few nights and flooding them with business and also tacked on a little bit of debt with this live band in line. Unless they just randomly showed up, I don't know. But knowing how these episodes go, even though we didn't change much with the bar, flooding them with the same amount of business will magically go smoother tonight with no hiccups whatsoever.

[00:20:58]>> Perfect for Good job, Ry.

[00:21:01]The drinks are awesome.

[00:21:03]>> It's more updated and kind of like up to par with other restaurants now.

[00:21:06]>> You know, me and the Bros didn't really [ __ ] with the arena before, but now that they added that Reuben and raised the drink prices by $2, they really pulled us in.

[00:21:14]>> Who's this guy right here? Who's this guy?

[00:21:16]>> Yeah, who's this guy?

[00:21:20]>> When I got here, it wasn't all smiles.

[00:21:22]Mike's frustration took control. And without a positive energy, you'll never operate a positive bar. Now Areno lives, same owner, new attitude.

[00:21:32]>> Mike actually having a temper aside, hearing John say that someone's temper took control is [ __ ] rich.

[00:21:40]>> That's the way it should be every day, right?

[00:21:41]>> Yeah. You're making money tonight, buddy.

[00:21:43]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:21:43]>> Yeah. I'm looking at the numbers for tonight, and I don't understand how, but we made a million dollars exactly just in Reuben sandwiches. So, after that somewhat unexplainable overnight success, we are going to check back in and see how things are going. some number of weeks later as we usually do.

[00:22:12]All right. I don't know what I expected.

[00:22:14]I at least would have hoped they would have came back and filmed something, but I think Mike just sent them an email saying, "Yeah, everything's good now.

[00:22:22]Uh, we're still making Reuben's and spiced rum. Uh, business is good.

[00:22:27]Vinnie's back. Not sure what he was up to for like six weeks, but he's back, so that's good, I guess. Well, a happy ending as these usually are. Wait. Well, well, never mind, I guess. Well, [ __ ] Maybe they opened up a different bar across the street. The the the arena.

[00:22:45]The arena 2. Maybe. Well, guys, that was Bar Rescue. Once again, I hope you did enjoy. And of course, if you did, don't forget to leave a like, a comment, share with your friends, subscribe if you're new, and you want to see more videos just like this. Also, I promise the babes, they will be back soon. Um, they are still in moving boxes like the ones behind me and three others just like it in my living room. So, be on the lookout when I get the energy to unload all of that. Anyways, I do appreciate you for watching and sticking around to the end. And guys, I will see you next time. Goodbye.

[00:23:34]Stop.