Bar Rescue: What Happened To The WORST Bars?

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]Oh my god.

[00:00:01]>> Get the out of here. Get the out of here. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.

[00:00:04]>> NOBODY EATS THIS FREAKING FOOD. If this is black mold, we are all in trouble.

[00:00:11]I'm out of here and doesn't GIVE A WHEN YOU LIKE FOR ONE SECOND.

[00:00:16]>> YOU'RE LIKE A CRIMINAL. Take that food.

[00:00:19]Throw it away. Throw it all away. Shut it down. Nobody eats.

[00:00:23]>> This might be the absolute worst bar John Taffer has ever tried to save. But after all that sweat and yelling and money poured into it, did the place survive? Let's find out.

[00:00:33]>> Look at this.

[00:00:35]>> When it comes to bar rescue, we've seen clueless owners and bars buried in debt.

[00:00:39]But very few places were as filthy and neglected as Fairways Golf and Grill.

[00:00:46]And surely people here were living in delusion. The >> reason our food is excellent is because it kept >> even before entering, John and his team knew they were in trouble. The outside of Fairway's Golf and Grill looked awful.

[00:00:58]>> Fairways Golf and Grill doesn't say bar.

[00:01:02]Looks like a golf store, doesn't it?

[00:01:03]>> Absolutely.

[00:01:04]>> To really see how bad things were, John brought in health inspector Steve Blowat. And if John feels the need to call in a health expert, you already know it's serious. Just look at John's face. His reaction says everything.

[00:01:16]>> So, I've had this place under surveillance for 3 days. The reason why I wanted you to come here is cuz I think this might be the worst kitchen I've ever seen. Once the doors opened, it went from bad to disgusting. It was the kind of stench that makes you want to turn around instantly.

[00:01:33]>> Open ceiling.

[00:01:34]>> The kitchen was on another level of nasty. John seen a lot of filthy kitchens, but this one stood out. This wasn't just gross, it was dangerous.

[00:01:43]>> Look at the bugs.

[00:01:44]>> Disgusting.

[00:01:46]>> Now, this is a grease out of here.

[00:01:48]>> After seeing all that, there's no way John would hold back. What owner makes their employees work in these conditions?

[00:01:54]>> They don't care.

[00:01:55]>> When John's experts dug into the bar, it somehow got even uglier. There bugs in the bar, too.

[00:02:02]>> Oh, boy.

[00:02:03]>> And the way food was prepared here was unacceptable.

[00:02:06]>> There's no sanitation. There's no handwashing. There's no gloves being used. There's no separation from raw to cooked product.

[00:02:11]>> Shock. No. Not for the staff who worked in this mess every day.

[00:02:15]>> Look at that bowl.

[00:02:16]>> Oh, look at that.

[00:02:17]>> That bowl has not been cleaned since this place opened. And somehow this was normal for them.

[00:02:23]>> And they're putting that over food.

[00:02:25]>> This is inexcusable. Absolutely.

[00:02:27]>> The poor recons had a hard time keeping the food down. I mean, can you guess the consequences of visiting this bar?

[00:02:36]>> Oh my god, he threw up.

[00:02:38]>> Yeah, not at all shocking, but you have to see this to believe it. It's insane.

[00:02:43]These are the uh mushrooms. And this is actually dirt on the bottom of the mushrooms that was never wiped off.

[00:02:50]Mushrooms grown.

[00:02:51]>> At this point, John had one big question running through his head. How was this place still open? How would the health department not shut it down already?

[00:02:59]>> When was this last inspected?

[00:03:01]>> 2010.

[00:03:02]>> 2010. So, this thing hasn't been cleaned in 3 years.

[00:03:05]>> What do we do with this, >> RICHARD? THAT TOUCHES FOOD.

[00:03:09]>> DISGUSTING. A huge part of the problem was that the staff had completely checked out. They were so used to the filth that they either didn't notice it anymore or just didn't care.

[00:03:20]>> What have you done about it?

[00:03:21]>> I try to help clean.

[00:03:23]>> The owner, though, was the real problem.

[00:03:26]Instead of taking responsibility, he got defensive and brushed everything off like it was no big deal. When Jon called him out on how disgusting the place was, the guy actually laughed. Jon didn't find it funny at all. He was furious.

[00:03:39]>> You try to help clean, do you?

[00:03:41]>> Yes.

[00:03:42]>> If I walk through this kitchen, it's going to be clean.

[00:03:44]>> Things at Fairways were on another level.

[00:03:46]>> All of this >> winds up in the food.

[00:03:49]>> And then it got worse. Was this place even fixable, or was it already too far gone?

[00:03:58]>> This is what's dripping on your food and going to burn your restaurant down.

[00:04:01]>> This wasn't just messy, it was dangerous. Bacteria levels were through the roof and everything was coated with slime.

[00:04:09]>> Grease filtration system. So why is it that you just don't clean?

[00:04:13]>> We do.

[00:04:13]>> When uh it's a nightly thing I >> You're full of the worst part was the customers. Regulars who'd been coming here for years had no idea what they were actually eating and drinking. And I wonder how many of them actually left with food poisoning or even worse. You >> killed my kitchen. You almost killed my freaking mixologist. Phil is in the bathroom throwing up right now.

[00:04:35]>> John's known for blowing up, but this time he went all in. He absolutely ripped into the owner for letting the place fall apart. And you could tell John was done.

[00:04:44]>> What temperature is this, Steve?

[00:04:46]>> 68.7°.

[00:04:48]>> THROW IT OUT. GOOD JOB, CHEF.

[00:04:50]>> BUT INSTEAD of admitting anything, the owner pushed back.

[00:04:53]>> Is there any mold on the inside of this walk-in?

[00:04:55]>> I don't think so. He made excuses, dodged responsibility, and acted like none of it was really his fault. But deep inside, this is how bad things had gotten.

[00:05:05]>> Look at the mold all over the floor.

[00:05:07]>> There's three significant areas of mold.

[00:05:10]>> Not a Oh, >> this isn't healthy for you.

[00:05:13]>> And if you think that the filth stopped there, then you are wrong. What the taffer saw blew him away.

[00:05:18]>> What's this walking? Oh me.

[00:05:20]>> No way.

[00:05:22]>> THIS IS A FOR DUDE. YOU GOT MUSHROOMS.

[00:05:25]They have their own unique smell. You don't want to be breathing that stuff in.

[00:05:28]>> Look at this.

[00:05:30]>> Oh my god.

[00:05:31]>> And John, he was about to blow up.

[00:05:33]>> Oh my god.

[00:05:34]>> Get the out of here. Get the out of here. This is unbelievable.

[00:05:38]>> And well, what he did next was predictable.

[00:05:40]>> Nobody eats this freaking food.

[00:05:46]>> The deep clean took days, clearing out years of grime. The kitchen was overhauled and a new menu was rolled out to bring back basic quality and food safety. The real test was whether the staff could actually change how they worked.

[00:05:58]>> Clean your kitchen.

[00:06:01]>> Yes, sir.

[00:06:04]>> Say like, "We need to clear all this out."

[00:06:06]>> When Fairway's Golf and Grill reopened, it looked completely different. Clean floors, a kitchen finally up to code, and drinks that were actually safe.

[00:06:14]Customers noticed immediately, and the staff seemed re-energized.

[00:06:17]>> Hi, how are y'all doing? What are you drinking?

[00:06:20]>> A blue margarita.

[00:06:22]>> But was it enough? At first, things looked decent. During the standard 6 week check-in, producers reported the bar was making a small monthly profit.

[00:06:29]But the problems persisted.

[00:06:30]>> Where's my drink?

[00:06:35]>> Eventually, Brew shut down in December 2014, just over a year after the episode aired. In December 2014, Brewu posted a short, vague Facebook message announcing they were closing for good. With mediocre feedback, money issues, and lease trouble, Brew closing wasn't a surprise. A new restaurant and bar called Party Foul had taken over the former Brew location in Murreey'sboro, Tennessee. But according to the latest updates, this spot too is reported to be closed. Anyway, up next, we're stepping into the dirtiest bar Taffer has ever tried to rescue. Ja Murphy's.

[00:07:07]>> This bar smelt like if you mix balls and cheesecake and a portaotti all together, that's what this bar smelt like. Located in Fels Point, Baltimore, the JA Murphy's Bar was so nasty that even John Taffer and his daughter Sam Taffer were straight up shocked.

[00:07:23]>> My first impression when I walked in, I've never seen something as filthy and disgusting. And the smell in this bar, it was gross.

[00:07:29]>> Things weren't just disorganized or dirty. Their practices were gross to the core.

[00:07:34]>> That's crosscontamination.

[00:07:36]She's touching raw chicken and then cooked food without washing her hands in the middle. It's all crosscontaminated.

[00:07:42]To dig deeper, Taffer brought in his experts. And what they uncovered was unreal.

[00:07:47]>> I watched YOU PICK UP RAW CHICKEN ALL NIGHT in your hand and then touch cooked food.

[00:07:54]Do you know how bad that is?

[00:07:55]>> And the attitude just as bad as the hygiene.

[00:07:58]>> What the hell do I do?

[00:08:00]>> The kitchen was a complete disaster.

[00:08:02]Rotten food left out in the open, mold and bacteria everywhere, and a fridge that barely worked. Raw meat was stored incorrectly, creating a serious crosscontamination risk that could have made people seriously sick.

[00:08:14]>> How dare YOU PICK UP RAW CHICKEN AND THEN PICK UP CHEESE WITH YOUR HAND, PICK UP CRAB WITH YOUR HAND, pick up spices with your hand.

[00:08:22]>> As Taffer continued to inspect, things didn't just go downhill. They completely spiraled. Do >> you know what that is?

[00:08:28]>> It's probably mouse poop.

[00:08:30]>> Okay, so that is a mouse dropping. I have seen things that would make your skin turn. But I'll tell you what, this place is as screwed up as it can possibly get.

[00:08:39]>> If you think that was the end, think again.

[00:08:41]>> So many violations happening.

[00:08:43]>> Did you know you had mouse droppings in here?

[00:08:46]>> This is the inside of your hood system.

[00:08:48]Oh, >> because what they uncovered next shocked everyone in the room.

[00:08:52]>> Grease that drips down onto the food.

[00:08:56]Can you serve food in this kitchen?

[00:08:58]>> But the real nightmare was when they moved the freezer out.

[00:09:01]>> Is that insulation or are those bones?

[00:09:04]That's probably never been cleaned.

[00:09:05]>> At that point, there was only one question left. What on earth was this?

[00:09:09]Brace yourselves, guys. This is as nasty as it can get.

[00:09:13]>> Okay.

[00:09:14]>> There's a dead rat.

[00:09:17]>> You guys had a dead rat in your kitchen.

[00:09:18]That's 6 months old.

[00:09:19]>> And the scariest part, the staff either had no idea or just didn't care.

[00:09:23]>> Disgusting.

[00:09:25]That's why you don't sell any food.

[00:09:27]>> Behind the bar was just as nasty. Sticky surfaces, fruit flies everywhere, and bartenders ignoring basic hygiene.

[00:09:33]Bottom line, this place was not safe to eat, drink, or even just breathe.

[00:09:37]>> Shot glasses. Does that look clean to you? How about that? When was the last time that was cleaned? Get a good scrub.

[00:09:43]>> What's more, the beer taps were loaded with black mold, meaning every single draft beer was full of bacteria.

[00:09:49]>> The fact that this thing is so sticky, and this beer is warm, foamy, nasty. And just when you think it can't get worse, what they found next left even the experts completely speechless. You see the stickiness all around there? Fruit flies can go in there. They can lay eggs. And next thing you know, somebody's drinking that.

[00:10:07]>> Some bars fail because of bad management. But at JA Murphy's, every single person was the problem.

[00:10:12]>> What's the deal?

[00:10:13]>> Didn't see it. You didn't see it.

[00:10:16]She's touching raw chicken and she's not even washing her hands.

[00:10:20]>> Staff showed up whenever they wanted, poured drinks carelessly, and moved with zero urgency. And of course, didn't give a moment's notice what was lingering just under their noses.

[00:10:28]>> Maggots that are actually underneath that bar. There's maggots under there.

[00:10:32]Maggots.

[00:10:33]>> Worse, the bar had turned into a hangout for underage drinkers, putting the liquor license at serious risk. And somehow it still got worse.

[00:10:41]>> The only reason I don't have more on there is it's caked on. It won't come off. This bar is a disaster and it's your fault.

[00:10:48]>> John exploded over owner Keith's attitude.

[00:10:50]>> Is that acceptable to you?

[00:10:52]>> Not acceptable.

[00:10:52]>> Guys, roll up your sleeves cuz you're going to clean this kitchen. Instead of owning the mess, Keith made excuses and refused to take responsibility.

[00:11:00]>> I don't know what the hell a kitchen is, you know? It's I just don't know what the I'm doing and haven't for 3 years.

[00:11:05]>> It was clear he wasn't running a business. He just wanted a place to drink. Ja Murphy's customer experience was a disaster. Dirty glasses, unsafe food, sticky floors, unclean tables, and a foul mix of stale beer and sweat made the bar feel like a health hazard.

[00:11:19]>> That is disgusting. We don't have anything to clean with. To confirm it, John sent in undercover customers, and the results were brutal. Drinks came in lipstick covered glasses, expired food was served, and nearly everyone complained about the smell. Then one discovery was so bad that John stepped in immediately. This thing looks like it hasn't been touched in a year.

[00:11:40]>> I have no idea what it is.

[00:11:41]>> So, what was it? Here's the answer.

[00:11:43]>> Do you know what it is? Do you know?

[00:11:44]It's what you use to clean the bar.

[00:11:47]>> The staff ranked among the worst in bar rescue history. I mean, how clueless can you be? We can't even begin to train or even reorganize the bar and get it to be a functioning bar with how filthy it is.

[00:11:58]>> Despite everything, the bar got a second chance. Taffer's team deep cleaned the place, retrained the staff, enforced strict hygiene, and relaunched it as Murphy's law to mark a fresh start.

[00:12:07]>> While these guests are also getting their drinks, they're having a good time and they're watching some show.

[00:12:13]>> After the episode, things look promising. Food sales increased by about 15% and drink sales jumped 25%. 32.5° chilled to perfection.

[00:12:22]>> Still, Murphy's Law shut down in July 2012, just months after the rescue and before the episode even aired. So, what happened? Death. The owners tried to sell the bar, but no one wanted to deal with the structural problems revealed on the show.

[00:12:42]Fast forward to 2026 and the old Murphy's Law Spot is now Poppy's Tacos, a restaurant with solid reviews and a four-star rating on Yelp. Here's where it gets wild. In 2021, Poppy's Tacos had to shut down for a bit after a wall on one side of the building collapsed.

[00:12:58]Sounds like a bar rescue disaster, right? Either way, JA Murphy still stands out as one of the filthiest bars in Bar Rescue history. Much like what happened with this next bar that had everything going for it and still never had a shot at success.

[00:13:11]>> I'm not A 2HOUR HEAD.

[00:13:14]>> THE dugout was a struggling sports bar just steps from Wrigley Field. Prime location, zero payoff.

[00:13:22]>> Good net.

[00:13:23]>> There flies all over the place.

[00:13:24]>> Despite constant foot traffic, bad management, poor service, and non-stop staff drama drove the bar into the ground. This wasn't a slow decline. It was chaos. I'm talking about WHEN I WAS RUNNING your bar and I asked what the sales were from last winter. You couldn't tell that.

[00:13:40]>> When John Taffer arrived, the bar was barely functioning. The staff was constantly fighting and the owner was absent when it came to leadership. What went wrong after John stepped in. Almost everything.

[00:13:52]>> Everyone quit after the season last year. I was the only one left. But I felt like I was his wife.

[00:13:57]>> The chaos at this place is unexplainable.

[00:13:59]>> I worked 15 hours here.

[00:14:02]And the look of the place just awful, outdated, sloppy, and completely uninviting.

[00:14:11]>> Does it look like a sports party you filmed?

[00:14:13]>> No, absolutely not. It literally looks like somebody's basement.

[00:14:16]>> Would you ever walk in here? Yeah, I didn't think so. And it doesn't stop there. Things only get weirder once the drinks come out. Nothing looks right.

[00:14:24]Nothing makes sense.

[00:14:26]>> Oh, Lord Almighty.

[00:14:27]>> I've never had it personally. I am allergic to it.

[00:14:29]>> Hot [ __ ] shot. What the is that?

[00:14:32]>> Is this supposed to be a college bar or something else entirely at this point?

[00:14:36]The food prep was a mess.

[00:14:37]>> They're not prepping anything ahead of time, is he?

[00:14:40]>> No. This guy has no clue what he's doing.

[00:14:42]>> So now he breads the hot dog bun with his hand where the raw product was. No gloves, of course.

[00:14:47]>> No standards, no consistency, no hygiene.

[00:14:49]>> Hands right into the pickle juice. That whole thing is spoiled now, John.

[00:14:53]>> Oh man.

[00:14:54]>> And then comes the moment that says everything. When asked if he even cares, the owner's reaction was classic.

[00:15:00]>> Are you pretty much just like don't give a level is like right here.

[00:15:04]>> Yeah.

[00:15:05]>> Okay. Did he care? No. The bar was so gross that flies had their permanent place in the bar.

[00:15:14]>> There flies all over the place.

[00:15:15]>> Owner Eddie had no control. There were no rules, no structure, and no accountability. Staff did whatever they wanted, and tensions were always boiling over.

[00:15:25]No, it's not your turn. All right.

[00:15:29]>> One standout from the episode was Frankie, known for her temper and refusal to take responsibility. But was she the real problem or just the loudest one?

[00:15:39]>> That's not real. That's not a thing.

[00:15:41]>> John delivers the verdict without hesitation, making it clear the bar has hit rock bottom and there's no defending what it's become.

[00:15:48]>> This bar is shameful. For 4 years, you've been failing. The greatest ballpark IN THE WORLD IS ACROSS THE STREET from here.

[00:15:56]>> So imagine John Taffer walking into a bar like this. Whatever reaction you're picturing, it was worse. From the second he stepped inside, he knew this place was a ticking time bomb.

[00:16:06]>> GIVE ME A PLACE OF RESPECT. IS THIS THE PRIDE OF CHICAGO?

[00:16:11]>> THE BAR was disgusting. Service was awful. And worst of all, the staff clearly didn't care. But John quickly realized the real problem wasn't the building. It was the people running it.

[00:16:22]>> How much money are you losing each year?

[00:16:24]>> Each off season probably 30 to 40,000.

[00:16:26]>> 30 to 40,000. You think cleaning it might help a little?

[00:16:29]>> Gets cleaned every day.

[00:16:31]>> Oh.

[00:16:32]>> John didn't stay calm for long.

[00:16:33]>> Look at this place.

[00:16:37]>> During a staff meeting, John tried to refocus the team, but it turned into shouting and blameshifting. No one took responsibility.

[00:16:44]>> Anything that gets a reaction out of you, I'm all for. You, my friend, come off. I can ask.

[00:16:50]>> The real problem was Ed's leadership.

[00:16:52]John told him, "If you don't take charge of your bar, no one will." Ed's response showed he wasn't ready to step up.

[00:16:58]>> I don't want to be behind the bar.

[00:17:01]That's why I hire the bartenders.

[00:17:02]>> For a brief moment, the staff seemed united. Then, a staff member exposed the owner's role in the bar's downfall, flipping the rescue on its head and creating a new crisis for Jon.

[00:17:12]>> You don't get to make the rules just cuz you own a building. Despite everything, John's team transformed the dugout with a modern sports bar redesign, a new menu, upgraded equipment, and of course, a new name, the press box. But Ed, >> how are you? You're drunk, aren't you?

[00:17:28]>> No, not at all.

[00:17:30]>> I can tell by the way he's acting.

[00:17:32]>> I can smell it from here.

[00:17:33]>> Yeah, he was one ungrateful prick. And John was done.

[00:17:37]>> There's your bar. Run it. Take the signs down. Change your name. Do whatever you want. Anyway, after Jon left, rumors started spreading that the bar slipped right back into its old habits. The staff returned to their toxic behavior, and Ed struggled to maintain the leadership role Jon forced on him.

[00:17:53]>> Tell him what you want to do, guys.

[00:17:55]>> I quit.

[00:17:57]>> Good luck.

[00:18:00]>> Either way, remember the infamous [ __ ] shot that John banned during the rescue?

[00:18:05]It was back on the menu. That pretty much tells you how things went. As of the last update, the bar is still open, but not as the press box. Ed reverted it back to its original name, the dugout.

[00:18:16]He then moved the press box upstairs and reopened the downstairs spot as the dugout. So, yeah, the bar technically survived, but not the way John had planned. So, have you visited any of these bars? What's your take on it? Go ahead and let me know in the comments.

[00:18:29]If you like this video, hit like, subscribe, and turn on post notifications so you don't miss what happens next. And if you think this was crazy, click the next video right here because somehow it gets even worse.