Ep 35. Grow Some Meatballs!

As a bartender and nightlife expert, Jon Taffer has seen it all when it comes to failing bars and restaurants. In the third season of Bar Rescue, Taffer continues his mission to help struggling bar owners turn their businesses around. In episode 35, entitled Grow Some Meatballs!, Taffer visits a sports bar in Staten Island that is in desperate need of some serious help.

The sports bar, known as Big Mike's, is owned by Michael Profeta. Profeta is a former cop who has poured his life savings into the bar, but despite his best efforts, the business is floundering. When Taffer arrives, he sees that the bar is cluttered and dirty, the staff is inexperienced and unprofessional, and the food is subpar at best. In addition, the bar is located in a prime location with a built-in customer base, but the owners have failed to capitalize on this advantage.

Taffer wastes no time in diagnosing the problems with Big Mike's. He starts by meeting with the staff and observing them at work. He quickly realizes that the staff is poorly trained and unmotivated. They lack basic bartending skills and fail to connect with the customers. Taffer decides that the first step is to retrain the staff and get them up to speed.

Next, Taffer turns his attention to the menu. He discovers that the food is mediocre at best and that the kitchen is not equipped to handle the volume of orders that the bar receives. Taffer decides to revamp the menu and bring in a professional chef to redesign it.

With the staff and menu under control, Taffer sets to work on the bar itself. He brings in a team of designers to help with the decor, and they transform the space into a sleek and modern sports bar. Taffer also replaces the old, outdated equipment with new, state-of-the-art machines.

Once the renovations are complete, it's time to reopen Big Mike's. Taffer has invited a group of locals to come in and give the bar another chance. The results are astounding. The customers are blown away by the new decor, the improved menu, and the professional and friendly staff. They are thrilled to have a new and improved local watering hole and vow to return again and again.

In conclusion, Bar Rescue season 3 episode 35, Grow Some Meatballs!, is a classic episode in which Jon Taffer uses his expertise and experience to turn around a struggling sports bar in Staten Island. From retraining the staff to redesigning the menu, Taffer leaves no stone unturned in his quest to save Big Mike's. With a little bit of hard work and a lot of ingenuity, Taffer transforms this once-doomed bar into a thriving and successful business.