What the Bar Rescue cast looks like today, and which bars actually survived
Bar Rescue is an American reality television show that follows a hospitality consultant, Jon Taffer, his wife, Nicole Taffer, and hospitality experts such as mixologists and culinary experts, among others. These experts, who include Chef Vic Vegas, Tom Bonello, Rob Floyd, and Mia Mastroianni, travel across America to help bars elevate their services.
Source: Facebook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- In each Bar Rescue episode, hospitality specialists offer their professional advice and expertise to revive a failing bar.
- Some of the show's most successful bars are Spirits on Bourbon, The Public House, and The Midway Tavern.
- With over 250 episodes aired, Bar Rescue has seen its fair share of cast members, with only a few of them appearing in more than 50 episodes.
A look into Bar Rescue's cast: then and now
Bar Rescue has helped transform over 230 bars since 2011. Across its 250 episodes, Jon Taffer and his wife remain among the show’s most consistent cast members. Below is a brief look at the main Bar Rescue cast and their current updates.
1. Jon Taffer
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Jonathan Peter Taffer
- Place of birth: Great Neck, New York, United States
- Profession: Media personality, entrepreneur
- Role in show: Host, producer
On Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer is an unstoppable force as its creator, host, and executive producer. Until July 2024, he led Bar Rescue’s experts and crew during the revival of Dr Philgoods in the show's 250th episode.
The American entrepreneur and TV personality known for his rescue reality shows, such as Restaurant Rivals: Irvine vs. Taffer and Bar Rescue: Back to the Bar. He is the executive producer of Marriage Rescue and has appeared in Gym Rescue, Face the Truth, and Hungry Investors.
2. Nicole Taffer
Source: UGC
- Full name: Nicole Taffer
- Place of birth: Ingleside, Texas, United States
- Profession: Media personality
- Role in show: Recon
Nicole is married to Jon Taffer. She is also a popular recurring star on the reality show, serving as the market recon specialist or recon spy. Her previous professional background includes working for a construction company in Chicago and a speciality advertising company in California, USA.
On the show, she is the first consultant to make contact with a failing bar undercover and observe the staff's service, the bar's cleanliness, and the quality of the drinks and environment. She continues to play this role on the show.
3. P.J. King
Source: Instagram
- Full name: P.J. King
- Place of birth: Bethel, Connecticut, United States
- Profession: Actor, voice-over artist
- Role in show: Narrator
On Bar Rescue, renowned voice-over artist P.J. King takes on the role of narrator or announcer. He plays a similar role on reality TV shows such as Hotel Secrets & Legends and No Rest for the Weekend.
4. Mia Mastroianni
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Mia Mastroianni
- Place of birth: Milford, Connecticut, United States
- Profession: Bartender, consultant
- Role in show: Bar staff trainer
Mia Mastroianni is a celebrity hospitality expert and mixology consultant who joined Bar Rescue in 2013. Since then, she has taken on the role of training bar staff in proper mixology techniques and service quality.
She is a member of the Bar & Restaurant Expo Executive Council and has hosted the Industry Excellence Awards. Beyond Bar Rescue, Mia Mastroianni has appeared on reality shows such as The Strip Live, MasterCast Live, Fab Life with Chrissy Teigen, Big Morning Buzz Live, Hey Bartender, and Catch 21. Other films include Moments of Clarity, Knock It Down, Hard Evidence, and Prom Queen.
5. Phil Wills
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Phil Wills
- Place of birth: England
- Profession: Bar expert, TV personality
- Role in show: Revamping beverage programs
Like Mia, Phil Wills is a prominent bar expert and mixologist who has appeared on the American reality TV show, as well as The Strip Live and MasterCast Live. With more than two decades in the hospitality industry, Wills uses his expertise to help overhaul a failing bar's beverage program.
Today, Phil Wills runs his own company, The Spirits in Motion. He is the co-founder and partner of this Los Angeles-based, nationally recognised beverage consultancy.
6. Rob Floyd
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Robert Floyd
- Place of birth: Camden, New Jersey, USA
- Profession: Bar expert, TV personality
- Role in show: Revamping beverage programs
With over 25 years of experience, his role on the show is to redesign a failing bar's beverage program completely. Before his television career, Floyd was an actor, notably on the show Sliders.
Today, Floyd is the founder and head of his own global beverage consulting company, Rob Floyd Entertainment (RFE). He published a cocktail book in 2025, Sip at Sea: A Princess Cruises Cocktail Collection, which was inspired by his collaboration with the cruise line. He is a regular on shows such as the Today Show and Access Hollywood as a beverage expert.
7. Russell Davis
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Russell Davis
- Place of birth: East Texas, USA
- Profession: Celebrity mixologist, beverage consultant
- Role in show: Bar staff trainer
Before appearing on the show, Russel was named the 2012 Bartender of the Year by Nightclub & Bar and served as president of the Texas Chapter of the United States Bartenders' Guild. Nicknamed Wishka, Davis went on to help create Netflix's Drink Masters. He also started Escuela de Bartenders, a bartending school with branches in Costa Rica.
8. Tom Bonello
Source: Facebook
- Full name: Tom Bonello
- Place of birth: Leechburg, Pennsylvania, United States
- Profession: Celebrity bodyguard
- Role in show: Set security
Tom Bonello has been a regular on Bar Rescue, appearing on about 36 episodes since 2016. The 6-foot bodyguard has several acting credits and other roles such as a writer, set security, production assistant, and driver.
Other than Bar Rescue, Bonello has appeared in reality TV shows, like Hell's Kitchen, Food Paradise, Stars on Board, Street Genius, and Restaurant Stakeout. He is set to host the upcoming reality show, Man in a Minivan.
9. Lisamarie Joyce
Source: Facebook
- Full name: Lisamarie Joyce
- Place of birth: Perryville, Missouri, United States
- Profession: Celebrity mixologist, beverage consultant
- Role in show: Bar staff trainer
According to IMDb, Lisamarie Joyce joined Bar Rescue in 2016 and continues to be a regular on the show. Just like her role on the show, Joyce started her own beverage consulting company, LMJ Consulting LLC, in January 2017. Through the company, Joyce offers coaching classes for bar staff and team-building consulting.
10. Chef Vic Vegas
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Vic Moea
- Place of birth: Orange Beach, Alabama, United States
- Profession: Celebrity chef
- Role in show: Revamping kitchen menus
In addition to Bar Rescue, Vic Vegas is an expert celebrity chef with numerous appearances on shows such as Home & Family, My Mom Can't Cook, Chopped All Stars, and Food Fighters. Vic, who worked his way up from a dishwasher to a chef, has won, hosted, emceed, and judged numerous World Food Championships events.
10. Jason Santos
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Jason Jay Santos
- Place of birth: Melrose, Massachusetts, United States
- Profession: Restaurateur, cookbook author
- Role in show: Reinventing food menus
Chef Santos is a popular celebrity restaurateur with various establishments, including ButterBird, Nash Bar Boston, Citrus & Salt, and Buttermilk & Bourbon. As a recurring culinary expert on Bar Rescue, he helped restructure kitchens and food menus for failing bars. Between 2010 and 2024, he appeared in Hell's Kitchen as a contestant and later as the Blue Team's sous chef.
Exploring Bar Rescue's biggest successes
Typical Bar Rescue projects are rundown and deserted for many reasons. To help them, Jon Taffer and his band of experts revive the bars by improving their interiors and exteriors, retraining bar and culinary staff, and fixing their food and beverage menus. Here are some of the most successful establishments from the show.
Bar | Location in the United States |
Moon Runners Saloon | Dunn, North Carolina |
Spirits on Bourbon (now The Tipsy Trumpet) | New Orleans, Louisiana |
The Cave Sports Bar | Anaheim, California |
The Midway Tavern | Midvale, Utah |
Triple Nickel Tavern | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
The Public House | Chevy, Ohio |
Big Mike’s Sports Bar & Grill | Denham Springs, Louisiana |
Why did Jon Taffer stop Bar Rescue?
As of November 2025, the Paramount show is still playing. However, its long-time host, Jon Taffer, has failed to make an appearance on all episodes released, raising concerns. In an X (Twitter) statement, Taffer reassured his fans of his well-being,
Yes, you've noticed that I'm not hosting every episode of Bar Rescue this season. I want to assure you all that I am in good health, and, as executive producer, even if I am not hosting the episode, I am still overseeing every episode and ensuring that Bar Rescue continues...
He added;
As the industry continues to explode, the number of failing bars is increasing at an alarming rate. While I can't be everywhere at once, my vision and strategies are still driving the show. Rest assured, I'm not going anywhere and will be hosting many episodes to come.
Who are the Bar Rescue experts?
The primary host and star of Bar Rescue is Jon Taffer, but a rotating team of industry experts appears on the show. These include experts in mixology, culinary arts, and design, such as Mia Mastroianni, Rob Floyd, Jason Santos, Brian Duffy, and Nancy Hadley.
Are Jon and Nicole Taffer still together?
Jon and Nicole Taffer are still together and married. They have been married since 4 April 2000 and recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at the Walt Disney World Resort.
What did Jon Taffer apologise for?
On 31 August 2021, Jon Taffer apologised for comparing unemployed restaurant and bar workers to hungry dogs who are more obedient during a 2021 Fox News interview. In the apology, he said,
Regarding an interview I did yesterday, I want to sincerely apologise for using a terrible analogy in reference to the unemployment situation... My comment was an unfortunate attempt to express a desire for our lives to return to normal.
Bar Rescue has been running on TV since 2011. It has over 200 episodes, meaning different cast members have come and gone. However, the most notable Bar Rescue cast and crew members are Jon Taffer, P.J. King, Mia Mastroianni, Russell Davis, Lisamarie Joyce, and Joseph Brooks.
Legit.ng has recently published an article detailing the whereabouts of Southern Hospitality's cast. The cast of Southern Hospitality is a vibrant mix of hospitality professionals, mostly in their 20s and 30s, working in Charleston’s nightlife scene.
The cast members who come from different backgrounds draw fans in with their personalities, real-life stories, dreams, and challenges. The show's primary cast includes Leva Bonaparte, Emmy Sharrett, Grace Lilly, Joe Bradley, and Maddi Reese.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
