On Bar Rescue, ‘Win, Lose, or Brawl,’ Jon Taffer does his traditional reconnaissance at Russell City Grill & Sports Bar in Hayward, an industrial town in California. He witnesses terrible customer service from the bartenders, raw food being served from the kitchen, and the owner’s friend Church is messing around behind the bar. “Not only is this upsetting customers, but it’s also pissing off some of the employees,” says Taffer. When one of the employees, bartender L-Boogie goes behind the bar to try to manage the situation (because the owner Lee Bellot isn’t), L-Boogie throws the first punch at Church. And it’s a hard one. Church’s glasses are knocked off his face.
Even after witnessing the physical violence behind the bar and knowing Russell City is $280,000 in debt, Taffer helps Lee rebrand the place as Fogline Bar & Grill. The new signage at the place is clear but the bar’s online presence is a mess. There are several social media accounts under the name Russell City and Fogline, and the original Russell City website is still active and the designated Fogline Bar & Grill website is not live. If you’re trying to get a handle on the food at Fogline, don’t visit Yelp. The reviews are so extreme (from zero stars to five stars), all of the reviews seem dubious. Bar Rescue airs Sundays at 10pm on Spike.
