Champagne’s Bar Rescue Update – Las Vegas – Still Open in 2023?

Episode Recap

Champagne’s Cafe was a Las Vegas, Nevada bar that was featured on Season 5 of Bar Rescue (and then again on Season 8)

Though the original Champagne’s Bar Rescue episode aired in August 2016, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place before that.

The original episode was Season 5 Episode 1 and the episode name was “The Perks of Being a Wallpaper”.

Jon Taffer then rescued the bar again in Season 8 (the Covid-19 pandemic season). The second visit episode aired in May 2021. It was Season 8 Episode 3 and the episode name was “A Twice in a Lifetime Opportunity”.

For our Champagne’s recap, though, we’re going to focus on the first visit in Season 5.

Champagne’s Cafe is in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was purchased in 2015 by owner Greg Simms, which means he’s only been the owner for around a year at the time of the Champagne’s Bar Rescue visit.

The bar has had a successful history with visitors from the rat pack in the fifties and mobsters during the eighties.

Frank Cullota, a former mob associate, confirms the mob’s dealings with the cafe. 

The decor is still the original and looks outdated.

The staff is untrained and does whatever they feel.

Many locals do not want Jon Taffer to save the bar, which is a bit odd.

Jon brings in expert mixologist Lisamarie Joyce.

They sit outside the bar, examine the exterior, and watch the footage from inside. 

There are three bartenders, but two are off that evening, leaving Autumn as the only bartender.

Hospitality experts Laurie and Ryan go into the bar as spies.

They are greeted right away and order two drinks, a martini, and a godfather.

Greg has to show Autumn how to use a shaker, and both drinks come out too strong. 

Next, they order a jack and coke and a bee’s knees, but the bar lacks the items needed to make them.

Lisamarie heads inside to order an old-fashioned.

However, she has to wait a while before her order is taken.

Greg trains Autumn on making it, but it is still wrong.

Lisamarie goes behind the bar to train Autumn.

Lisamarie notices Greg doesn’t have the essential equipment needed to make drinks.

Greg tells her he has been producing drinks the same way for many years and does not need tools.

They do not serve food, only snacks, even though the outside sign advertises fine food. 

Jon tells Greg he is embarrassed for the bar because Las Vegas is a city known for its hospitality.

There is no respect between Greg and his staff.

Lisamarie stays to continue helping behind the bar, and Jon leaves. 

When Jon arrives the next day, he walks in on two bartenders talking bad about Greg.

Jon doesn’t like their attitude and tells the staff if they continue to disrespect their boss, he will leave.

The team then confided in Jon that they walked out on Greg the night before because they knew they could.

Greg then walks out after Jon gets brutally honest with him. 

Lisamarie is introduced and begins teaching the staff.

She takes them through making a manhattan and a bee’s knees the proper way.

Candy, a bartender, makes a drink and does great.

Jon wants to see the bartenders’ skills, so he assesses their skills in a game. 

Autumn is nervous, but Candy does better and gets the point.

Raleigh, another bartender, gets the second point.

Greg watches the bartenders so he can make improvements and changes.

Candy wins the game with Raleigh second and Autumn third. 

The bar staff is trained on using bar equipment like a crystal pitcher.

She then takes them through making a vesper cocktail.

While that’s happening, Jon Taffer and his crew get started on the renovation.

However, because of the bar’s rich history, Jon decides to keep the Champagne’s name rather than changing it like a lot of the other bars that appear on Bar Rescue.

However, he does make some changes to the physical space.

The wallpaper is changed during the relaunch.

Antique chairs are refurbished and placed in the bar to connect with its history.

Greg’s mom comes by the bar and enjoys the changes.

The relaunch starts, but Autumn is still nervous.

To help things go smoothly, Greg jumps in to assist her. 

Eventually, things seem to be going great.

The second Champagne’s rescue happened during the Covid-19 pandemic, where things were pretty bleak for the bar as it dealt with restrictions.

Here, you can see a sign on the door saying that Champagne’s could only have 20 people in the building, which is obviously tough for any business.

Greg even had to resort to driving ride share just to stay afloat financially.

So were Jon’s two visits to Champagnes Las Vegas enough to save the bar?

Keep reading our update to learn what happened next and if it’s still open in 2023 and beyond.