(keep reading to learn what happened)
Season: 4 | View All Season 4 Episodes
Original Episode Air Date: February 15, 2015
The Bar's Original Name Was: Underground Wonder Bar
Clear Bar Address: 710 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60654

Episode Recap
Originally named Underground Wonder Bar, Clear Bar was a Chicago, Illinois bar featured on Season 4 of Bar Rescue.
Though the Clear Bar Bar Rescue episode aired in February 2015, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place before that in 2014.
It was Season 4 Episode 12 and the episode name was “Crayons & Anger Lines” .
The Underground Wonder Bar is located in the River North District of Chicago, Illinois.
The owner is Lonie Walker, a musician.
Lonie opened the bar in 1989 after she performed in bars all over Chicago.
Underground Wonder Bar was a popular place to go for live music.
She ran the bar successfully for over twenty years, so she definitely had a successful run.
The bar closed in 2011 and raised money to move to a new location.
Now the rent is higher, and they are losing $2,000.00 monthly.
They are doing the same amount of business, but her overhead costs are much higher, which is why she needs help from Jon Taffer and the Bar Rescue crew.
The staff is unmotivated, debt is mounting, and Lonie refuses to adapt to the new area and clientele.
The Underground Wonder Bar is a two-level establishment with over 3,000 square feet of space.
The bartender says Lonie is the problem.
She would rather perform instead of run a bar.
The menu is also all vegan food which Jon does think the customers would like.
Jon brings in bartender Russel Davis and Chef Pink for assistance.
Jon says Lonie can’t sing.
Jon then brings in John and Mimi from “The Local” to recon.
Jon asks why there are crayons on the bar. Lonie then asks Jon if he dyes his hair.
It’s definitely a bit of a weird episode, right?
Jon meets with the staff of the Underground Wonder Bar and tells them how the recon went.
Lonie’s son forces her to take a step back, but she rejects Jons’s help.
Jon Taffer says the bar is too mismatched.
He has the staff paint the exterior of the bar white to represent a fresh new start.
During the stress test, Jon does not want any music played, which does not make Lonnie too happy.
The bar could be successful if Jordan, Lonie’s son, managed it instead.
Lonie is no help during the stress test. Jon has Jordan close down the bar.
The next morning Lonie meets with Jon and apologizes for her resistance.
Lonie signs documents agreeing to the name change and Jordan as the general manager.
Russel shows the bar staff new drinks to make, such as a Clear Collins and Art and Money Mule.
Chef Pink also shows the kitchen staff new items that will be added to the menu.
Jon says Lonie is the most challenging owner he has ever worked with.
Needless to say, Jon is not impressed with her.
As part of the renovations, Jon Taffer renamed the Underground Wonder Bar to the Clear Bar.
Everyone else is impressed except for Lonie, who isn’t buying into to Taffer’s changes.
During the relaunch, everyone is excited and happy.
Lonie has turned around and now fully trusts Jon (or so it seems! Spoiler alert).
Clear Bar Update - What Happened Next?
So, was the newly named Clear Bar in Chicago able to turn things around after the visit from Jon Taffer and Bar Rescue?
Well, six weeks later, the sales at Clear Bar are up by thirty percent! So it seems like something positive changed.
However, Lonnie took the new name sign down even though she promised Jon she would not.
She returned back to the old name of Underground Wonder Bar.
Is Clear Bar from Bar Rescue still open?
After changing back to the old name, the bar did manage to continue on for a couple of years. However, the Underground Wonder Bar closed down for good in September 2017, which was around two years after the Bar Rescue episode aired on TV.
Lonie Walking is still performing and actively posting on the Underground Wonder Bar Facebook page, though.
For example, here’s a July 2021 posting from her advertising a gig.
She also promotes a lot of other musicians that appeared at Underground Wonder Bar, which is a nice thing to do.
In this Google Maps street view shot, you can see the bar’s branding at the time that Underground Wonder Bar closed.
While the sign has changed, the text on the windows is mostly the same from the Bar Rescue renovations, minus the Clear Bar branding from the middle window panel.
For a time, the old Clear Bar Chicago location is listed for sale on various real estate listing sites.
The asking price was $2.5 million, so you’ll need to have some cash to throw around if you want to have your own Underground Wonder Bar.
However, when I’m updating this in late 2022, it seems like they’ve pulled off the for sale listing, so I’m not sure what’s happening with it.
Underground Wonder Bar reviews after Bar Rescue
At the time that the Underground Wonder Bar Chicago location closed, it had a 4 star rating on over 287 Yelp reviews.
Honestly, this is one of the better ratings that you’ll see for a bar on the show, so Lonie was clearly doing some things right.
People seem to consistently praise the quality of the music – that’s something I noticed a lot.
However, there’s not as much praise for the service and food/drinks, though some people also had good experiences there.
Here’s a sampling of reviews that were written after the visit from Jon Taffer…
4 star Yelp review from March 2016:
There’s a $15 cover charge.
If you go non-Friday/non-Sat, you can check in and get a buy 1 get one free.
Drinks and food at the place was meh – even though some of them are quite pricey.
We had the guac that was just ok – it could be seasoned a bit better.
The music was really good though.
I’ve only been to 2-3 jazz places and by far the performers that night were miles more talented than the other ones I’ve seen.
That said, it’s a really small place and it was really loud – so you’ll be yelling at each other all night.
Crayons are also fun too.
1 star Yelp review from May 2015:
Way too loud.
Small space could be more enjoyable with a proper sound system that is not deafening.
Just realizing this was on Bar Rescue and they clearly did not take John Taffer’s advice.
We paid $15/person cover.
Not worth it to leave with a migraine…
Only giving one star because I couldn’t give a zero.
1 star Yelp review from August 2017:
We are fans of Bar Rescue and have been dying to stop in this place.
When we’ve been in the area before they’ve been closed, they open later in the evening.
We love live music so we were excited to stop in .
Tonight we got the opportunity to stop in.
$10 person cover charge to get in.
Ordered (2) Tito’s and water with lemon and lime.
They were the worst drinks we’ve ever had!!!!!!
We’ve been drinking Tito’s for years, whatever they put in the drink clearly was not Tito’s.
Wife said the bartender poured it out of a Tito’s bottle, absolutely no way it was Tito’s!!
Band….guitar players, drummers, trombone all were very good.
Not so concerned with the $20 cover charge per couple (its Chicago) but seriously the worst drinks ever (would love to know what Vodka they put in the Tito’s bottle), we will never be back.
Overall, Underground Wonder Bar survived for a couple of years after ditching Jon Taffer’s Clear Bar name.
Maybe I’m in the minority, but I actually liked Lonie and she seems like a nice person, so I hope she’s doing well and is still enjoying performing.
If you want to see some other nearby Chicago Bar Rescue episodes, you can check out my updates for The Dugout / Press Box, Casual Tap, and The Abbey Pub.
Thanks for reading!
More Information
https://www.yelp.com/biz/underground-wonder-bar-chicago-2https://www.facebook.com/undergroundwonderbar/
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Last updated: 2023-02-07 05:32
First time that Jon wasn’t too hard towards the owner and staff members. This episode is hilarious,
My favorite part is when the owner curse in sign language and at one scene when she asked Jon “do you dyed your hair” hahahahaha.
when you get old ladies you need to shorten up all that old gray hair flying around everywhere. She looks like a old hippy time forgot
I cursed “Lonie” throughout the episode–absolutely the most hard-headed, clueless, self-obsessed, lacking class, vision of reality woman I’ve ever witnessed. Oh, and she’s also a LIAR–the thing I most despise in anyone. In short, she did not deserve to be rescued.
Her son, on the other hand, was a talented, hard-working jewel of a person, and I hope he’s found success elsewhere, and his idiot of a mother stays out of the way.
Lonnie is a buffone
Lonnie is a hippie who doesn’t know what she’s doing
Lonnie is an old hippie that did way too many drugs back in the day… and the reverting back to crayons syndrome are early signs of dementia…. so she doesn’t have much left in her cranium…
While I agree that she seems a little unhinged, please don’t pretend or attempt to diagnose diseases.
What I don’t understand, is at the beginning of this bar rescue episode, is they claim that Lonnie “successfully” ran this underground wonderbar at another location for 20 years. Successful for 20 years but she had NO savings and NO bank would touch her for a loan? How can that be called successful?
1) The traditional term is “buffoon”. Not everyone is a cool dude fire hipster, okay?
2) Lonie’s problem is that she is hopelessly lost in the past. I suspect we were witnessing the very first vestiges if clinical dementia. She doesn’t need a business to run, she needs an assisted-living facility.
Or a buffoon..?
She was extremely abrasive she was to old to be playing that weird hippie chick shtick and yes her lying after she signed that document was disgusting I guess Taffer didn’t prosecute her
By signing that agreement, it was a contract and she obviously avoided that contract and she should have to pay Bar Rescue back every penny that they spent on that bar. Her arrogant, stubborn attitude was extremely annoying and she deserved to lose everything. I felt really bad for her son and his child. Everything she did hurt them. She didn’t care about anybody but herself.
I’ve been looking to see if Bar Rescue sued them, due to the contract. She changed the name back after 6 weeks! If Bar Rescue didn’t follow through with it, then what’s the point of of having a LEGAL CONTRACT, in the first place?!
I absolutely agree. She is pure yucky and need Jesus! Her son was a great example of a leader and its unfortunate to see a parent act like the child.
Please don’t chastise people in the name of the Lord.
Why not? “Christians” do it on a daily basis!
Save your concern for Jesus for your weekly cult meetings.
This lady was an absolute psycho!!! I wanted to knock some sense into her!! Too much LSD I guess…what an immature idiot! Good riddance!
After watching the episode and being in business for 30 years in several different areas including the bar/ restaurant business this woman is a clear moron in running a business in that area!!!😭🤮🤪
I’ve watched this episode three times…train wrecks are difficult to ignore. Actually one of the main reasons is she reminds me of a woman my wife has known for over 30 years. I know they’re not related, but the two of them could have been separated at birth.
Judy’s assessment was spot on.
Lonnie was so embarrassing. I was cringing the whole time she “performed”. If I had been one of her customers I would have got up and left. She was so childish and had zero talent. Maybe too many drugs. Her son seemed like a great guy. Hope he is doing well. Don’t care about the old hippie.
Such a sad episode. I REALLY liked the look of CLEAR BAR! What a waste- I hope the son is currently successful in something.
Amen , I hope her son is doing well 2, He needs 2 put her In a home a good home . She’s old hippie . And needs 2 b looked after 4 her own good.
Ar would have done great if she had listened 2 Taffer .🤗
Did Jon Taffer sue for breach of contract when she put the old name back
No it’s still the owner’s bar – they can do whatever they want with it. They aren’t required to keep Jon Taffer’s changes, even though it seems like a waste to ignore them.
I truly don’t believe that broad was wrapped too tight!
Huh?
Too tight or not?
If the contract was legally binding and it was violated, to my layman knowledge the offended party could sue.
You can sue for anything. Whether it goes anywhere or not, diff story. Def not worth it in this case.
That woman deserved to fail, she was stuck in her ways. You can only tell someone so many times that the area requires a more sophisticated bar before you just walk away and Jon should have just walked away.
Please give an update on how Jordan and his family are doing, hopefully very well somewhere and successful at it!
John did a great job saving this bar……The owner was obviously brain impaired……the coloring paper and crayons on the tables were testimony to that……..She didn’t deserve to be saved…..especially after she lied and changed the name back……She got what she deserved.🤨
What happened to Jordan. He was a good man?
The one thing that really angered me was her stating how much she loved her son!! That was a load of crap! IF she loved him she would have stepped away & let her son take full control! But her over blown ego wouldn’t allow it! No one wants a crazy old lady with over grown unkempt hair screeching out words with obviously no longer having any talent on any stage! The only wonder there was WHY her son let her ruin his ability to actually run what would have been a VERY successful bar! I hope he & his family r doing ok!
I’m bummed. I was so down to fly to chi town to go to that bar specifically. The theme was so legit 🙁
LOL. You’re kidding right?
All she needs is a pointed black hat and a cane.
I’LL GET YOU, MY PRETTY!
Don’t mean to criticize her looks, but her behavior proves she’s a witch… and a bitch!
Where to even start with this one. On one hand I really disliked Lonnie. She was annoying/loud/weird. But on the other hand…obviously Lonnie was going to hate the bar. It looked like every other bar FFS. It completely stripped any artistic sense it had (which TBH it wasn’t super artistic to begin with) and just made it look generic.
I think Jon actually could have made the bar artistic. Like hipster/modern artistic…not like whatever Lonnie was doing. Or could have leaned into the hippy stuff…
And the name? Oh man that just sucked. Obviously she was going to change it. I would have too. Stupid name.
Lonnie is nucking futz for all her rudeness! She blew her mind on LSD 50 years ago now takes it out on Jon for trying to help her. A trillion good lucks to her son and not her.
Wow, I am in the minority here. Yeah, she was a nutjob for thinking people liked that music but she still seemed like a decent person and I sort of found her humorous at times (and not just to laugh AT). The way this episode opened with her spreading her legs into the air and her laughing was brilliant LOL props to the editors on that one.
Thank God i didn’t smoke as much as Lonie did in the 1960s. Go chow down on some tofu dumbass.
Was gonna leave a comment but the only think I can say about the Hippie woman is that she can’t sing for Shi……t!!!
Being a successful business owner, it angers me to see a potential gold mine being squandered by a juvenile hippie
She was a nut and could not sing. This episode was a mess! Glad she’s out of business.
I got to meet Lonnie when she owned the old place through a friend of mine, very nice hippie chick and I had fun. Sad to hear The Underground/Clear Bar is no more, (raising my arms to form a W) Underground WONDERBAR!!!
Yup. I used to go to the UWB at the old location. It was usually jam packed and hopping until 3am.
She ran an extremely successful business for over two decades, which is more than probably any person on this thread can honestly say.
I agree she should have updated things for the new location. Or better, she should have selected a new location that better suited her style.
The suggestions given were formulaic, unispired, and dull, dull, dull. In contrast, her old bar was always tons of fun, and yes, the crayons made it better. They took an actual artist and instead of upgrading her materials and technique tried to tell her what to paint and how to paint it. There eas zero chance that was ever going to work. Then again, I’ll be surprised if any of the bar rescues actually succeed over time.
John has a 50% success rate. That’s pretty good when you consider that most of the bars he rescues are on the verge of going out of business and they had to get through Covid. Also, some of the bars immediately sell after John rescues them. They use John just to increase the value.
I didnt bother finishing this episode. one of the few where there was nothing positive to look out for at all.
I think I was more amazed she thought she could survive in that area of Chicago. Her son, albeit a very nice guy, like most nice guys enabled his Ma to stick it to his family. He’ll have to look at that every day he looks at his kid.
I do agree she was stuck in the 50’s. I never warmed up to tie dyes or any of that crap and “freedom” consisted only of having sex in open places and flaunting a lack of respect for anyone and everything unless it had to do with getting off with someone, anyone. Say what you will but I just dated myself and saw all of it first hand and thankfully NEVER stepped foot where Woodstock was born.
Crayons? In a bar? She reminded me of one of those people who set up on street corners and parks to play so people can throw money into their guitar cases. It probably appeared she was doing well at her other bar because everyone had as much fun at them as spoiled family members had fun at the expense of the owner. She paid everyone and it fell into disarray and she had to go. Plus, everyone and I mean EVERYONE has to grow and build with what they have and not with what was. What was may not make as much money as it started out, so in business, one has to grow to make sure that money can be sustained. She didn’t.
I agree, her ego got the best of her and she felt empowered. I thought the theme was really different and I would have thought more upscale than I could afford so I may not have gone in, but I can say that I would not have gone in to what appeared as a weed smoking flower child shop to have a drink and I’m NOT into vegan. I love vegetables, but I can do without the rest. Although I did enjoy a butternut squash filled with beans, the rest of the squash and several other tidbits (no tofu) and it was really good. It had agave syrup, honey and some other stuff. It’s on-line if anyone wants to try it. The only cooked part is the squash – oops, but I digress.
I enjoy atmospheres and her other bar was like being held in an appliance box under a bridge where I believe she would have done quite well and she could live on love. This woman could go to prison and start a riot because she ran out of crayons to write on the walls, but me thinks she’d also have to clean them off after a bit too. Maybe she could sell her wares from people have drawn stuff on her crayon-ladel tables while singing to them in parks. She’s make a fortune, just like those gorillas and elephants that draw on paper.
Her singing inspired people to drink. That she did quite well and spreading her legs like some young chick clearly shows she hasn’t grasped becoming the woman she’s grown into. They say love is in the eyes of the beholder and she’s looking through the same looking glass as they do in fairy tales. I’m glad my Grandma didn’t do that. I suppose she doesn’t want to be called Grandma either.
She allowed her son to embrace her life-style and he realized it’s a dated concept. Oh well. She’s closed down, in debt, and is probably living in her son’s basement. Fits the genre of Woodstock flower children that never grew up. In my humble opinion.
Tie-dyes, I believe, were invented because they didn’t want to wash clothes and those that did and didn’t learn how decided it was another way to express themselves. Saved them from having to wash them often – couldn’t see the dirt, grime or food. You could just smell them coming….
She wanted to prove something to Jon, she didn’t win and has to live with that. I too believe her son could have made that place, but we’ll never know now and it’s turned into a blight just like when the Woodstockers got together!
Just a scumbag POS nut job that has lost her mind, if she ever had one. I guessed from the beginning that she would not follow thru on the contract she signed. Glad to see the bar closed and hope she lost everything.