(keep reading to learn what happened)
Season: 6 | View All Season 6 Episodes
Original Episode Air Date: March 31, 2019
The Bar's Original Name Was: Crossroads Grille
Gaddy Shack Address: 2940 Murfreesboro Pike Ste 101 Antioch, TN 37013
Episode Recap
Crossroads Grille, later renamed to Gaddy Shack, was an Antioch, Tennessee bar that was featured on Season 6 of Bar Rescue.
Though the Gaddy Shack Bar Rescue episode aired in March 2019, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place long before that in December 2017.
It was Season 6 Episode 29 and the episode name was “Twerking 9 to 5”.
Crossroads Grille is in Antioch, TN, which is a neighborhood of Nashville that’s located around 12 miles southeast of downtown Nashville.
In 2015, owners Robert and Ashley Gaddy bought the bar.
That means they’ve owned it for around two years at the time of the Crossroads Grille Bar Rescue visit.
They used Robert’s mother’s recipes, and the bar was successful for the first couple of years.
Unfortunately, Robert was injured and had to step back from the bar.
Due to this, the employees began acting rowdy and drinking on the job.
That led to the bar starting to slide downhill and need a rescue from Jon Taffer.
Expert mixologist Derek Turner and Chef Michael Ferraro join Jon Taffer on this bar rescue.
Jon and the experts examine the bar’s exterior, which looks nice.
They then decide it must be the staff that is the problem.
The hidden camera footage shows the kitchen manager Don Juan, the cook Skylar, and Deonna, the server.
The camera also offers the bartenders Cheeks, Bubbles, and Bunz.
Deonna is dancing on tables while the other bartenders are mixing liquors in bottles which is a violation.
Emmanuel and Eric, two locals, spy on the bar for Jon.
The pair ordered a margarita and a catfish dinner.
Their drinks are served in plastic glasses that are a hideous color.
The employees are drinking and becoming rowdy.
The kitchen announces they do not have the ingredients for the catfish entree.
Bunz is drunk and slaps a patron on the arm who gets vocal and loud with her.
The other employees try to stop a drunk Bunz who hits the customer again.
Finally, Bunz is made to leave the bar.
Jon Taffer has seen enough and comes in.
He gives the owners feedback on the spy’s experience.
Jon wants the owners to fire one of their staff members to prove they are serious about change.
Jon also tells them that if they rehire the employee they terminate, he will leave and not rescue the bar.
This isn’t an idle threat! He’s walked out on some other bars such as O Face Bar and Black Light District.
The stove’s hood is covered in grease, which is a fire hazard.
The staff and owners are told to clean the bar, and Jon reminds the owners to fire an employee.
When Jon comes back the next day, he tells the staff that it is illegal to combine alcohol bottles.
No one has been fired, and Jon tells the owners to do that.
Ashley fires Cheeks because the night prior, she didn’t help clean.
Bunz comes into work and is fired for her behavior the night before.
Jon Taffer’s goal for the bar is that it will be the number one catfish spot in the city.
Chef Michael shows the kitchen how to make catfish sandwiches.
Derek takes the bartenders through the steps of creating a cocktail made from moonshine.
Jon blindfolds the staff to perform a challenge.
He wants to build a sense of trust within the team.
After the challenge, the staff realizes they have a problem with communication.
Ashley tries to give the staff a motivational speech, but no one listens to her.
Robert works in the kitchen, and Ashley is working the bar during the stress test.
The employees have twenty minutes to serve their customers for the stress test.
The bartenders are immediately overwhelmed, and Jon has to pay for several customers’ catfish as the kitchen is behind.
After the stress test, Jon Taffer and his experts get to work on improving the bar, including working on the renovations.
As part of the renovations, the bar is renamed from Crossroads Grille to Gaddy Shack Southern Bar and Grill.
Obviously, the name is based on the Gaddy Shack owners, Robert and Ashley Gaddy.
Family pictures are decorating the walls, painted in warm and bright colors.
The bar has been gifted new taps for its draft system, ice machines, and entertainment system.
The relaunch starts with staff wearing new uniforms.
The team works together to get drinks and food out promptly.
So was the Crossroads Bar Rescue episode a long-term success? Keep reading to learn what happened next and if this Antioch, TN bar is still open in 2024.
Gaddy Shack Update - What Happened Next?
Now that we’ve recapped the Gaddy Shack Bar Rescue visit, let’s talk about what happened after Jon Taffer and his crew left Antioch, TN.
At the standard six-week check-in with the Bar Rescue producers, it seems like Gaddy Shack was on track after Jon Taffer’s visit.
However, appearances can be deceiving as this one was not a successful rescue.
Is Gaddy Shack from Bar Rescue still open?
Gaddy Shack closed in March 2018, which is about a year before the Gaddy Shack Bar Rescue episode even aired on TV and around three months after the actual visit from Jon Taffer.
Remember – Jon Taffer visited the bar all the way back in December 2017, even though the episode didn’t air until March 2019.
So yes – Gaddy Shack was already closed even when the episode made its initial launch.
For a time, the old Gaddy Shack Antioch, TN location was occupied by a bar/restaurant named Neighborhood Bar & Grill.
However, that restaurant seems to have closed in December 2021.
As of 2023, the old Gaddy Shack Antioch TN location is occupied by a restaurant named Louie’s Taco Shop.
You can see the new tenant in the most recent picture from Google Maps street view:
Why did Gaddy Shack close?
It seems that Robert and Ashley Gaddy closed Gaddy Shack so that they could focus on another bar they own – DONKS, which is located in Nashville.
For example, they had a Bar Rescue watch party for the Gaddy Shack episode at DONKS even though Gaddy Shack was already closed at that time.
Robert and Ashley seem to have run DONKS successfully for several years.
However, DONKS posted on Facebook on February 19 2022 that it would also be closing, though only temporarily:
Donks will be closed until further notice to REVAMP our business.
We are TEMPORARILY closing to take the time to stop all operations, evaluate our business model, and make necessary changes in several different areas of our business structure in order to be successful.
When we crack the doors back open for business things will be a little different.
We want to thank all of you for your understanding and continued support of Donks.
So it appears that Robert and Ashley were taking a break for a little, though they were still selling their Big Daddy’s Sweet Mississippi Sauce online. Y
ou can purchase a bottle if you want to support them or try it out.
As of September 2022, Donks seemed to be open again.
However, the lease on their space ended in September 2022 so they held a big moving sale:
Our lease is up in a few days and anyone wanting information regarding leasing the space here’s the information and it’s also posted on the front of the space!
Thanks again for some awesome memories Nashville!
I’m not sure if this means that Donks is permanently closed or if the Gaddy’s plan to reopen it at a new location.
Beyond the restaurant/bar, they also seem to offer a catering service for events.
They also do festival popup shops, as well.
That wraps up my Gaddy Shack update.
If you want to see some other Tennessee Bar Rescue episodes, you can read my updates for Robusto in Memphis, The Dickson in Dickson, and The Legacy in Arlington.
Thanks for reading!
More Information
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Last updated: 2023-02-13 06:36
Shame on the owners, bunch of lies and not having any business sense. 😤
What happens to all the equipment, etc. that Jon had installed when a bar closes?
Some of it is leased, some they either take with them or sell the business to whoever wants the space.
Not surprised, who wants to go to a bar like this.
When you have ghetto trash working for you, what do you think will happen???🙄
Exactly, typical
This is the highly unpleasant kind of stuff that keeps me away from most reality shows. I’m sure that the producers egged on the already rowdy inclinations of the bartenders. I think it’s also possible that the owners asked for a rescue with intent to try and sell immediately after
I am very sorry for Gaddy Shack for your restaurant It breaks my heart for you Robert and Ashley and I want to you on your future and in your love together