Triple Nickel Bar Rescue Update – Still Open in 2024?

Episode Recap

Triple Nickel Tavern was a Colorado Springs, Colorado bar that was featured on Season 5 of Bar Rescue.

Though the Triple Nickel Bar Rescue episode aired in November 2016, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place before that.

It was Season 5 Episode 12 and the episode name was “Punk as a Drunk” .

In this episode, Jon Taffer and his crew visit Triple Nickel Tavern.

Triple Nickel Tavern is located in Colorado Springs, CO.

If you’re not familiar with Colorado, Colorado Springs is one of the largest cities in the state, with a population of around half a million people.

It’s located due south of Denver and is home to the Air Force Academy, among other military presences.

JJ Greuter is the owner who bought the bar in 2005 after years in the music industry.

That means he’s owned the bar for over a decade at the time of the Triple Nickel Bar Rescue visit.

Sadly, JJ lost three family members to cancer within a short time frame.

He has not recovered from that grief and now parties at the Triple Nickel Tavern to help drown his sorrows.

In 2015 Jacob was brought on board as manager.

Jacob has many ideas for the bar, but JJ doesn’t listen to him.

Expert mixologist Lisamarie Joyce and Chef Jason Santos are Jon’s experts for this rescue.

The theme of the bar is punk-rock and the name references JJ’s dad, who was a military hero. 

The outside of the bar looks more like a garage, and the inside is confusing because there is a lot of country western decor, but the bar prides itself as punk.

There are staff members off duty having drinks at the bar, and they are eventually joined by JJ, who is rude to the women customers.

Local punk-rockers go into the bar to spy for Jon. 

When the spies order food, they are told the kitchen is not open.

Then, the spies order a cocktail, but the bartender doesn’t know how to make it.

Finally, the spy orders a cherry lime soda, but JJ and the bar staff still do not know how to make the drink.

A band then begins to perform despite the bar being nearly empty. 

JJ is acting obnoxious and is being disrespectful to his manager.

He is also throwing chairs at Randy, who is another bartender.

Jon Taffer is fed up and enters the bar. The patrons agree that JJ is rude and annoying.

Jon takes a drink and throws it in JJ’s face, which is a pretty dramatic moment for the show.

He then forces JJ to sit on the floor, which he eventually does. 

The following day Jon returns for a staff meeting.

Jon tells the staff about how poorly his spies were treated the day before.

Randy was too drunk to remember most of what went on yesterday.

Jacob, the manager, tells Jon he has no passion for his job and wants to leave the bar despite loving the staff like family. 

Jon Taffer gives JJ his sympathies for his losses.

Jon reminds JJ that the bar is remembering his dad, and he should not let him down.

At this point, Jon Taffer introduces the experts who will help save the Triple Nickel bar.

Lisamarie trains the bartenders on a blackberry tequila cocktail and whiskey cocktails.

Jason shows JJ and Jacon how to make a simple but tasty burger.

After some time spent training, the stress test begins. 

JJ is having a hard time in the kitchen, and the bar has to keep dumping drinks.

After JJ sends out an undercooked burger, he is switched with Vincent from the bar, who has experience cooking.

Randy uses glass to scoop the ice, and due to this, all of the ice needs to be replaced.

This is super dangerous because if a glass were to chip in the ice tub it would be impossible to notice and the bar could accidentally serve glass in a drink.

The bar is eventually shut down after trying to deal with the stress test.

The next day JJ meets with Jacob, and he apologizes to him and promises to step up as a leader.

Lisamarie trains the staff on a new drink that pays homage to the bar by using three different garnishes.

The kitchen learns how to make a dessert called belly bursters. 

The staff gathers at the bar to see the renovations.

Unlike a lot of other bars that appear on the show, Jon Taffer decided to stick with the original Triple Nickel Tavern name instead of changing it.

The inside of the bar now looks more like a punk-rock theme.

There are new workstations as well as POS machines.

555 is a typical number seen throughout the bar as it is JJs dads squadron number. 

The customers love all of the changes.

Jacob is pleasantly surprised to see JJ so passionate and working hard.

The bar and kitchen staff keep up, and a band takes the stage. 

So was the Bar Rescue Triple Nickel Tavern episode a long-term success?

Keep reading our update to learn what happened next and if the bar is still open in 2024 and beyond…