Bar Rescue - Sauced (Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria) Update

On this week's episode of Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are in Largo, Florida to rescue Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria.  Gil & Rick's is as the name states a sports bar and pizzeria owned by two longtime postal employees Gil Grim and Rick Johnson.  Dave Portnoy from Barstool Sports helps Jon Taffer do recon and the bar cannot handle an order that includes multiple pizzas.


During the Bar Rescue makeover, Jon Taffer decided to change the name of Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria to Sauced and the bar decided to keep the name.  Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Sauced since Bar Rescue came and made all of the changes to the bar (All reviews are post-Bar Rescue):



Positive Reviews:

• "Friends invited us to hear sax music early in the day at this newly renamed and remodeled establishment in a tiny strip mall in Largo. The happy hour is 4-7 and reasonably priced. The house was rocking with an older crowd dancing and enjoying the music and stepping up for open-mic fun. With all of the new TVs we are looking forward to enjoying it as the sports bar venue too....We went two Mondays in a row and Sheila, bartender, ensured we had fun and no one had to wait long for a re-fill. The other bartenders are also very friendly and accommodating."
• "I had a great time with my family. Husband, and his 2 sisters and brother and brother in-law and three nieces. Great crowd, fun karaoke, pretty good pizza too. Could have had a little more staff, for it was a wait for drinks. Overall fun place, and I would go again. "
• "No longer Gil and Ricks. Bar Rescuse came to get them back on there feet. I was there just recently and it's a very clean nice look compared to the last time I was in. Service was pretty good. Atmosphere was nice. Very slow the late afternoon I showed up. Menu looked good. Some day I'll eat some hotdogs that they are specializing in by the choices."
• "Could be a thriving business, but they need to treat locals like their bread and butter.An apartment complex in walking distance of very hardworking men and women,that might start coming in if they were greeted properly.Basic of customer service .I wish them well, Well since Kallie and new manager has taken over,the pub is a really taken on new atmosphere these two ladies are killing it, all different age groups, family friendly, and definitely taking care of locals, Ladies you can come here and relax, No one hangs on you, fun group."
• "I went in for lunch about 2 weeks after the rescue. The remodel was intact. The bar is nicer than other businesses nearby in this suburb of Tampa. There was only 1 other patron at 11:30 on a Tuesday. The pizza was pretty good, but since it took over 20 minutes to prepare, the owner/bartender gave me a discount. He seemed to have some difficulty operating the new POS system. Bar Rescue's new drink menu was on the wall, but the prices were crossed out. Overall a good experience. I would go back to check out the night scene there."

Negative Reviews:

• "The look is great, The food was on spot. But i was told at 6:44 happy hour was already over. I believe it is from 4-7. Bartender was mainly focusing on the regulars. Now there was only 20 people in there. Would go back for food, but nothing else."
• "Went yesterday and music was great. The rudest bartender ever. She complained about customers each time I tried to order and told me who didnt tip. Very unprofessional. Sat at table but server never around, had to go talk to rude bartender to order food and drinks and clean off my own table. Will not return."
• "Should be a -star, This place shouldn't even be open for business. Three of us entered and sat at the bar. Totally ignored for five minutes until a disgusting women covered with tats came over in a stupor and loudly asked what we wanted, then walked away. The other person behind the bar "Bob"came over and took our order but didn't seem to understand what we wanted, two beers and a gin and tonic. She came back and asked us again what we wanted. She appeared HIGH and was very abusive toward us. Had to have the bill replaced three times as it was always wrong for what we ordered. Couldn't get out of there fast enough as "Kelly" was totally off the wall screaming and slamming the door as she retreated into the back somewhere. Incredible and embarssing experience. Will NEVER return to this place."

*Reviews from Yelp, Google. E-mailed review


Other News and Links:

• The Bar Rescue makeover happened in February 2019, so about 3 months before the episode aired.
• Here is a five-minute preview video of the episode from the Paramount YouTube page.  Dave Portnoy from Barstool Sports helps with the recon.
• Here is the Sauced Facebook page.  They are still posting as Gil & Rick's, but all of the advertisements and the Facebook URL refer to Sauced as the name of the bar.  Here is another Sauced Facebook page which a restaurant page and has all of the same postings.
• Here is the Sauced website where they say, "Did You Know We're Famous?  That's right! We were just featured on Bar Rescue on Paramount with the legendary Jon Taffer.  And since then things are doing great. And we'd love to invite you out to our place. "Sauced Largo" for a great night of Food, Drinks and Fun.  We've updated EVERYTHING!!! The place looks amazing and we've even changed up the Food and Drink Menus with signature cuisine and even new deserts."
• Here is the old Gil & Rick's website which is still online.
• Here are the Facebook pages of Gil (owner), Rick (owner), Kelly (bartender), Erika (bartender), Michael (bartender)
• Sauced is having a watch party for the episode at the bar. (Link)
• Right after the Bar Rescue makeover, Sauced was hiring for all positions (bartender, server, cook).  (Link)
• About a week after Bar Rescue was completed, Sauced had a restaurant inspection which found 30 violations including high priority ones involving temperature controls for food, some of which a "Stop Sale" was ordered.  A follow up inspection in March found 18 violations and another inspection in May 2019 found 8 violations.  (Link with inspection details)
• Sauced has a 1-minute commercial advertising their bar/restaurant and appearance on Bar Rescue.  The commercial has been posted on YouTube and can be seen here.
• Here are the Yelp reviews before the makeover, which aren't too great and have some complaints about Gil, including him kicking someone out of the bar for cheering for the Bills against the Jets (Gil is a Jets fan).
• The bar was called Eddie's before Gil and Rick bought it.

Conclusion:

Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria was renamed to Sauced by Bar Rescue and the bar has kept the name.  The reviews for Sauced are mixed with people liking the atmosphere and pizza while there are some complaints about the service/bartenders.  The reviews seem to be more positive than before the Bar Rescue makeover.  Sauced and the owners seem happy with the Bar Rescue makeover as they have a commercial referring to it and their website advertises that they were on Bar Rescue.  Shortly after the Bar Rescue makeover, there was a restaurant inspection at Sauced and the bar had 30 violations.


*To see how all of the bars from Bar Rescue are doing, go to the Bar Rescue Updates page, and also Like us on Facebook or Follow Us on Twitter to stay up to date with all things involving Bar Rescue.