AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
KnotStronger
This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Phillipa
Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
maxbelille
This is the first time that I've ever written an online review. I was so upset when I saw the beginning of an episode. All I know is the bar owner's name was Max and he had helped who he thought was a veteran. He posted the video online and from there things went haywire. When Jon Taffer came in, it was so hypocritical and abusive. I just couldn't handle it. He was so insanely ridiculous despicable and disgusting. Everything was so sensational for the cameras. Here was a war veteran who was rough around the edges but was trying to rebuild his life and instead of appreciating that, Taffer basically tried to break down this man to the point that his brother suffering from PTSD could not be part of the initial rescue. I was sickened and disgusted. I have no idea what happened for the rest of the show and I'm not interested in the turnaround. Abuse is abuse! And help could have been offered in a more productive manner. This type of TV is revolting and we really need to stop feeding into the crap out there. We can help people without breaking them before we build them. Jon Taffer left a huge impression on me and I will never support anything that he does and we'll steer anyone I know away from the crap that he puts out there.
Len Leger
I watch this show purely on entertainment value, and when nothing else good is on. Jon Taffer does nothing but yell and scream. I'm sorry, but if the bar owners I worked for ever had him speak to them like that, he would be laid out on the floor. That may be well and good for big city bars, but the small town taverns I use to frequent in and around central Iowa, that crap would not fly at all. He and his crew would be either beat up, or end up in someone's field under ten feet of dirt. It has to be scripted, I can't see someone taking that abuse in real life. Let him come around central Iowa sometime and pull that. He won't last long I can tell you that much. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why he never comes around here. Like I said it's OK for a filler show to watch when nothing else is on, and I admit, some things he does is kinda cool, but all the yelling, screaming, and name calling he does is either very scripted, or he's got a death wish that no one has granted him yet. Worth a watch, but take it all with a grain of salt.
weatherluvr1212
This show on Spike is one of those shows that I will gladly watch reruns. Jon Taffer is an expert in the field and he consistently brings in the best experts for the bar/restaurant. I always love how hard Taffer goes down on the owners like a drill sergeant in the Marines. A lot of reviews stay that 90% of this show is staged, but I would change that number to about 20%. If you watch to the end of the credits, they list all the places that provided equipment/supplies for the remodel of the bar. The producers pay for the cost, almost like "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". There is a lot of time compression, but what reality show does not have this? Overall, this show is an excellent one and I love watching it whenever it is on.
Gary McElroy
I love watching Taffer and his "professionals" turn a bar around to be successful but I really find it hard to take when the do their "stress test" by letting in 100-200 people and then complain when the wait times are more than 20 minutes. What the heck do they expect? If you give the average drink order 3 minutes from the time that a patron at a table orders until the receive their drinks then it is going to take 20-30 minutes to get all of them served. I agree that things like name changes are though of in advance. Permits for things like electrical, plumbing, and structural don't happen that fast. One last thing, how does Jon expect to gain the owner's respect when he yells at them in front of bar patrons.
