JB Taco Bar Rescue Update (Harbor Point) - Still Open in 2024? (2024)

Episode Recap

Harbor Point Club and Grill, later renamed to JB Taco, was a Richardson, Texas bar that was featured on Season 6 of Bar Rescue.

Though the Harbor Point Bar Rescue episode aired in July 2019, the actual filming and visit from Jon Taffer took place a few months earlier.

It was Season 6 Episode 40 and the episode name was “John and Bert Bought a Bar”.

Harbor Point Club and Grill is in Richardson, TX.

If you’re not familiar with Texas geography, Richardson is a suburb of Dallas that’s located to the northeast of the city.

The owners are John Willis and Bert Novey, which is why the episode name is “John and Bert Bought a Bar”.

John Willis owned a swimming pool/hot tub business named Pool Experts, while Bert had a long career as a technical assistant at various companies.

To open the bar, John invested his money and cashed in his 401K.

Jon Taffer arrives at Harbor Point Bar and Grill with expert mixologist Phil Wills and Chef Ryan Scott.

However, Jon is concerned the owners have not told him the whole truth about the bar.

The three men agree the exterior of the bar looks decent while the inside looks worn and old.

The hidden camera footage shows the manager, Nancy, Fefe, Steven, the bartenders, and Danny, the cook.

The camera shows Fefe using canned soda which increases the bar’s costs.

Jon pretends to have his camera crew pack up and tells John and Bert he won’t rescue the bar.

Taffer runs this test because he wants to be sure that they’re genuine.

The owners go into the back office to discuss.

The men talk about how they are probably going to lose their homes.

Overhearing this, Jon reenters the bar and agrees to help.

Bert and John drink at the bar as they tell Jon Taffer about their financial issues.

Jon tells them to clean the bar, and he will come back the next day.

The experts and Jon Taffer come into Harbor Point Club and Grill the following day.

The employees tell Jon that the owners once were invested in the bar but lost interest when they began losing money.

John drinks alcohol at the bar daily – close to $200 worth a day, which is just an incredible amount.

The staff also confide in Jon that they become lazy and unsupportive when the owners drink.

All of these issues combine to explain why the Harbor Point Bar Rescue episode exists.

In working on the bar,Jon Taffer says that he wants drinks and beverages served within 15 minutes.

He orders various co*cktails and meals.

The co*cktails come on time but are too sugary and watery.

The stove is dirty, and a fire has started in the kitchen.

Phil shows the staff how to make a peach tea co*cktail which is well balanced.

After the stove is cleaned, Chef Ryan shows the kitchen staff how to make street tacos.

For the stress test, the employees who perform the worst and make mistakes will get a sticker put on their back by Phil.

Five stickers on their back mean they have to step back from the bar.

The stress test goes about as well as you’d expect.

Danny is only making one order at a time in the kitchen.

Each bartender has four stickers on their back.

The owners must apologize to the patrons when Jon Taffer shuts down the stress test.

Jon Taffer starts explaining the new concept that he envisions.

He wants to make the bar known for its tacos.

Chef Ryan trains the kitchen staff on making three signature tacos called the Taffer Taco, Texan Taco, and Sweet Bliss taco.

The bar learns how to make spicy drinks.

Bert says he now understands he needs to commit more to the business.

John also understands his drinking is affecting the bar.

As part of the renovations and the change to the new concept, Jon Taffer renames Harbor Point club to JB Taco (not JB Tacos).

The “JB” part of the name stands for “John” and “Bert”, the two Harbor Point owners names.

The bar’s menu now offers over 50 tacos.

Harbor Touch has gifted the bar four new POS systems.

There are also digital table tents with phone charging outlets.

For the relaunch, the owners will work the kitchen and the front of the house.

Danny is keeping up with orders, and the staff is upselling tacos.

Customers are snapping pictures of their food and posting them on social media.

The owners do great during the relaunch and it seems like the JB Taco Bar Rescue changes will be a success.

Unfortunately, perceptions aren’t always reality…