Bar Rescue at The Bridge Lounge in Tarpon Springs, Florida

This week on Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer and crew are at The Bridge Lounge in Tarpon Springs, Florida to help a family save their sinking bar.

The Bridge Bar was purchased by Bill Cladakis in 2003 for $750,000, and has been operated by the family ever since. But in 2015, family patriarch, Bill – aka Mr. Bill, died (Obit), leaving his children to operate the business.

BP Oil Spill

The bar lost 75 percent of its income and clientele when fishermen in the area were forced to leave to find work elsewhere following the BP oil spill. Losing $4,000 a month, the family called on Jon Taffer to help them save the business.

Rebranding and Renaming

Bar Rescue fans will know that Taffer is a big fan of rebranding the bars he rescues. In this case, Taffer opted not to rename the Bridge, however, he did add a tag to bar’s signage – calling it “A Locals Bar.” The rescue went down in December of 2015.

Long Drives and Long Legs

You’ll also see a familiar face in this week’s episode – pro golfer John Daly. He’s engaged to Bridge co-owner Anna Cladakis. Daly joins in on the action by helping Taffer with some bar recon.

Interestingly enough, Anna Cladakis is featured in Golf.com as one of the Most Beautiful Women in Golf 2016. According to the feature, she’s a longtime promotional director for the Hooters restaurant franchise in Clearwater Florida. Daly proposed to Cladakis in December of 2014.

Back in December, Heavy.com featured a Anna in a post titled – Anna Cladakis, John Daly’s Fiancee: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know.

Anna is also active on her Twitter account, and you can check out her Instagram account for photos and videos.

Money Trouble

Back in 2011, it was revealed that Anna’s sister, Crissy Cladakis was dealing with serious financial difficulties while embroiled in a family feud that led her to sue her parents, Bill and Harriet Cladakis, her sister, Anna Cladakis, and her brother, Manny Cladakis – according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times.  You can read the details about Crissy’s lawsuit against her family here: Crissy Cladakis v. The Cladgroup, Bill Cladakis and Harriet Cladakis. Crissy’s issues with her family appear to be a thing of the past and long resolved.

I’ll Drink To That

As part of the makeover, Taffer updated the drink menu with a new line of themed beverages named after all the Cladakis clan, including one named after John Daly, featuring the golfer’s very own brand of flavored vodka.

The Bridge is also holding a viewing party to celebrate the rescue – with Miller Lite bottles and pints for just $2.

You can check out more at The Bridge Lounge Facebook Page.

The Reviews are In

As part of our Bar Rescue episode primers, we always like to take a look at online reviews since Taffer’s intervention. Since the Bridge rescue, we were only able to find a few reviews on Yelp, with most being positive.

Positive Reviews

• I wish I could give A MILLION STARS! This bar is awesome and I feel so at home here.
• A newly renovated bar from Bar Rescue. The inside feels clean for what I could see, half of the lights inside were off. With the lights being off, everyone was on one side of the small building. Definitely a locals bar. There were all kinds of people inside enjoying the bar!
• What an awesome transformation by John Taffer of Bar Rescue and his entire team!!! Wow great staff, inviting environment, great cocktails, and fire oven pizzas!

Negative Reviews

• Don’t waste your time. Still has the Smell of cigarette smoke, crowd that is better suited for a moose lodge, hot dog water food, and a staff that wasn’t friendly at all.

This week’s episode, airs Sunday night on Spike TV.

PGA Golfer John Daly Helps Taffer Conduct Recon

Screaming Match In Front Of Customers

As Taffer and John Daly watch on, staff members at The Bridge audibly fight with one another in front of patrons.