Bar Rescue: Whatever Happened To Second Base Bar & Grill

"Bar Rescue" is a popular Paramount Network reality show that follows entrepreneur and nightlife professional Jon Taffer as he turns around failing bars. Sadly, not every business that is featured on the show goes on to live a long life. Such is the case of the bikini and sports bar, Second Base Bar & Grill of Orange, California. But what exactly happened to this bar, and what caused it to be visited twice by Jon Taffer and the "Bar Rescue" crew?

The first time Jon Taffer stepped in to try and save Second Base Bar & Grill was in 2012, when the bar was known by a different name: Extremes Sports Bar & Grill. At the time, Extremes was far from the best sports bar in the Los Angeles area, with subpar cleanliness standards, managerial conflicts, and dwindling funds. It had many of the biggest red flags that should have had bar customers running out the door, and was the type of spot you'd want to visit only after carefully reviewing our list of the safest drinks to order at a dive bar. 

Jon Taffer stepped in and did his thing, mediating the fractured relationship between the bar's owner and manager, implementing a refreshed food and beverage menu, bringing in new uniforms for the bartenders, giving the space a cosmetic touch-up, and changing the name, of course. The results were positive, if temporary. Jon Taffer and "Bar Rescue" returned to Second Base in 2015, marking the first time the show ever had to re-rescue a failing bar before the business ultimately closed its doors for good.

Not even two visits from the nightlife guru Jon Taffer himself could save Second Base Bar & Grill. After its initial revamp, the bar was actually doing quite well. But when other sports bars opened up in the surrounding area, the new Second Base Bar & Grill was not able to keep up with the competition. This — and the potential for some good TV — prompted Jon Taffer to return. This time, though, he left without helping, after the bar's owner was unwilling or unable to commit to investing more money into his business. Instead, Jon Taffer and the Bar Rescue team said they would help the hardworking staff find new jobs and hit the road.

It appears that Second Base Bar & Grill's last day was sometime in February of 2025, and it doesn't seem like an establishment that anyone is missing too much. A Yelp review from about a year before the restaurant's closing read, "What can you say other than it needs to be shut down by the health department." Another customer review from 2023 said, "Servers were nice, but that's the only thing they have going. This place is a bio hazard and should be closed down by the city." And, while Second Base Bar & Grill closed on its own volition and was not shut down by the city, these reviewers were not alone in predicting this bar's predictable and permanent closing.