TASTE AWARDS Winner and “Bar Rescue” Star Jon Taffer Launches new Taffer’s Tavern Franchise

Long known to television audiences for saving bar owners from ruin on seven seasons of Paramount Network’s Bar Rescue, as well as TASTE AWARDS winner, renowned hospitality expert and entrepreneur Jon Taffer is bringing his famed level of standards to his own customers with the opening of the franchise Taffer’s Tavern. The first outpost of the casual-dining brand opened in the Fall of 2020 outside of Atlanta in Alpharetta, Georgia, with additional franchise locations coming soon to Boston, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. markets.

“Taffer’s Tavern truly reimagines the modern restaurant, with an emphasis on comfort and trust that spans from the ambiance to the food to the peace of mind that patrons will feel from our dedication to people’s safety”
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Inspired by the quintessential neighborhood pub, a regular gathering place for locals and visitors alike, Taffer’s Tavern is designed with traditional Old World taverns in mind, its ambiance is inviting, warm and comfortable, distinguished by dark woods, soft leathers, copper accents and exceptional food and beverage offerings. With an emphasis on providing the highest quality products and service, the menu highlights include such selections as a 72-Hour Short Rib (slow-braised for 72 hours then topped with rich demi-glace sauce and paired with mac ‘n’ cheese), BLT (Belly, Lettuce, Tomato – slow-cooked pork belly crisped and seasoned with smoked sea salt, topped with lettuce, tomato and zesty tomato aioli) and Tot Roast Fries (an inventive Southern poutine of tater tots topped with slow-cooked shredded beef, mushroom béchamel sauce, and creamy cheese curds).

Taffer’s Tavern boasts a best-in-class beverage program that Taffer crafted with master mixologist Phil Wills of Bar Rescue, featuring a diverse selection of spirits, wines and beers, many of local and regional provenance. Its signature cocktails, employing some of the most advanced mixology techniques, include The Campfire (Taffer’s trademarked Brown Butter Rye Whiskey, bitters and simple syrup is a perfect blend of bold flavors balanced with velvet-like smoothness) and Berry-Impressive (fruit-infused vodka layered with lemon, served bursting with fresh mixed berries in a French Press).

The innovative restaurant concept, developed by Taffer long before the COVID pandemic, features the industry’s highest safety standards for both guests and staff led by the “kitchen of the future” and the latest advancements in food prep/service technology. Always ahead of the industry curve, Taffer established Taffer’s Safe Dining System™ as a signature approach that sets new safety standards for the restaurant industry. Some of these safety and hygiene measures include hand-scanning detection technology to monitor every hand wash for contaminates, advanced glass cleaning technology for all drinkware, and reduced contact through department separation. Other elements include protocols for a no-contact, third-party order pick-up system, eliminating the need for delivery drivers to come inside the restaurant, and a unique meal preparation technology where food is minimally touched to prevent cross-contamination.

“Taffer’s Tavern truly reimagines the modern restaurant, with an emphasis on comfort and trust that spans from the ambiance to the food to the peace of mind that patrons will feel from our dedication to people’s safety,” stated Jon Taffer. “American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg talked about the concept of the coveted ‘third place’ – the first place is home, the second is work, and the third is a gathering place and nexus for human interaction. That third place is Taffer’s Tavern and Alpharetta could not be a better city to open our first franchise location. After spending months there prior to opening, I have found a community that I know will embrace Tavern and the Taffer brand.”

Taffer’s Tavern will open daily at 11:00 a.m. starting October 29 through November 18 for preview and training in advance of the grand opening on November 19. For more information, to make reservations, and for franchise opportunities, please visit.

About Jon Taffer

Jon Taffer is an award-winning hospitality expert, entrepreneur and thought leader with over 35 years of success in the entertainment, hospitality and nightlife industries. He’s best-known as executive producer and star of Paramount Network’s reality TV show Bar Rescue, which just wrapped its seventh season spotlighting Jon as he saves failing bars from looming closure. In 2019, he launched Taffer’s Mixologist, a line of craft, high-quality, pre-made cocktail mixes and hard seltzers available in retail stores across the country, including Walmart. Concurrently, Jon runs Taffer Virtual Teaching, his digital teaching platform, and Taffer Dynamics, his business consulting firm. Over the years, he has consulted for a range of well-known brands, including the NFL Network, Anheuser-Bush, Ritz-Carlton, TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Famous Dave’s Barbecue and Fortune 500 brands such as Hyatt Hotels and Marriott International. Jon is also the author of the best-selling book Raise the Bar: An Action-Based Method for Maximum Customer Reaction and his newest book Don’t Bulls*t Yourself. For more information, visit www.jontaffer.com.

About Taffer’s Tavern

Jon Taffer, Bar Rescue star and award-winning hospitality expert, has launched his own innovative, full-service restaurant franchise concept, Taffer’s Tavern. Taffer’s Tavern is the quintessential pub, a place to gather with your old friends and make new ones along the way. The tavern will feature outstanding signature cocktails, delicious bar food, a streamlined hoodless/ventless restaurant format with small footprint, and the latest advances in food preparation technology, with partners including Cuisine Solutions, Krowne, PathSpot, and Shift4. Taffer’s Tavern will launch its first tavern in Atlanta, Georgia in 2020. For more information, visit www.tafferstavern.com/.