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Downey's Irish Pub
Downey's Irish Pub in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has closed. It closed in 2016 — 4 years and 11 months after its Bar Rescue episode first aired. Its run exceeded 83% of the 141 rescued bars with a recorded closing date.
The episode
| Status | Closed (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Episode | "Downey's and Out" |
| Season | Season 1, Episode 2 |
| Originally aired | July 24, 2011 |
| Original name | Downey's Irish Pub |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Address | 526 S Front St Philadelphia, PA 19147 |
| Yelp | View on Yelp · 2★ from 165 reviews |
| Google reviews | Read reviews on Google |
Key dates
- July 24, 2011Bar Rescue episode “Downey's and Out” airs — Jon Taffer's rescue of Downey's Irish Pub, filmed earlier.
- 2016Closed.
The rescue
Jon Taffer kept the name Downey's Irish Pub for the relaunch.
Downey's Irish Pub closed in 2016 after losing its liquor license in November 2015, with $80,712.43 in unpaid taxes and interest. The property was sold at a sheriff's sale in 2017, and the building was later demolished.
What happened next
Business improved at first after the rescue, with customers spending more and the bar in a better financial position. The recovery did not hold: the bar was listed for sale in mid-2015 and lost its liquor license in November 2015. Downey's Irish Pub closed for good in 2016, roughly five years after its episode aired, with $80,712.43 in unpaid taxes and interest that had accrued since 2013. At the time of its closure it held a 2-star rating on Yelp across more than 165 reviews. The Front Street property was purchased for $1.15 million at a sheriff's sale in 2017, and the building was later demolished to make way for a mixed-use redevelopment.
By the numbers
| Season | Season 1: 8 of 10 bars have closed (80%). |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | One of 4 rescued bars in Pennsylvania; 0 still open. |
Sources & evidence
Every status on this page is checked against named sources. Where sources disagree, the disagreement is shown rather than hidden.
| Yelp | Yelp listing for this bar. |
|---|---|
| Tracker | Reality TV Updates — Episode write-up with post-show updates and status tracking for this bar. |
| Tracker | Reality TV Revisited — Open/closed status listing for this bar. |
Quick answers
Is Downey's Irish Pub still open?
Downey's Irish Pub in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has closed. It closed in 2016 — 4 years and 11 months after its Bar Rescue episode first aired. Its run exceeded 83% of the 141 rescued bars with a recorded closing date.
When did Downey's Irish Pub close?
Downey's Irish Pub closed in 2016.
Where is Downey's Irish Pub located?
Downey's Irish Pub was located at 526 S Front St Philadelphia, PA 19147.
Sources: Reality TV Revisited · Reality TV Updates · Yelp · Wikipedia episode list. Compiled October 2026; cross-checked against local reporting and each bar's own web presence where available.
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