Havana Cabana Bar and Grill

The episode

Key dates

1. August 2013Closed. — before the episode aired
2. October 6, 2013Bar Rescue episode “Crappy Cantina” airs — Jon Taffer's rescue of Rocky Point Cantina, relaunched as Havana Cabana Bar and Grill, filmed earlier.

The rescue

Jon Taffer relaunched Rocky Point Cantina as Havana Cabana Bar and Grill.

Rocky Point Cantina, relaunched as Havana Cabana Bar and Grill, closed in August 2013 after reverting to its original name. Unpermitted work, the loss of its live entertainment permit and the cost of code repairs preceded a bankruptcy filing.

What happened next

At the six-week check-in, the bar was reportedly bringing in $6,000 per night. The Havana Cabana name was dropped almost immediately, and the bar reverted to Rocky Point Cantina. The unpermitted exterior painting prompted a city investigation that uncovered further unpermitted modifications, and the name change invalidated the bar's live entertainment permit; its request for a new permit was denied and upcoming concerts were cancelled. Faced with hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs to bring the building into compliance, Francis Massimiano declared bankruptcy for the bar. Rocky Point Cantina closed in August 2013, two months before its episode aired. The building was later demolished.