TV Restaurants

Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria Is Now Sauced Sports Bar

Renamed reported

As of September 2026, bbb.org lists this address as Sauced Sports Bar; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
bbb.org ·
Secondary source
restaurantji.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: The BBB business profile lists an active license and a current 'Visit Website' link for Gil & Rick's Sports Bar And Pizzeria, LLC operating as Sauced, and Restaurantji's current listing shows the venue open with 291 accumulated reviews and posted weekly hours at the same address.

  • Season / episode Season 6, Episode 36
  • Original air date
  • Address 1250 Seminole Blvd, Largo, FL 33770
  • Current name Sauced Sports Bar

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What happened after Bar Rescue?

When "Pie Hard" aired on 2019-05-19, it introduced viewers to Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria in Largo, Florida, run by co-owners Gil Grim and Rick Johnson, two former U.S. Postal Service employees who had put more than $200,000 into a shared dream of running a sports bar. Jon Taffer arrived with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who is known for reviewing pizza around the country, plus a producer sent in undercover to order from the menu. The recon exposed a bar with confusing three-part signage that made the space look like separate businesses, a kitchen manager who had never been formally trained on the menu, and clashing management styles between the two owners. When the undercover guest placed a large pizza order, staff made him prepay and then mocked him behind the scenes; the pizza itself was criticized as doughy and undercooked, and the beer was flat. A liquor audit found 49 percent shrinkage, a level Taffer's mixology expert called unheard of, and behind the bar Taffer's team found the space visibly dirty.

During the stress test, kitchen delays stretched past an hour and drink orders were repeatedly sent back, prompting Taffer to end the test early. For the relaunch, Taffer rebranded the bar as Sauced, a name meant to evoke both pizza sauce and cocktails, and gave it a new exterior, an updated interior with a stage and food-display monitor, repaired kitchen equipment, new glassware and draft equipment, and a new point-of-sale system, according to Bar & Restaurant magazine's coverage of the episode (2019-05-19). The owners were introduced to a new signature drink, Rick's Mule, and the kitchen team began focusing on consistency and speed. Six weeks after the relaunch, Bar & Restaurant reported that Grim and Johnson were working well together, sales had grown with new customers, and a lunch menu had been added.

The bar has continued operating as Sauced Sports Bar in the years since. Its state alcohol license, business registration, and multiple current online listings all show a business still active at the same Seminole Boulevard address, with a large body of customer reviews accumulated over time and a business-directory listing updated in August 2026. The venue has not reverted to the Gil & Rick's name, and no ownership change has been documented since the show aired.

Featured on Bar Rescue

Season / episode
Season 6, Episode 36
Original air date
Episode title
Pie Hard
What was featured
co-owners' pizza kitchen and bar operations during Taffer's rescue and rebrand
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria

Frequently asked questions

Is Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, bbb.org lists this address as Sauced Sports Bar; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria after Bar Rescue?

When "Pie Hard" aired on 2019-05-19, it introduced viewers to Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria in Largo, Florida, run by co-owners Gil Grim and Rick Johnson, two former U.S. As of September 2026, bbb.org lists this address as Sauced Sports Bar; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What is Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria called now?

Now: Sauced Sports Bar (formerly Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria). As of September 2026, bbb.org lists this address as Sauced Sports Bar; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria located?

1250 Seminole Blvd, Largo, FL 33770. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Bar Rescue featured Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria?

Season 6, Episode 36 of Bar Rescue, first aired May 19, 2019. The episode is titled “Pie Hard”.

Did the makeover last at Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria?

The episode first aired May 19, 2019. Our most recent check was September 7, 2026 — 7 years later —: As of September 2026, bbb.org lists this address as Sauced Sports Bar; reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026, not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What do reviews say since Bar Rescue?

Its state alcohol license, business registration, and multiple current online listings all show a business still active at the same Seminole Boulevard address, with a large body of customer reviews accumulated over time and a business-directory listing updated in August 2026. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Is Gil & Rick's Sports Bar and Pizzeria still using the Bar Rescue menu or branding?

Jon Taffer arrived with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who is known for reviewing pizza around the country, plus a producer sent in undercover to order from the menu. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
1250 Seminole Blvd, Largo, FL 33770
Venue type
pizzeria

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources

  • barandrestaurant.com — https://www.barandrestaurant.com/people/jon-taffer-barstool-sports-help-pizza-place-make-dough-bar-rescue
  • bbb.org — https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/largo/profile/restaurants/gil-ricks-sports-bar-and-pizzeria-llc-0653-90355866
  • restaurantji.com — https://www.restaurantji.com/fl/largo/gil-and-ricks-sports-bar-and-pizzeria-/

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Record br-167 · last verified .