TV Restaurants

Is Jack's Ale House Still Open? Bar Rescue Update (Sunnyside, NY)

Open reported

As of September 2026, Jack's Ale House is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
Yelp ·
Secondary source
jacksfiredepartment.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: A Reality TV Updates tracker (last updated February 2024) reports a current 4-star Yelp rating and notes the venue's Instagram account was actively posting event and specials content at that time; the bar's own website continues to publish a current menu and hours. No independent source dated to 2026 was located confirming continued operation, so confidence is held at reported rather than verified.

  • Season / episode Season 4, Episode 5
  • Original air date
  • Address 39-46 Skillman Ave, Sunnyside, NY 11104
  • Current name Jack's Fire Department

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What happened after Bar Rescue?

Jack's Ale House in Sunnyside, Queens, was the subject of the November 2, 2014 episode "Anything You Can Yell, I Can Yell Louder." Brothers Jimmy and Brian McGowan, both New York City firefighters, had inherited the bar from their father in 2003; a 2011 renovation had driven away much of the existing clientele and left the business in serious debt. Recon spies found bartenders unfamiliar with basic cocktails such as a Harvey Wallbanger, and kitchen staff microwaving food and using only a single glove during prep. Tension between the brothers came to a head on camera, prompting the host to suggest at one point that selling the bar might be the better option; their mother was brought in to help mediate between them.

The rescue team leaned into the brothers' firefighting careers, renaming the bar Jack's Fire Department and adding firehouse-themed decor, equipment, and menu items, while also making use of a previously unused back patio. A mixologist and chef retrained the bar and kitchen staff on drink-making and food handling respectively. Around six weeks after the relaunch, sales were reported to have more than tripled.

The bar's owners largely kept the changes. In a later "Back to the Bar" follow-up segment, the host noted the bar had preserved the firehouse theme, cocktail program, and operating systems introduced during the original visit, though he also observed that one of the brothers still showed signs of the temper flagged in the original episode. As of recent updates, the bar's own website continues to publish a current food menu and posts regularly to its Instagram account about specials and karaoke nights, and Yelp reviews as recent as 2022 describe a firehouse-themed interior with a long-running connection to the show.

Featured on Bar Rescue

Season / episode
Season 4, Episode 5
Original air date
Episode title
Anything You Can Yell, I Can Yell Louder
What was featured
Debt-ridden bar, staff conflict, firehouse rebrand as Jack's Fire Department
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Jack's Ale House

Frequently asked questions

Is Jack's Ale House still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Jack's Ale House is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to Jack's Ale House after Bar Rescue?

Jack's Ale House in Sunnyside, Queens, was the subject of the November 2, 2014 episode "Anything You Can Yell, I Can Yell Louder." Brothers Jimmy and Brian McGowan, both New York City firefighters, had inherited the bar from their father in 2003; a 2011 renovation had driven away much of the existing clientele and left the business in serious debt. As of September 2026, Jack's Ale House is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What is Jack's Ale House called now?

Now: Jack's Fire Department (formerly Jack's Ale House). As of September 2026, Jack's Ale House is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is Jack's Ale House located?

39-46 Skillman Ave, Sunnyside, NY 11104. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Bar Rescue featured Jack's Ale House?

Season 4, Episode 5 of Bar Rescue, first aired November 2, 2014. The episode is titled “Anything You Can Yell, I Can Yell Louder”.

Did the makeover last at Jack's Ale House?

The episode first aired November 2, 2014. Our most recent check was September 7, 2026 — 12 years later —: As of September 2026, Jack's Ale House is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What do reviews say since Bar Rescue?

As of recent updates, the bar's own website continues to publish a current food menu and posts regularly to its Instagram account about specials and karaoke nights, and Yelp reviews as recent as 2022 describe a firehouse-themed interior with a long-running connection to the show. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Is Jack's Ale House still using the Bar Rescue menu or branding?

The rescue team leaned into the brothers' firefighting careers, renaming the bar Jack's Fire Department and adding firehouse-themed decor, equipment, and menu items, while also making use of a previously unused back patio. 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
39-46 Skillman Ave, Sunnyside, NY 11104
Venue type
bar
Official website
jacksfiredepartment.com

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