TV Restaurants

Is Royal Oaks Still Open? Bar Rescue Update (Youngstown, OH)

Open reported

As of September 2026, Royal Oaks 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
royaloaksbargrill.com

Last verified

What the source shows: Yelp listing updated August 2026 shows Royal Oaks Bar & Grill open at 924 Oak St, Youngstown, with 75 reviews and a four-star rating; the business's own website confirms current menu and description.

  • Season / episode Season 4, Episode 34
  • Original air date
  • Address 924 Oak St, Youngstown, OH 44506

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What happened after Bar Rescue?

Royal Oaks, billed as the oldest bar in Youngstown, Ohio, dates to 1934 and is often described as the first bar in the city to receive a liquor license after Prohibition. By the time Bar Rescue's "Blowing Royal Smoke" aired on October 18, 2015, the bar and barbecue spot was run by brothers John and Louie Kennedy, who had owned it since 2000. The episode centered on friction between the two brothers, whose public disagreements and combative behavior toward each other and staff were putting the bar's decades-long history at risk. Jon Taffer's team worked with the Kennedys on operations and service standards, aiming to get the brothers working together again rather than against each other, and the bar kept its original name through the relaunch.

Royal Oaks has continued operating at its original Oak Street address in the years since the episode aired. A Yelp listing updated in August 2026 shows the business, now commonly listed as "Royal Oaks Bar & Grill," open at 924 Oak St, Youngstown, OH 44506, with 75 reviews and a four-star average rating; Tripadvisor separately lists the same address with a similar rating. The bar maintains its own website, royaloaksbargrill.com, describing it as a traditional American restaurant and bar, and its Facebook and Nextdoor pages remain active. Posted hours as of 2026 show the bar open several days a week, including weekend afternoon and evening service.

The episode did not result in a name change, unlike many Bar Rescue makeovers, and the "Bar & Grill" addition seen in some current listings appears to be a descriptive addition to the original name rather than a formal Taffer-driven rebrand. No reporting found in researching this record describes a change of ownership, closure, or legal trouble involving Royal Oaks since 2015; the Kennedy family's business appears to have continued in the same location without interruption. As of the most recent 2026 review activity, Royal Oaks remains an active, reviewed business in Youngstown, consistent with its long-standing role as one of the city's oldest continuously operating bars.

Featured on Bar Rescue

Season / episode
Season 4, Episode 34
Original air date
Episode title
Blowing Royal Smoke
What was featured
feuding brothers threatening a historic bar's decades-long legacy
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Royal Oaks

Frequently asked questions

Is Royal Oaks still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Royal Oaks is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to Royal Oaks after Bar Rescue?

Royal Oaks, billed as the oldest bar in Youngstown, Ohio, dates to 1934 and is often described as the first bar in the city to receive a liquor license after Prohibition. As of September 2026, Royal Oaks is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is Royal Oaks located?

924 Oak St, Youngstown, OH 44506. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Bar Rescue featured Royal Oaks?

Season 4, Episode 34 of Bar Rescue, first aired October 18, 2015. The episode is titled “Blowing Royal Smoke”.

Did the makeover last at Royal Oaks?

The episode first aired October 18, 2015. Our most recent check was September 7, 2026 — 11 years later —: As of September 2026, Royal Oaks 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?

A Yelp listing updated in August 2026 shows the business, now commonly listed as "Royal Oaks Bar & Grill," open at 924 Oak St, Youngstown, OH 44506, with 75 reviews and a four-star average rating; Tripadvisor separately lists the same address with a similar rating. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Is Royal Oaks still using the Bar Rescue menu or branding?

The episode did not result in a name change, unlike many Bar Rescue makeovers, and the "Bar & Grill" addition seen in some current listings appears to be a descriptive addition to the original name rather than a formal Taffer-driven rebrand. 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
924 Oak St, Youngstown, OH 44506
Venue type
bar
Official website
royaloaksbargrill.com

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

  • realitytvupdates.com — https://realitytvupdates.com/bar-rescue/royal-oaks/
  • Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-oaks-bar-and-grill-youngstown
  • Tripadvisor — https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g51184-d3524975-Reviews-Royal_Oaks_Bar_Grill-Youngstown_Ohio.html
  • royaloaksbargrill.com — https://royaloaksbargrill.com/

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