TV Restaurants

What Happened to Swanky Bubbles After Bar Rescue? (Philadelphia, PA)

Closed verified

As of September 2026, Swanky Bubbles has closed — confirmed via realitytvupdates.com, February 12, 2023.

Primary source
realitytvupdates.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: Reality TV Updates, citing Philadelphia Inquirer reporting, describes a Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas order blocking the bar's liquor license sale in October 2011 amid a landlord dispute, plus outstanding tax liens; the bar closed under its original name around November 2011.

  • Season / episode Season 1, Episode 5
  • Original air date
  • Address 10 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

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What happened after Bar Rescue?

Swanky Bubbles had opened in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood after co-owner John Frankowski was inspired by a champagne bar he visited in New York; at its peak the restaurant and bar took in roughly $100,000 a month. By the time Bar Rescue arrived, the concept's popularity had faded and the business was losing close to $4,000 a month. John had largely stepped back from daily operations, leaving co-owner Ryan Dorsey to run the floor; on-camera recon found a jammed bar gate that forced staff to duck underneath it, understocked liquor that bartenders had to purchase themselves, and a manager who made customers uncomfortable with unwanted comments during an undercover visit.

The rescue's changes targeted both the front and back of house: an outside chef reworked an overly large menu and addressed kitchen cleanliness, including a dishwasher station that needed nightly sanitizing, and a mixologist retrained bartenders on basic drink-making and gave the crowded bar area more room to work. Jon Taffer's team also renamed the business Sheer and updated its decor to a cleaner, more upscale look. A stress-test service after the relaunch was rocky -- ticket times stretched toward an hour at points -- but staff reported the team pulled together well enough to send a bachelorette party home satisfied.

The new identity did not last. According to Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the bar's finances, the business's liquor license was effectively frozen after a landlord dispute, and a Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas order in October 2011 blocked the sale of that license; separate tax liens were also outstanding against the business. The owners had reverted the name back to Swanky Bubbles almost as soon as the show wrapped, and, according to that same Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the license dispute, the bar closed for good around November 2011, only a few months after the episode aired. The Old City space has since changed hands more than once, most recently operating as a different, unrelated restaurant called Lilly's Ferry as of 2023.

Featured on Bar Rescue

Season / episode
Season 1, Episode 5
Original air date
Episode title
Swanky Troubles
What was featured
champagne-and-sushi lounge overhaul rebranded as Sheer
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Swanky Bubbles

Frequently asked questions

Is Swanky Bubbles still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Swanky Bubbles has closed — confirmed via realitytvupdates.com, February 12, 2023.

What happened to Swanky Bubbles after Bar Rescue?

Swanky Bubbles had opened in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood after co-owner John Frankowski was inspired by a champagne bar he visited in New York; at its peak the restaurant and bar took in roughly $100,000 a month. As of September 2026, Swanky Bubbles has closed — confirmed via realitytvupdates.com, February 12, 2023.

Is Swanky Bubbles permanently closed?

As of September 2026, Swanky Bubbles has closed — confirmed via realitytvupdates.com, February 12, 2023. We publish a closure only with a dated source behind it, and we say plainly when it has not been independently confirmed.

Where is Swanky Bubbles located?

10 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Bar Rescue featured Swanky Bubbles?

Season 1, Episode 5 of Bar Rescue, first aired August 14, 2011. The episode is titled “Swanky Troubles”.

Did the makeover last at Swanky Bubbles?

The episode first aired August 14, 2011. Our most recent check was September 7, 2026 — 15 years later —: As of September 2026, Swanky Bubbles has closed — confirmed via realitytvupdates.com, February 12, 2023.

Is Swanky Bubbles still using the Bar Rescue menu or branding?

The rescue's changes targeted both the front and back of house: an outside chef reworked an overly large menu and addressed kitchen cleanliness, including a dishwasher station that needed nightly sanitizing, and a mixologist retrained bartenders on basic drink-making and gave the crowded bar area more room to work. 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
10 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Venue type
bar
Official website
None found

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