What Happened to Rhythm & Brews After Bar Rescue? (Staten Island, NY)

Rhythm & Brews in Staten Island, New York, appeared in the October 19, 2014 episode "Schmuck Dynasty." Twin brothers Steve and Erik Winchow had purchased the bar for $50,000 in 2003 and ran it successfully for years with their younger brother Stu managing day to day, but a regular motorcycle-club presence had come to dominate the space and discourage other customers. Recon visits found an improperly made margarita, freezer-burned food, and a kitchen where outside patrons were able to walk in and cook their own food unsupervised.

The host intervened directly to close the bar for the night after observing the club's presence and the kitchen's lack of oversight. The rescue team moved the bar toward an upscale wine-and-cocktail concept intended to draw a different customer base, renaming it 5th and Vine, adding a new wine-service system and updated point-of-sale equipment, and having a chef and mixologist retrain the kitchen and bar staff. Roughly six weeks after the relaunch, sales were reported up as much as 50%. The gains did not translate into lasting operational stability.

In April 2016, New York City health inspectors closed 5th and Vine after an inspection recorded 61 violation points, including evidence of mice and an inadequate handwashing setup, according to SILive.com (the Staten Island Advance). The bar reopened afterward, but a co-owner's own Facebook post, cited by a Reality TV Updates fan site, announced a final night of business around November 2016, roughly two years after the episode aired; the exact closing date has not been independently corroborated. The address was later occupied for a period by an unrelated bar, The G.O.A.T., and subsequently by another business, Cypress Hall. Reviews posted in the intervening years described a redesigned interior and an improved wine selection, though several also noted inconsistent service and slow food turnaround during off-peak hours.