The BEST episodes of Restaurant: Impossible
Every episode of Restaurant: Impossible ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Restaurant: Impossible!
After combating countless "impossible dinners," Chef Robert Irvine faces a daunting new challenge: save America’s most desperate restaurants from impending failure in just two days with only $10,000. In his new prime-time Food Network series, Restaurant: Impossible, Robert uses creativity and resourcefulness along with a lot of muscle in his fight to rescue these restaurants and give hope to the owners and their employees. Day one of the extreme mission begins with a thorough business assessment as Robert launches the restaurant into full service, closely observes the staff and kitchen, and determines their weakest spots. Then, he springs into action by updating the menu, retraining the staff and implementing aesthetic changes with the help of his design team. To ensure a packed house for the grand re-opening at the end of day two, Robert hits the streets to tell the community about the improved restaurant. Will the ruthless schedule, tight budget and ambitious task overcome Robert’s lofty goals, or will this tall order result in restaurant triumph?
#1 - Chatterbox
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/15/2012
Chef Robert Irvine often sees restaurant owners with little experience and lofty ideas of how to run a restaurant, but Lynn, the owner of Chatterbox in Windham, New Hampshire, takes the cake. A former stay-at-home mom, she used her late husband's life insurance policy to open up a restaurant, hoping to provide for her five children. Robert has just two days to give the well-intentioned but naive family the tools and skills to run a successful family business.
#2 - Moss' Prime Rib & Spaghetti House
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/8/2012
When Chef Robert Irvine gets to Moss' Prime Rib and Spaghetti House in Elyria, OH, he soon realizes that the problems of this restaurant go beyond the subpar food. Owners Robert and Sandi are bullish and stubborn, refusing to accept the help that their struggling business needs. Can Robert and his team rebuild this struggling restaurant and the family behind it in two days?
#3 - Bronk's Bar and Grill
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/5/2012
Chef Robert Irvine's next mission brings him to the small town of Lake City, Minn., where Erik and Tracy are only a month away from losing their 11-year-old restaurant, Bronk's Bar and Grill. An untrained staff and frozen food in the kitchen, and a generic design in the dining room are just some of the challenges Robert must battle armed with two days and $10,000
#4 - Rohrer's Tavern
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/28/2012
Chef Robert Irvine heads to North Bend, Ohio, to help revive Rohrer's Tavern, a local staple for more than 60 years. Current owner Lisa has faithfully stuck to the legacy of Rohrer's to a fault: tried and true customers are still around, but the lack of new patrons has put Lisa one month away from closing this local icon.
#5 - Poco's on the Boulevard
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/21/2012
Chef Robert Irvine is heading to Kansas City, Mo., to save a once flourishing family restaurant and repair the relationship between two sisters. Poco's on the Boulevard once served delicious, authentic Latin food, but since the death of chef/owner Poco, her daughters Claudia and Dana have been struggling to maintain the restaurant's food quality and profits.
#6 - Valley Inn
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 10/10/2012
The Valley Inn restaurant. opened 40 years ago by Faye and Frank, Sr, is now being run by sons Dennis and Frank Jr. Frank Sr's death and a difficult economy, has left the family downtrodden and the restaurant struggling.
#7 - Whistle Stop
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 10/3/2012
Linda, a former employee, bought the business when the previous owners abruptly shut down. It proved a poor investment and she has used her inheritance to keep the doors open.
#8 - Paliani's Restaurant
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/12/2012
Chef Robert Irvine travels to Burton, Mich., where he's on a mission to rescue a single mom, Marina, and her restaurant, Paliani's, from demise. Paliani's has a kitchen in disarray, a dining room that's a disgusting mess, and an owner who doesn't realize her own role in its downfall. Robert needs to use every penny of the $10,000 budget and every second of the two-day deadline to help turn Paliani's into Burton's new hot spot!
#9 - Frankie's
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/5/2012
Chef Robert Irvine heads to Frankie's "by the tracks," a 30-year-old staple in Three Rivers, Mich., which was purchased by then best friends Jay and Tina 13 years ago. The stress of owning a failing business has corroded Jay and Tina's relationship to the point where they are unable to be in the same room with each other, much less run their restaurant successfully. Robert has only two days and $10,000 to fix the fractured relationship responsible for the root of Frankie's problems.
#10 - Gusanoz Mexican Restaurant
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/29/2012
Chef Robert Irvine heads to Lebanon, N.H., to help husband and wife team Nick and Maria save their six-year-old Mexican restaurant, Gusanoz. Locals flocked to Gusanoz to taste Maria's authentic Mexican food, but growing pains got the best of the restaurant, which suffered in food and operations quality, leaving a huge, expensive mess for Robert to clean up. Can Robert and his team give Gusanoz a new life -- and Maria a renewed passion for her business?
#11 - Italian Village
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/1/2012
Chef Robert Irvine arrives at Italian Village in Milmont Park, Pa., hoping to uncover the keys to returning the 30-year-old staple to its early glory days. Not only will he need to overhaul the menu and dark interior, but he will need to fix the control issues hurting the business and the family behind the restaurant.
#12 - Stella's Italian Restaurant
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/8/2012
Chef Robert Irvine is in Stratford, Conn., to help Michael and his mother, Camille, keep their 15-year-old restaurant, Stella's, alive. Despite the exhausting 90 hours a week Michael is working, he is clueless about his food costs and lacks the leadership skills to manage his staff. From the management to the decor and everything in between, Robert must give Stella's a complete overhaul or else its doors will certainly close.
#13 - Anna Maria's
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/22/2012
Chef Robert Irvine has seen many dirty and neglected restaurants, but none have made him physically ill like Anna Maria's in Scranton, PA. The Italian eatery's glory days, and last apparent cleaning, were 25 years ago, and owners Jack and Mary, with their son Tucker, are in over their head trying to keep the doors open. Chef Robert Irvine's biggest challenge will be getting the kitchen up to code with only $10,000 and two days.
#14 - Del's
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/29/2012
When Chef Robert Irvine visits Del's in Pittsburgh, PA, it's clear that the biggest issue with this failing 62-year-old icon is not the food or décor, but owner Marianne. Under the stress of losing the family heirloom, Marianne lashes out at her staff, driving away customers and earning a terrible reputation in the neighborhood. Can Robert save Marianne from herself and the restaurant from its imminent closing?
#15 - Woody's Tupelo Steakhouse
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/7/2012
When Chef Robert Irvine first sees Woody's Tupelo Steakhouse in Tupelo, MS, it's clear why owner Feather and her mom, Tricia, are drowning in debt. The dining room is a dusty, dark cave and the horrible tableside service is worse than the mediocre food. With only two days and $10,000 can Robert re-establish the restaurant into a Tupelo dining destination?
#16 - Valley View
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/14/2012
The Valley View Restaurant in Quarryville, PA is failing for a litany of reasons. This tiny diner located in the heart of Amish country is suffering from an outdated décor and menu, as well as reeling from structural issues. But Chef Robert Irvine's biggest challenge to turn this business around will be in changing the family roles of the three generations of women running this business into the ground.
#17 - Longbranch Steak and Seafood
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/11/2012
Chef Robert Irvine heads to Fayetteville, Ga., to try and keep Longbranch Steak and Seafood in business. Owner Lisa was given the restaurant two years ago as a wedding gift from her husband, and she has been struggling financially and emotionally ever since. Chef Robert races against the clock to clean the filthy kitchen, whip the subordinate staff into shape, and give Lisa the confidence and tools to run a successful restaurant.
#18 - The Main Dish
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/18/2012
Chef Robert Irvine heads to The Main Dish in Meridianville, Ala., where he finds a family desperate for help. Owners Lynn and Ken bought the restaurant five years earlier because Ken loved to cook, but with no restaurant experience at all, the couple is now working 80 hours a week and in more than $50,000 debt.
#19 - Zandi's Grill
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/25/2012
Chef Robert Irvine quickly realizes that Zandi's Grill in Millersville, Md., isn't just failing because it's in a hard-to-find location, with lackluster food, poor service and tired decor. It's failing because sisters and owners Yvonne and Evette have completely lost their passion for the restaurant and are watching it decay before their eyes. While Chef Robert can come up with a new look and a new menu, will he be able to give Yvonne and Evette the tools they need to successfully run the business?
#20 - Hoffman's Bistro
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/11/2012
Chef Robert Irvine's intervention of Hoffman's Bistro and Patisserie in Santa Cruz, Calif., couldn't come soon enough. The 10-year-old venture is more than $2 million in debt, and the stress on the family-run business has resulted in a tense and uncomfortable environment for employees and customers alike. Chef Robert's drastic plan to completely overhaul the restaurant is needed to save the business, but with only two days and $10,000, will they be able to reopen without alienating customers and tearing the family apart?
#21 - Ambush: Cray, Cray
Season 13 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/27/2016
Chef Robert Irvine receives a pressing plea from Jamie, best friend of Cray Eatery and Drinkery's owner Crystal in Columbus, Ohio. Crystal opened Cray after being inspired by infused liquors from Cambodia, but her lack of experience and dismissive nature have led to her being unable to pay bills and begging for free labor from friends. Robert soon discovers that the restaurant is also unclean, the food service is slow, and the liquor infusions are nauseating. While the restaurant concept is unique, Robert must find a way to solve all of its other problems and help Crystal put her failures behind her.
#22 - Ambush: Third Ambush Is the Charm
Season 13 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/4/2016
Chef Robert Irvine receives a heart-wrenching plea from Yianni, the son of the owner of Broad Street Bistro in North Versailles, Pa. Owner Tasso has only had the restaurant for a year and a half, but he's struggling to keep it afloat as it is dirty and dark with subpar food and a helpless staff. Tasso's wife, Kathy, is unhappy with all of the time he spends at the restaurant, and Yianni, a trained chef, tried to help out but his father would not listen. After ambushing both Kathy and Tasso, Robert plans a third surprise ambush that will keep everyone guessing.
#23 - County Fare
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/2/2011
Chef Robert Irvine pulls a sneak attack on County Fare, a neighborhood diner in Stafford, VA, only to find this place is no picnic. The downtrodden diner has been in existence for 5 years and is now on the verge of bankruptcy due to mismanagement, a lack of identity and an overall cleanliness issue. The owner, a former Marine, has sunk his lifesavings into the restaurant and is now in jeopardy of losing everything. Robert, a military man himself, will do whatever he can in 2 days and with $10,000 to make sure this place doesn't go down without a fight. But he quickly discovers that this will be more difficult than he imagined... the kitchen is repulsive, the food is inedible and the décor needs a serious overhaul. They are in desperate need of a high quality signature dish to draw in customers but the staff lacks the basic cooking skills needed.
#24 - Mad Cactus
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 11/2/2011
Chef Robert Irvine finds himself in a prickly situation as he travels to Strongsville, OH. Here, he comes face-to-face with the Mad Cactus restaurant and he immediately sees why the cactus is so mad. This dark, dirty and disgusting Tex-Mex themed restaurant, along with its lackadaisical owner, upsets Robert to no end, but it's when he finds out that they're not even cooking 'real' food that things really get heated.
#25 - Wildcat Cafe
Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 12/7/2011
It's back to school for Chef Robert Irvine as he travels to Canton South High School in Canton, OH to help the students of its culinary arts program that is struggling to survive due to state budget cuts. Canton South boasts the Wildcat Cafe, a working for profit restaurant located in the school which too is struggling with outdated, broken equipment in the kitchen and a dilapidated dining room. Can Robert help turn around the cafeteria as well as change the lives of some of the students?