24 Hours to Hell and Back - Vasi's Taverna (Vasi's Restaurant and Bar) Update

On tonight's episode of 24 Hours to Hell and Back, Gordon Ramsay is in Waterbury, Connecticut to try to save Vasi's Restaurant and Bar.  Vasi's Restaurant and Bar is a family-owned Italian restaurant owned by Vasilios Kaloidis.  While Gordon Ramsay is there, he discovers a disconnect between Vasilios and the executive chef which is preventing updates that the restaurant needs.  Gordon also decides to rename the restaurant to Vasi's Taverna and gives it more of a Mediterranean theme.


Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Vasi's Taverna (Vasi's Restaurant and Bar) since 24 Hours to Hell and Back and Gordon Ramsay made all of the changes to the restaurant (note - all reviews are post-makeover).



Positive Reviews:

• "Had a dinner in the banquet room. The room was clean and very nice. The salmon pistachio was a great dish Cooke just right, crisp in the outside and moist in the middle. I was told the dish was inspired by Gordon Ramsey. The whole restaurant was renovated and has a great vibe. I definitely will be back."
• "Staff always very professional and make an effort to get to know you!...Owner is a great guy who wants to make sure you really have good experience."
• "We decided to try a new place for date night, and we will be returning customers at Vasis. Upon walking in, we were greeted by friendly staff and took a seat at the bar. Both bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Jamie let us know her favorite options on the menu and she did not steer us wrong. The bartender named Matt was also very polite and helpful. He held friendly conversation with us for a bit when he wasn't helping other guests. Overall the experience was very pleasant and the staff was delightful."
• "Everyone loved their meals, the owner stopped by our table for a chat and the service was as good as the food. We were a party of five including my adorable ten month old granddaughter. The timing was perfect between the appetizers and meals. My hat’s off to Chef Ramsey, but more importantly to the owner, chef and staff of Vasi’s for turning this good Waterbury restaurant to an excellent Connecticut restaurant."

Negative Reviews:

• "Went there yesterday to see the new upgrades. Let's just say no one greeted us. We sat at the bar and it took longer to get A drink and see the menu. We were A group of ten from Waterbury Hospital. After telling the owner how horrible the service was we decided to leave and go elsewhere. Save yourself the trouble. Let's just said we won't have our holiday party here."
• "Overpriced. Tiniest piece of chicken I've seen in a restaurant. Good polenta."

*Reviews from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Google

Other News and Links:

• The 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover happened in October 2018.
• Here is the Vasi's Taverna website and Facebook page. 
• Right after the makeover, Vasi's Taverna posted on Facebook, "Vasi’s Restaurant and Bar is now Vasi’s Taverna! We are excited about this new venture and are thankful to Gordon Ramsey and his crew for everything they did. We are continuing the transition and will be making additional changes over the next few weeks. Until this transition is complete, we will be operating with a limited menu. We expect to release a new and exciting full menu within the next few weeks.....We greatly appreciate the love and support you have shown us over the last 16 years and look forward to a great new future!"
• There are a lot of Facebook comments on Vasi's page offering congratulations on the makeover and complimenting the food, makeover and decor.
• Vasi's has a 4-star out of 5-star rating on Yelp (42 reviews) and Tripadvisor (36 reviews).
• The Kaloidis Family also owns another restaurant in Waterbury called Spartan. (Link)
• On the Vasi's website, there is information about the Kaloidis family and there is some info regarding the 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover.  The website states, "Vasi concedes the process of being part of the series required him to swallow his Greek pride. Humbling and difficult describe his experience. To his credit, Vasi stayed open throughout the ordeal. In the end, Vasi’s gained a new menu and a renovation. The restaurant learned a few new tricks, gained some new perspectives and became a much closer family. “Before facing Gordon Ramsay, my staff and I were like distant cousins, but now we are more like siblings.” “I always say as a proud American with deep roots in the Greek culture that I am an American, but my blood runs blue and white for Greece, “ Vasi confesses. Gordon Ramsay got Vasi to see he needed to bring more of this loved heritage to Vasi’s menu." (Link)

Conclusion:

Gordon Ramsay slightly renamed Vasi's Restaurant and Bar to Vasi's Taverna and the restaurant has kept the name.  The reviews for the restaurant are mostly positive with people complimenting the food and the new makeover.  The reviews before the makeover weren't bad and it seems that Vasi's has a good reputation around town and usually had a full parking lot.

UPDATE - Vasi's Taverna closed in January 2020 - More information on the closure.


*To see how the restaurants from 24 Hours to Hell and Back are doing, visit the 24 Hours To Hell and Back Updates Page. Also, if you are interested in the restaurants from Kitchen Nightmares, visit the Kitchen Nightmares Updates Page.