Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill was an American restaurant and live music bar in Dallas, Texas started by entrepreneur Richard Rawlings, who is also the star of Discovery Channel reality television show Fast N' Loud.
In September 2013, Rawlings opened Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill, a live music bar and restaurant. With a capacity of 1200 people, the facility is located at the former Firewater Bar and Grill in Northwest Dallas. Alex Mendonsa, who ran the House of Blues Las Vegas was hired as the general manager, while David Hollister of Yucatán Taco Stand and H2 Gourmet Burger Company was employed to manage culinary duties. On September 21, 2013, two days before the grand opening, American rock band Old âÂÂ97s performed the first live show at the venue.
A second Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill location was opened in International Terminal D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in March 2014. The chief executive has indicated a desire to open a third Texas location somewhere other than the DallasâÂÂFort Worth metropolitan area.
In October 2014, Rawlings and Mendonsa, talent buyer Peter Ore (former Vice President of Talent Live Nation Denver) along with brothers Dan and Mike Flaherty of United Commercial Realty opened Gas Monkey Live at the former Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill in Northwest Dallas.
In March 2016, the company opened its third Gas Monkey Bar Nâ Grill location in Key West, Florida. On April 8, 2016, the Supersuckers performed at the venue for its grand opening. In May 2016, Gas Monkey Energy, a newly created energy drink manufacturer, was added as a division of the Gas Monkey empire.
In September 2016, the very first Richard Rawlingsâ Garage, a new restaurant "designed to attract local residents" and be a "local hangout", was opened in Harker Heights, Texas at the former location of Twin Peaks although that location closed for business in March 2019. In 2017, another location was announced at Foxwoods Resort Casino but is not currently open.
Some time between October 2018 and May 2020, Gas Monkey Key West closed. In May 2020, Gas Monkey Live closed. Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill has begun renovating their stage in order to expand venue capacity.
On September 24, 2021 it was announced that Gas Monkey Bar and Grill would be rebranded as Amplified Live. Richard Rawlings would still own the trademark for Gas Monkey but would no longer be involved with Amplified Live.