Neighborhood organization LES Dwellers has been after the popular Sixth Ward bar for years, complaining about its noisy backyard. Filing noise complaints and pointing out other violations never got them very far, but this week the bar lost its liquor license after an investigator found a burger and a steak on the menu. When the bar opened in 2006, it applied for a liquor license as a vegetarian restaurant, but changed concepts in 2008 and never registered that with the SLA. Its original license also says that the restaurant would close by 12:30 a.m., but the inspector witnessed a party going strong at 3:15 a.m. late last year. The bar also agreed not to play music, another violation.
Closing the bar down for serving meat when it said it wouldn't feels a bit like the feds getting Al Capone on tax evasion, but it's the end result the LES Dwellers were looking for. LES Dwellers president Siem Boyd told DNAinfo: "This decision will spare neighbors the raucous behavior and noise that comes from the unauthorized use of the backyard and disorderly, illegal operations overall just as spring kicks into gear."
The bar is currently closed with a sign in its window saying something about a problem with its boiler. No word yet on whether it will try to stage a comeback.