West Village residents press Manhattan licensing committee over restaurant lines, sidewalk seating and enforcement

Manhattan City Licensing Committee — Several restaurant operators seeking sidewalk seating or changes to their liquor licenses faced sustained criticism from nearby residents at a licensing committee meeting, where neighbors said packed sidewalk dining and unmanaged queues are reducing pedestrian clear paths and creating safety and quality-of-life problems.

Neighbors and community groups said the repeated pattern of crowded sidewalks and serving from outside barrier lines has grown as multiple nearby restaurants have added outdoor seats in recent months. The meeting included applications or alteration requests for a cluster of businesses on Grove Street, Seventh Avenue South and nearby side streets, including Commerce Inn (50 Merchants LLC), Bouvet/Bouvette, Via Coroda, Isodi and multiple Bar Pizzolino locations, among others.

Why it matters: Residents said the combined effect of many popular restaurants operating near each other has left narrow sidewalks with lines and people waiting near subway grates and building entrances. Committee members and…