The Chelsea Licensing Commission on Aug. 14 found sufficient evidence that Taqueria Eucalypto Corporation d/b/a Las Vegas Restaurant at 388 Broadway violated multiple city licensing rules after police presented a May 18 incident report and surveillance video.
Police testimony and video: Sergeant Chung and Officer Joe Santiago told the commission officers had been flagged down May 18 about a fight in public at about 12:46 a.m.; officers traced participants to the Las Vegas restaurant and entered the premises to conduct an administrative inspection. Chung said she observed an intoxicated individual identified as the former wife of the licensee and that the manager on duty had locked the door when officers arrived. Officer Santiago summarized the surveillance video for the commission, saying staff and entertainers consumed alcohol on the job, a security person intervened but did not call 911 until an escalation, and a DJ performed though the establishment’s entertainment license did not list a DJ.
Licensee response and corrective steps: Attorney Sam Vitale and owner Raul Sanchez acknowledged mistakes in judgment, said the manager on record was away and a family member who was not an approved manager filled in that night, and said they had terminated the staff who participated in the incident, severed the relationship with the security firm named in the police report, and removed the DJ. Counsel also said the licensee would post required licenses and a rules binder in a visible place and participate in mandatory training.
Commission findings and formal action: After receiving the police evidence and licensee statements, the commission voted to find sufficient facts to support the violations alleged in Chelsea Police Department report 25-1431OF. Commissioners then approved a disciplinary action rolling back the restaurant’s late hours: effective Sept. 1, the restaurant’s Thursday–Saturday closing hour will be reduced from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m. for a three-month period. The rollback is conditioned on a police inspection to confirm compliance and required training for staff handling alcohol. The commission said the hours may be returned if the police department reports no further concerns at the end of the period.
Why it matters: The commission treated the matter as a licensing enforcement action, citing multiple violations including failure to supervise staff, employees consuming alcohol on duty, unauthorized entertainment and locking the door in lieu of calling police. The commission emphasized that responsibility for regulatory compliance ultimately rests with the licensee.
Next steps and compliance conditions: The commission required TIP (training for servers) certification for staff handling alcohol, a police reinspection and confirmation that the establishment has remedied camera coverage and visibility of posted licenses. The commission noted the licensee’s prior record and the totality of the incident when setting the three-month rollback.