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Council upholds three-day suspension, fine for Onyx Bar and Grill after third liquor-license violation
Summary
Moorhead police described three incidents, including underage sale and after-hours activity; the council upheld a three-day suspension and a $1,000 administrative fee for Onyx Bar and Grill's third violation.
Moorhead council members on July 14 voted to uphold a three-day suspension and a $1,000 administrative fee for Onyx Bar and Grill after police described a sequence of incidents, including an underage sale and after-hours activity.
Lieutenant Detloff of the Moorhead Police Department summarized three enforcement actions: a Nov. 30, 2023 compliance check in which underage decoys were served; a Nov. 25, 2024 after-hours incident involving a private event and a patron with a warrant; and a June 29, 2025 incident in which an individual left the establishment at about 2:50 a.m. with an open beer bottle and officers later observed patrons inside after 2:30 a.m. while the establishment was not in active cleaning. Detloff said body-camera footage captured the June incident.
City staff said the local code permits progressive sanctions for repeated violations: a third violation within 24 months triggers a three-day suspension and a $1,000 administrative fee, with further violations leading to longer suspensions or revocation. The proposed suspension was to apply this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Owner representative Santal and others addressed the council and disputed aspects of the police account, saying staff and family members were cleaning after an event and that the owner regularly coordinates with police for event security. Law enforcement said the video evidence shows an individual exiting through the front door with an open beer bottle at 2:50 a.m., which is prohibited.
A council member moved to uphold the city code sanction; the motion carried on a voice vote. The council did not revoke the license; the suspension and fee were upheld as the next enforcement step under the code. Staff explained that the enforcement clock looks back 24 months, so older violations drop off as they pass the 24-month mark, and that continued violations could lead to longer suspensions or revocation.
Detloff said the department encourages bar checks subject to officer availability during late-night hours and that staffing can limit the frequency of checks. The council urged the owner to follow licensing conditions to avoid further enforcement actions.
