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Madison ALRC approves multiple alcohol and entertainment licenses; Paco’s Tacos tabled
Summary
The Alcohol License Review Committee approved several new and transferred licenses at its Sept. 17 meeting, including entertainment licenses and a change-of-ownership item, while tabling an application from Paco’s Tacos. Several approvals included standard conditions about hours, food service and noise limits.
Madison’s Alcohol License Review Committee on Sept. 17 recommended approval of a slate of alcohol and entertainment licenses, including new restaurant licenses, an ownership transfer and several entertainment permits, and took action to table one item for the next meeting.
The committee approved a consent agenda covering administrative items — change-of-agent filings for Metcalf entities and Ian’s Pizza franchise listings, an extension of the license issuance for Rotunda Cafe LLC, and two entity reorganizations — and referred three items requested by applicants to next month. The committee later approved a series of individual applications after public hearing and staff presentation.
Why it matters: The committee’s approvals affect licensing and operating rules for downtown and neighborhood restaurants and venues. Several approvals carried standard conditions used in locations where nearby housing or sensitive uses prompted restrictions, such as required food service, closing and entertainment cutoffs, and limits on amplified outdoor sound.
Most actions were approved by voice vote with no recorded roll call; the committee used unanimous “seeing none” procedures for objections where indicated in the record. Where the record shows specific conditions attached to an approval, the committee included those conditions in its recommendations to the council.
Votes at a glance - Consent agenda: approved (items included: change of agent Metcalf Inc.; Metcalf Foods West; Ian’s Pizza Francis LLC; Kwik Trip Inc.; request to extend license issuance for Rotunda Cafe LLC; entity reorganizations for Metcalf entities; referrals for operator application and two new-license public hearings). (No recorded roll-call tally; committee chair indicated “seeing none, the consent agenda is approved.”) - Item 7, Paco’s Tacos — change of license conditions: tabled. Motion to table carried. - Item 8, Green Room — 21+ entertainment license: approved with the condition that live entertainment cease by midnight. (Motion adopted; “Seeing none, the motion is adopted.”) - Item 11, Little Palace — transfer of license to new location (1929 Winnebago): recommended for grant. (Motion carried.) - Item 12, Osteria Novella — new license: recommended for grant. (Motion carried.) - Item 13, Olive Oliva (Italian/Mediterranean) — new license for existing address: recommended for grant. (Motion carried.) - Item 14, Toro Y Pampa — new license (restaurant downtown): recommended for grant with standard 500‑block State Street conditions, including that food be available at all times and that patrons not be allowed to enter or reenter after 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday; the establishment must meet the definition of a bona fide restaurant in Madison General Ordinance 38.02. (Motion carried.) - Items 15 & 16, Bernell’s — alcohol license and entertainment license: recommended for grant. (Motion carried.) - Item 17, Wisco Home Goods — class B license (conversion from class C): recommended for grant. (Motion carried.) - Items 18 & 19, Burr Oak — change of license / entertainment license after ownership change: recommended for grant with existing conditions retained, including entertainment end times, property-line sound limits, patio closing time, and prohibition on outdoor amplified sound. (Motion carried.)
What the committee discussed: Several applicants described their business plans, hours and food-to‑alcohol ratios; staff and the assistant city attorney clarified the scope of the committee’s authority (licenses and conditions) and noted that lease or landlord-tenant disputes about exclusivity or menu competition are outside the committee’s jurisdiction. Police and licensing staff answered questions about security, earlier conditions, and how noise limits are measured.
Several applicants agreed to the standard conditions for their location (examples: food available at all times; entertainment and alcohol service cutoffs; no entry/reentry after a specified time on late nights). One neighbor at the Burr Oak expressed repeated noise concerns and said phone measurements on his device “clocked the decibels at over, like, 60 decibels routinely,” prompting the committee to retain the prior noise and closing conditions.
What happens next: Recommendations from the ALRC go forward per the usual city process; items the committee referred will return to the next ALRC meeting for consideration. The committee adjourned after routine reports from police and the clerk’s office.
