Without Permit, Burr Ridge Bar Offers Live Entertainment

BURR RIDGE, IL – A Burr Ridge bar with close ties to the mayor has no permit to offer live entertainment, but it has advertised DJs for more than a month on social media.

Last year, when the village considered a permit for the Are We Live lounge, the restaurant's representative promised it would not provide live music, only the piped-in variety. That was after neighbors expressed concerns about noise.

In January, the bar appeared poised to violate that pledge with advertisements for a singer, but it backed off after Patch published a story about it.

The village's definition of "live entertainment" includes DJs.

At the Village Board's request, the Plan Commission since April has considered loosening the rules for live entertainment, so that venues such as Are We Live can offer music without getting a special permit.

The commission has already discussed the issue twice, but its members appear divided on the issue, with some saying they want to continue requiring special permits.

Like Burr Ridge, nearby towns such as Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills require special use permits for live entertainment, while La Grange permits it as an accessory, as Burr Ridge is considering doing, according to Burr Ridge records.

Are We Live and the nearby Capri Ristorante, both in County Line Square, are owned by Filippo "Gigi" Rovito. Until Grasso became mayor again in 2019, he served as Rovito's attorney in a number of cases. A plate is named after the mayor at Capri Ristorante. And Rovito donated $5,000 to Grasso's unsuccessful 2018 attorney general campaign. But the mayor returned the money after a downstate TV station called the donation into question.

Rovito, Grasso, Village Administrator Evan Walter and Community Development Director Janine Farrell did not return messages for comment Monday.

In an email to village officials Monday, resident Patricia Davis questioned why the village would allow Are We Live to violate the code.

"Is this business being granted special favors from the Village?" Davis asked. "If any citations are being issued, they're having no effect since the business is advertising a DJ for later this week."

She said the village holds the power to rescind Are We Live's operating and liquor licenses.

Perhaps Grasso's most high-profile critic, former Burr Ridge Trustee Zach Mottl, has long questioned Grasso's connection to Rovito, saying the business owner gets perks that others don't. Mottl frequently notes Rovito's criminal record.

Mott was defeated in his bid for re-election last year to Grasso-aligned candidates.

For his part, Grasso lost to Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau in the June 28 Republican primary in the 6th Congressional District.