Elmhurst Bar Cited For Liquor Violation: Cops

ELMHURST, IL – On one of the busiest nights of the year for bars, an Elmhurst establishment still had many people inside after it was supposed to close, police said.

About 1:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving, officers walked into 100 South Chop House Bar and Grill, 100 S. York St., and found 30 to 40 people still there, police said. That was a half hour past the city's mandated bar closing time.

The music was loud, people were on the dance floor and some had drinks in their hands, according to a police report obtained through a public records request.

Once the manager, Dominic Ranieri, saw the officers, he stopped the music and, upon the officers' request, ordered the guests to leave, police said.

Then, the restaurant manager instructed bartenders to close customers' tabs. But Ranieri yelled at the manager to stop "incriminating himself," stating that all tabs were closed, police said.

In an interview, Ranieri told Patch that he lost track of time and that all the tabs had been settled before police arrived.

"It was an honest error," he said.

He said he wanted people to be safe while they waited for their Ubers.

"I'm a person who cares about people. I care about their well-being. That's the only reason I was letting them wait," Ranieri said.

The officers told Ranieri the incident would be documented as a liquor law violation and referred to the local liquor commissioner, who is Mayor Scott Levin.

According to the report, Ranieri replied that he was not concerned, saying, "The mayor loves me!"

In the interview, Ranieri said he wasn't expecting any favoritism.

"(The mayor) loves me because I pay my taxes, pay my due and abide by the law," Ranieri said.

According to the report, Ranieri then got one of his employees to print up two $200 gift cards in what appeared to be directed toward the two officers present, police said.

One of the officers told Ranieri to stop, saying it placed them in a poor position. Ranieri told the officers that he was not trying to do anything inappropriate and was just trying to be nice based on the circumstances, the report said.

Gift cards were not given to the officers, police said.

Ranieri told Patch he gives many gift cards during the holidays.

"I'm good to people. That's just my heart," he said.

The report later stated that Ranieri was professional and apologized for his decision to serve after 1 a.m.

Ranieri originally said the bar was only open for close friends, but later said members of the public were still inside because they were waiting for Ubers, according to the report.

Ranieri was cited for the liquor law violation on Dec. 2, according to police records. He is set to appear in court Jan. 18.

Ranieri said he supports officers and feeds them.

"I want to thank them for their service, keeping me safe and the restaurant safe," he said. "Without them, I'd be in big trouble."