Saga to Face Hearing for Alleged Liquor License Violation

Originally posted on December 16, 2015.

FOXBOROUGH, MA - Saga’s Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar will face allegations that they violated their liquor license by allowing customers to stay in the restaurant and consume food and alcohol after closing hours.

Tuesday night, the selectmen chose to hold the hearing at a future meeting after receiving an incident report from Police Chief Ed O’Leary. After the Nov. 23 New England Patriots game, Sgt. Richard Noonan was notified by Patriot Place security that the restaurant was serving alcohol after their closing time of 1 a.m.

When Noonan arrived with other officers, he observed patrons at the bar and table with alcoholic beverages. At 1:22 a.m., Noonan counted 37 customers in the restaurant either eating or drinking with no one monitoring the front door that remained open.

“I feel that the observation and investigation should result in a public hearing to determine if there was a liquor violation,” O’Leary said.

Huang Lin, the manager of record, said he was unaware that people could not be in the restaurant after closing hours. According to Noonan’s report, all alcoholic beverages needed to be removed by 1:05 a.m., with everyone out by 1:15 a.m.

The selectmen agreed with O’Leary, deciding to schedule the hearing for a future meeting.

“Having read the report, I think there was a purposeful and conscious awareness that the business was open past the closing time,” Selectman John Gray said. “We don’t know if it was an isolated case, but it warrants a public hearing.”

The hearing will be the second time Saga will be in front of the selectmen for a liquor license violation hearing. Last year, the selectmen gave the restaurant a three-day license suspension for failing a compliance check.