100-Person Tent Party, 3 BK Eateries Busted In State Crackdown

BROOKLYN, NY — A 100-person tent party, a South Slope bar and two other eateries are the latest Brooklyn spots to lose their liquor license as the governor continues to crack down on restaurants and bars not following pandemic-related rules.

The Hills Restaurant and Lounge in East Flatbush, Tale on Fifth Avenue, Los Cabos Cantina & Restaurant in Sunset Park and the Brooklyn Jazz & Sports Club on Church Avenue all had liquor licenses temporarily suspended by the New York State Liquor Authority during their most recent meetings, according to the governor's office.

Around 34 Brooklyn spots have had their licenses suspended since Gov. Andrew Cuomo convened a task force of investigators earlier his summer amid videos of late-night, maskless partiers in New York City.

"New Yorkers have worked together to stop the spread of coronavirus — but with our infection rate hovering around 1 percent and the threat of a second wave on the horizon, we must double down on the successful strategies that have helped us over the last six months," Cuomo said.

Perhaps the most egregious violations inspectors found in Brooklyn in the latest round of the crackdown were at The Hills Restaurant and Lounge, where more than 100 people were packed into two tents in the backyard.

Under the three-sided tents, crowds of people were sitting in groups of more than 10, many without face coverings, including the security guard and restaurant owner. The restaurant also had a "vacate order" from the Department of Buildings at the time prohibiting the use of its yard.

Inspectors and cops also found six people drinking and ignoring social distancing in front of the restaurant, according to the governor's office.

At Los Cabos Cantina, Tale and the Brooklyn Jazz & Sports Club, inspectors found people ignoring the city's ban on indoor dining earlier this month.

Both Los Cabos Cantina and Tale had their front windows covered to try and hide that there were people inside, according to the governor's office.

At Cantina, there were nine people sitting and drinking at booths and at the bar even though the kitchen was closed. Orders from the governor require "substantial food" be sold with drinks at all New York restaurants to prevent large gatherings.

At Tale, there were 11 people sitting inside, including three who were playing pool without face coverings, according to the governor's office.

Finally, at the Brooklyn Jazz & Sports Club, inspectors and cops found at least 20 people and five employees inside with a DJ playing. Some customers tried to get away through a back door when the task force got there, according to the governor's office.

The people, including six who were standing in front of the bar, were only drinking since the bar's kitchen was closed at the time.

Indoor dining officially restarted in New York City this Wednesday, though with limited capacity.

The latest suspensions join a long list of violations found in Brooklyn, including at popular nightclub House of Yes, a Bed-Stuy restaurant with a hookah shed in the backyard, a "party boat" in Red Hook and a Sheepshead Bay bar with a 150-person party on the roof.

Businesses face fines as high as $10,000 or immediate suspension of their liquor license for violating COVID-19 regulations.