Every license to sell beer, wine and spirits in the city of Madison expires at the end of June. Nearly all establishments will get their renewals without debate, but last week, 11 bars and restaurants were singled out for special review by the Madison Alcohol License Review Committee.
Blair Street BBQ, 605 E. Washington Ave., has been closed since January but nevertheless applied for a renewal of its liquor license. However, owner Cliff Fisher told the ALRC that a new tenant will be opening a different barbecue restaurant in the space. An application for a new license submitted by 5 Star Barbeque will be before the ALRC in June. No renewal was issued for Blair Street BBQ.
Baldwin Street Grill, 1304 E. Washington Ave., is scrambling to find a new operator in order to have its license renewed. A felony OWI conviction has made owner Ryan Schultz ineligible to hold an operator’s license. The establishment itself has not received any complaints.
Kabul Restaurant, 540 State St., was slapped with a “chief’s security plan” in late April for problems associated with its late-night DJ entertainment. The rarely issued order allows the Madison Police Department to impose additional restrictions on an establishment. The security plan puts an end to DJ nights and other entertainment at Kabul. The restaurant must also close at midnight. The ALRC added the police department’s conditions to Kabul’s liquor license in its recommendation for renewal.
The Kollege Klub, 529 N. Lake St., and Liquid & Ruby Lounge, 624 University Ave., both had their capacities raised last year by the ALRC. However, fire officials say sprinklers are needed in the buildings at that occupancy level. The ALRC lowered both venues’ capacities in its recommendation to renew their licenses.
Lagartos, 802 Atlas Ave., is one step closer to opening in the former home of Talula. The ALRC is recommending it be granted a license to sell alcohol despite a lengthy delay in the restaurant’s opening.
Legends Sports Bar & Grille, 439 Grand Canyon Dr., will need to install an improved video surveillance system in order to have its liquor license renewed. The establishment must also cooperate with police in handing over video footage. The condition is a request from the Madison Police Department, which says the persons involved in a recent shooting at O’Grady’s Irish Pub were also involved in a disturbance at Legends earlier that day.
Lucky’s Bar, 1421 Regent St., is moving down the block in August. The sports bar is seeking a renewal for the month-long gap between the time its license expires and the move. But due to noise complaints, the ALRC is recommending that Lucky’s Bar be prohibited from offering entertainment and propping open entryways for the time the bar remains at its current location.
Madhatters, 322 W. Gorham St., has been recommended to receive a liquor license on the condition that an ID scanner be used to verify that patrons are of legal drinking age.
Tiki Shack, 126 State St., will need to prove it is a bona fide restaurant in order to hold on to its liquor license. Suspicions that the business is not serving food, as required by its current license, were not quelled by testimony from Tiki Shack’s chef. An audit by the city’s finance department will be conducted as a condition of the license.
That BBQ Joint, 901 Williamson St., received extra scrutiny from the ALRC because of complaints from adjacent residents. According to letters submitted by neighbors, a meat smoker at the restaurant is noisy, emits odor and runs at all hours of the day. (This is reminiscent of recent neighbor/smoker problems between Monroe Street-area residents and Double S Barbecue.) The ALRC is recommending that as a condition of That BBQ Joint’s beer license, the owner meet monthly with the Marquette Neighborhood Association.
Ald. Mike Verveer, a member of the ALRC, expects the Common Council to adopt the committee’s recommendations at its June 7 meeting.
