De-Royals Bar and Grill Opening At Former Bill Bateman's

REISTERSTOWN, MD — A family of Nigerian-Americans is planning to open a restaurant at the old Bill Bateman's location in Reisterstown. The restaurant will offer food and entertainment inspired by African culture.

The business — called De-Royals Bar and Grill — was authorized Monday by the Baltimore County Liquor Board to take over the beer, wine and liquor license formerly held by Bill Bateman's.

Mufu Adekoya will own the restaurant with two other family members. They hail from the royal family in Nigeria, according to their attorney, David Mister, who said Adekoya has lived in the United States since 2000.

Adekoya also owns Standard Integrated Supports, a health care company headquartered on New Plant Road that employs 250-plus staff to assist clients who have disabilities.

The family purchased the old Bill Bateman's, after the restaurant closed in summer 2019.

Several business owners in the area protested the liquor license's approval or had questions about it at a November hearing.

During her four years on the liquor board, chair Susan Green said she did not think it has ever had a "more difficult case to decide or a more controverted case to decide," after other tenants and business leaders said the restaurant may disrupt the nature of the area in terms of crime and traffic.

"We’re a little concerned about parking," Executive Director of the Owings Mills Roundtable Carin Smith said on behalf of her members, which includes 40 local businesses, at the Nov. 9 hearing. She also said she was concerned about the murky hours of operation, as the owner offered multiple options.

The liquor board gave De-Royals time to submit plans addressing concerns about parking and traffic and took public input on the matter following the November hearing.

An architect provided an affidavit showing the restaurant would have 73 parking spaces, Green said at Monday's hearing. Previously, the business had planned to have 62 spaces.

The hours have also been nailed down and will be part of the license agreement.

"There has been a compromise reached in this matter," Green said Monday, Dec. 14.

De-Royals has agreed to close at 10 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends for the first six months of operation. "This consent agreement will be placed on the license," Green said.

She also noted Monday in approving the license that it was not a new license but a transfer from a restaurant that had been at the location and that none of the protestants were other liquor license holders.

De-Royals Bar and Grill will be at 102 Chartley Drive in Reisterstown. It was not clear when it will open.

See Also: Bill Bateman's Bistro Closes In Reisterstown