Little Falls Restaurant Cited As Not Complying With Murphy's Rule

LITTLE FALLS, NJ — A Little Falls bar and restaurant appears to be the first in the state to be cited for not complying with Gov. Murphy's latest orders to prevent COVID spread: No sitting or standing at bars.

Chela's Restaurant & Bar in Little Falls was specifically cited as having "several patrons seated at the bar Friday evening," State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan announced Monday at the governor's daily COVID press conference.

Chela's was part of a round-up of random compliance checks done Friday evening by inspectors with the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. They did 104 compliance checks statewide to make sure bars and restaurants were following the governor's orders of no bar seating.

Those rules went into effect last Thursday. All bars and restaurants in New Jersey had to put away their bar stools: Sitting, standing or congregating at a bar is now not allowed. Many bartenders said the new rule will put them out of work.

State inspectors found 15 bars/restaurants in violation Friday night, mostly in Camden, Hudson and Passaic counties. A full list was not given; Chela's was the only bar specifically named.