3 Fulton St Spots Lose Liquor License For Flouting Pandemic Rules

BROOKLYN, NY — Three restaurants on Fulton Street are the latest to lose their liquor licenses for flouting rules mean to stop the spread of the coronavirus crisis.

Faro Sports Bar & Lounge, El Ambiente Restaurant and Rico Pollo were among 16 bars and restaurants to have their liquor licenses temporarily suspended by the New York State Liquor Authority this week, the latest round in a crackdown by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office on pandemic-related rules.

"My message to bar owners is the same: this is about protecting the health of your employees, your patrons, and the public writ large," Cuomo said. "These are serious violations, and we are taking aggressive action because there are simply no more excuses for non-compliance."

At least 18 bars and restaurants in Brooklyn have had their licenses suspended so far as a task force of investigators prompted by videos of late-night, maskless partiers make surprise inspections across the state.

Perhaps the most egregious situation at the Fulton Street restaurants was at El Ambiente Restaurant, where 80 people were found in a "cramped, indoor space" drinking on Thursday, despite the face that indoor dining still isn't allowed in New York City.

At least 12 people were also found congregating outside the restaurant, drinking and ignoring social distancing guidelines, according to Cuomo's office. A bartender, valet attendant, member of the kitchen staff and two waiters were also not wearing face coverings, inspectors found.

Illegal indoor dining was also found at Rico Pollo, where two people were eating and drinking inside while several others lined up outside without face masks Thursday, the governor's office said.

Inspectors also discovered an "extremely unsanitary" kitchen and at least 10 employees without face coverings on, "including the manager, who admitted he could not control the crowds gathered inside."

At Faro, inspectors found a speaker blasting music in front of the bar "encouraging numerous patrons to congregate and linger directly outside," according to the governor's office. Five employees didn't have face coverings.

The bar's liquor license had also been illegally sold to a third party without the Liquor Authority's approval, inspectors said.

"With the SLA-approved licensee not present to ensure the public could be protected from the spread of COVID-19 and other dangers, the Board suspended the premise's license," the governor's office wrote.

Other Brooklyn spots that have had their licenses pulled include a Bed-Stuy restaurant with a hookah shed in the backyard, "party boat" in Red Hook and a Sheepshead Bay bar with a 150-person party on the roof.

More liquor license suspensions for Brooklyn bars are likely in the works.

The governor's task force checked up on establishments 3,375 times over the weekend and found violations at 66 of them, according to the governor's office.

Cuomo said that formal charges from the latest inspections are being prepared.

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