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Troubled Steinway Bar Applies to Get Liquor License Reinstated; Community Board 1 Says No

Home Restaurant and Lounge (Photo QueensPost)

March 21, 2019 By Meghan Sackman

Community Board 1 unanimously rejected a problematic bar’s request to get its liquor license reinstated earlier this week after the State Liquor Authority (SLA) revoked it in November 2018.

Home Restaurant and Lounge, located at 28-49 Steinway St., had its liquor license suspended in Oct. 2018, after a series of fights, slashings and sexual assaults. The problems continued and the license was revoked weeks later.

The owners then shut down the business after they were unable to serve liquor.

Community Board 1, however, had no interest in recommending the establishment get its license back, citing the police’s view on the matter.

“The NYPD said Home was one of the worst–if not the worst–establishments they’ve ever had in the district,” said Andy Aujla, head of Community Board 1’s Consumer Affairs Committee, at Tuesday’s monthly meeting.

The bar has been the site of many violent incidents, according to the State Liquor Authority.

On Jan. 8, 2018, a patron was punched in the face by a bouncer with brass knuckles; on Feb, 23, 2018 a woman was groped at the location; and on March 18, 2018, the establishment was written up for employing an unlicensed bouncer who was caught with a BB gun and gravity knife in front of the premises.

Other incidents in 2018 include a patron slashing another man with a broken bottle on Aug. 8 and a patron unconsciously lying on the street in front of the location after being over served on April 22.

The bar, which has three floors, 50 tables, and a capacity of 350 people, has received an excessive amount of complaints from the community over the past year.

64 calls to 311 and 51 calls to 911 were made in regards to Home from March 2017 to March 2018, according to Florence Koulouris, Community Board 1’s District Manager. Police say the 911 calls were mostly about fights and injured people in need of assistance. 

“They were exhausting police resources,” said Koulouris. “Since the committee was not convinced the owners would be running a business that would be a good neighbor to the community, they recommended against the application.”

The SLA, however, will ultimately make the final determination and will take into consideration the board’s vote.

The owners of Home could not be reached for comment by press time.

 

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15 Comments

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Dear Boss

Im really glad big brother actually stepped up and disciplined the way parents should. Something is making someone not do a good job or making it easier for a child to be dangerous, get rid of it. Simple as that.

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MJ

That restaurant and lounge was the safest in Queens. It was targeted for no reason. I was there a few days a week when it was open, it was like home. And I’m a business owner on Steinway st. Something smells fishy how they went after this place and a few other places which are 100 times worse and have killings are still open. Someone getting paid in this neighborhood that’s for sure. And community board members some are having shady business dealings and the night cops

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Fed Up

Place was a hell hole just like the rest of them. We don’t need any hood thugs in our neighborhood brawling in the streets, bringing weapons and leaving garbage everywhere. These people have no respect whatsoever for community or humanity. Thank goodness for this place staying closed.

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MJ

Looks like you never been there and making an assumption. Half the club was white so hood thugs makes you sound stupid now. One of the most diverse lounges in queens. So your racist ass needs to get some facts straight and not sound like a trump supporter moron.

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Anonymous

Very unfair what they did to this Beautiful Venue. They should look at the other Block where the real problems acour every single night. Shame.

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Anonymous

Joking about sexual assault is real classy. You probably watched as it happened you filthy lowlife. Scum of the earth like you-who can joke about crimes for popularity on this site-are what is ruining the neighborhood. You are probably here illegally collecting benefits

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Pat Macnamara

Your just jelly it didn’t happen to you lol. But yes illegal hipsters is whats ruining the neighborhood. Don’t forget to watch out for black people too. Keep wearing that MAGA hat proudly.

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Joe Freeman

please do the same for M.I.A Lounge on 21st Street. that place needs to go away

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Thomas spencer

That place is actaully a great spot I go to with my wife and friends , very friendly neighborhood bar in which I have seen a lot of my neighbors and patrons and great food .

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astoria resident

No the facts prove otherwise – M I A is not a great spot in fact it has proven by its very mode of operation that it is a detriment to the quality of life of the nearby residential homes and their property values. And based on multiple noise and nuisance incidents and daily observations since 2017 of that location and the people who frequent that location and how they dress and behave we can only conclude M I A is not the sort of business that contributes anything positive to the immediate area. If anyone thinks this is a classy place all they need to do is look at FACEBOOK pictures and then imagine having those crowds standing in front of or near your home at 2:30am screaming – yelling – laughing and carrying on without any concerns of disturbing the peace of the area. If a business does not respect the neighbors then neither will their patrons. If this is where you are taking your wife and you think this dump is a great place then I feel bad for her that you have such low standards and expectations. And has far as M I A having great food – clearly sir, you are no food connoisseur. There are really great restaurants in Astoria serving quality food and M I A is not one of them. The jig is up for M I A if they want to operate a nightclub they then need to relocate into an area where their business practices do not interfere with and intrude into the privacy of their neighbors homes.

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Christina

Get rid of all the clubs on Steinway. It should be a neighborhood community, not clubs that bring riff raff from Brooklyn, Bronx and wherever else bringing their guns with them. Families live above and around the clubs. It’s not safe in the area from 8pm-5 am. Get rid of the clubs!

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Fed up

Christina- I agree with you 100%. We all need to band together as a community and call Queens CB1 to voice our concerns. These place are of great danger to our community and families.

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Bklyn

So because you’re from Queens you’re better than everyone else ? Out of ALL the ignorant comments I read here tours is definitely on top. Guns and “riff raff” are EVERYWHERE this is the new New York that all you liberal idiots wanted.

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