Watch CBS News

City Temporarily Shuttered 5 Bars And Restaurants This Weekend For Violating Reopening Rules

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Five Chicago bars and restaurants were ordered to temporarily close over the weekend, after city inspectors determined they were violating COVID-19 health orders by failing to require masks, among other infractions.

Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection spokesman Isaac Reichman said inspectors conducted 93 investigations last weekend, including eight at residential buildings, after receiving complaints about failure to meet public health orders.

While the majority of businesses that were checked were following COVID-19 guidelines, the city issued a total of 14 citations to seven businesses for violating the city's reopening requirements, including five bars and restaurants which that were temporarily closed:

  • J&L Lounge, at 3402 N. Cicero Av. in Portage Park, was cited for failure to ensure social distancing, failure to require face coverings, and operating after midnight.
  • Grota Banquet & Catering, at 3112 N. Central Av. in Belmont Cragin, was cited for failure to ensure social distancing, not requiring customers to remain seated, and failure to require face coverings.
  • Family Den Lounge & Restaurant, at 8940 S. Stony Island Av. in Calumet Heights, was cited for operating over capacity indoors, failure to ensure social distancing, not requiring patrons to remain seated, and failure to require face coverings.
  • Dirty Dozen Motorcycle Club, at 720 E. 67th in Woodlawn, was cited for failure to ensure social distancing and failure to require face coverings.
  • B'z Sports Bar & Grill, at 12001 S. Halsted St. in West Pullman, was cited for allowing customers to consume alcohol indoors without a retail food license, and failure to require face coverings.

While the city's reopening rules currently allow restaurants to serve customers indoors, bars are not allowed to do so unless they also serve food. The state also requires people to wear masks at bars and restaurants whenever interacting with staff.

"Ongoing attentiveness to the safety guidelines is critical to the health of our community, and BACP thanks the many businesses that demonstrate their commitment to our city by continuing to follow the phase four requirements," Reichman said in an email.

All five businesses that were ordered to close over the weekend were allowed to reopen the next day.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.