UPPER WEST SIDE — Papasito Restaurant and Bar at 2728 Broadway, which drew scathing neighborhood complaints for noise and rowdiness and recently lost its liquor license after repeatedly selling alcohol to minors, has closed its doors.
The space at 104th Street, known for attracting a young crowd late into the night and for its all-you-can drink brunches, has been stripped of its tables and chairs and exterior signage. Trash is piled up on the floor, the lights are off, the phone is disconnected and a lone fake Christmas tree stands near the entrance.
According to one resident who did not want to be named, "the furniture and fixtures were taken out Dec. 29." Papasito's closure was originally reported by My Upper West.
Papasito managers and owners did not respond to request for comment.
The closure comes a month after Papasito withdrew an application to reinstate its liquor license at Community Board 7's Business and Consumer Affairs committee shortly before the meeting.
The controversial bar lost its license in October, only a year after opening, when the State Liquor Authority denied its renewal on the grounds that the bar sold alcohol to minors four times in two months, among other issues.
At the October hearing, Nadine Chevreux, the restaurant's co-owner, protested that management had worked hard to tone down the restaurant to pacify ongoing complaints about loud noise and raucous behavior of its customers after closing, which was around 2 a.m.
Chevreux claimed that the Upper West Side Community Board were biased against the Dominican managers she hired.
"They are being unfair, the community board. I’m really disappointed. There is a bias there — for sure," she said.
Chevreux said she was happy that at least the restaurant and bar could stay open through Christmas to take in some revenue.
Meanwhile, Papasito's Inwood location at 4761 Broadway, has had its liquor license renewed after also facing multiple warnings from the SLA and an outcry from neighbors and Community Board 12 to improve its noise levels and rowdy atmosphere.
SLA Chairman Dennis Rosen testified in December that "there was no dancing and the music was not unreasonably loud," also warning that "if the problems come back we will suspend the license."
