By Michael Coughlin Jr.
During its monthly meeting on Monday, the Orient Heights Neighborhood Council (OHNC) held a vote on a new Taqueria Jalisco restaurant location at 980 Saratoga Street, which is seeking a liquor license and is proposing to close at 1:00 a.m., which ended in a tie.
According to Attorney Ryan Gazda, the abovementioned restaurant is planned to be “a new full-service restaurant, serving authentic Mexican cuisine.”
Moreover, he explained that the restaurant space is comprised of about 2,500 square feet and would have 75 indoor seats.
“My clients own and operate the existing Taqueria Jalisco at 291 Bennington Street, which they have operated successfully for approximately 20 years since 2004, and they’re now excited for the opportunity to open a sister restaurant here in Orient Heights,” said Gazda.
Gazda also indicated that the plan is for the restaurant to be open for seven days and expanded on the proposed closure time. Gazda referred to the 1:00 a.m. closing as “aspirational” and that he guessed that on slower nights, the restaurant would close much earlier.
He also emphasized that this establishment is “restaurant-forward” compared to others in the area with late closing times and indicated that the floor plans only contain seven counter-bar seats. Moreover, there are no plans for live entertainment.
Regarding the next steps, Gazda indicated that they have filed an application with the licensing board but have not been scheduled for a hearing yet. He anticipates that the hearing will be scheduled sometime in July.
“This is all strictly aspirational based upon what the state might do with the pending legislation, but the hope here is that licenses will come into East Boston and that Taqueria Jalisco, who has been a member of the community here for 20 years, is a deserving applicant,” said Gazda.
“They have a proven track record as a responsible operator, and of course, they would love to have your support as we move forward.”
After Gazda’s presentation, the floor was open to questions and comments. One resident asked if they would still move forward with plans without the liquor license, to which Gazda said yes.
Another resident who welcomed the restaurant in the neighborhood pushed back on the proposed 1:00 a.m. closing time out of fears that it might entice the applicants to come back to the neighborhood for live entertainment, noise issues, and more.
Gazda acknowledged the concerns and added, “We’re trying to be in line with what’s present now in the community to also remain economically competitive with the other restaurants in the area to give them a fair shot.”
Another resident raised concerns about the 1:00 a.m. closing time, and Gazda indicated that the owners are willing to work with the community to potentially come to a compromise if that is a hurdle.
An attendee asked if the owners’ other restaurant had a liquor license, to which Gazda said no. He was also asked if the other location would stay open, to which Gazda said yes.
Several other comments were made about the proposal. Ultimately, the OHNC did not reach a majority position in opposition or support, as the vote ended 8-8, with one voter abstaining. The next OHNC meeting is scheduled for July 15.