The North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) voted 5-2 in support of an all-alcohol license upgrade for Crudo North End LLC. Crudo is a sushi and Japanese fusion restaurant located at 78 Salem Street in Boston’s North End that opened in the Summer 2015.
Representing Crudo manager Nicholas Leo, Attorney Daniel Toscano presented to NEWNC subsequent to a recent deferral by the Boston Licensing Board. The licensing authority recently granted three North End restaurants all-alcohol upgrades as part of ten new unrestricted licenses that became available this year.
With no all-alcohol licenses currently available, Crudo will re-apply in the future and is looking to have NEWNC’s support. Should an all-alcohol license be awarded, the restaurant would turn in its existing beer, wine and cordials license back to the city.
No other changes are planned as part of the license upgrade. Crudo currently occupies two floors with approximately 86 seats. Closing hours are 11:00 p.m. (Sun-Wed) and to 12:30 a.m. (Thu-Sat).
Once again, NEWNC shows a distressing disregard for neighborhood families; when the North End dies as a thriving community, with its traditional balance of businesses and residences, NEWNC will bear a good part of the blame.
I call BS
Why should anyone be surprised by this decision. Look who is on the committee, Restaurant Owners.
This is not the Chamber of Commerce. I am not genius, by no means, but what the hell are
Restaurant Owners doing on these Committees? I think it is a Great Conflict of Interest. Crudo is
the new kid on the block too. Maybe while NEWNC is at this, we can start giving All Liquor Licenses
out to the Nursing Home, the North End Community Health Center, The Library & Langone’s Funeral
Home and the Nazzaro Center, and maybe City Hall can have a Cocktail Lounge on the premises.
Where the hell are our Politicians and what are they doing about this? We need a new regime up
City Hall, one that cares about Residents, one that stands for the People and by the People.
We the people have to fight for what we believe in. There are far too many Restaurants/Bars now.
Instead of calling Boston Bean Town, let’s change it to Booze Town, The Police can’t keep up with
what is happening in this tiny neighborhood now, what does the future have in store.
Do you really think that the crime in the north end is because of the liquor licenses? The north end probably has the most restaurant and bars per capita out of any neighborhood in the city and is one of the safest neighborhoods there are. The little crime that we have is not the fault of restaurants and bars… I do disagree on this decision because it’s a new restaurant and I don’t believe the owner is from the neighborhood, but the crime in the north end isn’t going to go up because people can go to crudo and order a martini instead of a beer.
It’s a lot like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. It seems that zoning allows an unlimited density of restaurants and bars in the area. The business gets an occupancy permit to open a restaurant and then they apply for a liquor permit saying that they cannot adequately compete with all the other restaurants that were granted licenses. But it appears that once a restaurant opens, then the liquor license will follow.
T. Mobile you are absolutely right, this is always the procedure. Mattie, if you don’t think there are
different affects from beer or wine from hard liquor, I have to differ with you. I have seen plenty
of people drink beer or wine & on other occasions drink hard liquor, the difference is unbelievable.
I have seen basically calm natured people turn into Lunatics on hard liquor, it is scary. I also know
Restaurant Owners that never want a full liquor license because they don’t want to deal with the
drunks. Some of the Beacon Hill Restaurants do not let you drink at the Bar unless you are
eating, wouldn’t you say there is a reason for this? I know it’s not money, because the biggest
profit is in “BOOZE”.
That’s your reasoning? People shouldn’t be able to maximize their profits at their business because you know people who turn into “lunatics” when they drink hard liquor instead of beer or wine? Is that a joke?… I have lived in the north end my whole life and have worked in a few restaurants and I don’t know where people get these assumptions that people come to the north end to get drunk. People come here to go for dinner, not to get drunk. I worked for 6 years in a restaurant on Hanover street with a full bar and had two issues with people being drunk: 2 issues in 6 years. No one is coming to the north end to sit at a restaurant bar that closes at 11 to get inebriated, it’s just not true. Maybe if you owned a restaurant and payed the absurd taxes that these small business owners payed you would understand why one would want to “profit” more.
Mattie, I have lived in the No. End for many years, was a waitress, bartender & hostess, and we have
much different opinions. Of course every restaurants wants to profit more but not at Residents’
Expense. If you don’t think people are coming here to get drunk, think twice about that statement.
You were very lucky to only
see 2 issues in 6 years. The Restaurant Owners I know had a lot more than 2 issues in 1 year,
let alone 6. I told you in prior comments there have been plenty of police cover ups and that
statement is from Restaurant Owners’ Mouths to My Ears. I am not a LIAR, and I only wish I can
show you a video that took place on Hanover St. with our Police trying to calm down the situation,
but once again, NO ARRESTS. There are plenty of people that drink in certain restaurants & then
dine at others that don’t have full liquor licenses. The broken glass all over our streets are not
just beer bottles, there are scotch & vodka bottles as well; and good for those who are sneaking
in their nips into our Neighborhood Restaurants. People who eat down here know they are
getting ripped off when paying anywhere from $12 – $15. a drink, when the Bottle only costs
$35. – $40. I mentioned in the past how people literally destroyed restaurant property and kicked
down doors, and knocked out teeth in some of these fights. Also, there are bars that close at
1 a.m. & they hunt down the places that stay open until 2 a.m. & act up for last call. Why
don’t we see if Matt Conti can start a poll to see how the No. End Residents feel about full liquor licenses.