The two-year-old Trophy Bar is violating city fire codes when it holds cookouts in its backyard because it doesn’t have a second fire exit, Community Board 1 said back in February.
But that warning didn’t put the kibosh on a Cinco de Mayo fiesta at the bar, when a catering company sold 200 pork, chicken, steak and veggie tacos and margarita specials to a capacity crowd enjoying summerlike weather.
People had a great time — until residents living above the bar called police at 10:45 pm.
Cops came and quickly doused the grill — and the party.
No biggie, Trophy Bar employees said.
“The police said someone complained, so we shut it down,” said Tommy, a bartender.
The booze-slinger took it in stride, but members of Community Board 1’s Public Safety Committee certainly have not.
Even before the latest “incident,” Trophy Bar was in the board’s crosshairs.
In February, the board approved the bar’s license renewal — but demanded that the bar add a second fire exit and stop cooking in the backyard.
The board’s vote is only a recommendation to the State Liquor Authority, but the agency does consider safety issues when a license is up for renewal
“We specifically told them no open flame in the backyard and add umbrellas, and soundproof your walls,” said Public Safety Committee member Tom Burrows.
A representative of Trophy Bar said that the owners added wood paneling to absorb sound and will install a roof to enclose the space, but have not decided on whether to suspend the taco parties.
That’s just not good enough, said Mieszko Kalita, the chairman of the CB1 Public Safety Committee.
“They were grilling tacos? I’ll inform the Fire Department — and they’ll show up for tacos,” said Kalita.