By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — An all-night Springdale restaurant described as a “Waffle House for the Latino community” received approval today from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to serve beer, though customers will not be able to order beer all night.

The board also scolded the owner of a Jonesboro restaurant for apparently stretching the definition of a private club.

In a 3-2 vote, the board overturned ABC Director Michael Langley’s June 18 decision to deny a beer permit to Taqueria Los Primos on South Thompson Street in Springdale.

Bill Horton, attorney for the restaurant, told the board the taqueria is in a converted gas station and seats 30 people. Food is served all night, he said.

“Think of it like a Waffle House for the Latino community,” he said.

State law prohibits alcohol sales past 1 a.m. on weeknights and past midnight on Saturdays and Sundays in wet counties. Horton said the taqueria would follow the law.

Springdale police detective Travis Monson testified that Springdale police opposed the restaurant’s application in part because the owner, Edgar Quezada, also operates a Tontitown nightclub, Padrissimo Discotec, that has been the scene of multiple violations. Most involved loud music, but a few involved minors in the club or in possession of alcohol, he said.

Horton said the club has improved security and has had no violations this year. He also said the taqueria is very different from a nightclub, a point that board member Tony Ellis also noted.

“What all could happen in there, really?” Ellis said.

Monson said police also opposed the application because for some time they were unable to contact Quezada, who was out of the country. Board members told Quezada that as a permit holder he will be expected to be reachable.

In a separate hearing, board members and the director asked Dan Johnson, owner of the Brickhouse Grill on South Main Street in Jonesboro, to explain why he recently told The Jonesboro Sun newspaper he planned to add a beer garden, a liquid lounge and a larger stage for musical acts.

In February the board approved a request by Johnson to expand his restaurant, but the request did not mention any of those features, Langley told the board.

“It seems to me like you’re stretching what we agreed to,” Ellis told Johnson.

Johnson said the newspaper story led to some misconceptions about his plans. The “beer garden” — the newspaper’s phrase, not his, he said — would be an outdoor dining area, not a bar, he said.

Johnson also provided plans for his planned enlargement of the stage and said the term “liquid lounge” refers to a visual effect, not to alcohol.

“I want it to look like there’s water on the ceiling,” he said.

Johnson assured the board he is not trying to turn the restaurant into a bar — a type of establishment not allowed in dry Craighead County.

Board member Ron Fuller said that during two visits to the Brickhouse Grill he was “disappointed” to see patrons drinking and not ordering food. The establishment had the look of a sports bar, he said.

“You are in a dry county. … You’ve got a lot to live up to,” Fuller said.

Johnson said requiring customers to order food with drinks would cause him to lose business to his competitors.

“If I make that a rule, they’ll walk next door,” he said.

Ellis told Johnson he could post signs stating that ABC regulations require that alcohol be served only with food. Johnson said he would do so.

Langley said he would review the plans Johnson provided Wednesday and would send a letter to all private clubs in Jonesboro reminding them they are not supposed to serve alcohol to customers who do not order food.

Langley was asked after the hearing what Johnson should do about customers who come for a music show but aren’t hungry. Should they be required to order food they don’t want?

“If they want to drink, yes,” Langley said.

The board also approved applications for private club permits for two restaurants in dry counties: Denton’s Trotline in Benton and Moogollies in Beebe.

The board approved a permit for Denton’s Trotline on May 21, but Saline County residents who opposed the permit appealed that ruling. Moogollies was a new application.

Both permits were approved 4-1.