Saga of Steve's BBQ
The on-going saga of Steve's BBQ and just how late it can stay open, is continuing.
Steve Hernandez, owner of Steve's BBQ, friends, his mother and employees all went to the City Council Tuesday, seeking permission for his business to stay open past midnight.
But so far, despite their pleas, nothing has changed. For now, his restaurant, 7007 Greenleaf Ave., must close at midnight. Hernandez is asking for the right to remain open until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and until 1 a.m. the other days of the week. Hernandez said if his hours aren't restored, he may have to close. "I am barely getting back on my feet," he said. "Give me back my hours or I assume you don't want me to survive."
The City Council in December had voted 3-2 to make him close at midnight, in part because of a shooting at his business on Nov. 20. At the time, the council said they would review his hours in May, but Hernandez asked for an earlier hearing. Only those on the winning side -- Council members Bob Henderson, Owen Newcomer and Cathy Warner -- can ask for that earlier hearing.
Henderson said Tuesday that he wants to wait. "We haven't closed him down," he said. "We took two hours." Hernandez is open more hours than most other restaurants in Uptown, Henderson said.
"It's a matter of having him come back and prove himself before the council reconsider," he said. "We have no animosity toward him."
I am a Whittier resident and musican who has been playing at Steve's for almost six years.
Steve's is one of the nicest places we play. In all the years I have been there, I have not wittnes any problems. Steve's is no different than any other spots in Whittier. I have been to a club about three months ago and not one by two fights broke out in the span of ten minutes.
When my band Thee Rhythm Kings have played, I have my friends and family come down to enjoy Steve's, even my grandchildren come when possible. If Steve's were so bad, I would not bring any family members or friends for any reasons. There are other spots where I don't bring anybody, for thier safety.
The other thing that is upsetting is that the City Council knows that Steve's will lose his bussiness and still wants to shut him down is not right. I thought this was America, not Cuba! Henderson said "we haven't closed him down yet" is pretty stupid for him to say, because by changing his hours, they are squeezing him out, which is a dirty tactic as far as I'm concerned. This ia Hendersons cowardly way of handling the situation. Henderson states "it's only a couple of hours" well that's the case, what's the deal for him to let him run his bussiness?
In these hard times, the City Council is making it even harder for Steve. He has a home and financial obligations like everybody else. One someone is drowing, you don't throw them an anchor, and this is what is being done to Steve's BBQ.
A lot of Steve's revenue comes in between 11:30 and 1:00 am, he get's a large surge of people coming in from other spots. By cutting these hours, they are cutting his throat.
I hope that Steve's wins his fight and stays in bussiness. He has a right to pursue the American dream and not be subjected to "Gestapo" tactics.
Mario Lobato
Steve's bbq has been a problem since it opened. Its cliental has been awful. The criminal biker gang 'The Mongols' frequent the place, hence the nick name "Steve's Mongolian BBQ". Allegedly, they extorted the owner, and brutally beat-up a bouncer. A 'cholo' once tried to fight me because I was "standing too close to his girlfriend." A Mongol once tried to recruit my girl friend while she waited in line to use the restroom.
I go to Steve's when other bars close at midnight. This is how they get most of their customers. So by closing early, he will not be able to compete with the competition.
There is no reason Uptown Whittier should close at midnight. This is bad for business and bad for the city. The 'good ole boys' in the Uptown Whittier Association need to give up their ideological perception of the city.
I am surprised that the city counsel is doing is making them close at midnight... I would have thought after 100s of complaints to the police, countless drunks starting fights there, several stabbings and now a shooting related murder they would have closed the place down. Steves BBQ is bad for business for this upscale section of town. It draws a bad crowd and the BBQ is about a 5 on a scale of 1 - 10.
A few years back, the scene at Steve's BBQ was much safer. You would often find crowds of college students mixed in with hard working folks coming out of work and a few senior citizens looking to have a good time. It was a great place to hang out, have a beer, and listen to some great music. It's unfortunate that things have been getting out of hand at. I think the city should allow Steve's to remain open past midnight as long as is the owner makes an effort to clean up the place. What I'm trying to say is that Steve's BBQ should make a better effort to keep the unwanted out! It hurts me to say this but it could be as easy as having a small cover charge and increasing the price of alcohol. That might keep some of the dirt off the counters. I was once a regular at Steve's...for two years i spent almost every Thursday night eating tacos, drinking a couple beers, and listening to some of the best blues that LA has to offer.
well, the last comment was from feb, 2009- today it's Oct 2011. I just discovered Steve's bbq last week when I was looking for a place to have lunch with my wife. we saw the al you can eat buffet sign and walked in. We were very surprised, pleasantly, to find a small, non descript buffet not like the food wasters you see at some other buffets around town. Just good, simple basics: beans, rice, bbq chicken, bbq ribs, mashed potato's, shrimp n veggies, and my personal favorite and the ONLY reason I have gone back three times now- the pork in chile verde! Thank you Steve's for a delicious meal at reasonable prices! I'm glad to see you're still here in uptown. and yes, this city's council is comprised of old, boring, bitter politicians who still think we should all dress like the quaker oats guy- don't worry, they're on their way out. There is a world of new blood in Whittier ready to make a change. These guys are hanging on with every bit of strength left in their gnarled, arthritis laddened hands- but they'll be dropping off soon enough. Times change, people change. Leadership changes.
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