Resolution of ADA Compliance Reviews Of Twelve Philadelphia Restaurants

Louis D. Lappen, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, announced a series of agreements to resolve the U.S. Attorney’s Office Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance review of twelve Philadelphia restaurants. The restaurants are operated by Garces Restaurant Group (“Garces”), Starr Restaurant Organization (“Starr”), Restaurant 13 and Longacre Holdings (“Longacre”). The government inspected these restaurants for ADA compliance as part of the ADA Compliance Review of 25 Philadelphia restaurants launched by the United States Attorney’s Office in 2015. These restaurants were not reviewed in response to any specific complaint.

Garces entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement to resolve the government’s ADA compliance review of Amada, Tinto, and Village Whiskey. Starr and affiliated entities entered into Voluntary Compliance Agreements to resolve the government’s ADA compliance review of Buddakan, Butcher & Singer, Dandelion, El Vez, Morimoto, Parc, and Talula’s Garden. Restaurant 13 entered into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement to resolve the government’s ADA compliance review of Barbuzzo.

Longacre entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the government’s 2016 lawsuit filed in federal court arising from Longacre’s failure to cooperate with the ADA Compliance Review of South Philadelphia Tap Room.

The agreements announced today require the restaurant operators to take steps to remove specific barriers to accessibility identified by the Department of Justice during inspections of these twelve restaurants. These agreements also require each operator to identify and correct violations of the ADA that may exist in affiliated restaurants and to implement new or revised ADA policies. Collectively, these agreements will impact accessibility at dozens of restaurants.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office initiated this compliance review to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to area restaurants to the full extent guaranteed by the Americans With Disabilities Act. The agreements announced today further that important goal,” said Lappen. “Restaurants must comply with the accessibility provisions of the ADA. If they do not we, will continue to take all reasonable steps within our power to enforce compliance, including litigation if necessary.”

The ADA compliance review of these restaurants was handled by the office’s Civil Rights Coordinator, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Crutchlow.