ANC6b’s ABC Committee Supports Liquor License for Proposed Barracks Row Restaurant – Pacifico
by Barbara Riehle
Pacifico, a new eatery planned for Barracks Row, took another step closer to opening last night when ANC6B’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Committee agreed to recommend supporting a liquor license for the establishment when the full ANC meets next Tuesday. Plans for Pacifico first came under fire from residents adjacent to the 500
block of 8th Street, the area on the Row with the greatest proliferation of restaurants, in December. The neighbors are formally protesting Pacifico’s application for a liquor license from the City’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulatory Agency (ABRA).
Of particular concern to the neighbors are plans for a rooftop garden which will seat 45 patrons. Under the terms of the “voluntary agreement” (VA) proposed by ABC Committee Chair Carol Green, the rooftop garden would have the same operating hours as the inside restaurant – until 1 AM on weeknights and 2 AM Friday and Saturday.
About half a dozen neighbors, Pacifico’s owner Xavier Cervera, and seven ommissioners huddled together in a tiny room above the Children’s Reading room in the Southeast Library last night for the ABC meeting. It was clear that lengthy negotiations, led by Green, between Cervera and residents preceded last night’s action. Sharing the details of the proposed VA, Green noted that the owner agreed to reduce the number of indoor seats from 215 to 140 and on the rooftop from 75 to 45. Additionally, Cervera agreed to enclose four sides of the garden area, as well as air conditioning units neighbors call noisy.
Joseph Shea, a 9th Street neighbor, suggested the hours for the rooftop garden and the sidewalk cafe should be the same. (Sidewalk service at all of Cervera’s 8th Street hot spots ends at 11 PM.) Cervera operates Molly Mallone’s, Lola’s, and the Chesapeake Room and plans to open both Pacifico and Senart’s Oyster House on 8th Street and a wine bar on 7th Street near Eastern Market. In a testy exchange with neighbors, Cervera said, “You’ve gotten much more from me {in terms of concessions} than you have from Nooshi.” (Nooshi is a restaurant planned for the old Chateau Animaux site in the same block as Pacifico.) Neighbors disagreed. Commissioner Dave Garrison injected that he tried to resolve the neighbors’ problems last November when he proposed a freeze on all new liquor licenses in the area, but he noted, there is “virtually no support for that on the commission now.”
On Tuesday, March 8, ANC 6B will take final action on the ABC Committee’s proposed VA. It is expected to be adopted. On April 13, the protest by residents will go before ABRA. If ABRA grants the license, Pacifico is expected to open in about six months.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
Terrible!
Why is this terrible? have you been out on barracks row at night or for brunch? There is almost an hour wait at every restaurant. This clearly means that there is a supply problem. Demand isn’t going away. Restricting liquor license won’t affect the demand, only affect the quality, price and wait times.
Cervera is a quality, time-tested restauranteur who has done loads to improve this neighborhood. He’s a neighborhood resident himself. He negotiated with neighbors in good faith. And, Pacifico will be replacing an ADULT VIDEO store. This is a win, win, win. ANC Commissioners have navigated this well. I say, hooray!