China Plaza may lose liquor license

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A Chinatown restaurant is in jeopardy of losing its liquor license because of complaints from neighbors about excessive noise and unruly behavior by customers.

The Downtown Neighborhood Board is asking the Honolulu Liquor Commission to not renew the license for Quality Enterprises, which operates China Plaza restaurant at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza. All Honolulu liquor licenses expire June 30 and are automatically renewed unless a petition against renewal is filed.

The neighborhood board chairwoman, Lynne Matusow, said the board has no problems with normal operations at China Plaza, formerly known as China House. But when special dance parties have been held there, things have gotten out of control, she said.

Since December 2001, Matusow said, there have been eight such parties after the restaurant has closed for the night. She said the owners have hired security guards, but they have been ineffective.

"The restaurant's hundreds of patrons hoot, holler, scream, drive souped-up cars with no mufflers, which as they speed through the (Cultural Plaza) parking garage, set off numerous car alarms," Matusow said. She told the commission that the noise sometimes continues until 2:30 in the morning and disturbs hundreds of residents living nearby.

China Plaza owners were not at Thursday's Liquor Commission meeting, but restaurant manager Danny Chu said yesterday that attempts have been made to control the noise.

Chu said the parties average about 800 customers who are primarily college students. He said most of the patrons are under control, but he acknowledged that "there are always a few" who aren't.

Chu said most of the noise comes from the parking garage and car alarms, not the restaurant. He said there have been no reports of patrons causing property damage or getting into fights.

Quality Enterprises operated China House restaurant for more than 25 years near Ala Moana Center and moved to the Cultural Plaza two years ago. Since Sept. 11, Chu said, the business has struggled and the parties were seen as a way to generate income.

"We understand the neighborhood's concern," Chu said. "But in fairness, when you look at the economy and business, it's not something that we want to walk away from."

Liquor Commission Chairman John Spierling called the parties "totally unacceptable." He said the commission will work with the neighborhood board to resolve the problems.

The commission will continue the matter at its June 27 meeting.