Villa Cemita is closing on Avenue A

If you've walked by Villa Cemita on Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street this week, then you may have noticed the sidewalk sale.

The Mexican restaurant is closing after service on Sunday. Several readers who stopped by to check out the sales were told that Villa Cemita may be relocating to an unspecified location in Brooklyn.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy, who took the photos in this post, noted the sidewalk sale, with items including plates, cups, glasses, flatware, and decor like mirrors and artwork...







Villa Cemita opened in March 2015. In April 2016, the son of the restaurant's owner, working as a bartender, was accused of drugging a patron and sexually assaulting another, according to published reports. The bartender reportedly denied any wrongdoing.

The restaurant also drew complaints from local Community Board members as well as the Board's district manager in recent years for a variety of infractions, including promoting boozy brunches and serving liquor while legally only possessing a beer-wine license. In June 2019, CB3 turned down their application for a full liquor license.

Per the official minutes of that meeting:

[G]iven that the applicant has made multiple alterations to its business, to wit enlarging and moving its bar, opening its façade, reducing its daytime hours of operation and adding drink specials, including "boozy brunches," without notice to the SLA, the community or the community board and contrary to its agreement with residents to obtain approval for its wine beer license, and given that there is still evidence that it continues to operate inconsistent from its current stipulations which are conditions of its license by continuing to have "boozy brunches" with unlimited drink specials and an open façade and it continues to access the residential portion of its building, Community Board 3 will not now approve its application to serve alcohol; now THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Community Board 3 recommends the denial of the application for a change in class of its wine beer license to a full on-premises liquor license ...