New Orleans Police Were Called to Break Up Crowds at Two Uptown Bars on Saturday

New Orleans police issued warnings to two Magazine Street bars over the weekend, The Bulldog and Tracey’s, after calls to the city’s 311 line about crowds at each establishment on Saturday, the first day restaurants and bars that serve food were allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity.

NOPD were dispatched to the popular bars, according to WWNO, and issued warnings to the proprietors of each — no arrests were made. Following a Tweet Saturday about The Bulldog and Tracey’s being “packed,” Tracey’s responded saying that it wasn’t packed “at all,” and that “everyone was very respectful of social distancing.” The bar, known for its St. Patrick’s Day block parties, also posted a photo supposedly taken inside at the time showing just a handful of people.

While restaurants were allowed to reopen their dining rooms at 25 percent capacity on Saturday, a significant number are choosing to hold off, citing concerns for the health and safety of staff and patrons. Official Phase One guidelines released over the weekend outline social distancing and capacity rules as well as enforcement measures including misdemeanor charges for owners or managers and suspending alcohol permits.

The release of final rules also held some good news for restaurants and bars that serve food, if maybe not for their neighbors. A rule previously listed on the city’s Safe Reopening page saying “no restaurant or food service establishment should serve any alcoholic beverage to a patron who is not also purchasing food” no longer appears there or in the guidelines.

Police were previously called to Tracey’s to break up crowds gathered unofficially outside the bar for St. Patrick’s Day on March 14. It was one day after Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a ban on gatherings of more than 250, which the NOPD said the crowd exceeded.

Do you have a restaurant tip? Noticed a spot in your neighborhood opening or closing? Let us know.

• Tracey’s And The Bulldog Uptown Get Warnings From Police Called To Break Up Crowds [WWNO]
• New Orleans Restaurants Can Open Dining Rooms at 25 Percent Capacity on Saturday [ENOLA]
• These New Orleans Restaurants Are Holding Off on Reopening Their Dining Rooms [ENOLA]
• Police break up St. Patrick’s Day party on Magazine to reduce risk of coronavirus.[UPTOWNMESSENGER]