Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Barquito Oyster Bar? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has handled more dram shop cases than any other in Texas. With 30 years of experience behind me, I have seen countless examples of bars that fail to follow alcohol service regulations and the tragic consequences that can result. This issue is more rampant that people realize, and one of my goals is to bring it to the public's attention. One way I do this is by reviewing Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and posting about my findings. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and want to know how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Barquito Oyster Bar is a restaurant in Roma, Texas. Specializing in Mexican seafood, it has established a strong local reputation for quality. In recent years, however, it has also managed to attract a significant amount of attention from the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities conducted four separate investigations into alcohol service practices at Barquito Oyster Bar.
In my experience, it is uncommon for a bar without a history of run-ins with the TABC to end up on the hook for contributing to a wrongful death or injury. Virtually every bar I have ever sued was already on the authorities' radar. That's why I pay close attention to bars with several recent complaints against them. The more investigations a bar has had, the greater my concern is that it could one day play a part in an accident.
Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence, it doesn't necessarily mean an establishment is innocent, either. The purpose of this article is simply to relay publicly-available information about incidents where the TABC has investigated Barquito Oyster Bar for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Barquito Oyster Bar Between 2017 and 2019
Roma - 2042 E Grant Street
Allegations:
On 11/22/2017, the TABC received a complaint from an unnamed source, alleging that the bar permitted a minor to possess or consume alcohol.
Authorities followed up soon after with an investigation. For most liquor law violations, the TABC requires either video footage of the incident or eyewitness testimony from one of its agents in order to take action. In this particular instance, authorities had neither. As a result, the case came to a close on 01/27/2018.
A concerned citizen reached out to the TABC on 06/01/2018, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an underage customer.
While authorities failed to find sufficient evidence to confirm the allegation, they did manage to find evidence that the bar failed to report a breach of the peace (typically a fight). After handing down an unspecified penalty for an administrative violation, authorities closed the case on 07/17/2018.
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 12/12/2018, charging that the bar sold alcohol to a patron under the age of 21.
As mentioned in the first investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to back up most claims of wrongdoing. Since they had none during this investigation, they decided to drop the case without further action on 02/02/2019.
A member of the Roma community got in touch with the TABC on 11/05/2019, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk person.
The ensuing investigation failed to turn up any evidence of wrongdoing. With no other course of action available, authorities ended their efforts on the case on 02/15/2020.
Texas Law Says Accident Victims Can Sue Bad Bars
If you would like to learn more about Texas dram shop law (i.e. lawsuits against bars who play a role in injurious or fatal accidents), please visit our Texas Dram Shop Law Info Page.
