O’Rourke’s, Buffalo Wild Wings Bars Closed For COVID-19 Violations

WARWICK RI — Two Warwick restaurants’ bars are closed after the RIDOH issued compliance orders to 10 eateries for COVID-19 violations.

The RI Department of Health has closed the bars at O’Rourke’s Bar and Grill at 23 Peck Lane and Buffalo Wild Wings at 400 Bald Hill Road in the Warwick Mall, and given each 10 days to bring their bar operations into compliance with state pandemic guidelines for restaurants and bars.

In the RIDOH order against Buffalo Wild wings, inspectors reported the restaurant, “failed to ensure that if parties were seated at the bar, no staff were permitted to work in any areas behind the bar unless a physical, non-porous barrier of  appropriate height is installed between the bar work areas and customers; that even with physical barriers between the bar work areas and customers, staff may only serve seated customers drinks and food through a gap or opening in the barrier that is no more than eight (8) inches in size; and/or that working bar areas, such as drink making stations or glassware storage, must be located at least six feet from the gaps.”

In the RIDOH order against O’Rourke’s, inspectors reported the restaurant, ” failed to ensure that if parties were seated at the bar, no staff were permitted to work in any areas behind the bar unless a physical, non-porous barrier of appropriate height is installed between the bar work areas and customers; that even with physical barriers between the bar work areas and customers, staff may only serve seated customers drinks and food through a gap or opening in the barrier that is no more than eight (8) inches in size; and/or that working bar areas, such as drink making stations or glassware storage, must be located at least six feet from the gaps.”

The restaurants are among 10 in the state issued orders to bring their operations into compliance with Rhode Island pandemic safety guidelines.

In many instances, inspectors observed staff and patrons not wearing masks, staff and patrons not practicing social distancing, and establishments not screening patrons for symptoms of COVID-19. Many of the establishments that were issued orders did not meet the requirements for separation at their bar areas. (Customers were seated at bar areas and were being served from behind the bar without the necessary physical barriers in place.)  A full list of requirements for restaurants is available online.

Restaurants and bars can either receive a compliance order or an immediate compliance order. An establishment that receives a compliance order can remain open but will be re-inspected in 10 days to ensure that the establishment is meeting all health and safety requirements. An establishment that receives an immediate compliance order must close immediately because the violations documented represent an imminent threat to public health. In some situations, restaurants and bars that were generally compliant with safety regulations received partial immediate compliance orders or combination orders which allow them to remain open but require that bar areas be closed until the establishment can comply with all safety regulations.

Compliance Orders

• Theater Tap Bar, in Pawtucket
• Pasha Hookah Lounge and Bar, in Providence
• Boulevard Grille and Cigar Lounge, in Pawtucket

Immediate Compliance Order

• Tafino Restaurant and Lounge, in Providence

Partial Immediate Compliance Orders

• PJs Pub, in Narragansett
• Morse Tavern, in Coventry

Combination Compliance Order and Immediate Compliance Orders

• Buffalo Wild Wings, in Warwick
• Fairlawn Golf Course, in Lincoln
• O’Rourke’s Bar and Gill, in Warwick
• Lifestyle Nutrition, in Providence