Bars, Breweries, and Wine Tasting Rooms are Required to Close in L.A. County

Effective June 28, 2020, the County of Los Angeles Public Health Order was amended to require that all bars, breweries, brewpubs, wineries and tasting rooms in Los Angeles County close unless they are offering sit-down dine-in meals. This includes closing bar areas in restaurants. There has been a sharp increase in new cases and hospitalizations. The timing of these increases is in line with the reopening of key sectors, including bars, which are places where people remove their face covering to drink while they may be socializing with people not in their household. To review the amended Order, please click here.

Please note that specific higher-risk businesses and locations remain closed. Public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit must also remain prohibited. Higher-risk businesses and locations include:

• Lounges and nightclubs;
• Bars, breweries, tasting rooms, craft distilleries, and wineries that possess a valid low risk restaurant permit issued by the County of Los Angeles;
• Brewpubs, craft distilleries and wineries, with premises set aside for beer and/or wine tasting, that are exempt from the definition of a food facility by California Health and Safety Code Section 113789(c)(5), and do not hold a health permit for preparing and serving on site;
• Public entertainment venues such as theaters, concert venues theme parks, and festivals;
• Family entertainment centers such as bowling alleys, arcades and miniature golf courses, and batting cages;
• Hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas not located on residential property; and
• All events and gatherings unless allowed by the health Order.

While we are making good progress, it’s important to remember that the COVID-19 pandemic is still active. Residents, business owners and employees must observe physical distancing requirements and prevention techniques outlined above under the Safer at Home order. To learn more about the County of Los Angeles’ Roadmap to Recovery, please click here. Please remember that violation of or failure to comply with the County’s Order is a crime and punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.