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Future of Harlem steakhouse rests on three feet of space

By: Samuel Geronimo

After serving the community for 22 years, this beloved Harlem Steakhouse is three feet from
trouble, trying to avoid its future going up in flames. Every year for the last 22 years that Jimmy Mateus has owned Ricardo’s, renewing his liquor license has been a fairly standard process.

“You know, we’ve been around 22 years; the time came to renew. We started the process six
months ago, and they sent us this email saying they’re not going to renew us.”

Ricardo’s was in danger of losing its liquor license because officials at the state liquor authority
say they were 3 feet too close to the Kingdom Hall right across the street. We thought it was a joke, and they sent us this email maybe a month ago. Our current license was to expire May 31st, so we had maybe 10 days to do this.”

This change was especially confusing to Mateus because they have been neighbors with the
religious institution for the last 13 years.“Been there since 68; they got their certificate of occupancy in 2013, so there was no sign. We didn’t know there was a church.”

Losing its liquor license could’ve been the end of Ricardo’s until their neighbors and longtime
customers stepped in. “They underestimated the power of the ppl, the customers; they really stood up for us, ….we made a post on Instagram, we got 85,000 hits.”

Celebrities and politicians took notice and took action. State assemblyman, Eddie Gibbs, even
introduced a bill to exempt Ricardo’s from the “200 feet rule.” It passed both chambers in Albany and is awaiting the governor’s signature.

State Assemblyman Mr. Eddie Gibbs came up. He spoke for us and presented the bill to
Congress. Everyone voted for it. It was unanimous; no one voted against it.
Not only was there a success in Albany, but the state liquor authority also stood down and granted Ricardo’s an extension. Mateus says this gave him a renewed sense of purpose

“So it’s been bittersweet, you know it gave me more purpose, but you know, we take this
seriously every day. I love to serve. It’s a real New York place. One of the few that’s still left.”

For now, Ricardo’s is as busy as ever, flames rising from the grill and drink still flowing. Mateus
says after what they’ve been through it’s nice to return his focused on what they do best.
“But it never goes away from me; the only reason I’m here is the customers. I work for the
customers.”

There are still a lot of unanswered questions as to why Ricardo’s liquor license was originally
revoked. We reached out to both the State Liquor Authority and the Kingdom Hall Church for
comment; neither one returned our calls.