Together with our associates at Shumaker Mallory LLP, we have one of the most active restaurant practices in California.
Restaurants involve all of the complexities of a real estate transaction, together with additional legal requirements, such as liquor licensing and license transfers, HR issues, and specialized liability issues. Restaurant ownership and investment structures are often complex, utilizing an LLC or partnership structure to maximize the protections to the passive investors while allowing for effective and efficient management of the business.
We have represented many restaurant owners, operators, landlords, developers and investors in a wide variety of transactions, such as:
- Acquisitions of existing restaurants.
- Lease transfers.
- Liquor license transfers.
- Permitting for renovations and new build-outs.
- Zoning, permitting, variances and conditional use permits for restaurants.
- Real estate acquisition, permitting and construction for stand-alone restaurants.
- Structuring investment LLCs and Partnerships.
- Loan financing.
- Organizing private restaurant investment funds.
- Employee manuals, HR policies for restaurant staff, labor law issues.
- Minimizing liability for employee conduct.
- Food storage and handling regulations.
- Minimizing liability for food-related injuries.
- Minimizing liability from alcohol sales (sales to minors, sales to intoxicated persons)
- Premises liability.
- Insurance policy review.
- Insurance claims and litigation.
- Restaurant liability litigation.
Some of our representative clients include:
- Raos, Las Vegas and Los Angeles branches of iconic New York City Italian restaurant
- Din Tai Fung, expansion of Taiwan-based chain into Western U.S.
- County Wine Bar, San Francisco
- Atelier Crenn, Michellen 2-star restaurant in San Francisco
- Salt Partners, investment bank focused on restaurants and hospitality
- Bacon Bacon, food trucks and cafes in San Francisco
- Mealtop, Korean Shaved Ice
- Jersey Mikes Subs, nationwide chain
- Tartine Manufactory, Restaurant, Bakery and Marketplace, Los Angeles and Mountain View CA
- Otium, downtown Los Angeles
- Republique, Los Angeles
- Redbird, Los Angeles
- Bestia, Italian restaurant, Los Angeles
- BLD, New American dining, Los Angeles
- Brown Sugar Kitchen, upscale soul food, Oakland and San Francisco.
- Ramen Hood, Japanese noodles, downtown Los Angeles
- Marix, tex-mex restaurants, West Hollywood and Santa Monica
- Good Girl Dinette, Vietnamese cuisine, Highland Park, CA
- Baco Mercat, Spanish fusion dining, Los Angeles
- Bar Ama, upscale Mexican Cantina in downtown Los Angeles
- Le Petite Paris, Los Angeles French brasserie