Katipunan bar reopens two weeks after QC government closure order

Lan Kwai Speakeasy said it ‘complied since the beginning’ amid alleged violations of liquor, zoning codes.

Katipunan bar Lan Kwai Speakeasy reopened on Saturday, Sept. 19, two weeks after the Quezon City government ordered it closed for allegedly violating several local ordinances.

“We’re happy to announce that Lan Kwai will be resuming operations this Saturday at 11AM,” the bar said in a statement posted on Instagram.

It assured customers that it followed regulations throughout its operation as a business, despite the supposed violations issued by the city government.

“We’re continuing to work closely with the necessary local authorities to ensure that we meet the requirements and uphold the commitment to compliance we’ve had since the beginning,” it said.

The establishment noted that for the meantime, it will be operating “on a soft opening, creating a more relaxed and intimate Lan Kwai experience while we continue working through the next steps.”

In the early hours of Sept. 6, Quezon City’s Business Permits and Licensing Department issued a Temporary Closure Order for an establishment along Esteban Abada Street in Brgy. Loyola Heights. While the city did not name the business, residents and customers spotted the order posted on Lan Kwai during the same time.

The city said the establishment allegedly violated the local Revenue Code, Liquor Ordinance and Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. The business also allegedly failed to present a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate.

Established in 2017, Lan Kwai first shut down in October 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic before reopening in May 2023. The bar is known for its laidback Hong Kong-inspired aesthetic, Chinese comfort food and cocktails served in fishbowls.

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