River North bar-restaurant faces license discipline hearing

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's a familiar scene in Chicago's River North neighborhood - police responding to a call at a controversial restaurant called the Bottled Blonde.

Neighbors are upset about the rowdy behavior the restaurant has brought to the area.

And some patrons are accusing the owners of Bottled Blonde of racism.

The club is located in the 500 block of North Wells.

It draws a typical afternoon lunch crowd for a River North restaurant, but some nearby residents say the tone changes after dark.

Some residents say Bottled Blonde becomes more of a nightclub in the dense neighborhood.

Residents shared video of the scenes at night inside and outside, with stumbling people, and the reasons why they have to clean around their building in the morning.

On Tuesday, the city held the first hearing after filing a license discipline case against Bottled Blonde. Some residents attended, prepared to share their stories.

Additionally, a new, lengthy dress code at the pizzeria and beer garden has gotten attention and criticism of profiling.

An African American man who did not want to show his identity publicly said with a VIP pass in hand he was recently not allowed in to Bottled Blonde, allegedly due to the dress code, although he says his Latino and two Caucasian friends similarly dressed were allowed in immediately.