Southside Johnny’s Bar and Grill — a long‑running Etobicoke establishment — is preparing for “a new chapter,” days after Ontario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) ordered its liquor licence revoked following a sweeping investigation into the bar’s operations.
The ruling, issued July 16, follows the AGCO’s Notice of Proposal in December 2025, when regulators alleged the bar had been purchasing stolen liquor from shoplifters and storing unauthorized alcohol on‑site.
At the time, the AGCO said the bar’s conduct “strikes at the core of the province’s licensing regime.” The tribunal found the west-end bar’s past conduct provided “reasonable grounds for belief” that it would not operate “in accordance with the law and with integrity and honesty,” and that revocation was justified.
According to evidence presented at the hearing, owner John Theodorakakis and manager Yasmin Gomes admitted to purchasing stolen goods — including liquor stolen from LCBO stores — “several times per week” for months leading up to May 2025.
The tribunal cited surveillance from the LCBO’s Organized Retail Crime and Intelligence Unit showing stolen bottles of Appleton Estate rum and Jägermeister being brought directly to the bar’s rear door, where Gomes paid cash for them. Gomes told investigators she “presumed they were stolen.”
Theodorakakis also acknowledged taking stolen items home for personal use, including food, perfume and liquor.
Inspectors photographed bottles stored in an employee washroom and in the owner’s office — liquor that was not purchased legally through the LCBO, contravening Ontario regulations prohibiting licensees from possessing unauthorized alcohol on the premises.
The tribunal also found the bar violated rules requiring liquor to be dispensed only from its original LCBO container. Southside Johnny’s used an “overage bottle” system, combining leftover amounts from multiple bottles into a single container and later serving it — a practice the owner admitted was not compliant.
Theodorakakis testified he bought stolen goods to “keep the peace” with encampment residents who were harassing customers, damaging property and threatening staff. He said refusing to buy stolen items led to retaliation, including graffiti, damaged vehicles and human feces left at the door.
The tribunal accepted that harassment occurred but ruled it did not justify illegal purchases, noting the bar never contacted police or its insurer about the incidents.
The adjudicator wrote that the repeated purchases of stolen goods “provide no confidence the appellant can be trusted to maintain the high‑quality of service and compliance with legal standards expected of licensed establishments.”
The decision also noted concerns that the owner did not intend to replace the manager who coordinated stolen‑liquor purchases, and that both showed reluctance to involve police in criminal activity affecting the business.
This week, Southside Johnny’s posted a message to its community announcing a temporary closure:
“Southside Johnny’s will be temporarily closed for the next few weeks while we work behind the scenes on an exciting new chapter… Big changes are coming… This community means everything to us, and we can’t wait to raise a glass with you again soon.”
The statement did not reference the tribunal decision or the licence revocation.
The tribunal acknowledged the decision could be a “death sentence” for the Etobicoke establishment but said consequences to the business “play no part” in determining whether a licence should be granted or revoked.
Southside Johnny’s has not publicly addressed whether it plans to appeal or pursue a new liquor licence.