Rules about closed-door restaurnts etc...

[CarverFan]

Does anyone know the rules about when a premises has to be habilitated or not? Thanks!

 

[optcsa]

In the city of buenos aires, they are completely illegal... To have a restaurant you must be in a commercial zoned property, and be licensed.

 

[CarverFan]

Do you mean licensed for alcohol? And can you have another type of closed door establishment, or does this only apply to resto? Trying to avoid the dreaded habilitacion!

 

[Davidglen77]

Speaking from personal experience with "habilitación", I can guarantee you that if you were to call yourself a restaurant, the Agencia Gubernamental de Control, which regulates habilitaciones would not make a distinction between a regular and a closed-door restaurant. Getting a habilitacion municipal for a restaurant is extremely complex, you need a certain number of bathrooms, handicapped access, fire suppression equipment, ventilation systems for cooking, food storage equipment, and a million other things. So I would advise you don't try and get habilitacion for this type of business because you will be looking at lots of $$$ and the possibility of not being able to run the place legally. Stay off the radar screen if you can. And keep in mind, if you are thinking of running a closed door restaurant out of a residential property, you for sure won't get habilitacion because a house/apartment is not destined (legally) for commercial use.......good luck!

 

[fred mertz]

If what you ( Davidglen77) said is correct and I think it is, I'm surprised that a certain American expat has been able to run his popular closed door establishment for many years.

 

[Davidglen77]

If what you ( Davidglen77) said is correct and I think it is, I'm surprised that a certain American expat has been able to run his popular closed door establishment for many years.

I know of several closed door restaurants here in Buenos Aires, and I myself have been to 2 of them that were absolutely excellent. However I doubt that they have habilitación municipal to run a restaurant. Do I and 99.9% of the residents of Buenos Aires care? NO! That being said, I would not even attempt to get habilitación for a closed door restaurant.

 

[steveinbsas]

There is only one rule regarding closed door restaurants: Don't get caught.

 

[fred mertz]

But Mr. P, who owns the most famous "closed door" restaurant has a website. He's certainly not hiding. One might say that he's "out of the closet". I mean the refrigerator.

 

[steveinbsas]

Good point, Fred,

Argentina is the epitome of free market capitalism.

 

[Ashley]

The last time I went to one, the closed-door place in question had their little AFIP paper hanging up (a requirement for businesses here) so they must fall into some category. I know that the lady who owns Cocina Sunae sometimes does a cooking show on Canal Gourmet... I doubt she would expose herself like that if her business were illegal.