The Pleasure Lounge Restaurant & Bar in Lehighton, Pennsylvania is facing a number of fines and restrictions after being discovered to be operating without a valid liquor license. On April 13, police officers from the Lehighton Borough Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police – Liquor Control Enforcement Division executed a search warrant at the restaurant, located at 201 N. First St. During a joint investigation, it was found that the business had been operating without a valid license for some time. As a result, between $25,000 to $30,000 worth of alcohol was confiscated and several administrative fines will be imposed by the PA Liquor Control Enforcement Unit.
The Pleasure Lounge Restaurant & Bar has been the subject of numerous service-related calls from the Lehighton Borough Police Department over the past year. In 2023, there were 61 service-related calls, with an additional 22 documented service calls in 2024. These incidents ranged from complaints about loud music to instances of active violent disturbances involving weapons. Due to the frequency and severity of these incidents, Lehighton Police have been working closely with the PA Liquor Control Board to classify this business as a “nuisance bar.”
If officially designated as such, the owners of the Pleasure Lounge Restaurant & Bar would be prohibited from renewing their currently expired liquor license. This designation would limit their ability to legally operate and may have additional consequences for them. The situation remains under investigation and further actions are pending.