A Middle Eastern restaurant in Sterling Heights that has been shut down in the past over allegations of allowing gambling on premises faces new accusations by city officials.

The operators of Tarboosh Cafe on 17 Mile Road west of Ryan Road face an August hearing before the city’s Planning Commission over concerns of illegal gambling taking place until the early-morning hours.

A hearing before the Planning Commission was scheduled for June to determine if Tarboosh Cafe wasn’t following terms of a previously-approved conditional permit by failing to operate as a restaurant and allowing it be used for gambling activities, said chairman Pashko Ujkic.

But the matter was postponed for two months.

“Based on the material presented to us, it does look like they are in violation of the approval that was granted on July 18 of last year,” Planning Commissioner Parmpreet Sarau said at a June 14 meeting

The restaurant in the Briarhill Shopping Center has been operating as a sit-down restaurant on a special approved land use permit.

But code enforcement officers and some members of the Planning Commission say there appears to be evidence the owners violated the terms of the permit by allowing gambling to take place. There also appears to be few food items available on premises, despite a lengthy menu advertising a Mediterranean cuisine.

Owner Robert Hannosh declined to comment.

Last minute prep by owner

The commission placed the item on the June 14 agenda and gave the owner a 30-day notice to prepare for the hearing.

However, Hannosh, waited until the day before the hearing to hire an attorney, according to Planning Commissioner Brandy Wright. Attorney Robert Berg asked for, and received, a two-month postponement on the issue so he could study the file and determine what course of action to take.

Berg did not respond to inquiries for comment from The Macomb Daily.

Previously, the commission granted a special approval land use permit for the business, which spelled out the conditions under which Tarboosh Cafe could operate. Those included no gambling, gaming machines, smoking or hookah; no private parties; no using the facilities for banquets; and no amusement devices.

But the commission did allow the cafe to stay open until 2 a.m. seven days a week. The late hours were meant to coincide with the Chaldean population’s culture, which includes eating late, according to city records.

Records show the owner has stated several times he would apply to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLLC) for a liquor license, but has not done so yet. In the past, the Sterling Heights Fire Department said it was unlikely they would sign off on approving the license due to past building violations.

The cafe received a certificate of occupancy in September 2022 and since that time, city officials and inspectors have numerous instances of gambling on site, requiring a cover charge for entry, and minimal food service.

Code enforcement officers conducted onsite inspections on Oct. 19, 2022 and May 23, 2023.

Little food in walk-in cooler

Following another inspection in 2022, the officer found:

• The clientele were groups of men; no women were seen
• There was never any place settings, plates, silverware on any of the tables
• There would be five or six tables with four-six men playing cards, dominos, or dice games
• There appeared to be no food being consumed or little food in the walk-in coolers.

Officials say the cafe implements a cover charge to patrons in the evening hours. According to city documents, Hannosh told inspectors the men would come to the cafe to “hang out, so he charges a cover fee and serves coffee because they never order food as they are too cheap.”

According to city officials and records, the building has hosted a variety of different uses since the shopping facility was built. In 1999, the space was being operated as a restaurant with a valid liquor license. It also was previously named the Babylon Club and 17th Street Bar & Grill.

The business became Tarboosh Cafe in 2014, according to city records.

Five years later, in 2019, the applicant filed for a permit, which was never approved, according to the city. Tarboosh operated until it was shut down the following year by the fire marshal due to a “multitude” of code, ordinance, and statutory violations, including evidence of gambling, allow patrons to smoke, and operating until the late-night hours

“The city’s Police Department and Fire Department have had an extensive enforcement history with this site, which began around the same time that Tarboosh opened,” the Planning Department said in one correspondence.

It was closed in recent years due to multiple violations following investigations by the police and fire departments under a previous ownership, records show.

Violations have been issued in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Those range from cooking equipment issues to allowing people to smoke onsite, as well as the gambling complaints. Other violations include a failure to comply with state Executive Orders and other directives issued by the state Health Department pertaining to COVID regulations.

Tarboosh has been found to still be open as late as 3 a.m., although their permit states the closing time must be 2 a.m.

There continues to be MLCC concerns that all violations from the state’s last investigation into the business are still outstanding, according to the police department. All of those stemmed from separate owners that Hannosh told officials are not part of the current ownership.

Because the commission took no action in June, the cafe has been allowed to continue to operate.

The matter will be on the Aug. 9 Planning Commission meeting agenda.