A celebration for the New England Patriots’ AFC Championship victory may cost a Boston restaurant its license. What was meant to be a private late-night gathering quickly drew police attention and now faces scrutiny from city regulators.

According to a police report, officers who went downstairs discovered a DJ spinning music, hookahs in use, “multiple exotic dancers”, and $1 bills scattered across the floor. As a result, police cited the establishment for several licensing violations. Those violations included selling liquor after hours, indoor smoking, and “unauthorized entertainment (unclothed dancers).”

Police records show that officers responded to a noise complaint on Jan. 27 at 2:19 a.m. at Estella in downtown Boston. When they arrived, they were informed that “there was a private party downstairs and that it was all Patriots players.”

Under Massachusetts law, restaurants, bars, and clubs must close by 2 a.m., which immediately put the situation under scrutiny. Consequently, what should have been a private celebration quickly became a legal matter. The timing of the party aligns with the team’s return to Boston following the game.

The Patriots remained in Denver until the day after their 10-7 AFC Championship win, perhaps due to severe weather. Therefore, a late Monday night or early Tuesday morning gathering in Boston makes sense. After all, the team had just secured a major victory and had little time to celebrate before heading home to Gillette Stadium.

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According to NBC 10 Boston, police issued a license premise inspection notice for after-hours liquor sales, unauthorized entertainment, and indoor smoking.

Restaurant owner blames the Patriots amid fears of license cancellation

Just days after reports tied a late-night celebration to members of the New England Patriots, a Boston restaurant now finds itself fighting to keep its license. During a Friday licensing hearing, owner Helder George Brandao acknowledged that Patriots players attended the private event and that the party stretched beyond the 2 a.m. closing time.

He also explained that some high-profile names slipped in through a back entrance, yet he insisted the plan was to clear everyone out before curfew, according to WCVB.

However, Boston Licensing Board officials did not sound sympathetic. They pressed Brandao on the alleged violations and made it clear that celebrity guests do not give anyone a free pass. In fact, they warned that unauthorized entertainment and staying open past legal hours could jeopardize Estella’s liquor license.

Meanwhile, Brandao admitted fault but pointed to what he described as a difficult crowd.

He apologized and then told WCVB, “It’s on us to do our duty to get them out, but it was more of a bad situation that we put ourselves in by even accepting them in.”

He continued, “It was a lot of entitlement. And trying to get that many people out.” He suggested the situation spiraled once the celebration grew larger than expected.

So what happens next? A formal hearing will determine potential penalties, including suspension or changes to the license. The Boston Licensing Board plans to address the matter on Thursday morning. As of now, the Patriots have not commented.