109 Citations At Old Town Temecula's The Bank Of Mexican Food: Update

TEMECULA, CA — The scene at Old Town Temecula's Bank of Mexican Food is forecast to get a lot quieter.

After more than 100 citations were issued to the owners of the restaurant/bar property over allegations of unruly goings-on at the 28645 Old Town Front Street establishment, the city's had enough.

During Wednesday night's Temecula Planning Commission meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 to confirm the October 2022 proposed decision of a law judge to revoke The Bank's conditional use permit to serve booze, offer live/loud entertainment, and stay open late.

The decision follows two years of complaints about the restaurant/bar. Beginning in March 2021, Temecula's Code Enforcement team issued 109 notices to CNC Puma Corporation — The Bank's then-owner — due to CUP violations, including staying open beyond 11 p.m., having excessive noise and amplified music, the documents show.

The city went as far as hiring undercover agents to surveil The Bank, checking on closing times and even measuring noise decibel levels, according to the documents.

The corner of Old Town Front and Main streets — where the 100-plus-year-old Bank building sits — has seen a flurry of activity in recent years, including overflow Bank patrons spilling onto the sidewalks from the establishment's popular patio bar.

But The Bank, a Mexican restaurant since 1978, has made current headlines — some not good.

In January 2022, a shooting outside the business left one person dead and others injured. In November 2021, a man was shot in the parking lot adjacent to the restaurant/bar.

"It has been the experience of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department that there have consistently been numerous instances of disturbances, assaults, batteries, public intoxication, and other crimes on The Bank's premises and in the immediate vicinity of The Bank," according to city documents.

A request for comment from The Bank was not returned.

During Wednesday's Planning Commission meeting, no one was on hand to comment to commissioners about the revocation — despite the opportunity to do so.

Temecula City Council must still adopt a resolution confirming the revocation before it takes effect, but before that happens The Bank can still appeal the decision.

In an emailed response to Patch, the city said it could not comment on the matter due to ongoing legal proceedings.