Da Kave in Lincoln‑Lemington went dark on Tuesday when the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Nuisance Bar Task Force, backed by Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement agents and city inspectors, swept in and shut the place down. Investigators moved to brand the venue a public nuisance, citing a string of violent incidents and a history of code violations that they say put neighbors and patrons on edge.
According to investigators, Da Kave was operating as an unlicensed "speakeasy," and a petition filed by the DA’s office links the bar to shots‑fired calls, fights, a reported sexual assault, illegal firearm possession and unlicensed alcohol sales. Court records reviewed by investigators identify owner Ronald Wingfield and allege that a February 2025 search warrant turned up a firearm, suspected crack cocaine and a scale. The same filings detail a woman’s allegation that she believes she was drugged and assaulted after leaving the club. "It's a very serious decision; however, the safety and security of neighbors, as well as the patrons and employees of the business, is our top priority," District Attorney Stephen Zappala said, according to WPXI.
Inspections flagged code problems
The Allegheny County Health Department’s consumer‑alerts page lists the storefront as "La Kave (Formerly Da Kave)" at 1502 Lincoln Avenue, following an inspection posted on February 27, 2025. Inspectors noted the business was operating without a valid food permit and flagged inadequate handwashing facilities and insufficient plumbing. Health officials say those kinds of basic sanitation failures can pose risks to both customers and staff, according to the Allegheny County Health Department.
What the Nuisance Bar Task Force does
The Nuisance Bar Task Force is a multi‑agency team that pulls together Pittsburgh police narcotics and vice units, the Bureau of Fire, state liquor enforcement, the city’s permits and inspections office and county health officials. Its job is to run compliance checks and, when necessary, push to close venues that repeatedly threaten public safety. Officials have used the same playbook at other problem or unlicensed spots across the city, according to WTAE.
DA has used closure powers before
This is not the first time DA Stephen Zappala has filed a nuisance petition in court. In November 2024, his office secured a one‑year shutdown of the Panther Pit in Oakland after documenting dozens of police responses tied to that property. That case shows how nuisance actions can pause operations while prosecutors and judges sort out what longer‑term remedies might look like, according to a release from the Allegheny County DA's Office.
In Da Kave’s case, investigators say they have filed a petition asking the court for an order that would keep the business from operating while the case is reviewed. For now, the doors are locked, and the DA’s office is stressing that protecting neighbors and patrons comes first, according to WPXI. A judge will ultimately decide whether the shutdown becomes a longer‑term closure or whether the venue is allowed to reopen.
