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Estella found itself in hot water after hosting an after-hours party where police found strippers and hookahs.
Estella Restaurant on Temple Street in Boston, MA on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Finn Gomez for the Boston Globe
By Abby Patkin
March 5, 2026 | 2:19 PM
2 minutes to read
A downtown Boston restaurant had its liquor license suspended for one day Thursday after hosting an after-hours party attended by New England Patriots players and strippers, some of whom were reportedly nude when police arrived to break up the celebration.
Estella, located on Temple Place, found itself in hot water earlier this week during a Boston Licensing Board hearing regarding the Jan. 27 incident. The board later voted unanimously to hand down a three-day license suspension, though two of those days will be held in abeyance for one year, according to The Boston Globe.
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Patriots players brought strippers, hookahs to celebrate at a Boston restaurant, its owner says. He’s now facing a license violation.](https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/03/03/patriots-players-brought-strippers-and-hookahs-to-celebrate-at-a-boston-restaurant-the-owner-is-now-facing-a-license-violation/?p1=article_recirc_inline_feature)
While the board cleared Estella of selling liquor after hours, it found violations concerning indoor smoking, unauthorized adult entertainment, and after-hours liquor consumption, the Globe reported.
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Helder George Brandao, the restaurant’s owner, previously said he takes full responsibility for the incident, though he blamed the Patriots players for allowing the party to spiral out of control.
“There’s a sense of entitlement, that these players think they can do whatever they want,” he said at Tuesday’s hearing. “And that was the case.”
Speaking Thursday, Licensing Board Chair Kathleen Joyce acknowledged Brandao had been cooperative with police and accepted responsibility.
“That being said, he either knew it was happening and ignored it or didn’t know it was happening,” she said, per NBC10 Boston. “Both of those are troubling to me.”
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When Boston police responded to a noise complaint at the restaurant shortly before 2:30 a.m., they purportedly found a private party raging in the basement, featuring several hookahs, bottles of liquor, $1 bills scattered on the floor, and at least three nude or partially nude women, Boston.com previously reported.
Police Sgt. Rebecca Leo told the Licensing Board she spoke with two restaurant employees, one of whom informed her the party was “all Patriots players.” A police report did not name the players in question.
The players were supposed to meet at Brandao’s home in Milton, the restaurant owner said, but they wanted to eat at Estella first. He told the Licensing Board a restaurant manager let “some of the big players” through a side door with “the entourage.”
Brandao further alleged the players arrived with multiple women and brought their own hookahs and liquor. He said his bartender stopped serving drinks at 2 a.m., but “they had their own drink. That’s how bad it was.”
According to Brandao, the players also left without paying their tabs.
“That’s the least of our concerns,” he said. “It’s kind of a sticky situation. It’s a lose, lose, and I’ve considered a lawsuit.”
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During Thursday’s board meeting, Joyce offered Brandao a stern reminder that “his license to operate is a privilege in the City of Boston,” according to NBC10.
“With that privilege comes responsibility. He does not seem to have a good understanding of what that responsibility is,” Joyce said. “He did accept responsibility for what happened that night, but I am not convinced he understands what was wrong.”
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Abby Patkin
Staff Writer
Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.
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