Commission approves Big Baobab’s Mission Street permit after heated hearing; neighbors raise livability concerns

The San Francisco Entertainment Commission voted unanimously to approve a Place of Entertainment (POE) permit for Big Baobab, a Mission District restaurant seeking to host live music and DJs at a new 2243 Mission Street location.

Staff described the application as seeking indoor live entertainment during dinner service with indoor DJs running until 2 a.m., plus outdoor amplified programming limited so it would not exceed six hours per day. Staff recommended approval with the standard Good Neighbor policy and with specified outdoor hours and sound limits to be set by inspectors.

Owner Marco and consultant Kevin Ortiz described the business’s long neighborhood history and outlined sound‑mitigation work they plan to install, including mass‑loaded vinyl, sound boards and new window treatments. Ortiz said the owner will spend “over $35,000 on sound mitigation measures in the hopes of being the best neighbor he can be.”

Several residents who live adjacent to the proposed site urged the commission to deny the permit or to impose stricter hours. Susanna Camille, president of the HOA at 2235 Mission Street, said the proposed outdoor drumming, live entertainment and DJs “would make our building unlivable” and that noise at the levels described would interfere with work conducted from home and with residents’ evening lives. Other nearby residents raised concerns about outreach, the adequacy of mitigation plans and the proposed 2 a.m. indoor end time.

A large set of supporters — community leaders, business owners and longtime patrons — testified in favor, describing Big Baobab as an important cultural hub that provides jobs and community services. Supporters and the applicant pointed to letters from two supervisors and hundreds of online signatures in favor.

During deliberations commissioners and staff emphasized the Commission’s enforcement pathway: neighbors file 311 complaints, inspectors measure compliance against C‑weighted limits, and the office can escalate through notices of violation, citations and, if needed, return the permit holder to a future hearing for reconditioning or limits adjustments. Commission President Ben Blyman summarized the process, noting that the department “relentlessly” pursues compliance when violations occur.

After discussion a motion to approve the POE with staff recommendations passed 4–0. Commissioners instructed staff to proceed with standard pre‑opening sound testing and community outreach and reminded applicants that enforcement tools and the ability to recall a permit to hearing remain available if problems persist.