Portland city councilors approved a liquor license application Oct. 5 for Chez Biso, a Congolese restaurant planned for the former Tokyo Sushi Ramen space at 11 Brown St., after its owner dropped her bid for a restaurant and lounge license. City staff said she switched to a full-service restaurant license because of restrictions set by the building's condominium association.
Joceline Lesso, who signed the city application as owner of Chez Mere Jos African Restaurant LLC, first sought a Class XI restaurant and lounge license in an application dated Aug. 31. Her Aug. 28 letter to the council described Chez Biso as a "Restaurant, Bar, and Lounge" open seven days a week from noon to 1 a.m. The restaurant's website, checked Oct. 8, lists hours of noon to 10 p.m.
On Sept. 18, Christopher Waddell, who wrote that he owns the apartment directly above the space, emailed the council asking it to deny any license that would let the business operate as a bar, lounge or nightclub. He wrote that the condominium's documents prohibit those uses and set quiet hours starting at 10 p.m.
Councilors voted 8-0 on Sept. 21 to postpone the item, according to the meeting minutes. On Oct. 5, a lawyer from the city's corporation counsel office, who was not named on the meeting video, told councilors the delay was over issues related to possible uses of the leased space and that the applicants had since amended their application to seek a Class I full-service establishment license. Councilors adopted an amendment making that change, then approved the order.
At the Oct. 5 meeting, Maile Buker, who told councilors she is board president of the Eastman Block Condominium Association, thanked the applicants for seeking a different class of license. "This is more consistent with the licenses held by previous restaurant occupants and has the potential to be more compliant with condominium declarations while being more conducive to coexisting in harmony with our quiet residential block," she said.
Buker said the building has four residential units directly above the restaurant. She asked the council to help reinforce the condominium's declarations and city ordinances, including a rule against playing background music without a permit.
The restaurant is slated to open Saturday, Oct. 10, the Portland Press Herald reported Oct. 7. Portland Food Map reported Oct. 6 that Lesso hopes to open that day. Chez Biso's website, checked Oct. 8, gives no opening date and says "the restaurant is still being finished." Its menu lists Congolese dishes such as pondu, made with slow-cooked cassava leaves, as well as fish and chips and cheeseburgers.
The city application says required departments must sign off on final inspections before the Business Licensing Office completes local licensing approvals. The Oct. 5 council packet does not say whether those inspections are complete.
Sources:
Portland City Council agenda, Oct. 5, 2026
City Council agenda packet, Order 43-26/27, pages 144 to 168, Oct. 5, 2026
City Council meeting video, Oct. 5, 2026
City Council minutes, Sept. 21, 2026
checked Oct. 8, 2026