Police in Garden Grove, California, shut down DD Café on February 5 following complaints of illegal activity, arresting 17 people, including the business owners.
The arrests came just days after a TikTok video about the café went viral, drawing widespread attention to the Orange County business.
According to a February 5 news release from the Garden Grove Police Department, the department’s Special Investigations Unit launched an investigation into DD Café after receiving complaints about activity occurring inside the establishment.
Sgt. Nick Jensen said employees were serving customers while dressed in bikinis and in various states of undress. The Los Angeles Times reported that the business was operating as a bikini café. The café’s Yelp page categorized it under coffee and tea, juice bars, and smoothies, and included photos of employees in bikinis.
Jensen confirmed that the owners were among the 17 people arrested during the operation.
17 arrested after investigation into alleged code violations
The investigation and arrests followed a February 2 TikTok video posted by user @dosdaygirl, identified by CBS News as Paulina Abena, which has received nearly 2 million views.
In the video, Abena said she discovered the café after searching for coffee shops in the area and described walking into a business where employees were unclothed while she was fully dressed. She referenced the meaning behind the café’s name and shared her reaction to the experience.
Authorities said the café violated public nudity and alcohol regulations, along with other Garden Grove municipal codes. Police told The Orange County Register the business was not permitted to sell alcohol at the location.
In addition to the arrests, DD Café was red-tagged, requiring the business to cease operations until the violations were resolved. The owners could not be reached for comment.
