Police said the business was red-tagged and ordered closed after enforcement activity.
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — Police shut down a Garden Grove coffee shop after arresting 17 people in an enforcement action tied to allegations of public nudity and other violations, authorities and local reports said. The business, known as DD’s Cafe, was later posted with a “Do Not Enter” order.
The case has drawn attention because the storefront was licensed as a coffee shop, but residents and an undercover news report described adult-style entertainment inside. Police have not publicly released the names of those arrested or detailed what charges prosecutors may pursue. City action to close the site adds a separate track of possible building, fire, and land-use issues that can keep a business dark even before a criminal case is resolved.
Events leading up to the shutdown unfolded over several days in early February. A social media video posted by a customer helped push the location into wider view after she said she walked in expecting coffee and instead saw nudity inside. “I went to a strip club today by accident,” Paulina Abena wrote in a post described by local outlets, adding that she was surprised by what she found. As the video spread, the cafe’s reputation in the neighborhood as a so-called “secret strip club” became a fresh focus of questions about what was happening behind the doors.
Authorities said they later took action at the business, which sits in the 10500 block of McFadden Avenue. City records and local reporting place the storefront at 10552 McFadden Ave. Undercover footage aired by FOX 11 Los Angeles showed women described as servers offering lap dances and private dances for cash, and telling customers they could bring alcohol inside for a fee. Garden Grove local Anh Nguyen told a reporter the rumors had been around for a while. “I hear that’s been a thing. … There’s sex workers, strippers, all that kind of stuff,” he said in an interview aired by local media.
Police announced that 17 people were taken into custody and that the business was closed. One local report said several people were cited and that some faced misdemeanor nudity allegations. The same reporting said the business was also ticketed for alcohol inside without a license. In California, alcohol sales and service are tightly regulated, and a business that does not hold the proper permit can face penalties even if customers bring alcohol onto the property. Police and city officials have not released a full public accounting of what was found inside during the enforcement activity, and it remains unclear how many of the 17 were employees, customers, or owners.
Separate from the arrests, the closure was reinforced through city enforcement steps. Police said the storefront was “red-tagged,” a label commonly used by local agencies to signal a site is not safe or not legal to enter. A “Do Not Enter” notice was posted outside, and officials cited building violations that included fire hazards and land-use violations, according to local reporting. Those findings matter because they can keep a business closed until repairs are made and inspections are cleared, even if a criminal case is pending or not filed.
The location has also raised concerns because it is near a school. Mytchell Mora, a former Garden Grove resident and a news producer, told a local outlet he had complained for about a year and contacted city officials and school-related offices because of the business’s proximity to La Quinta High School. “Everyone knows about it, and no one was doing anything about it,” Mora said. He pointed to city rules that restrict adult entertainment businesses near schools and said he worried students could be exposed to what was happening nearby.
Local reporting said the city did not respond to emailed requests for comment before the police announcement of arrests. A FOX 11 crew that went to the storefront said a woman inside, who said she was in charge, insisted it was “only a coffee shop” and asked the crew to leave. The owner was not available for comment, and another outlet said it could not find contact information for the owners while seeking comment after the shutdown. Without public statements from the business, it remains unknown how operators describe what was taking place, whether they plan to challenge the closure, or whether they will seek to reopen under a different business model.
For now, the next steps depend on both legal and administrative timelines. On the criminal side, police can submit reports to prosecutors, who decide whether to file charges and what counts to pursue. Investigators can also seek additional evidence, including surveillance video, financial records, and witness statements, to determine whether any activity rises beyond local code violations. On the city side, a red tag can remain in place until inspectors confirm the issues listed on the notice have been corrected. That process can include re-inspections, permit reviews, and, in some cases, hearings that determine whether a business can operate at that address.
Neighbors described a mix of frustration and resignation as the case gained attention. Nguyen said the operation seemed aimed at staying out of sight. “They just kind of keep it on lowkey,” he said. “They want to keep it away from, you know, public eyes and everything.” Other residents told local media they were not shocked by the arrests and said they believe similar operations exist in the area. The public discussion has also centered on how a storefront could appear to function as a standard coffee shop while allegedly hosting adult entertainment, and what oversight steps might have been missed or delayed.
The cafe remained closed in the days after the enforcement action, with posted notices warning people not to enter. Police have not released the identities of those arrested or announced any court dates. The next major milestone is whether prosecutors file charges and whether the business seeks city approval to clear the red tag and address the cited hazards.
Author note: Last updated February 9, 2026.