You may have wanted to get a margarita at Brickside or Novo in Old Sacramento recently and found you couldn't.

Here's what we found: Liquor licenses for both were suspended by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Novo's was suspended March 2 for not serving food, a condition of the license, said Lori Ajax, administrator of the Sacramento ABC office. Novo, 926 2nd St., had been rebranded from Tunel 21, which had been operated by Vlade Divac, his wife Ana and her sister, Jelica Orbovic. Orbovic took over operations when the Divacs left Sacramento.

Novo's license suspension was lifted last week after Orbovic got the restaurant up and running, Ajax said. The establishment is now required to make at least 50 percent of its profits from food.

The license of Brickside, 106 J St., was suspended Jan. 21 after a hold was placed on it by the California State Board of Equalization for failure to pay taxes, Ajax said. Information about any possible taxes owed cannot be released to the public, according to the tax board.

Richard Mendoza of Mendoza Properties owns Brickside. Neither he nor Orbovic could be reached for comment.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter who covers business and development for The Sacramento Press.