Photos Show Rat Falling From Ceiling Of Buffalo Wild Wings In Westchester

WESTCHESTER (CBSLA) – A woman snapped photos of a rat after it fell from the ceiling at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Westchester Thursday, forcing the restaurant to close.

Alisha Norman was celebrating her birthday with friends and watching the Women's World Cup game at Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 6081 Center Dr., when she captured pictures of the rat after it had fallen onto a table.

"We're having adult beverages," Norman says, "and we hadn't even ordered yet. And we hear a noise. Our eyes go up and all of a sudden a rat comes down."

She says, "We didn't move right away. We were kind of in shock."

In a statement provided to CBS2 Friday, Buffalo Wild Wings blamed "significant construction" that's currently taking place at the outdoor mall where the restaurant is located for causing the incident.

Buffalo Wild Wings has since closed the restaurant for "cleaning and sanitization."

"The isolated incident at the Westchester-area Buffalo Wild Wings in Los Angeles yesterday was unfortunate," the statement read. "The center where the restaurant is located is undergoing significant construction and we are confident it was directly related. We hold Buffalo Wild Wings to the highest operating standards and promptly closed the restaurant for proper remediation, cleaning and sanitization. We look forward to reopening soon to once again serve our guests in the Westchester area."

There's no word on when the restaurant will open or whether Los Angeles County health officials will be taking any action.

Norman says the rat almost immediately became a distraction at the table. No surprise there.

"Finally, the manager comes out," she says, "and he has two plates. Mind you, the rat is still alive."

Norman is keeping her sense of humor about the incident. CBS2/KCAL9 reporter Tom Wait says she's snapped another photo -- this one of herself standing outside the restaurant posing by their "A" health grade.

She called the rat's drop in "my birthday surprise."

Norman says she chose not to order any food that evening but some of her friends did and their meals were comped.