Matt Horn closes last Horn Barbecue location amid wage theft accusations

It’s official — Horn Barbecue has gone dark.

Over the course of the past decade, critically acclaimed pitmaster Matt Horn has been lauded for his grilling prowess, rising up from an Oakland pop-up to national fame, as he opened multiple restaurant concepts and sold retail items. But after a flurry of lawsuits, wage theft claims and an eviction notice, Horn has gone from once running three restaurants concurrently in The Town and expanding into central California to zero locations.

Seneca Scott, spokesperson for Matt Horn, confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle via an email statement that the Old Oakland location at 464 Eighth St. closed, stating “without the ability to smoke meats on-site, the location could no longer deliver the experience that defined Horn Barbecue”.

This comes after Horn received a 2026 Bib Gourmand from Michelin for the now-closed location in June.

Matt Horn first opened Horn Barbecue in 2016 as a food truck, selling smoked meats and Texas-inspired brisket all while cementing a new category of West Coast barbecue at the Tracy Farmers Market. Years later, he opened his brick and mortar in West Oakland, earning him a spot on the 2021 Michelin Bib Gormand list for best affordable eatery in California, and a semifinalist nod for best new restaurant in the country from the James Beard Foundation in 2022.

In the months that followed, Horn began expanding, opening up restaurants like fast-casual fried chicken concept Kowbird in 2022 in West Oakland and burger spot Matty’s Old Fashioned a year later. Due to a fire that was investigated as potential arson, Horn shuttered his famed West Oakland location for a few months before announcing that it was closed for good in March 2024, stating that ongoing vandalism and theft led him to give up on the location. He later reopened his barbecue restaurant, rebranding the Matty’s space in Old Oakland.

While publicly there was no shortage of accolades, Horn’s business was facing mounting financial and legal trouble.

In 2022, Richmond-based meat distributor Golden Gate Meat Co. sued Horn for nearly $88,000 in unpaid invoices, interest and attorney fees, leading many to question his rapid expansion. Furthermore, state records and testimonies from former workers point to ongoing labor disputes across multiple Horn-operated restaurants. According to California court records Horn has 20 open wage theft claims filed against him for his Fresno, Oakland and Sacramento locations, while five others have been settled or dismissed. The most recent class action lawsuit, seeking compensation for unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, missed breaks and more was filed in May 2026.

Over the course of the last year and a half, Horn has closed a majority of his restaurants. In January 2025, he shuttered Kowbird’s West Oakland location, following a notice from the city of Oakland about additional permitting, and a lawsuit for ADA violations. In February 2026, Horn’s Elk Grove barbecue location closed, and Horn was evicted from its Lafayette space.

The Old Oakland restaurant itself had shown signs of slowing down prior to the announcement. In early 2025, Nosh reported that the Old Oakland Horn Barbecue location shuttered temporarily. Horn told Nosh that the restaurant would reopen soon, complete with an expanded menu, live music and drink specials. While the restaurant later hosted a live music event, the broader relaunch he described never fully materialized.

This closure also comes as Horn was expected to appear at the inaugural Black Smoke Invitational barbecue festival in July. However, the event was postponed, with organizers citing “unforeseen regulatory permitting requirements and red tape that arose within 48 hours of the event.” A new venue and date are set to be announced this month, but it’s unclear whether Horn is still planning to attend.ose within 48 hours of the event.” A new venue and date are set to be announced this month, but it’s unclear whether Horn is still planning to attend.

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