Horn, a Fresno native, was considered a rising star in the foodie world in recent years. He made headlines with a James Beard Award nomination. He also had the first-ever Black-owned barbecue restaurant in the country to receive Michelin\u2019s Bib Gourmand award<\/a>.<\/p>\n He was named one of Food & Wine\u2019s Best New Chefs<\/a> in 2021 and featured in Forbes Magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle.<\/p>\n The Fresno restaurant was a homecoming. It opened in January in Granite Park, near Ashlan and Cedar avenues to long lines for weeks.<\/p>\n Unpaid wages<\/p>\n But not everything went smoothly from the start, say at least two employees and another who spoke off the record.<\/p>\n Jonathan Franco of Fresno, 51, was hired as dishwasher in February. He also would bus tables and cut up vegetables.<\/p>\n His first paycheck bounced, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I got back to work, other people were saying that their checks bounced, too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Managers were asking workers for mobile payment account information, such as Zelle or Cash App, to pay them, he said.<\/p>\n He waited a week and when managers said they didn\u2019t know when he was going to get paid, he quit.<\/p>\n He was eventually paid with a cashier\u2019s check, but said he is still owed for his last two weeks of work.<\/p>\n Years before applying to Horn Barbecue, Franco had been having medical problems. A bad case of COVID-19 followed by several blood clots led to spotty employment and moving in with his parents. He was hoping the job at Horn would be stable income and a fresh start.<\/p>\n \u201cMy intention is not to bash Horn, but to get reconciliation,\u201d he said. \u201cAll these people were just in dire need of work and trying to do their best to make this company work.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s in the beginning stages of filing a claim for unpaid wages with the Labor Commissioner\u2019s Office. In the meantime, he\u2019s landed a job with a new restaurant scheduled to open later this month.<\/p>\n It was a similar story for Santino Capps, 19, of Fresno. He got hired in early January for his first job as a cashier, busser and server of sides such as mac \u2018n\u2019 cheese.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time when we got our checks, it bounced on me and I had to get it in cash,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought, \u2018OK, things happen; we just started.\u2019 But then it happened again and again and again.\u201d<\/p>\n Only one paycheck went through properly during his time there, he said.<\/p>\n Recently, when he inquired about a bounced check, he said he was told to pass along his information so he could get paid via Zelle. After three days of reminding the person, he was paid, he said.<\/p>\n He quit after that, but said he is still owed at least 20 hours of pay.<\/p>\n Horn Barbecue also pools its tips from customers. That means everyone, including cooks and bussers, gets a share. Capps is waiting for that portion of his pay, too. In the meantime, he\u2019s thinking of applying at The Cheesecake Factory.<\/p>\n At least two other people in the Fresno area have filed claims for unpaid wages.<\/p>\n One was filed March 9 and is in the beginning stages. The other was filed Oct. 21 of last year and is being investigated.<\/p>\n The office does not share the amounts owed or any other information.<\/p>\n Seven other claims \u2014 two in Sacramento and five in Oakland \u2014 are still open. Four other claims against Horn\u2019s companies have been closed or settled.<\/p>\n Said Franco: \u201cI\u2019m all for people trying to succeed in California, but when you have a history of doing this and repeating yourself and knowing you\u2019re doing it, it\u2019s wrong and needs to be brought to light.\u201d<\/p>\n Delayed opening<\/p>\n Horn\u2019s representative said the restaurant was supposed to open in July instead of its official opening in late January.<\/p>\n \u201cDue to permit delays in the city, just a lot of unexpected back and forth. They were burning a lot (of money) without opening their doors,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n Those delays led to a loss of income, he said.<\/p>\n The Bee documented some of those delays in August, when it reported that Horn Barbecue was listed as one of 10 businesses<\/a> on a facility closures report posted by the Fresno County health department. According to the report, the restaurant was closed \u201cdue to remodel.\u201d<\/p>\n At the time, Horn said some final plan requests related to the bar and kitchen areas were being addressed.<\/p>\n Horn\u2019s statement to The Bee on Thursday, which can be read in full below, continues: \u201cOur team members are the heart of this restaurant, and we remain committed to stabilizing operations and honoring our obligations while continuing to serve the Fresno community. Like many independent restaurants, opening a new location can come with unexpected challenges. Our focus now is clear: addressing outstanding obligations, supporting our staff, and continuing to build a restaurant that Fresno can be proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott noted that the business environment in California is very challenging right now for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re confident he\u2019ll right the ship,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Horn\u2019s restaurants But even if Fresno thrives, Horn\u2019s barbecue empire in Northern California is not what it once was.<\/p>\n His original Oakland location of Horn Barbecue was destroyed in a fire in 2023 and is being investigated as arson<\/a>. Another Horn Barbecue has since opened in Oakland on the site of Horn\u2019s spinoff restaurant, Matty\u2019s Old Fashioned.<\/p>\n The Elk Grove Horn Barbecue closed in January when the landlord repossessed the space for unpaid rent.<\/a><\/p>\n Horn was evicted from his Lafayette restaurant<\/a> though he has insisted it will reopen, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.<\/p>\n West Oakland\u2019s Kowbird, a hot chicken sandwich restaurant, also closed last year<\/a>. The Kowbird inside a food hall in Las Vegas also closed.<\/p>\n According to reporting by the Chronicle in 2024, Horn has faced more than $500,000 in lawsuits and wage claims<\/a>.<\/p>\n Statement from Horn Barbecue<\/p>\n Horn Barbecue acknowledges that the delayed opening of our Fresno restaurant created financial challenges that led to payroll delays for some employees. We take this matter seriously and are actively working to resolve outstanding payments as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n Our team members are the heart of this restaurant, and we remain committed to stabilizing operations and honoring our obligations while continuing to serve the Fresno community. Like many independent restaurants, opening a new location can come with unexpected challenges. Our focus now is clear: addressing outstanding obligations, supporting our staff, and continuing to build a restaurant that Fresno can be proud of.<\/p>\n Horn Barbecue earned national recognition for its dedication to craft and community. The restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation, and Chef Matt Horn has been recognized as a Food & Wine Best New Chef and was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.<\/p>\n Bringing Chef Horn\u2019s vision back to his hometown of Fresno marks an exciting new chapter. We look forward to welcoming the community to experience the barbecue and hospitality that have made Horn Barbecue one of California\u2019s most talked-about destinations.<\/p>\n This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 10:16 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n![\"Fresno](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FRS_horn_bbq_002.JPG\" "\\"FRS_horn_bbq_002.JPG\\"")
Fresno native and acclaimed barbecue chef Matt Horn checks on barbecue meats on the smokers at Horn Barbecue on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n![\"Lunchtime](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FRS_horn_bbq_001.JPG\" "\\"FRS_horn_bbq_001.JPG\\"")
Lunchtime visitors check menus while waiting in line outside Horn Barbecue in Fresno’s Granite Park shopping center on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. The long-anticipated barbecue restaurant opened on Tuesday, Jan. 20. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com ![\"Various](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FRS_horn_bbq_003.JPG\" "\\"FRS_horn_bbq_003.JPG\\"")
Various barbecue meats including a large beef rib, pork ribs, pulled pork, chicken, hot link and turkey breast sit on a platter at Horn Barbecue which opened in Fresno’s Granite Park on Jan. 20, 2026. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n
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