The Fresno restaurant abruptly shut down this spring, about five months after it opened at Granite Park, near Cedar and Dakota avenues. The business was evicted from the property.<\/p>\n
Horn, a Fresno native, shot to fame in the culinary world in 2020. His Oakland Horn Barbecue nabbed a semi-finalist nomination for a coveted James Beard Award for \u201cBest New Restaurant\u201d and he had the first Black-owned barbecue restaurant in the country to receive a Michelin\u2019s Bib Gourmand award<\/a>.<\/p>\n He opened multiple restaurants in addition to Oakland, including locations of Horn Barbecue in Lafayette in the East Bay Area and Elk Grove outside Sacramento. He also had restaurants under the Kowbird and Matty\u2019s Old Fashioned names.<\/p>\n Now, all but one have shut their doors. And it\u2019s not clear if the Oakland location \u2014 which moved to a spot downtown after the original location burned down and is being investigated as arson \u2014 is still open. No one answered the phone this week during the hours listed on its website.<\/p>\n Even before the Fresno restaurant\u2019s closure, employees had filed claims with the state for unpaid wages<\/a>. Fourteen have filed claims with California\u2019s Department of Industrial Relations as of this week.<\/p>\n The Fresno\u2019s City Attorney\u2019s Office is also investigating the Fresno restaurant for wage theft<\/a>.<\/p>\n The class-action lawsuit was first reported by SFGate.com.<\/p>\n Kitchen manager Francisco Berber filed the lawsuit, saying he was not paid for 110 hours he worked, according to court documents. He could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n The complaint does not say which Horn\u2019s restaurants Berber worked at, but the complaint was filed in Alameda County, which includes Oakland.<\/p>\n The lawsuit seeks to include all Horn employees in California, attorney David Mara said via email.<\/p>\n At least 100 workers could be covered by lawsuit in Alameda County alone, according to court documents.<\/p>\n In a statement emailed to The Bee, which is published in full below, Horn declined to debate the allegations against him, citing pending litigation.<\/p>\n But his statement also addressed broader issues facing Black-owned business.<\/p>\n It reads, in part: \u201cThe issue is not whether Horn Barbecue faced significant financial headwinds\u2014those challenges have affected restaurants across California. The question is whether Black-owned businesses are afforded the same context, fairness, and presumption of good faith that others receive while disputes are resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n The class-action lawsuit against Horn alleges:<\/p>\n Workers were not paid for all the hours they worked.Workers were sometimes expected to work during their state-mandated meal breaks.Workers were not paid all the overtime they were owed. The law requires hourly employees be paid time-and-half pay after eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, and double time after 12 hours in one shift.Workers were not always given breaks. California law requires a 10-minute break for every four hours worked.Workers were not always given wage statements, such as pay stubs, showing hours worked and deductions.Horn\u2019s behavior constitutes \u201cfalse, unfair, fraudulent and deceptive business practices.\u201d<\/p>\n The lawsuit is seeking a jury trial and repayment of the wages owed to employees. If Horn is found liable for the wage statement violations, workers could be entitled to an additional penalty of up to $4,000, the attorney said.<\/p>\n Workers do not have to opt into the lawsuit. If the class is certified in court, they will get a notice from the attorney. However, the law office can be reached at 619-234-2833<\/a>.<\/p>\n Statement from chef Matt Horn to The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n Horns statement reads in full:<\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia\u2019s restaurant industry is facing one of the most difficult economic environments in recent memory. Rising food costs, inflation, higher labor expenses, and reduced consumer spending have forced many restaurants \u2014 including longtime institutions \u2014 to close their doors.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause this matter is now the subject of pending litigation, it would not be appropriate for us to debate the allegations in the court of public opinion. We will respond through the legal process, where the facts can be fully examined.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we can say is that Horn Barbecue has always sought to work in good faith with its employees and to address payroll issues when they have arisen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also believe it is important to recognize the broader context in which independent restaurants \u2014 and particularly Black-owned businesses \u2014 have been operating.<\/p>\n \u201cToo often, when businesses struggle under extraordinary economic pressures, those challenges are understood as the result of difficult market conditions. But when a Black-owned business experiences those same pressures, the conversation can quickly shift from economics to assumptions about character or intent.<\/p>\n \u201cThe issue is not whether Horn Barbecue faced significant financial headwinds\u2014those challenges have affected restaurants across California. The question is whether Black-owned businesses are afforded the same context, fairness, and presumption of good faith that others receive while disputes are resolved.<\/p>\n \u201cHorn Barbecue remains committed to resolving this matter through the appropriate legal channels and appreciates the continued support of its customers, employees, and the community. I will continue to serve my community and will not be deterred by false and opportunistic allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/columnmug.jpg\")