Upscale steakhouse chain accused of stiffing workers as California and Las Vegas locations shutter

An upscale steakhouse chain known for its prime cuts and swanky dining rooms is facing a financial bloodbath, with two locations shuttered and furious employees accusing the company of stiffing them on wages and tips.

Echo & Rig, the high-end steakhouse and butcher shop with locations in Nevada and California, has abruptly closed its Sacramento location after eight years, while its Henderson restaurant was locked up by its landlord over unpaid rent — with a $1,000 city penalty slapped on the door for good measure, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The chain’s original Las Vegas location isn’t exactly sizzling either, with licensing issues and interruptions to its operating hours adding to the uncertainty about its future.

The closures come as furious employees accuse the company of bouncing paychecks and withholding tips — allegations that have sparked a class-action lawsuit and been referred to federal labor officials.

Chef and owner Sam Marvin has acknowledged that workers are owed money, telling KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas in late October that he estimated the company was short by less than $50,000. When asked whether the business actually had the cash to pay them, Marvin delivered a startling admission. “We do not. We will though,” Marvin told KTNV.

The latest blow came on Monday, when the Echo & Rig location at The District at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson was found dark and locked, with notices plastered across its front doors, according to photos posted on social media.

“Tenant has been locked out from the Premises due to a delinquency in paying rent,” a notice reviewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal read. Records reviewed by the outlet show the restaurant’s food service license expired Jan. 31, while its liquor license is set to expire Nov. 30. The Henderson location opened in 2023 to much fanfare, but less than four years later, has found its doors locked.

Meanwhile, in Sacramento, Echo & Rig’s flashy restaurant inside the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel has served its final steak. A sign on the door reportedly claimed the restaurant was temporarily closed for maintenance, but Downtown Commons officials confirmed the shutdown was permanent, according to CBS Sacramento.

The closure comes amid explosive accusations from former workers who say they were left holding worthless paychecks while the company struggled to keep the lights on.

Former Henderson serving assistant Isaiah Colbert said he was owed roughly $1,500 to $2,000 after repeatedly struggling to cash his paychecks. He showed KTNV reporters notices for two allegedly returned checks, including one for $410 in September, and another for $264 in October.

Marvin, meanwhile, has blamed the chain’s financial woes on skyrocketing operating costs and surging wholesale meat prices, which he said have made it increasingly difficult to pay rent and wages. He estimated that about 81% of employees across the three restaurants had been fully paid when he spoke to KTNV in late October.

The original Echo & Rig opened in 2013, boasting a butcher shop, charcuterie counter and upstairs dining room with a terrace. Its doors were mysteriously padlocked Oct. 19, but Marvin said the temporary closure was caused by a water issue. The restaurant has since reopened, but its hours have been slashed, with doors now opening at 4 p.m. instead of 11 a.m. — raising fresh questions about whether the original location could be next to go under.

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