Popular Horn Barbecue closing for good in Oakland
Oakland's Horn BBQ torched in fire, defaced with graffiti
Matt Horn, chef and owner of the renowned Horn Barbecue in Oakland, has had a terrible week. His restaurant on Mandela Parkway was vandalized with graffiti on Sunday night. And then on Tuesday morning, his prep crew showed up to work to see a portion of the building in ruins.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland's acclaimed Horn Barbecue is permanently closing its doors after facing a series of challenges, including a devastating fire that damaged part of the building and recurring theft, the owner shared on Thursday.
The BBQ restaurant on Mandela Parkway has been closed since late November for restoration work on the burned structure, which suffered structural and electrical damage.
"This decision, though made with a heavy heart, stems from a multitude of challenges that extend beyond the initial devastation of the fire. These challenges include, but are not limited to, the building being compromised by unauthorized individuals living in and coming in and out, significant structural damage with the piping and electrical systems being stripped, our shipping container being vandalized, along with continuous theft and crime in the vicinity," chef and owner Matt Horn said on Instagram. "Additionally, our van was not spared; it was stripped of its engine and left significantly damaged. These occurrences, each an ordeal on their own, collectively have created an environment that, at this point, is untenable for us to operate in safely and effectively."
Soon after the fire, Horn questioned whether the blaze might have been an act of arson. Fire officials have yet to establish whether arson was involved.
Horn chronicled part of the rebuilding process in his short documentary "Rising From The Ashes," released last month.
Horn, who also opened Matty’s Old Fashioned in downtown Oakland in July, has been entangled in a series of legal disputes. In December, a judge ordered Horn to pay a $167,000 settlement to his former business partner, as reported by the East Bay Times.
SFGate first reported in 2020 that some distributors had stopped selling meat to him until he cleared his debt. The news publication also noted that some staff members reported bounced paychecks.
Horn expressed doubts that anyone involved in those financial issues would have harbored enough resentment to sabotage his business.