A Once Top 50 Texas BBQ Joint Closed, Now Under Investigation by The U.S. Labor Department

Just a couple of years ago they seemed destined for big things. In '21, Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQs made the coveted Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas Monthly, the sky was the limit. But things changed.

On April 25th, Valentina's posted to their Instagram that they would be closing for a short time and then re-opening under new management.

When we started Valentina’s in 2013, our focus was two things: food + family. We wanted to make Tex Mex BBQ that would bring families together, while representing Tejano culture - the biggest inspiration for Valentina’s. That has never changed, even when we grew from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar.

We’ve been at this for a long time, and we work really hard, but this last year has been harder than ever... We can no longer continue to give our loyal customers subpar customer service and food.

Well, now the joint continues to be plagued with legal woes. You may recall that in '22, the Department of Labor recouped "$230,353 in back wages for 274 workers after an investigation found the employer gave a portion of employee tips to restaurant managers – a practice not allowed by federal law."

The once-popular BBQ joint is in more legal trouble now. "That is correct, the U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division has an open and ongoing investigation into Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ," said Juan J. Rodríguez, deputy regional director at the Office of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor, according to MySA.

We will have to wait to see what is found, as a report of their findings has yet to be released. We hate to see a family business closed down under these circumstances. Hopefully, the folks at Valentina's will be back smoking meat sooner rather than later