Sacramento's Echo & Rig steakhouse closes as former employees allege unpaid wages

Echo & Rig, a steakhouse inside downtown Sacramento's Kimpton Sawyer Hotel, has permanently closed, according to Downtown Commons (DOCO), as former employees allege they are still owed wages and retirement contributions.

A sign on the restaurant's door says it is temporarily closed for maintenance. However, DOCO confirmed the closure is permanent.

The closure comes amid allegations from former employees who say they were left with unpaid wages, bounced paychecks and missing contributions to their retirement accounts.

Kevin Johnson, a former executive sous chef at Echo & Rig, said he began questioning the restaurant's finances after checking his 401(k) account and noticing that contributions had stopped.

"Especially when I really got into it, how many deposits were missing ... oh man, I was just shocked," he said.

Johnson said the last deposit listed in his account was Aug. 22, 2025. After looking further, he found the restaurant had made only eight contributions that year, despite 22 being expected.

The missing contributions led him to revisit his final paycheck from October 2025. When he tried to cash it, he received a notice from the bank indicating the check might not be paid.

"We have confidential information that indicates that the check may not be paid," the notice stated.

Other former employees have also shared bank statements with CBS News Sacramento showing checks that were returned or could not be deposited. They said they have not been given a timeline for when they will receive the money they are owed.

Earlier this week, a former employee filed a civil complaint in Sacramento County accusing Echo & Rig and its leadership of wage and labor violations.

The complaint alleges the company issued "payroll checks that 'bounced,' were dishonored for insufficient funds, or otherwise could not be successfully deposited."

Johnson has also taken legal action against the business over the missing 401(k) contributions.

"I had eight deposits instead of 22. That's not a mistake," he said.

CBS News Sacramento attempted to reach owner Sam Marvin for comment. Someone close to Marvin said the company was doing the best it could to pay employees.

Last month, Marvin spoke with a Las Vegas television station and acknowledged the company did not have the money to pay employees. Financial issues were affecting the company's two Nevada locations.