Lawsuit News

Ex-employee sues Dallas restaurant group for discriminatory practices

Lawsuits are terrible, how about this pasta.

Drake's

A Dallas restaurant group has been sued for discrimination by a former manager. A lawsuit was filed on July 19 against Vandelay Hospitality Group, which owns East Hampton Sandwich Company, Hudson House, Brentwood, and Drake's Hollywood, by Glenn Govias, a former manager at Drake's Hollywood, alleging widespread discriminatory practices.

Filed by McCathern PLLC, who courteously sent out a press release, the lawsuit alleges that the company, its CEO, and COO, fostered a toxic environment of racist, sexist, and homophobic employment and customer service practices in violation of Chapter 451 of the Texas Labor Code.

It also alleges fraud, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and other charges.

Govias was fired by Vandelay in November 2020. He previously worked for Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant in Richardson for nearly 20 years, and before that, worked for Chili's.

He alleges that members of senior management insisted that he and other employees "fire the Black guy," "fire the Mexican guy," or "fire the ugly girl," for no justifiable employment-related reason.

Govias also alleges that hosts were instructed to turn away non-white customers under the pretext of unspecified "dress code violations," and to reject reservation requests from guests believed to be of African American, Middle Eastern, or Hispanic heritage because of their surnames.

The lawsuit says that Govias was fired because he refused to follow those orders. "Ultimately, Mr. Govias himself fell victim to Vandelay's corrupt culture under [founder Hunter] Pond's leadership, when he was fired on pretextual basis for refusing to carry out his bosses’ discriminatory orders and in retaliation for filing Worker’s Compensation claim after serious workplace injury," the lawsuit says.

Govias was fired after suffering an accident on the job, when he fell off a ladder and hurt his neck. He filed claim for compensation for his work-related injury with the Texas Department of Insurance but Vandelay said he had used up all his time off.

The full petition is posted online.

Vandelay responded with a statement, saying, "VHG strives to maintain a professional and rewarding work environment for all of its employees. The company vigorously disputes Mr. Govias' allegations and trusts in the legal process to resolve these claims properly."

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Closing News

Longtime Dallas restaurant Sevy's Grill to close after nearly 30 years

Photo courtesy of Sevy's Grill

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A longtime Dallas restaurant is closing in 2026: Sevy's Grill, which has been open at 8201 Preston Rd. near Preston Center for nearly 30 years, will close on June 27, 2026.

According to a release from the owners, they're closing due to what appears to be an increase in rent.

"After months of negotiations, we were not able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement for our fourth 10-year lease," the post said.

The restaurant is located in Preston Sherry Plaza, which was acquired in September 2025 by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate. Somebody gotta foot the bill.

Sevy's says they are looking at other locations.

"Our focus now is to finish these next 6+ months taking care of our guests and staff at the same caring level we built our brand on: Warm, professional service, consistently good food and a comfortable ambiance where the guest is always first," the post says. "First on our list of priorities is taking care of our guests in December and all the wonderful celebrations of family, friends and business groups. We do still have some availability for reservations, including our last New Years Eve at Preston Sherry. Come celebrate with us as the exciting anticipation of a new year for all of us."

"Our second priority will be the search for a new location to continue doing what we love," they said. "We are already reviewing possible sites and will keep everyone updated regularly."

Owned by chef Jim "Sevy" Severson and his wife Amy Severson, the restaurant has long been a neighborhood favorite with a lively bar scene, and was nominated in CultureMap's 2018 Tastemaker Awards for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. They were a frequent choice for winemaker events and are also known for the longevity of their staff.

"Eight team members have been with us all 29+ years, with an average tenure in the kitchen of 15+ years and a Management team that you all know," their post said. "Come support our staff as we celebrate the next 6+ months.Thank you again for your support through all the normal challenges of running a restaurant as well as economic downturns, market bubbles, Y2K, and of course the COVID era. As I tell my family and friends to “enjoy the ride in life”, wow, what an amazing ride it has been for us! And as always, Sevy’s Grill is here for you."