Turkey Leg Hut Closed Due To Major Health Violations in Houston

Houston’s iconic Turkey Leg Hut, infamous for a surprisingly strict dress code, found itself in hot water about following the health code and was forced to close for dozens of “serious health code violations.”

The Houston Health Department reported a whopping 35 violations, including plumbing leaks, improper food storage, and workers not wearing proper kitchen attire. With so many issues at play, the popular restaurant will remain closed until they’ve addressed all concerns and passed a follow-up inspection.

The health department made it clear that public safety is the top priority. In a statement, officials emphasized, “We take public health very seriously and will monitor the situation.” The laundry list of violations included unrefrigerated turkey legs, cups stored on the floor, food kept outdoors, and more. That’s definitely not the kind of vibe customers expect when lining up (and dressed up) for their famous turkey legs.

Turkey Leg Hut took to Instagram to break the news, explaining that they’ll be closed this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for what they’re calling “renovations.” While the restaurant hopes to bounce back quickly, this is just the latest bump in the road for the Texas hotspot.

The Struggle Was Real For The Turkey Leg Hut Before It Closed For 35 Health Code Violations

Earlier this year, Turkey Leg Hut filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with documents revealing a staggering $5 million in debt. And that’s not the only legal drama they’ve been facing. Back in 2018, co-owner Nakia Price was hit with a lawsuit for allegedly failing to pay rent on the restaurant’s lease, a case that’s still dragging on in court. Add to that a 2022 lawsuit from US Foods claiming the restaurant owed over $1 million in unpaid fees, and things are looking a bit messy for the Houston favorite.

As if that wasn’t enough, in March of this year, a fire broke out inside Turkey Leg Hut’s business office. Thankfully, Nakia shared that the restaurant itself wasn’t affected, and they were able to continue serving up their signature dishes. But with the recent health department shutdown, it seems the road to recovery for Turkey Leg Hut just got a little longer.