SAN ANTONIO – A significant ruling has emerged from the U.S. Department of Labor regarding local restaurant Sushi Haya, which has been ordered to pay $81,308 to 33 employees. This decision comes in light of findings from a federal investigation that revealed the restaurant’s executives improperly took a portion of employee tips and failed to comply with overtime wage regulations.
Located at 226 W. Bitters Road, near Embassy Row in a shopping center anchored by Hobby Lobby, Sushi Haya opened its doors in 2022. The establishment operates under the name Hongwei Sushi LLC and is known for its all-you-can-eat sushi offerings.
In response to the investigation, a spokesperson for Sushi Haya stated, “Sushi Haya takes its responsibilities to its employees seriously. The Department of Labor matter concerned prior-period payroll practices. The restaurant cooperated with the process, corrected its practices, and completed the required payments before the recent coverage was published. We do not dispute the DOL’s stated findings, but we ask that coverage accurately reflect the DOL’s statement that the wages were recovered and that the published total covered more than one category of findings.” This statement emphasizes the restaurant’s commitment to rectifying past errors and ensuring compliance moving forward.
The investigation specifically identified that Sushi Haya operated an illegal tip pooling system, which involved sharing tips with company executives. According to federal law, employers and managers are prohibited from retaining any portion of tips intended for employees. This finding underscores the importance of transparency and fair compensation practices in the food service industry, where tips often constitute a significant portion of workers’ income.
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