Salt 7, a popular waterfront restaurant located at 500 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, has been officially evicted as of Tuesday, April 1, 2025. This development follows a series of financial challenges, including employee allegations of unpaid wages and bounced checks, which was first reported by Jeff Weinsier of WPLG Local 10 News.
How did this fiasco begin? It all started when former bartender Cassie Crumbly, who worked at Salt 7 for three months, posted a video to TikTok stating she was owed $3,800 in credit card tips and additional hourly wages. Her post, which she captioned, "Please share to help others who might become victims, as well," garnered significant attention, with over 600 comments, many from former employees echoing similar grievances. One wrote, "I worked at Salt 7 for two years. I quit in October 2024 when my tips were backed up for three months! I still haven’t gotten my money and no lawyer was taking my case. The whole staff quit in October."
Crumbly states in the now viral TikTok video, "Salt 7 is a business that steals from its staff... it doesn't pay people their hourly; it steals their credit card tips, and it's a Ponzi scheme."
On March 28, when Weinsier visited Salt 7 days before it closed, he spoke to several employees himself who all claimed they were owed money — and were basically working for free. "I'm leaving! My check bounced!" proclaimed the former head chef.
@casserolecrumbs Please share to help others who might become victims as well #fortlauderdale #lasolas #salt7 ♬ original sound - Cass
Accusations from Employees Was Only the Beginning
These accusations from former and current employees were only the cherry on top of this ordeal. It turns out the restaurant's financial woes extended far beyond payroll issues.According to the South Florida Business Journal, in February 2025, Salt Group Las Olas LLC, the parent company of Salt 7, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing assets of $1 million and debts up to $10 million. The bankruptcy filing was attributed to disputes over lease agreements and financial obligations. However, the case was dismissed in federal court.
According to court records obtained by WPLG Local 10 News, vendors were owed substantial amounts, with Premier Produce claiming $44,000 and meat supplier Allen Brothers reporting an overdue balance of $176,600. The landlord initiated eviction proceedings due to nearly $300,000 in unpaid rent.
The Story Isn't Over... According to an Anonymous Salt 7 Vendor
Hours before the eviction on Tuesday, April 1, an anonymous post on Salt 7's official website claims the WPLG story is missing major facts.Written by a "vendor who has worked with Salt 7 for almost a decade," this new blog post on Salt 7's website claims key details were left out, misrepresenting the situation — and even claims there are allegations against the former Salt 7 employee Crumbly. However, none of this has been proven to be true.
The anonymous post also states that Salt 7 "had been sold while owner John Kostoglou was out of the country," and that "the new owners initially agreed to a payment plan for employees and vendors but later defaulted, leading to financial issues." Regardless of this sale, the Broward Sheriff's Office has evicted the restaurant, which is closed for good. Salt 7 had a second location in Delray Beach, which closed in October of 2023 for unknown reasons.
Former employees may seek assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor and Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity to recover unpaid wages. However, the process can be lengthy and uncertain, meaning most of these former employees may never receive their due compensation.
