A restaurant with a flavorful menu, celebrity endorsements, and a heartwarming origin story has all the ingredients for success. However, the Turkey Leg Hut became entangled with alleged abuse, criminal accusations, and financial mishaps in its rise to the top.
The now-defunct eatery recently made headlines as the former owner, Lyndell “Lynn” Price, was arrested and charged with intentionally setting fire to a bar across the street from Turkey Leg Hut. As detailed by the Department of Justice, Price and others allegedly conspired to set fire to Bar 5015, as the owner was a former co-owner of the Turkey Leg Hut and Price’s business partner.
Price allegedly paid codefendants Armani Williams and John Lee Price for the gasoline-fueled flames that erupted at the competing business, which resulted in an explosion and $750,000 in damage, per Click2Houston.
Before its end, as Turkey Leg Hut has remained closed since November 2024. The restaurant was often a trending topic across social media, whether for its eye-catching food, a famous figure’s infatuation, or controversial policies.
Read below as VIBE examines the facts surrounding the rise, success, and demise of Houston’s Turkey Leg Hut.
-
What is Turkey Leg Hut?
Image Credit: Facebook Screenshot / The Turkey Leg Hut, November 2020 Turkey Leg Hut was established in 2015 by then husband-and-wife duo Lyndell “Lynn” Price and Nakia Holmes. According to the Chron website, the restaurant started off as a parking lot pop-up across the street from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where it operated for two years. Due to its success, the family was able to open a brick-and-mortar location in Houston’s historic Third Ward.
Turkey Leg Hut was also able to dispatch food trucks around the city and other destinations such as Atlanta, organize pop-up events, and open the Daiquiri Hut bar.
Celebrities such as James Harden, Kevin Hart, 50 Cent, and Megan Thee Stallion began eating and posting their favorite items from the menu. In 2018, Snoop Dogg dedicated an entire Instagram post to his meal at the restaurant.
A 2019 video report from ABC’s Localish detailed the extensive lines and influence Turkey Leg Hut held in Houston. While the official website is now defunct, a menu, available to view on Checkle, lists items such as a Hennessy Glazed Turkey Legs, Circo Mango Habanero Glazed Turkey Legs, and Creole corn.
According to NetSuite, while the restaurant operated, it served 1,000 customers daily, with 1,000 turkey legs being sold each weekday. The number upgraded to 2,000 turkey legs sold on weekend days, with the Alfredo Shrimp Stuffed Turkey Leg as the best selling item.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNBeLCp-5EM?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]
-
The Infamous Dress Code
Image Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images With The Turkey Leg Hut‘s nontraditional approach to preparing the game bird, the food often went viral, but one incident, the restaurant’s policies, put it front and center. In July 2021, the owners took to Facebook to announce a new dress code after reportedly receiving customer complaints.
“Please know that we are a family friendly restaurant that serves all ages from children to adults daily and putting this dress code in place was necessary to ensure that all parties from our guests to our staff are dressed appropriately when in our establishment,” the post explained. “Unfortunately, due to the attire of some guests, we were forced to put this new policy in place as we remain committed to ensuring all guests are comfortable while visiting us.”
The upload continued, “We are not a club, we are a family friendly restaurant and will continue to maintain our standards as we welcome everyone to the Turkey Leg Hut! We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to having you visit us.”
Facebook Screenshot / The Turkey Leg Hut
Backlash across social media critiqued the new rules as hypocritical, claiming that the Turkey Leg Hut was a “family friendly restaurant” while also promoting a lounge environment with drinks and hookah offerings, per KHOU11. Those who opposed the dress code also called the policy discriminatory against Black customers.
There were also those who praised the guidelines and applauded the restaurant for enforcing the standards.
-
The End Of A Marriage
Image Credit: Facebook Screenshot/The Turkey Leg Hut (August 2020) As The Turkey Leg Hut rose in popularity, the marriage between its founders, Nakia Holmes (formerly Price) and Lyndell Price, crumbled. Holmes announced their split in November 2023 on social media, and deleted, then re-uploaded a post where she claimed Price was “abusive emotionally and mentally,” according to ESSENCE. She also filed for a temporary restraining order against Price.
In February 2024, Holmes fired Price and additional staff members from the restaurant over “financial misconduct” concerns.
“The day that I put that statement out that I was leaving, that was a time for me where I knew I couldn’t continue to wait,” she explained to the magazine. “I knew what I had to do. If I do not leave today, somebody’s going to get hurt. I got to go. And I didn’t think anything of it. I just knew that because of the type of person that he is, I knew it was going to be a fight. I didn’t know everything that I was going to endure. I didn’t know what was coming my way. I just said to myself, whatever comes my way, I’m going to be ready, and I’m going to figure it out, and I’m going to fight.”
-
Years Of Legal Drama
Image Credit: Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images) In its history, the Turkey Leg Hut has had its fair share of legal woes.
Residents of the neighborhood where the restaurant operated sued the establishment for “continuous production of noxious thick wood smoke filled with harmful particulates that engulf and enter Plaintiffs’ homes,” according to Eater Houston.
The lawsuit also claimed Turkey Leg Hut has been operating “without appropriate permits from the City of Houston,” as well as violating the neighborhood’s noise ordinance.
In July 2020, Steven Rogers, the owner of Third Ward’s Bar 5015 and a minority owner in the Turkey Leg Hut, filed suit in Harris County Court against Nakia Holmes, per Eater Houston. In the filing, Rogers claimed Holmes (then Price) was diverting funds away from the business to pursue other ventures, and encouraging potential customers at the restaurant to visit her Turkey Leg Hut food trucks.
Additionally, Rogers claimed that he originally owned 15 percent of the business, but eventually increased that ownership stake to 29 percent by buying out other partners in the Turkey Leg Hut and providing “personal loans.” Holmes filed her own lawsuit and accused Rogers of embezzling “thousands” of dollars in payments made by vendors to the Turkey Leg Hut, lying about securing a rent deferral agreement, and pocketing thousands of dollars in valet parking revenue over 13 months.
She also accused Rogers of stealing $27,000 from the point-of-sale system purchased for use in the Turkey Leg Hut, and took it to his nearby business, Bar 5015.
In 2023, Turkey Leg Hut was sued by US Foods Inc., which claimed the restaurant owed them $1.28 million before fees and interest, per KHOU 11.
-
Turkey Leg Hut’s End
Image Credit: Facebook Screenshot / The Turkey Leg Hut (July 2019) Turkey Leg Hut closed its doors indefinitely in November 2024. According to ABC 13 Eyewitness News, the restaurant had been shut down in September of that year due to health code violations, while Holmes asserted it was closed for renovations.
Houston Public Media reported the restaurant’s lease was terminated weeks after Turkey Leg Hut’s limited liability company filed for bankruptcy. Court records documented that Turkey Leg Hut owners owed the landlord CNPH Properties, LLC thousands of dollars.
KHOU-TV noted the health department said the restaurant was issued 35 violations, “including conditions that pose an imminent threat to public health,” and that assets were to be sold to repay creditors.
-
Arson Allegations and Lynn Price’s Arrest
Image Credit: Facebook / The Turkey Leg Hut (January 2021) Last month, Lyndell “Lynn” Price was taken into custody on charges of conspiracy to commit arson of a commercial building and conspiracy to use an interstate facility to commit arson of a vehicle. According to the Department of Justice, the 42-year-old, as well as Armani Williams, 27, and John Lee Price, 39, set fire to Bar 5015 in June 2020.
The indictment also claimed Price paid his two coconspirators to also set fire to a stolen blue 1975 Chevy Nova in April of that year. Lynn Price and the others are charged with conspiracy to commit arson and arson and face up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Additionally, Lynn Price and John Price are also charged with conspiracy to use an interstate facility to commit arson of a vehicle and could receive another five years as possible punishment upon conviction.
“You know what it is, I’ll be home in a minute, baby,” Price said regarding the arrest, per Chron. “It’s three sides to every story. Believe mine when I come home, you’re gonna hear the whole story.”
In a statement to ESSENCE, Price’s ex-wife and former Turkey Leg Hut co-owner relayed the following message:
“In light of the recent events involving my estranged husband, Lynn Price, I want to make it clear that my primary focus remains on protecting my peace, my children, and our healing journey.
This is a deeply painful and personal matter. I have been separated from Mr. Price for some time and have taken every necessary step to distance myself and my family from his actions and legal affairs. My children and I ask for privacy, compassion, and understanding as we continue to move forward with strength and grace.”
-
Was The Restaurant a Drug Front?
Image Credit: Facebook/The Turkey Leg Hut (August 2024) According to Eater Houston, the FBI accused Turkey Leg Hut of being used to store and sell large quantities of marijuana from out of state. The outlet reported that an agent who testified at Price’s bond hearing on the arson charges claimed that co-defendant John Lee Price, who is notably not related to the restaurateur, worked for Price, transporting the marijuana across state lines.
Lynn Price allegedly had a much as 1,000 pounds of weed at Turkey Leg Hut, and, according to John Lee, the stash was protected by security at all times.
Special Agent Deborah Cline also reportedly testified that the product was sold in bags branded with the Turkey Leg Hut logo, however, there is no direct evidence that Lynn Price was directly involved in the transactions.
