Sophon, the acclaimed Cambodian restaurant on Phinney Ridge, has quietly gone dark this spring after months of mounting cash-flow problems that left workers and suppliers unpaid. The neighborhood dining room and bar, praised for bold Khmer flavors and inventive cocktails, has sat closed during normal service hours while its public booking channels have gone silent. For a restaurant that earned national acclaim in just its first year, the shutdown has been sudden and jarring for regulars and staff alike.
State action sits at the center of the unraveling. The Washington Department of Revenue issued multiple tax warrants, then voided Sophon’s reseller permit, and the agency revoked owner Karuna Long’s certificate of registration, steps that effectively make normal tax reporting and sales activity impossible. Reporting shows the DOR issued three King County tax warrants in 2025, on April 10, August 21, and December 29, that together total roughly $165,000. These details were reported by The Seattle Times.
The public enforcement moves followed a staff walkout in February after employees said paychecks arrived late or bounced and management failed to remit payroll taxes and insurance premiums. At least two former workers filed nonpayment complaints with the Washington Department of Labor & Industries, and former staffers documented the dispute on social media. Seattle Met has reported on the walkout and the financial claims…