The federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against San Diego–based Swami’s Café and its sister restaurant Honey’s Bistro has officially been settled, concluding a two-year legal battle that brought national scrutiny to the popular local chain.
The suit, filed in May 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, alleged that teenage and young female employees were repeatedly harassed at multiple locations and retaliated against for reporting the misconduct. While settlement details have not been disclosed, the resolution closes a high-profile case that centered on workplace culture at one of North County’s most visible restaurant groups.
The EEOC complaint claimed that Swami’s and Honey’s operated a “highly sexualized work environment,” accusing a longtime manager of inappropriate touching, sexual comments, and favoritism toward female staff who tolerated his alleged advances. The agency said some employees were underage and that complaints to management were ignored or punished. The agency also claimed Swami’s owner Jaime Osuna failed to act when witnessing inappropriate remarks. At the time, Osuna denied wrongdoing, and one Swami’s entity entered into limited injunctive relief while litigation continued against others…