After less than four months in downtown Phoenix, Golden Oak Barbecue & Taproom, which won The Republic’s reader’s choice poll for the best new restaurant of 2025, has permanently closed.
A strongly-worded letter signed by executive chef Grant McLennon was posted on the door of the restaurant on Feb. 11.
The letter’s opening statement read, «To all Phoenicians, we offer our most heartfelt gratitude for the reception you have all so graciously gifted us. Our tenure, albeit short-lived, was earmarked by excitement, acceptance and curiosity from this community that we will carry with us long after our departure.»
The restaurant opened on the ground floor of the Artisan Lofts apartment building in October 2025.
A dispute over barbecue smoke
The letter also stated that the building’s landlord was not the cause of the closure. Instead, McLennon alleges that the closure was due to «two residents of Artisan Lofts who sought to destroy us.»
According to McLennon’s letter, the unnamed tenants allegedly «threatened us with a Cease and Desist on our Grand Opening, you’ve spied on us, trespassed on our property, harassed and harangued our employees, sent demand letters, back-channeled communications, ultimatums, scared off investors and finally reported us to six different government agencies erroneously.»
The tenants’ grievances with Golden Oak allegedly derived from excessive smoke produced by the barbecue. Golden Oak co-owner Chris Figueroa told The Republic that he and his team had responded by adding a 20-foot extender flue to mitigate the amount of smoke billowing toward the residents, but the efforts were not enough to keep the restaurant open.
The interior of Golden Oak Barbecue + Taproom in Phoenix on Dec. 16, 2025.
The interior of Golden Oak Barbecue + Taproom in Phoenix on Dec. 16, 2025.
«Congratulations,» McLennon wrote. «Your efforts have displaced 15 people in an already ragged and blistered economy. Dreams dashed and careers harmed.»
Ongoing issues reach fever pitch
Figueroa shared an email with The Republic that he said was forwarded to him from the building’s landlord in which members of the community threatened a Cease and Desist letter. The email alleged that the restaurateurs originally advertised a «closed system» of smoke ventilation, but upon opening, the flue vented smoke «into the common area courtyard where smoke congregates and enters the building and several units.»
In emails shared with The Republic, between Figueroa and Kim Williams, the community manager for Associated Asset Management — the HOA responsible for Artisan Lofts — the two were discussing game plans for ways to mitigate the smoke away from residents as recently as Jan. 27.