Skip to Content
News

Pasadena’s ‘No Tipping’ Restaurant Sued By Feds For Allegedly Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars In Tips From Workers

The Department of Labor alleges that the owners of Entre Nous French Bistro, “knowingly and willfully withheld a portion” of tips that were supposed to go to their workers, and instead used the money to fund business expenses. Authorities hope to recover roughly $250,000 in back wages “and an equal amount in liquidated damages for 18 employees.”

Screenshot from Entre Nous French Bistro/Instagram

A owners of a Pasadena restaurant stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from more than a dozen employees, according to a U.S. Department of Labor complaint filed in federal court last month.

The Department of Labor alleges that Jean-Christophe Febbrari and Mathias Wakrat, the owners of Entre Nous French Bistro, “knowingly and willfully withheld a portion” of tips that were supposed to go to their workers, and instead used the money to fund business expenses.

Febbrari and Wakrat collected credit card and cash tips from customers and automatically deposited the funds into a business account, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found. They also collected cash tips, stored them under a cash register and then deposited them into their business account, according to the complaint.

Only a portion of the tips were distributed to staff, “through a Zelle wire transfer on a weekly basis,” according to the Feds.

For example, in December 2021 customers left more than $12,000 in credit card tips to employees. Only about $7,500 of that money went to staff. The rest was used for “other purposes,” according to the Department of Labor’s complaint.

Additionally, investigators found that Febbrari and Wakrat “misclassified several employees as independent contractors and did not keep accurate pay records.”

Authorities hope to recover roughly $250,000 in back wages “and an equal amount in liquidated damages for 18 employees.” The department of labor is also seeking an injunction forbidding the restaurant and its owners “from future violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.”

“Illegal practices by restaurant employers such as Entre Nous French Bistro in Pasadena hurt employees and also law-abiding employers who face unfair competition due to the stealing of tips by unscrupulous employers,” said regional solicitor of labor Marc Pilotin in San Francisco. “Customers expect — and the law requires — that tips go to employees, not their employer. We seek to recover the wages owed, enjoin this company from future violations and protect the significant public interest at stake.”

Hailing from the French Riviera, a world renowned coastal region of Southern France that runs along the Mediterranean Sea, Febbrari and Wakrat opened Entre Nous French Bistro in Old Town Pasadena in 2018 after selling their shares in another French restaurant. The restaurant's name translates to “between us” in English.

Entre Nous automatically adds a charge to all bills, according to their online menu and a photo of a printed menu from October. 

“A 20% fee will be added to your bill. This is not a gratuity or tip. We are a no tipping establishment,” the menu reads. “The fee is revenue that is not segmented or designated in any way; it is taxed per state law and is used to fund all of our operations.”

The restaurant also has a “$50 minimum order per person seated at a table” requirement, according to their online menu.

Based on a review of Entre Nous French Bistro’s menus posted on Yelp, it appears that the 20 percent charge and disclaimer were added to the menu recently. Earlier menus show that the restaurant previously charged “18% gratuity” for parties of six or more.

In their complaint, the Department of Labor confirmed that on May 25 of last year, while an investigation into Entre Nous was pending, Febbrari and Wakrat “implemented a no-tip policy and instead collected a 20% service charge from customers. However, some customers still leave cash tips for employees” and Febbrari and Wakrat “continue to wrongfully keep employee earned cash tips instead of distributing them to employees.”

Under federal law, an employer is allowed to take a “tip credit” to help cover minimum wage and overtime obligations, but they are not permitted to keep “any portion of employees tips for any purpose, whether directly or through a tip pool,” according to the Department of Labor. 

A service charge applied to a bill is not considered a tip under the Federal Labor Standards Act.

The owners of Entre Nous French Bistro did not respond to a request for comment sent via email Thursday morning. Telephone calls to the restaurant went to voicemail.

If you suspect you’ve been a victim of wage theft, you can search an online database to see if the U.S. Department of Labor has money waiting for you. 

You can also file a complaint against your employer through the agency.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

A New Food Hall Just Opened at a Former Juvenile Detention Facility in Whittier

And a new Downtown pizza place from Issa Rae and friends, a Drag bingo night for Cinco de Mayo, and a promising new food hall in a former juvenile detention center now filled with murals and Estevan Oriol photos.

May 2, 2025

Revisiting ‘Mi Familia’ and the Main Filming Location In Boyle Heights 30 Years Later

Boyle Heights has changed since Gregory Nava filmed 'Mi Familia' 30 years ago, and gentrification threatens the neighborhood’s very essence. Unchangeable, however, is the commanding presence of the concrete viaduct at 4th and Lorena where he shot most of the iconic film.

May 1, 2025

Here Are All the Tacos Being Served At TACO MADNESS 2025

This is L.A.’s taco-soul on full display—diverse, delicious, and the best of the best available in one spot only this Saturday.

This Brazilian Barbecue On Wheels Makes The Best Picanha Sandwiches In L.A.

These slider-sized sandwiches are served five to an order for $16. Built on a split bun of pão de queijo, each contains a single wedge of picanha sliced perfectly to fit inside, slicked with a garlicky aioli and churrasco’s chunky longtime companion, the salsa known as molho a campanha.

May 1, 2025

People Drive Five Hours For These Brain Tacos In California

“No customer of mine leaves hungry,” says the taquero behind the very popular shop specializing in beef head tacos. “All my employees have the authority and approval to gift a free taco to new customers, even if they don’t buy anything. We want you to try it before you say no.”

April 30, 2025
See all posts