Nine Black women are suing Cork & Bull Chophouse in Chesapeake, Virginia for $5 million in federal court, alleging the upscale steakhouse refused to serve them and forced them out because of their race after a fight broke out between other patrons nearby. The Cork and Bull lawsuit was filed January 20, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the restaurant’s owners have publicly denied that race played any part in what happened.
What Happened at the Restaurant
On November 6, 2025, the nine women gathered at Cork & Bull for a “Friendsgiving” dinner, dressed in matching white tops and denim. During the evening, a physical altercation broke out at a nearby table. The plaintiffs say they had no connection to the people fighting and were simply seated close by.1WTKR. Women File $5 Million Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull Chophouse
After staff broke up the fight, the complaint says manager Andrew Lewis approached the women’s table and told them the restaurant would not be serving them. When asked why, Lewis allegedly said, “because you all like to fight.”2The Virginian-Pilot. 9 Black Women Claim Discrimination in $5 Million Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull Chophouse in Chesapeake Police who responded questioned the group and confirmed they had not been involved in the altercation.1WTKR. Women File $5 Million Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull Chophouse
Even after that confirmation, the lawsuit alleges, chef Dallas Walton confronted the women as they gathered their belongings, telling them “I run this [expletive]” and “Get the [expletive] out” in what the complaint calls a “hostile and humiliating manner.”1WTKR. Women File $5 Million Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull Chophouse
Owners Brian and Teresa Mullins describe the fight differently. They say it involved a group of three women celebrating a birthday who “openly brawl[ed] in the middle of the main dining room,” overturning chairs and knocking into the plaintiffs’ table. The plaintiffs counter that existing video shows only two people involved in the fight, not three, and none at their table.3WAVY. Cork & Bull Owners Dispute Narrative of Women Suing Them After Restaurant Incident The restaurant’s surveillance footage has not been publicly released.
The Plaintiffs, Defendants, and Court
The case is captioned Holt et al v. Cork and Bull Restaurant, Inc. et al, case number 2:26-cv-00075, in the Eastern District of Virginia.4PACER Monitor. Holt et al v. Cork and Bull Restaurant, Inc. et al The nine plaintiffs are Shakoya Holt (also known as Shakoya Somerville-Holt), Ashley McNair, Tenisha Jones, Tenisha Barnes, Crystal McCabe, Anquonette Bazemore, Tammika Patterson, Ashley Pickens, and Kimberly Boney. They are represented by attorney Joyvan Malbon-Griffin of JMG Law.5WAVY. 9 Women File $5 Million Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull
The defendants are Cork and Bull Restaurant, Inc. (managed by M&M Hospitality Group), owner Robert “Brian” Mullins, manager Andrew Lewis, and chef Dallas Walton.2The Virginian-Pilot. 9 Black Women Claim Discrimination in $5 Million Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull Chophouse in Chesapeake Lewis and Walton were served on January 23, 2026. Along with the restaurant, they are represented by Rachael Luzietti Loughlin and Kara Yi Lin White of O’Hagan Meyer, PLLC.4PACER Monitor. Holt et al v. Cork and Bull Restaurant, Inc. et al
What the Lawsuit Claims
The complaint alleges wrongful removal, racial stereotyping, denial of service, and verbal assault, all in violation of federal civil rights laws protecting equal access to places of public accommodation.5WAVY. 9 Women File $5 Million Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull The plaintiffs seek $5 million in damages for what they describe as “malicious and reckless conduct,” plus an injunction requiring policy changes at the restaurant.2The Virginian-Pilot. 9 Black Women Claim Discrimination in $5 Million Lawsuit Against Cork & Bull Chophouse in Chesapeake
The lawsuit also details emotional harm to the plaintiffs. At least one required medical treatment for stress, others sought counseling, and several have avoided dining out since. “We definitely made memories, but those memories are memories of pain, hurt, embarrassment, confusion and humiliation,” Somerville-Holt told WTKR.6People. 9 Black Friends Were Allegedly Forced to Leave Restaurant After Witnessing Brawl
How the Restaurant Is Responding
Brian Mullins has publicly called the lawsuit a “false attack.” He and Teresa say they spent more than 80 days reviewing surveillance footage and conducting an internal investigation, which he says produced “overwhelming evidence supporting the decisions made by our team that evening.”7WTKR. Cork and Bull Calls Racism Allegations in $5M Lawsuit a False Attack The restaurant’s official statement reads: “We deny in the strongest possible terms that racism of any kind or type played a role in the decisions made by our staff, and we expect a full and complete vindication of their actions.”8Cork & Bull Chophouse. Press – About Mullins has pointed to a 40-year track record of operating businesses “without regard to race, sex or age.”3WAVY. Cork & Bull Owners Dispute Narrative of Women Suing Them After Restaurant Incident
The two sides give conflicting accounts of pre-suit talks. Mullins says his attorney reached out in late December 2025 to invite the plaintiffs to sit down and discuss the incident, but the offer was declined. Malbon-Griffin says her clients did not want to return to the restaurant because it was a “traumatizing place,” so she offered to meet with the owners herself. She says the restaurant never responded to that counteroffer.7WTKR. Cork and Bull Calls Racism Allegations in $5M Lawsuit a False Attack
Where the Case Stands
On February 13, 2026, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss Counts IV and V of the complaint for failure to state a claim. They filed a reply brief on March 2, 2026 after the plaintiffs filed their opposition.4PACER Monitor. Holt et al v. Cork and Bull Restaurant, Inc. et al That motion was still pending as of the most recent available court records. If it succeeds, only those two counts would be knocked out; the remainder of the complaint would move forward.
Outside the courtroom, the fallout continues. A video Somerville-Holt posted the day after the incident drew organized protests outside the restaurant, and on November 20, 2025 the NAACP Virginia State Conference and NAACP Chesapeake Branch issued a joint statement condemning the restaurant’s actions and calling for management to acknowledge what happened.9NAACP Virginia State Conference. NAACP Virginia State Conference and NAACP Chesapeake Branch Issue Statement on Racial Incident at Cork and Bull Restaurant The owners say the controversy has caused “significant damage” to the restaurant’s reputation and revenue, including threats against staff and what they described as “staged” protests.7WTKR. Cork and Bull Calls Racism Allegations in $5M Lawsuit a False Attack