Houston French restaurant BeauSoleil co-owner responds publicly to lawsuit

The fight over Garden Oaks restaurant BeauSoleil took another turn Thursday night when co-owner Miguel Facundo publicly shared his side of the heated dispute between himself and his former business partners. Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t look like anybody in the Houston foodie community is buying what he’s selling.

In Facundo’s statement to the Houston Heights Foodie Facebook group (and other group pages), he said he was motivated to respond to social media posts by “disgruntled former employees.”

“Upon review of various records, it became clear that some of the existing staff needed to be removed due to the fact they were negatively-and severely-impacting the success and stability of the restaurant. Although it was a tough decision, the longevity and rebirth of BeauSoleil was our focus and motivation as we continue to grow and evolve,” Facundo’s statement read.

Beausoleil is a French restaurant at 963 Judiway St. It is also, at present, the focus of a bitter legal dispute between Zachary and Briana McClendon, Facundo, Marcus Dotson and 963 Judiway LLC.  Back in August, Zachary posted a video showing Harris County Sheriff’s deputies preventing him and Dotson from entering BeauSoleil while his attorney questioned the deputies’ authority. The recorded confrontation was likely the first time the public got a view of the McClendons’ lawsuit, which was filed in December 2025 over control of the restaurant.

The accusations

The McClendons accused Facundo of inappropriate behavior, misuse of funds and other improprieties. The couple is seeking monetary relief and court orders restricting Facundo, Dotson and 963 Judiway LLC from interfering with restaurant operations while the lawsuit is pending. Ultimately, they are seeking the expulsion of Facundo, Dotson and 963 Judiway LLC from the business arrangement or an equitable buyout.

Facundo, in his legal answer, denied the allegations but did not go into further detail. Thursday night’s statement was the first incremental update on his side of things. He also promoted a possible second-story expansion to Beausoleil, one that would feature an additional indoor/outdoor dining experience and a 1,600-square-foot balcony, as well as a warning.

“We caution the many lovers of BeauSoleil against certain imitations that are currently in circulation. BeauSoleil’s cuisine is untouched and continues to gain in popularity,” Facundo’s statement read.

What comes next

The statement comes days before the McClendons’ planned “Beautiful Sun” pop-up at Cottonwood. The McClendons also continue to control BeauSoleil’s existing website and social media accounts. More than a week after our original report in August, Beausoleil HTX asked the public to avoid the “counterfeit” restaurant still bearing its name. 

A staff member at the restaurant directed Chron to a different website: beausoleilhouston.com. New social media accounts are reportedly in the works as well. As of Friday morning, it appears nearly, if not the entire, comment section had risen up against Facundo’s statement. Many outright voiced their support for the McClendons.

“Even if I didn’t know about the drama, this is a tacky way to do business,” replied one Houston Heights Foodies group member. “…As a new customer I’d be confused and it wouldn’t be intriguing me to come try your restaurant.”

“Bro just sell the property,” reads another response.

“Congratulations Miguel Facundo on making one of the most unifying posts I’ve seen in this (often deeply divided) group,” replied another member. “That’s some achievement.”

Chron has reached out to Facundo for more information. We’ll update the story when we hear back. A trial date has been set for the court case this coming December.

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This article originally published at Houston French restaurant BeauSoleil co-owner responds publicly to lawsuit.