16 UES Restaurants Stole Wages From Workers: New Data Analysis

UPPER EAST SIDE — More than a dozen Upper East Side restaurants owe nearly 350 workers roughly $650,000 in unpaid wages, according to a new data analysis.

Sixteen neighborhood diners, ristorantes and cafes failed to pay 347 workers exactly $645,344.37 between January 2012 and December 2022, according to a Documented analysis of state and federal Labor department data.

While Documented's thorough investigation looked at multiple industries, the restaurant business is thought to be the epicenter of wage theft across the state.

“It is likely you will find businesses that you know, and maybe some you love," said Documented Executive Co-Director Max Siegelbaum. "Everything from small corner shops to major New York institutions are included in the data.”

Wage and hour records from the state and federal Departments of Labor showed that these restaurants in Upper East Side have stiffed their workers on wages:

Atomic Wings at 1140 Second Ave.

• Wages Owed: $50,509.12
• Workers Stiffed: 33

East River Diner at 1514 First Ave.

• Wages Owed: $68,941.35
• Workers Stiffed: 38

Erminia Ristorante at 250 E. 83rd St.

• Wages Owed: $19,867.95
• Workers Stiffed: 7

Gina La Fornarina at 1575 Second Ave.

• Wages Owed: $183,067.61
• Workers Stiffed: 109

Ginza Sushi Restaurant at 800 Lexington Ave.

• Wages Owed: $100,020.66
• Workers Stiffed: 31

Mama Gyro at 1113 Lexington Ave.

• Wages Owed: $18134.72
• Workers Stiffed: 9

Mxco Cafe at 1491 Second Ave.

• Wages Owed: $140
• Workers Stiffed: 1

Nino's Restaurant at 1354 First Ave.

• Wages Owed: $14,905.82
• Workers Stiffed: 25

Osso Buco Restaurant at 1662 Third Ave.

• Wages Owed: $8,155.36
• Workers Stiffed: 18

Patsy's Pizzeria at 1279 First Ave.

• Wages Owed: $3,621.50
• Workers Stiffed: 2

Pio Pio at 1746 First Ave.

• Wages Owed: $46726.25
• Workers Stiffed: 7

Ritz Diner at 1133 First Ave.

• Wages Owed: $65,426.44
• Workers Stiffed: 28

Szechuan Gourmet at 1395 Second Ave.

• Wages Owed: $9,902.04
• Workers Stiffed: 16

Tevere at 155 E. 85th St.

• Wages Owed: $11,558.40
• Workers Stiffed: 10

Timmy's By The River at 1737 York Ave.

• Wages Owed: $22,089.95
• Workers Stiffed: 9

Va Bene Kosher Restaurant at 1589 Second Ave.

• Wages Owed: $22,277.20
• Workers Stiffed: 11

The data above were compiled by Documentedfrom New York State and federal Departments of Labor collected between January 2012 to December 2022, according to Documented.

The numbers across the city are similarly sobering. Across New York, federal and state authorities have identified over 13,000 instances of wage theft between just 2017 and 2021, ProPublica and Documented reported.

These cases represent over $203 million stolen from 127,000 workers in the state - numbers considered by the U.S. Department of Labor to be a significant undercount, ProPublica and Documented reported.

The Westville chain was found guilty of wage theft at multiple locations — including the East Village, Hudson, West Village and Chelsea — totaling $1,832.33, according to the map.

Burlington Coat Factory in two locations stole workers’ wages totaling around $1,400.

On the higher end sat Eisenberg Sandwich Shop, a Fifth Avenue eatery opened in 1929, found to owe six workers $861,603 in wages. And Carbone Ristorante Italiano (not the famed Greenwich Village spot) owed $205,773.93 to one employee.

“Behind the dots on this map are the stories of over 100,000 workers," said Siegelbaum. "Some of whom missed rent, went hungry, or were unable to pay for medical care after losing a paycheck.”