Sophon, acclaimed Seattle restaurant and bar with money issues, closes
Sophon, the celebrated Cambodian restaurant on Phinney Ridge, opened with a bang in February 2024 - but the Seattle restaurant quietly closed this spring as the state Department of Revenue revoked its certificate of registration.
A Department of Revenue spokesperson said Tuesday that Sophon owner Karuna Long's taxpayers certificate of registration was revoked on June 1 and the business's reseller permit was voided two days later.
The business owes the state more than $160,000.
A certificate of registration allows a business to collect taxes, according to the DOR representative, who said Tuesday that "a business license entity is unable to operate" without the certificate "because they cannot collect taxes."
According to an order revoking Sophon's certificate of registration dated June 1, the DOR issued three King County tax warrants last year, on April 10, Aug. 21 and Dec. 29, 2025, against Long and his LLC, Chol Mouy. The outstanding tax warrants total $165,050.86.
"License revocation is the last option available when a business or taxpayer has failed to come into voluntary compliance, the DOR spokesperson said Tuesday. "If a business is not open it makes settling the balance harder, so it is not a decision that is made lightly and only made when a taxpayer has demonstrated a consistent pattern of noncompliance."
Sophon was a 2025 James Beard Awards semifinalist for the title of best new bar in America and was named among Bon Appétit's 20 best new places in the country in 2024. But this year has been rocky for Long, whose restaurant and bar closed down unexpectedly after a staff walkout in February, with two employees filing nonpayment complaints with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
Long said at the time that "cash flow issues" led to late paychecks as well as missed utility and vendor payments for Sophon. Long worked to pay back employees during a two-week closure, reopening with a mix of returning and new staff.
When asked for comment this week about Sophon's closure, the Department of Revenue warrants, staff pay and the walkout, Long said only that "my heart is broken."
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