Cafe Habana Sued for Being Sleazy, Pimping Waitresses

In the latest salacious lawsuit to hit the New York restaurant world, four former waitresses are suing Nolita's trendy Cafe Habana for sleazy practices ranging from illegal tip pooling and non-payment of overtime work to blatant discrimination. According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Grub Street, the women say restaurant owner Sean Meenan required them to wear provocative outfits to work, pressured them into posing in the annual Habana Girls calendar, and demanded that one go on a date with Marley & Me star Owen Wilson. When they didn't comply, they lost lucrative shifts or were sent home. One plaintiff alleges that a managers never responded to sexual harassment complaints made against the chefs, while another says she was accusing of "raping" the restaurant when she refused to pose as a pinup girl.

Meenan has yet to make a comment about the complaints.
· 'Habana Girls' File Lawsuit Over Wages, Pinup Calendar [GS]
· Eatery Sued Over Star Snub [Page Six]