Matt Horn first opened Horn Barbecue in 2016 as a food truck, selling smoked meats and Texas-inspired brisket all while cementing a new category of West Coast barbecue at the Tracy Farmers Market. In January 2025, he shuttered Kowbird’s West Oakland location, following a notice from the city of Oakland about additional permitting, and a lawsuit for ADA violations. In February 2026, Horn’s Elk Grove barbecue location closed, and Horn was evicted from its Lafayette space. The Old Oakland restaurant itself had shown signs of slowing down prior to the announcement. In early 2025, Nosh reported that the Old Oakland Horn Barbecue location shuttered temporarily.