Cafe Japon Comes Back From the Dead, Springs Up on Memorial

Well, well, well. Look who's back from the dead after calling it quits on Upper Kirby: Cafe Japon. After a 19 year run at 3915 Kirby Drive, the late night sushi restaurant shuttered last December. Shortly after closing, it was rumored Cafe Japon relocated to East Downtown under the name Japon Sushi, but that doesn't appear to be the case any longer.

A tipster sends along word Cafe Japon has moved to 5900 Memorial Drive. The restaurant now resides in suite 102, the 4,280 square-foot  ground floor space vacated by Zushi Japanese Cuisine in 2013. A hostess confirmed the move, noting the sushi spot quietly reopened Thursday, March 12. 

Besides new digs, nothing has changed much with the exception of new management. The extensive menu remains offering a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi and cocktails. Late hours aren't in effect yet, but happy-hour revelers will be glad to know $5 rolls and sashimi/sushi platters for under $8 are available Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (and all day on Sunday). As for its former location in Upper Kirby, the property was scooped up last fall by Tampa-based beer chain World of Beer, which is expected to open later this year.

Cafe Japon is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., reopening at 5 p.m. and closing at 10 p.m. Hours for Fridays are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 9 p.m. on Sundays.




Update (9:41 a.m.) : Cafe Japon did move to the East Downtown in December, according to a commenter on Eater Houston's Facebook page. The commenter implies the restaurant didn't pay its rent, leading to the restaurant being evicted, per a note on the restaurant's door. Eater Houston reached out to management over the weekend but will continue to reach out for a comment.