Mysterious Sushi Restaurant Kukuri Departs Washington Avenue

Just a little over six months after opening its doors, mysterious Washington Avenue sushi restaurant Kukuri has closed.

A notice posted to the restaurant’s door indicates that Kukuri’s lease on the space at 1902 Washington Avenue was terminated, reports CultureMap, and the locks were changed. A “for lease” sign below that notice cements the closure, but Kukuri is still currently taking reservations on OpenTable. The restaurant’s owners have not responded to Eater’s requests for comment on why Kukuri departed so abruptly. The news may have even been a surprise to them, considering that Kukuri was just encouraging its diners to leave Yelp reviews of their experience as recently as yesterday.

In its short lifespan, Kukuri earned a truly mixed bag of reviews. Some Yelpers reported that the service and quality could be a little inconsistent, but the newest review on the site, posted yesterday, praised the restaurant’s sushi and shabu shabu. When it opened, the sushi bar was helmed by much-lauded chef Shimao Ishikawa, a 40-year veteran of the sushi business who came to Houston by way of New York City’s Jewel Bako.

Stay tuned for more details on Kukuri’s demise.

• New Japanese Restaurant Kukuri Arrives In Houston [EHOU]
• Washington Avenue sushi spot suddenly shutters after only 6 months [CultureMap]