FORT WORTH
Austin restaurateur Tyson Cole, one of America’s best-known sushi masters and a repeat award winner for his Uchi restaurant, will open a $3.75 million location of his Uchibā izakaya-style bar in the Shops at Clearfork, according to a state registration.
The restaurant will open in fall 2027 at 5185 Marathon Ave., a new building in the southwest Fort Worth shopping center, according to the filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Uchibā has not announced the location. The company expanded this year from Dallas and Austin to Charlotte, North Carolina, and is also building in Miami.
But according to the registration, the new restaurant will occupy 3,577 square feet plus another 2,415 square feet on a covered patio.
Uchibā features James Beard Award chef Tyson Cole’s sushi. Shindy Chen Charlotte Observer archives
The location is at Marathon Avenue and Gage Avenue, across Gage Avenue from the Mesero restaurant.
It is in the same block as the new location of Piattello Italian Kitchen, which will move to Clearfork from Bryant Irvin Road in the Waterside shops.
An Uchibā is open in Dallas at 2817 Maple Ave., above Cole’s upscale Uchi restaurant.
Texas Monthly magazine described Uchibā as a “crowd-pleaser” and a casual cocktail lounge. The name uchibā means an “Uchi Bar,” known for small plates, a busy happy hour and simple items such as edamame hummus or the karaage (chicken thigh) along with a vast sushi and sashimi menu and Japanese whiskeys.
James Beard Award and sushi master Tyson Cole will open Uchibā. Photo courtesy of Uchibā
Tyson Cole’s sushi empire began 23 years ago at the first Uchi on South Lamar Boulevard in Austin.
In college, he washed dishes at the Kyoto restaurant in Austin, according to published profiles. After a trip through New York City, he returned to open Uchi and add Uchiko, a “Japanese farmhouse” restaurant; Loro, a fusion barbecue restaurant developed with Franklin Barbecue chef Aaron Franklin; and Uchibā.
In 2011, he won the industry’s top recognition, a James Beard Award, as best chef in the Southwest. He had been a frequent semifinalist and was also a semifinalist for the award as the nation’s top chef.
Uchi has been listed by Bon Appetit magazine as one of the nation’s 20 “most important” restaurants and by the Robb Report as one of the 100 greatest American restaurants to open in the 21st century.
A Cole restaurant strengthens Fort Worth dining scene and national reputation, chef Blaine Staniford of Grace said.
In 2018, Staniford was a guest chef for a special ramen night at the Uchibā in Dallas.
“This is very exciting,” he said, calling Cole “very talented and creative.”
Owner Dain Adam Jones of Grace, a downtown steakhouse, said he is “thrilled” that Cole would open a Fort Worth concept.
“Love the continued growth of the Fort Worth culinary scene,” Jones said.
Uchibā is the work of James Beard Award sushi master Tyson Cole. Photo courtesy of Uchibā
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the “Eats Beat” dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 — that’s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat.
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