Food & Drink

Another Local Restaurant, Katsu Detroit, Bites the Dust After a Half-Year Run

June 26, 2019, 5:50 PM by  Allan Lengel


The Woodbridge newcomer opened three days after Christmas 2018. (Photo: TripAdvisor, George S.)

Six or seven years ago, there was dearth of good restaurants around town.

But that has changed in recent years with an avalanche of new places, including SheWolf Detroit, Bakersfield, the Dime Store and San Morello. That's the good news. The bad news is there's more competition and being good is sometimes just not good enough these days. 

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"Izakaya" in the name means gastropub in Japanese. (Photo: Restaurant's Instagram)

The latest to close is Izakaya Katsu Detroit, a Japanese restaurant at 5069 Trumbull Ave. in Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood. It opened last Dec. 28 and the final day is Sunday, reports Brenna Houck of Eater Detroit.

Joshua Chiatovich, a minority partner in the izakaya (gastropub in Japanese), tells Eater that Katsu Detroit had a significant cash flow issue that was exacerbated by a costly opening.

“We lost so much money just in the first couple months, just because, quite frankly, my business partners are very successful in Asia, but the American market was very new to them — so the understanding of food costs, the understanding of employee costs, the understanding of the American market in general,” he says. As the buzz died down and business leveled off, the restaurant hemorrhaged even more funds.


Outside wall (Photo: Yelp, Vivian L.)

Katsu Detroit has a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp, where 64 guests post reviews.

Other Detroit restaurants that have folded in recent years include:

  • Macabees Traders, an Asian-inspired spot on Woodward in Midtown
  • Sweet Lorraine's Fabulous Mac n' Brewz on Cass, also in Midtown
  • Park Shelton Pizza on Woodward (Midtown yet again)
  • New Parthenon on Monroe in Greektown
  • Two stands at Fort Street Galley downtown

Katsu Detroit farewell gallery


Atmospheric and authentic wall decor. (Photo: Yelp, Kei K.)

Ten seats are at the small bar. (Photo: Yelp, Nemo A.)

(Photo: Yelp, Steve T.)

The launch week staff, back when they had reasons to smile optimistically. (Photo: Restaurant's Instgram page)

 


Read more:  Eater Detroit


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