Sushi Kuwahata and Issho Ni Izakaya, Ohio City Issho Ni has been selling ramen, sushi and other Japanese foods in Willoughby since 2019. Come winter, the owners will open a new restaurant in Ohio City, in the renovated VFW building on Fulton that was briefly home to Cha Pizza. On the main floor diners will find Issho Ni Izakaya, while the second floor will be home to Sushi Kuwahata. Upstairs will be purpose-built around a high-end omakase experience, with just eight spots for the 20-course meals. In contrast, downstairs will be a high-energy bar serving contemporary Japanese small plates, beer and sake. Credit: Scene archives
Sushi Kuwahata, the new sushi restaurant from Chef Kwan, is now open in Ohio City. After a few private events this past weekend, Kwan is moving onto the public phase of his exclusive omakase sushi experience.

Sushi Kuwahata builds off the success of the special 20-course, $200 dinners that Kwan hosted in Willoughby. Kwan, who is an owner in Kogane restaurant in L.A., announced last year that he was opening Kuwahata in the Ohio City building that was briefly home to Cha Pizza. The main floor will be dedicated to a separate casual izakaya concept called Kyuu Juu, which is run by chef Ryan Endrian, while the second floor is home to Sushi Kuwahata.

For now, Sushi Kuwahata is open only Sunday and Monday nights, with just one seating for eight guests on those nights. The 15- to 20-course meals cost $350 per person and are sold out through June. The reservations for July will open at 3 p.m. on June 20 on the restaurant’s Tock page. Sometime in July, additional nights of service will be added.

Diners can expect to find a world-class omakase experience that features rare, exotic and seasonal fish flown in directly from Japan and Los Angeles. Unlike the contemporary style that was presented in Willoughby, Sushi Kuwahata is more along the lines of a Tokyo-style “edomae” style, which leans on tradition and technique over creativity.

“Each piece is a testament to the beauty of the season, showcasing the finest flavors and textures of Japan’s culinary heritage,” says Kwan.

The main-floor izakaya is expected to open in early July.

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This article appears in Cleveland SCENE 06/05/25 Best of Cleveland.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.