Sushi Dojo is coming to Southlake. The new quick-service sushi restaurant, which will open at 3105 E. Southlake Blvd., Suite 140, will host its soft opening from January 25 to 30 and its grand opening on Wednesday, February 3.
After making rolls of the Kroger sushi bar in North Richland Hills for several years, Ryan Nguyen was trying to figure out his next move. So he opened a food truck under the name Sushi Dojo in March 2020. However, quickly after launching the new brand, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
He pivoted his business model, taking advantage of his new wheels and focusing on hosting pop-up deliveries throughout the Metroplex. After posting his offerings on social media, Sushi Dojo began to gain a following thanks to its eye-catching, family-sized sushi trays.
“It was really tough. We were trying to figure out how to survive,” Ryan says. “We were doing that six days a week just to survive. That was how we were able to stay afloat.”
After picking up traction, Ryan wanted to take his brand to the next level. The owner of Frezko Taco Spot told Ryan he was not renewing his Southlake lease. So Ryan jumped at the opportunity to join the Southlake dining community.
When shaping Sushi Dojo’s brick-and-mortar concept, Ryan knew he did not want to follow the typical sushi spot approach. Instead, he wanted to own a restaurant that gave families the chance to make sushi an every-day treat.
“We are trying to make it a fun inviting concept on the affordable side,” Ryan says. “Our rolls are like $8-12; nothing that’s breaking the bank.”
Sushi lovers have plenty of rolls to choose from at Sushi Dojo, like the Vegan Warrior, made with cucumber, carrots, sliced avocado, sweet sauce and fried onion, and Dojo Crunch, featuring crab, avocado and cream cheese with spicy sauce, sweet sauce and fried onion.
On top of its signature rolls, Sushi Dojo will offer pho, rice bowls, poke and sushi burritos. Locals can still enjoy the party trays Sushi Dojo became known for, as long as they are pre-ordered the day before pickup.