Uchi Signs Lease for 11th Restaurant, 7,100 Square Feet in Boston

Hai Hospitality has signed a lease for an 11th Uchi restaurant, a 7,100-square-foot space in Boston scheduled to open in late 2027. The Austin, Texas-based group, which operates 10 locations of chef Tyson Cole's Japanese concept, will take space at 374 Congress Street in the Fort Point neighborhood. Eastern Real Estate is the landlord.

The deal marks the group's push into the Northeast, a region where it currently has no presence disclosed in the announcement. The timing is notable. Chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers pulled back on dining, according to Technomic's Top 500 ranking, though that pressure has hit chains harder than independent fine dining. Uchi is betting the premium segment still travels.

How will the Boston room be configured?

The restaurant will seat 210 guests in total. The breakdown is specific:

• 11 seats at the sushi counter
• 17 seats at the bar
• 26 seats in a private dining room, divisible into two sections

Hai Hospitality has hired Islyn Studio to design the interior. The firm is not new to the group; it designed the Uchi location in Washington, D.C., and the Miami location of sister concept Uchiko. Corgan Associates is the architect of record.

The company described the design concept as a seaside antique shop with Colonial architecture and "vintage Japanese-inspired craftsmanship." The intent, it said, is to reflect both New England's history and Uchi's Japanese heritage.

Why Fort Point?

Chief Development Officer Todd Reppert framed the site choice around the neighborhood's maritime history.

"We chose Fort Point because we wanted a neighborhood that reflects Boston's rich history: its nautical roots as one of early America's most important ports, and its role as the gateway to New England," Reppert said in a statement.

CEO Tony Montero tied the lease to a wider regional strategy. "We've been looking to grow our presence in the Northeast, and Boston's culture, community and appreciation for diverse culinary perspectives drew our attention," he said in a statement. "Boston's strong fundamentals make it a natural next step for Uchi."

Neither executive named other target markets, nor did the company disclose lease terms, projected buildout costs or expected staffing levels.

What else does Hai Hospitality operate?

The group's portfolio extends well beyond Uchi. It runs:

• Five Uchiko restaurants, focused on live fire cooking
• Two Uchiba locations, a more cocktail-oriented format
• Oheya, an omakase tasting room in Houston
• Loro, a three-unit Asian smokehouse concept

That gives Hai roughly 21 units across its brands, with Uchi remaining the flagship fine-dining flag. The company did not say whether the Northeast expansion would include the lower-priced Loro or Uchiba formats, or Uchi alone.

Boston's competitive Japanese dining scene and high real estate costs present obvious execution risk for a 210-seat buildout. The two-year runway to a late 2027 opening gives the group room to manage construction, but the company has not announced a general contractor or an opening-team hiring plan.

If Boston performs, expect the Northeast pipeline to widen beyond one lease.