Japonessa to Open in Bellevue's Lincoln Square in Spring 2016

Sushi mogul Billy Beach is looking to the Eastside for expansion, planning to open a second Japonessa Sushi Cocina in Lincoln Square in Downtown Bellevue by spring 2016. Lincoln Square is the mixed use building developed by Kemper Freeman, Jr., on the corner of Bellevue Way NE and NE 8th Street, housing retail, offices, residential units and the Westin Hotel.

The original Japonessa opened in the summer of 2010 on the corner of 1st Avenue and Union Street in Downtown Seattle, across the street from the Pike Place Market. Beach plans a similar menu of sushi and hot Japanese dishes with a Latin American twist that has been successful at the original Japonessa. Like the original Japonessa, the Bellevue edition will offer lunch, happy hour, dinner and late night menus.

Beach has been in charge of sushi bars all over Seattle, including Rain in Wallingford, and Wasabi Bistro, Kushibar and Umi Sake House in Belltown. Beach opened the eponymous Billy Beach Sushi and Bar in Ballard in the spring of 2013.

Billy Beach will be looking to duplicate the success of the original Japonessa at a second location in Bellevue's Lincoln Square expected to open in spring 2016.

Contributed by Chris Nishiwaki.