EXCLUSIVE: Revolving sushi bar to open in Tysons

The national chain Kura Sushi is bringing a sushi bar to Tysons, its first Virginia location.

The publicly traded company, whose closest site right now is in D.C., plans to open at 8461 Leesburg Pike by the end of this year, spokesperson Lauren Murakami confirmed.

Kura Sushi will replace the closed Roti Mediterranean Grill restaurant at the plaza, which is anchored by Best Buy and also has Chick-fil-A and Chipotle. The center will also soon house Vertical Rock, a bouldering gym expected to open this spring.

“We’ve been wanting to expand more on the east coast, as the majority of our restaurants are primarily on the west coast, specifically in Southern California,” Murakami wrote in an email. “Tysons Corner is reputable for its premier entertainment and shopping centers, and we offer a unique technology-driven dining experience that we feel will cater to this lively community.”

Kura Sushi’s D.C. restaurant features $3.15 sushi plates served on a conveyor belt that rolls food to customers’ tables, a setup that will be familiar to patrons of Wasabi in Tysons Corner Center.

Menu items generally range from spicy tuna and shrimp avocado rolls to softshell crab tempura, ramen and udon soups, and Japanese-style soy milk doughnuts and other desserts.

The company is an offshoot of a Japan-based brand of the same name that has over 480 restaurants. The American subsidiary, Kura Sushi USA, has dozens of locations, mostly in California and Texas.

A quarterly earnings report on Jan. 6 reaffirmed the company’s plan to open eight to 10 new restaurants this fiscal year, which started Sept. 1, 2021.