The Closures Continue: Sushi-Rama to Shutter Four of Its Five Locations

Last week brought a lot of big-name closures in the local dining scene, and now there's news of another loss.

Chef Jeff Osaka's conveyor belt sushi concept Sushi-Rama debuted in the RiNo neighborhood in 2015, just a block from his first ramen shop, Osaka Ramen. Three years later, he added a second Sushi-Rama outpost at Belleview Station. In the ensuing years, he introduced locations in Lone Tree, Broomfield and Aurora, near the Fitzsimons campus.

On February 26, though, Osaka announced the closure of those four suburban locations. "Ownership is consolidating efforts to focus on the original two locations (Sushi-Rama + Osaka Ramen) in the RiNo neighborhood, which will remain open," his statement says. "The last day of service for the suburban locations will be Friday, March 8," although the Aurora outpost has already closed.

The only other conveyor belt sushi joint in the metro area is Chubby Cattle, at 2 Broadway; it's an offshoot of a Vegas-born chain that first came to Denver in 2018 with a focus on hot pot before pivoting to sushi instead.

Japanese fare in general has been booming in the metro area, with openings including Kumoya and Kawa Ni in LoHi; a new Denver outpost of Breckenridge-based the Blue Fish on Wewatta Street; Lava on Market Street, with sushi from two former Sushi Ronin chefs; and an all-you-can-eat spot called Chubby Fish Sushi in Thornton. The Sushi Den team also has a new concept coming this summer.

But still, Sushi-Rama has become an affordable, fun go-to for many, so this news is sure to leave a lot of diners — particularly in the suburbs — feeling raw.