Sushi Joe’s to Expand from the Rio to the University District

Two local ventures are expanding in an unusual direction, moving from casino resort settings to an off-Strip location, bringing pizza and and Japanese dining to the University District later this year.

Joining the already in place Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, Crumbl Cookies, and Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Pizza Forte and Sushi Joe’s will neighbor the soon-to-debut Roberto’s Taco Shop on the ground floor of the University Gateway high-rise apartment complex, across from the well- established Maryland Parkway home of In-N-Out Burger.

Bradley Martin

Still under construction inside a 1,731-square-foot corner space, Pizza Forte is expected to import a similar menu of Italian favorites, hot dogs, and pizza previously found at its shuttered Sunset Station and Hard Rock Hotel counter-service restaurants.

A few steps to the south, Sushi Joe’s is now confirmed to be launching a 1,693-square-foot sequel to chef Joe Richardson’s Japanese restaurant at the Rio, open six days a week inside the 172 music venue.

Richardson’s resume includes time at SushiSamba, Zuma, and BarMasa, and he’s already promoting Sushi Joe’s to the UNLV neighborhood as a destination for sushi, sashimi, Japanese tapas dishes, bento boxes, lunch specials, a happy hour, and versions of the omakase menus he has been developing at the Rio.

Neither project has yet to announce a projected opening date.

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