New Beavercreek restaurant Izakaya temporarily closes after ‘overwhelming support’ on opening weekend

Izakaya will reopen later this week.
Izakaya at the Mall at Fairfield Commons. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

Izakaya at the Mall at Fairfield Commons. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

Izakaya, an anime-themed restaurant and bar at The Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek, was met with “overwhelming support” during opening weekend resulting in a temporary closure through Wednesday, Feb. 14.

“To optimize our workflow and provide you with the exceptional experience you deserve, we’ve made the decision to temporarily close from Sunday through Wednesday,” a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page states. “During this time, we’ll be working to address staffing needs and streamline our processes.”

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When the restaurant opened its doors on Friday, the waitlist was at full capacity by 8:15 p.m. On Saturday, the restaurant posted around 1 p.m. there was a 3-hour wait to be seated and it was not taking phone reservations. An update at 7 p.m. Saturday stated that they were once again at full capacity.

“We’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your overwhelming support during our recent opening days! Your enthusiasm has been incredible, and we couldn’t be more grateful for each and every one of you,” the post said. “We’re committed to delivering the best possible dining experience, which is why we’ll be reopening on Thursday for reservations only. This will allow us to manage demand more effectively and ensure that each guest receives the attention and service they deserve.”

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Izakaya is located on the upper level of the mall near Morris Furniture in the space that previously housed Spinoza’s Pizza and Good Spirits.

The new restaurant and bar offers pizza, spirits, Korean corn dogs and Japanese pop culture, a press release from the mall previously stated. There will also be karaoke nights and anime watch parties.

“After visiting Japan before the pandemic, I found myself wanting to bring home some of the highlights of my experience and turn them into a reality here in Ohio,” said Adam Smith, co-owner of Izakaya. “We want to bring a unique and delicious dining experience to the Beavercreek area and there’s no better place than The Mall at Fairfield Commons.”

Smith is also the owner of Nani!?, a one-stop shop for everything anime and Japanese pop culture, and Original 151, a store with authentic Pokémon merchandise.

For more information and updates on Izakaya, visit www.izakaya.moe or the restaurant’s Facebook page.

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