$10,000 members-only sushi restaurant set to open in Miami
December 12, 2023
Miami is set to host a $10,000 members-only sushi restaurant, Ura, featuring renowned Tokyo-based chef Hidefumi Namba.
Making a deal: Namba, known for his meticulous approach to temperature control, has dreamt of expanding to a “beautiful city that always has good weather,” according to Bloomberg. In a departure from the usual trend of Japanese chefs choosing New York for expansion, first-time restaurateurs Samuel and Jose Tcherassi convinced the admired craftsman of Tokyo’s Sushi Namba to open a restaurant in Miami.
About Ura: The result of the deal was a 1,700-square-feet, multi-concept space designed by Colombian architecture studio Cinco Solidos and featuring a 10-seat sushi counter, a jazz lounge called the Listening Room, a private four-seat area overlooking a garden and the U.S. branch of members-only Bar Cocktailante Oboro, offering bespoke fruit-based elixirs crafted by Kazuki Yonekawa.
The menu: Namba plans to bring his Edomae-style sushi to Miami, with dishes like gizzard shad (kohada) served at precise temperatures. The menu of Ura, set to open in Allapattah next summer, will feature around seven small appetizers and approximately 15 onigiri, with 90% of the ingredients sourced from Japan. Namba will personally select the Toyosu Market fish that will be flown to Miami three times a week.
Members only: To access Sushi Namba and the Listening Room, Miami residents must pay a $10,000 membership fee, granting them monthly seats at the sushi counter and access to the bar and jazz lounge. The cost of a sushi omakase meal ranges from $400 to $500 per person. The Tcherassi brothers, who have started accepting reservations, plan to cap membership at around 300.
Not the first: Ura reflects the growing trend of private dining and drinking spots in the U.S., with Major Food Group already operating Miami’s ZZ’s Club, which requires a $10,000 initiation fee and $3,500 annual membership.
The restaurant landscape in Japan has long featured members-only and referral-based spots. For in-demand restaurants, selective admission helps operators control the dining experience. The Tcherassi brothers believe that an expensive members-only venue provides guests with a superior experience, emphasizing customization and Japanese hospitality principles.
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