A First Taste of Nikuya — Fort Worth’s New Sushi Restaurant on The Sinclair Hotel’s Rooftop

Few culinary traditions afford the sublime sensory harmony of masterfully prepared Japanese sushi. More than a century ago, the elusive fifth taste — umami — was discovered on the island nation, a discovery that completed our understanding of flavor itself and deepened the world’s appreciation for the art of balance, texture, and simplicity that defines true Japanese cuisine.

With the recent opening of Nikuya (Japanese for “butcher shop”) on The Sinclair hotel’s rooftop, Downtown Fort Worth gains a new dining destination centered on shared plates, superlative cuts of fish flown in from Japanese and global waters, and seasonal ingredients that showcase the best in Japanese cuisine.

Nafees Alam, co-founder and CEO of DRG Concepts (their concept Wicked Butcher is also at The Sinclair), tells PaperCity Fort Worth that his Dallas-based restaurant group saw an opening to introduce a sushi concept downtown after several similar establishments shuttered during 2020 and 2021.

Bringing a New Sushi Experience to Downtown Fort Worth

Alam says the rooftop bar was largely underutilized, used primarily by hotel guests on Friday and Saturday evenings. One logistical hurdle Alam’s team had to overcome with the limited space at the existing rooftop bar and restricted access via one elevator.

“I wanted this to be a siloed restaurant with no connection with the kitchen downstairs,” he says. “Everyone was concerned about how we were going to fit everything into this cramped space. When you go to Tokyo or Hong Kong, people do more with less space. I told them that we just have to be resourceful.”

To head Nikuya’s culinary operations, Alam brought on Chef Alvin Chik, who worked in San Francisco’s omakase scene before joining Uchiko, the Plano sister restaurant of Uchi. Chik developed the current menu that blends regional ingredients with traditional Japanese cuisine — something that is not commonly found in North Texas but is commonplace in South America, Alam says.

In his trips to Brazil, Alam says he found a vibrant sushi restaurant scene that harmoniously blended local peppers and seasonings into Japanese fare. Earlier this year, the chef tested dishes with guests at Wicked Butcher.

Alam explained that Nikuya isn’t intended to be a strictly traditional sushi bar. Instead, the menu draws from what’s locally available, incorporating ingredients like avocado that resonate with Texas diners and enhance the balance of flavors.

“We play with what is readily available here,” he says, adding, “If the flavors complement each other, we embrace it.”

What to Order at Nikuya

On a recent afternoon, we took The Sinclair hotel’s elevator to the top floor, where we were greeted by a hostess who guided us to an enclosed dining room with a horseshoe bar. Nearby, chefs were busily preparing cuts of fish for guests. The enclosure, with its glass walls and roof, offers unparalleled views of downtown, where thousands of festivalgoers filled the streets for Fort Worth’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration during our visit.

The Smoke and Mirrors cocktail was a lovely opener, with guava and orange flavors tinged with smokiness from the mezcal. Another cocktail, the Cowtown Old Fashioned, was a creative Japanese take on a venerable recipe. Plum bitters replaced the traditional orange flavors and paired well with the delicate Suntory Toki whisky.

First, we tried the Salmon Crudo, with slices of soft salmon resting on a shallow pool of yuzu leche de tigre. This citrus-forward sauce carried a slightly tart edge that brightened each bite without overpowering the mild seafood. The dish was visually striking, topped with small chunks of avocado and cuts of cilantro. Many of the plates we tried that afternoon had subtle Latin influences.

The Sweet Escape came topped with minced scallops drizzled in a hazelnut and coconut sauce. Delicately diced cucumbers added a pleasant crunch to the mild and balanced sushi roll. The Cowboy Kiss was a lovely fusion of Texas, Japanese, and Korean flavors. Bursts of pickled acidity came from pickled daikon radish, commonly found in Korean dishes, while fried salmon skin lent a textural contrast to the experience.

The chef surprised us with a small plate of scallops paired with cuts of fresh orange and placed in a citrusy sauce. Mild and buttery cuts of tuna and salmon sashimi rounded out our exceedingly enjoyable experience.

“We want people to come and enjoy this beautiful rooftop and the downtown view,” Alam says. “I used to love going up to the roof at Reata. Sushi is easy to enjoy and good to share with friends. This is not a stiff place where you are sitting and being walked through 17 courses while being quiet. That has a place, but we didn’t envision that here. We want people to come and relax and have a good time.”