Fort Worth Scores Its First Hai Hospitality Restaurant With a New Uchibā Coming to Clearfork

When Fort Worth welcomes its first Hai Hospitality concept — Uchibā — at The Shops at Clearfork late next year, we have our mayor to thank. Two years ago, Hai Hospitality CEO Tony Montero visited Tarrant County for a Texas Restaurant Association meeting where Mayor Mattie Parker spoke about Cowtown’s rapid growth and the opportunities the 10th-largest city in the country presents for businesses.

“I came back from the meeting going to our chief development officer to talk about opening a location in Fort Worth,” Montero tells PaperCity. ‘[The Shops at Clearfork] felt like the right place to go. We’re really excited to be there.”

Austin-based Hai Hospitality created many of Texas’ most acclaimed Japanese restaurants, including Uchi (one of our Best Sushi Restaurants in Dallas), founded by James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole in 2003, and its sister concept, Uchiko — which opened its first North Texas outpost in Plano two years ago.

The group also operates Loro, an Asian smokehouse and bar developed by Cole in collaboration with acclaimed pitmaster Aaron Franklin, which has locations in Dallas and Addison. But it was the brand’s Uchibā spinoff that debuted first in North Texas, above Uchi Dallas in 2018 to offer a more casual, bar-centric experience.

“The design will reflect characteristics of Fort Worth,” Montero says. “So the restaurant will have its own unique vibe. We want people to feel comfortable, whether they come dressed up or walk in with shorts and flip-flops.”

Inside Uchibā’s Fort Worth Outpost

The forthcoming Uchibā at 5185 Marathon Avenue in The Shops at Clearfork will feature a 3,500-square-foot interior with wood accents throughout and a spacious covered outdoor patio with its own bar. The $3.75 million project will accommodate approximately 176 guests, with 88 seats indoors and another 88 outside.

Hai Hospitality’s in-house Hai Design Studio is overseeing the design, with Illinois-based Aria Group serving as architect. Montero says the team spent time exploring Fort Worth’s architecture, restaurants, and outdoor dining culture to create a space that reflects the city. Noticing the popularity of outdoor dining helped inspire plans for the expansive patio and bar.

“Having that outdoor bar with our great cocktail program really made sense,” he says. “We may bring one of our most popular cocktails from Dallas, the lychee martini. Food options could include nigiri, sashimi, sushi, along with our popular chicken sandwich, bao buns, burger, and skewers.”

The Hospitality Behind Hai’s Acclaimed Restaurants

Hai Hospitality invests heavily in employee training to ensure guests receive the same level of attentive service across its restaurants. Before opening a new location, the company conducts an extensive 29-day training program, bringing in approximately 20 experienced staff members to help prepare the new team. Employees must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the menu and pass multiple tests before serving guests.

“Guests are going to feel catered to through our unique experience,” Montero says. “We want people to walk in and see our beautiful space, try our amazing food, and immediately want to come back to experience it again.”

When Uchibā Fort Worth opens late next year, he adds, the kitchen will be restocked with shipments of fresh seafood six days a week. Between the developments and activities in the Stockyards and the local growth in elevated shopping and dining, now is the right time for Hai Hospitality to bring its popular bar-centric sushi concept to Cowtown.

“We’re committed to making sure that we open in Fort Worth the right way,” he says. “We want our guests to have a great experience with us from day one.”