Back in March we let you know that a sushi buffet would be moving in to the space that was home to Miller’s Alehouse from 2012-2022. In December we let you know that it’ll be a different restaurant that will be moving in, but things have gotten a little more complicated as the restaurant moves closer towards openings.
Initially, Umi Seafood & Sushi buffet put signage up announcing they’ll be “coming soon” to the space. The windows were papered, but there didn’t appear to be any additional movement. Then, a different restaurant has posted coming soon signage at 1471 Rockville Pike in Rockville- Raku AYCE Sushi and Japanese Buffet.
Now, Umi (the original restaurant that put up signage) has a hearing with Montgomery County’s Alcoholic Beverage Services (ABS) on Thursday, February 1st at 11am. We have reached out to Umi, but have not heard back. The answer could be as simple as both restaurants (Umi and Raku) belonging to the same restaurant group. Signage for Raku remains at the location.
Raku, which is not related to the Raku that has two Montgomery County locations in Bethesda, has existing restaurant in New York and New Jersey that opened in 2022. “In 2022, our founder established the Raku AYCE Sushi & Seafood Buffet brand. From an initial small, dedicated team expanding to a catering company with over 100 employees, our brand has rapidly grown. Since the beginning of 2023, we serve an average of 300 diners per day. Raku AYCE Sushi has gained the reputation as the most popular Japanese restaurant in New York all due to the efforts of our founder, hard working staff, and supportive community and diners.” An opening timeframe is not yet available.
Per Raku AYCE Sushi Buffet: “The founder of Raku Buffet is a passionate Japanese cuisine enthusiast. For years, he has traveled all over the globe on a mission to sample different delicacies and experience vast cultures.
With the inspiration from his travels, he decided to open his own restaurant to share his passion for food. His mission for Raku Buffet was to allow consumers to “eat everything, affordability!”.
To this day, we continue to uphold our founder’s original vision. Since its establishment, Raku has quickly become the No. 1 most popular Japanese restaurant in the United States.”