New Izakaya 'TBD' to Open Near Union Square
A new izakaya named TBD is scheduled to open near San Francisco's Union Square in March. The restaurant will be led by chefs Ray Lee and Tommy Cleary. The menu will feature sushi and yakitori, blending traditional Japanese culinary techniques.
- The new izakaya will occupy the former space of the original Akiko's restaurant on Bush Street, for which the chefs have signed a five-year lease. - Chef Ray Lee is a self-taught sushi chef who took over his family's restaurant, Akiko's, in 2009 and is known for his use of dry-aging techniques on fish. - Chef Tommy Cleary is known for his yakitori expertise, formerly operating the acclaimed omakase-style restaurant Hina Yakitori, which closed in 2023. - The two chefs began their collaboration after connecting on Instagram, subsequently developing and testing dishes at Lee's intimate Nob Hill location, Friends Only. - While the menu will be à la carte, it will feature some of the chefs' signature styles, including Lee's dry-aged sashimi and Cleary's grilled items. - Early menu previews mention creative dishes such as a tuna Wellington wrapped in nori and puff pastry, truffle agedashi tofu, and soufflé chawanmushi. - The price point is expected to be between $100 and $120 per person for dinner.
