Tsunami, the Pacific-Rim mainstay that has anchored Cooper-Young for more than a quarter-century, will close for good on February 21, 2026, owner Ben Smith has announced. Open since 1998, the Midtown fixture built its reputation on roasted sea bass and a constantly changing small-plate menu. For many regulars, the news feels like the end of a chapter in the neighborhood’s dining story.
Smith broke the news in a video posted to Facebook, telling customers he could not keep the operation going. “I simply can’t afford to do this anymore,” he said, according to WREG. The station reported that Tsunami has been struggling financially for roughly six years, with the past year described as especially brutal for the restaurant.
According to Tsunami, the restaurant opened on July 14, 1998, and has been a Cooper-Young fixture ever since. Located at 928 S. Cooper in Midtown, it built a following around its rotating small-plate menu and limited dinner service, which helped turn the spot into a neighborhood destination. Chef-owner Ben Smith became known for Pacific Rim flavors and a signature sea bass that kept diners coming back from across the city.
Why Smith Says He Is Shutting Down
Smith told WREG that rising costs combined with declining business have squeezed margins to the point that staying open no longer makes financial sense. Those pressures line up with national trends. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that prices for food away from home were up 4.1% year over year in December 2025, a jump that has added strain to full-service restaurants. Industry watchers say higher ingredient and labor costs, along with softer customer traffic, have left many independent spots operating on razor-thin margins, a pattern explored in QSR Magazine.
Cooper-Young Loses a Long-Running Fixture
Tsunami has long been regarded as one of Midtown’s defining restaurants and has collected praise and awards for its inventive seafood and reliable service, according to Memphis Magazine. Locals credit the restaurant with helping to put Cooper-Young on Memphis’s culinary map and with serving as an early training ground for cooks who later moved on to other kitchens. The closure will ripple through a neighborhood that has built its identity around independent restaurants and walkable nightlife.
Tsunami’s final service is planned for February 21. The restaurant’s website is keeping customers updated on reservations, gift cards, and other logistics for the final weeks. After that last night, the Cooper-Young stretch will say goodbye to a rare long-running independent that helped shape Midtown’s dining scene.
