Benihana is betting on downtown Denver’s revival, signing a lease for a Benihana Express on the 16th Street Mall in the newly renovated 16M building. The fast-casual spot will take a ground-floor retail unit and join a wave of fresh tenants as city and business leaders try to pump life and foot traffic back into the corridor.
New Tenant At The 16M Building
According to The Denver Post, Benihana will open its Express concept at 1380 16th St, on the Market Street side of the 16M building. A leasing brochure from Colliers shows the unit at roughly 3,035 square feet and describes it as a “second-generation” restaurant space. BusinessDen has previously reported that Mendocino Farms is taking over the former Panera location at the same address.
Benihana Express: What To Expect
The Benihana Express format is a smaller, fast-casual riff on the chain’s classic teppanyaki experience, built around made-to-order bowls, hibachi entrees, and portable items, menu elements highlighted in recent Express openings. BusinessWire has tracked the rollout of the concept, and Benihana’s locations page lists two existing Colorado restaurants in Broomfield and south Denver, which makes the 16th Street spot the brand’s third Colorado outpost.
Why This Matters For Downtown
The deal lands as city officials and business groups work to steady 16th Street after years of construction and safety concerns. Denver7 reports that several blocks of the Mall are wrapping up renovations, with summer events planned to lure crowds back. Leasing brochures and permit records suggest landlords are actively readying ground-floor space for restaurant users, a pattern visible in marketing materials from Colliers and in public permit data on BuildZoom.
What’s Next
The new downtown lease lines up with The ONE Group’s broader effort to grow the Benihana brand following its acquisition, as detailed by BusinessDen. An opening date for the 16th Street location has not been announced, and The Denver Post did not provide a timeline.
