Kotobuki, the Long Island sushi favorite that lost its East Village home in 2023, is plotting a neighborhood return. The owners are moving to secure a full sit-down liquor license for a compact storefront at 8 Stuyvesant Street, a clear sign they are aiming for a proper dine-in comeback rather than a delivery-only reboot. There is still no public opening date.
In a filing with Manhattan Community Board 3, Soundview Horizons LLC, listed as doing business as "Kotobuki East Village," submitted the standardized 30-day notice for an on-premises "Liquor, Wine, Beer & Cider" license at 8 Stuyvesant Street. The paperwork names The Cooper Union as the building owner and shows the notice was sent on Oct. 29, 2025, then stamped received by the board on Mar. 19, 2026.
As first reported by What Now New York, the filing points to Kotobuki’s return to Manhattan after nearly three years away, and the outlet notes it has contacted the restaurant for comment. So far, Kotobuki has not announced an opening date for the new East Village spot.
Backstory: The Third Avenue Closure
Kotobuki shut down dine-in service at its longtime Third Avenue location in November 2023 after the building at 56 Third Avenue was slated for demolition, a change the restaurant flagged on Instagram and local blog EV Grieve reported. The teardown is part of a developer plan to level several walk-ups on the block between East 10th and East 11th Streets, as amNY documented.
Kotobuki's Footprint And What It Would Bring
Kotobuki still runs three Long Island locations in Roslyn, Hauppauge, and Babylon, and its official site lists "NYC — Coming Soon" alongside a Manhattan contact number. A new East Village outpost would return a long-running regional sushi brand to a neighborhood that has been steadily reshaping its dining scene in recent years.
What Happens Next With The License
The 30-day notice is the first formal step in a review process overseen by the State Liquor Authority and Manhattan Community Board 3. The Authority’s guidance explains that it will not act on an application for 30 days after the municipality is notified, which allows time for community feedback, per the New York State Liquor Authority. The standardized notice on file with Manhattan Community Board 3 reflects that requirement and will be used to place the Kotobuki application on the board’s SLA docket for public review.
What Now New York reports that it has reached out to the owners for comment but has not yet published a response, and Kotobuki has not shared a reopening timeline. Hoodline will keep an eye on the board docket and public filings for any updates.
