A new wing concept called Sauce N' Bone is preparing to open in Jacksonville's Justin Plaza, taking over a roughly 1,064-square-foot suite along Atlantic Boulevard that once housed Sushi N Wok. The restaurant's tagline, “Sauce it, dust it, dip it,” sums up a menu built around sauced wings and fries, with the brand describing itself on its website as the place for wings and promising bold flavors and real ingredients without shortcuts.
Sauce N' Bone will occupy Suite 23 at 10916 Atlantic Blvd., nestled between Thai Blossom Bistro and Fit Meals in the same Justin Plaza strip that has long been a fixture of the Sandalwood-area dining scene along Atlantic Boulevard between St. Johns Bluff Road and Mindanao Drive, according to WhatNow. The City of Jacksonville issued a $3,000 wall sign permit for the location on July 24, 2026, according to the Jax Daily Record, a sign of physical progress even as no official opening date has been announced.
Behind the concept is Jason Malih, who serves as co-owner of Sauce N' Bone and is also behind the recently opened burger spot Sip N' Smash, which he launched with Elias Ishak at The Palms at Gate Parkway. State corporate records show Malih incorporated Sauce N Bone Inc. with the Florida Division of Corporations on May 20, 2026, listing himself as registered agent alongside corporate officers Lina Dahi as president and Aneta Ly as vice president.
A Pivot From Shawarma to Wings
The Justin Plaza suite has a history that predates the wing concept. Florida corporate filings show Malih and Ishak previously organized “Shawarma Factory LLC” on July 29, 2025, registering its principal office at that exact same address in Unit 23, before the pair apparently pivoted to the wing brand in mid-2026. Sauce N' Bone will mark the first location for the concept, and the company has been teasing menu drops and opening announcements as it builds anticipation ahead of a launch.
The Justin Plaza location isn't Malih's only tie to landlord Ash Properties. Both Justin Plaza and The Palms at Gate Parkway, where Malih opened Sip N' Smash, are developed and managed by the Jacksonville-based real estate firm, a pattern that has repeated itself as Malih has expanded across Duval County's suburban retail corridors.
Building a Multi-Concept Portfolio
Sip N' Smash opened on July 8, 2026, following a $220,000 tenant build-out of a 2,270-square-foot space in Units 115-116 at 7540 Gate Parkway. Its menu includes burgers, fries, onion rings, housemade sauces, milkshakes and lemonade, and the shop partnered with local brand The Mini Bar to serve its mini donuts in-house, becoming the first restaurant client to do so following the closure of The Mini Bar's standalone storefronts in 2024.
Malih's Jacksonville footprint extends further still. He co-owns sub shop Gastro Subs, which opened its original location in Ponte Vedra and expanded with a second, larger spot on Philips Highway in August 2026, per Business Debut. He first entered the Jacksonville dining market back in August 2023 as a franchisee for South Florida-based Talkin' Tacos, opening his debut location at Jacksonville Beach's Beach Plaza, according to Jacksonville Today.
What to Expect at Sauce N' Bone
Sauce N' Bone's website lists planned operating hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is also offering a loyalty program that rewards customers with a free item after eight purchases, giving locals a reason to start tracking visits before the doors even open.
Malih's expansion arrives amid broader momentum in the fast-casual sector nationally. U.S. fast-casual restaurant traffic expanded by 3% year-over-year in 2025, according to Circana metrics cited by Connect Money, outperforming the overall foodservice sector, which saw national dining traffic decline by 0.3% over the same period.
For now, the exact grand opening date for Sauce N' Bone remains an open question, as interior build-out timelines for the former sushi shop continue to progress. Hoodline previously covered Sip N' Smash's debut at The Palms at Gate Parkway, part of the same growing restaurant footprint now bringing wings to Justin Plaza.
