A high-end Japanese restaurant chain founded by a James Beard Award-winning chef is planning to land in Boston's Fort Point neighborhood, moving into a 7,100-square-foot space at 374 Congress Street sometime in 2027. The restaurant, called Uchi, is known for elevated non-traditional Japanese cuisine built around sushi, sashimi and a menu that blends tradition with modern flair.
Uchi is planning to open in the Fort Point section of the city, moving into a space on Congress Street sometime in 2027, according to NBC Boston. The address for the upcoming restaurant is 374 Congress Street, Boston, MA, 02210, the station reports, putting it squarely in one of the city's denser restaurant and office corridors. Trade outlet Nation's Restaurant News confirms the same 7,100-square-foot footprint at that address.
Once open, the Boston Uchi will include seating for 210 people, including 11 at a sushi counter, 17 at a bar and 26 in a private dining room, per the station's reporting. That scale would make it one of the larger additions to Hai Hospitality's growing footprint, which already spans Texas and is pushing further into the Northeast.
What's On the Menu
The restaurant is expected to serve elevated non-traditional Japanese cuisine, with options including nigiri and sashimi, deep-fried dishes such as tempura, vegetable-forward items like edamame and shishito, and bluefin specials, the station notes. Tasting menus will likely be offered as well, though specifics have not been finalized. Uchi's own site describes its food as blending Japanese tradition with modern creativity, a signature that has defined the brand since its founding.
That founding traces back to chef Tyson Cole, who opened the first Uchi in Austin in 2003, according to Hai Hospitality. Cole, Uchi's executive chef and co-owner, won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in a tie in 2011, a credential that's central to the brand's reputation as it expands into new cities.
A Design Rooted in Local Character
The Boston project will carry design cues meant to feel distinctly local rather than imported wholesale from Texas. Hai Hospitality has hired design firm Islyn Studio to develop the interior, with Corgan Associates serving as architect of record, according to Nation's Restaurant News. The outlet reports that the design is inspired by the concept of a seaside antique shop with Colonial architecture and vintage Japanese-inspired craftsmanship, a nod to Boston's maritime and historic character.
Uchi is part of Hai Hospitality, the same the station notes. Beyond the Uchi name, the group also operates Uchiko, a Japanese farmhouse cuisine concept; Uchiba, an izakaya-styled cocktail bar; Oheya, an omakase tasting room; and Loro, an Asian smokehouse. Nation's Restaurant News describes a slightly larger portfolio under the same roof, with five live fire-focused Uchiko restaurants and two Uchiba locations alongside Oheya in Houston and the three-unit Loro concept.
Part of a Bigger Northeast Push
Hai Hospitality has described the Boston opening as part of broader expansion plans in the region, according to Nation's Restaurant News. The company has already been building beyond its Texas roots, with Uchi reportedly expanding from Austin to Houston in 2012, Dallas in 2015 and Los Angeles in 2023, per Eater DC. The chain also opened a Washington, D.C., location at 1700 M Street NW, Eater DC separately reported, and was opening locations in Philadelphia and Charlotte as well, according to the Washingtonian.
Reports on the size of Uchi's footprint have varied. The Washingtonian described the chain as having seven locations spanning from West Hollywood to Miami in a March 2025 report, while Nation's Restaurant News later put the count at 10 existing locations with a signed lease for an 11th in Boston. It's unclear whether those figures reflect the same point in time or a different counting method.
At its Washington outpost, Uchi offered an omakase option with sushi and other small dishes for around $150 per person, the Washingtonian reported, alongside a 185-seat layout that included an 18-seat bar and a 14-seat sushi counter. Eater DC also noted that diners there could choose a 10-course tasting menu for two or a seven-course selection of core menu items. The Washingtonian further reported that, according to Hai Hospitality CEO Tony Montero, about 70 percent of Uchi's menu stays consistent across its locations — a detail that offers a hint, though not a confirmation, of what Boston diners might eventually find on Congress Street.
