Chef Tyson Cole’s izakaya-inspired bar concept Uchibā is giving Miami a taste of what’s coming before its Brickell restaurant even opens its doors. From November 1 through 15, the brand is running free happy-hour pop-ups daily from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at two existing Hai Hospitality spots, Uchi Miami in Wynwood and Uchiko Miami Beach in Sunset Harbour, previewing the dishes and cocktails planned for the new location.
According to Miami’s Community News, the pop-ups require no reservation, though spots can be booked through SevenRooms for those who want to plan ahead. Uchi Miami, located at 252 NW 25th Street, will serve chicken thigh skewers and pork belly during the happy hour, while Uchiko Miami Beach, at 1759 Purdy Avenue, will offer nasu bao and tiger cry bao. The special preview menu across both locations also includes edamame jalapeño hummus with wonton chips and black lime togarashi, karaage with kimchi caramel, jalapeño and yuzu pear, an Uchibā salad with spicy greens, miso caesar, hazelnut and parmesan, and a sunomono with cucumber, mango and spicy ponzu, per the same report.
What’s Pouring at the Preview
The cocktail lineup previewed at both pop-up locations leans into Uchibā’s playful bar identity, per Miami’s Community News: a Dirty Ranch Water made with tequila, olive brine, lime and pineapple nuoc mam, a shiso daiquiri built on white rum, shiso and lime, and a gin-and-sake cocktail called Uzume featuring cucumber and Thai chili. There’s also a zero-proof Lychee Fauxtini for anyone sitting out the alcohol.
Uchibā itself translates loosely to Uchi bar, with the name’s second syllable, “bā,” meaning bar in Japanese — a nod to what Hai Hospitality describes as a smaller, more intimate bar experience than its sister restaurants. The concept is inspired by traditional Japanese izakayas and built around craft cocktails, premium Japanese whisky, yakitori, shareable small plates and reworked Uchi favorites, per the same source.
From Dallas to Brickell
Uchibā isn’t a new idea for Hai Hospitality. The concept launched in Dallas in 2018, expanded to Austin in 2023 and added a Charlotte location in 2026, giving the Miami project an established playbook to draw from. Hai Hospitality first brought its flagship Uchi brand to Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood in 2021, according to The Adventurist Magazine, laying the groundwork for the group’s continued expansion into South Florida.
The Brickell restaurant will sit at 900 S. Miami Avenue, Space 185, inside Mary Brickell Village. Earlier reporting from PRWeb described the debut as slated for late spring 2026, while a later Miami Living Magazine piece pegged the opening for fall 2026; Miami’s Community News reports the restaurant now plans to open later in winter 2026. The varying timelines reflect how the project’s schedule has shifted across different announcements rather than a single confirmed date.
Who’s Running the Kitchen
Juan Esteban Paz, who previously served as sous chef at Uchi Miami, will lead the kitchen at the new Uchibā, according to Miami’s Community News. The Brickell space is planned to feature vintage Miami influences layered with the atmosphere of Japanese alley bars, including moody lighting, warm wood accents, rich velvet textures, intimate booths and a central bar, per the same report.
Tyson Cole, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind the brand, has built Uchibā as a playful, bar-focused interpretation of his original Uchi concept. Ahead of the Brickell opening, Uchi Miami hosted a one-night, 10-course collaboration dinner with Uchibā on September 24, blending Uchibā’s izakaya-inspired dishes with Uchi classics, according to Miami Living Magazine. For now, the November happy-hour pop-ups at Uchi Miami and Uchiko Miami Beach offer the most direct taste of what Brickell diners can expect once the doors finally open.
