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Ninja Japanese Steakhouse, 770 N. Milwaukee St., has closed its doors.
The business, which opened its doors in January of 2023, was among the most anticipated openings of the year, featuring three distinctive concepts: a sushi bar on the ground floor, hibachi on the second floor and karaoke in the venue’s lower level.
But, despite the venue's varied offerings, Lee Chen noted in a phone conversation today that both staffing issues and a lack of weekday business were the primary reasons for the closure.
“Business was hard,” he says, “We were very busy on the weekends, but very slow on weekdays.”
Chen, who purchased the building in 2019, says he is working on leasing out the space to another operator. He has two concepts that are currently interested in the venue; so we will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Chen's other Ninja Japanese Steakhouse locations in Menomonee Falls and West Bend will remain open.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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