Students, downtown workers and museum visitors will soon have a new place to find relatively affordable sushi near UW Tacoma.
Regional Japanese restaurant chain Musashi’s is preparing to open at 1740 Pacific Avenue, directly across from the university campus. The restaurant will occupy the former Hello, Cupcake storefront, which has been empty since the bakery closed in 2023.
Owner Jun Park told The News Tribune that the restaurant is designed as a fast-casual sushi spot with prices intended to work for college students. He hoped to open during the week of September 14, although the Tacoma location had not yet been added to Musashi’s online location directory as of September 19.
Musashi’s has been serving Japanese food since the 1980s. Park took over its operations approximately two decades ago, and the business has grown to seven locations across Washington and Oregon, including restaurants in Kent, Bellevue and Seattle.
This will not be the chain’s first attempt to establish itself in Tacoma. Musashi’s briefly operated at 2919 South 38th Street in 2021, where Sumo Sushi & Grill is now located.
Park said that location became difficult to manage from Bellevue, and the business partnership behind it eventually dissolved. He continued looking for another opportunity in Tacoma, particularly near the UW Tacoma campus.
The downtown menu will be slightly smaller than those at other Musashi’s locations because of the kitchen configuration. Basic selections such as spicy tuna, salmon and yellowtail rolls will start at $5.50, while some vegetarian rolls will cost as little as $4.50.
Specialty rolls will begin at $12.50. Options are expected to include the Musashi Roll—a California roll topped with spicy tuna, spicy mayonnaise, tobiko and green onion—and a Dragon Roll made with imitation crab, avocado, cucumber, shrimp tempura and eel.
The menu will extend well beyond sushi. Customers can expect teriyaki plates, Japanese curry, bento boxes, fried rice, chicken karaage, miso soup and seaweed salad. Larger choices include an $11.95 salmon-collar rice bowl and an $18.75 chirashi bowl topped with assorted fish.
Musashi’s anticipates operating from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and again from 5 to 9 p.m. daily. Readers should confirm that the restaurant has officially opened before making a special trip.
Read the News Tribune’s original report here.
Visit Musashi’s website here.
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