Idaho chain to open 4th new Boise restaurant in 2 years — where Utah brand got evicted

Goodbye, sandwiches. Hello, bowls of noodles.

Local restaurant chain Nara Ramen plans to take over the former Even Stevens sandwich shop at 815 W. Bannock St. in downtown Boise. The location will be “full dine-in, sit-down style,” owner Johnny Deng said, featuring an interior with a modern Japanese design.

The plan is to open in December, he said in an email.

Based in the City of Trees, Nara Ramen is one of Idaho’s fastest-growing restaurant brands. Adding sushi options to menus, depending on location, Nara has expanded rapidly since its first restaurant appeared in late 2021. And not just in Boise, where it operates at 7610 W. State St., 3110 S. Bown Way and 8675 W. Franklin Road. Nara Ramen also has a store in Twin Falls and in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Even Stevens was evicted from its downtown Boise space this spring. The artisan sandwich shop, which opened in 2016, was part of a Utah-based chain that has struggled in recent years.