Bringing ‘world-class’ food to Boise, restaurant won’t open in summer after all

The exciting news: A restaurateur with Michelin stars on his resume still plans to open an intimate, high-end sushi and steak destination in Boise.

The predictable news: Raibu Sushi Bar has been delayed.

The good news: Only by a month or two.

Taking over a space next to Pho Real at 808 W. Fort St., Raibu Sushi Bar aims to bring “world-class sushi to the heart of the North End,” as its social media promises. But a sign in the window indicated it would arrive this summer, and that turned out to be a bit ambitious.

Raibu should be ready to open sometime in October, said Kash Feng, president of Omakase Restaurant Group. Feng, whose Omakase sushi restaurant and Niku Steakhouse have earned Michelin stars in San Francisco, is launching Raibu Sushi Bar with Boise-based business partner Jon Bergschneider.

Based on Omakase Restaurant Group’s background, Raibu definitely should add culinary flair to the City of Trees’ Japanese dining scene.

Earlier this year, Feng told the Idaho Statesman that along with sushi, Raibu would serve steaks and seafood cooked over an open fire on a Japanese charcoal grill. The menu, he said then, was being created by a chef at Niku Steakhouse.

This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 4:00 AM.

Michael Deeds

Idaho Statesman

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Michael Deeds is a long-serving entertainment reporter and opinion columnist at the Idaho Statesman, where he chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. He started as a summer intern after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a news-editorial journalism degree. Deeds’ prior Statesman roles have included sportswriter, music critic and features editor. His other writing has ranged from freelancing album reviews for The Washington Post to bragging about Boise in that inflight magazine you left on the plane.