Feb. 4, 2015 By Michael Florio
Sushi is coming to Broadway.
Kondo, a Japanese restaurant located at 29-13 Broadway, will be opening next week, offering sushi, sushi rolls and a variety of other Japanese options.
Shinobu Kondo, co-owner and chef, said he plans to open on Tuesday, February 10.
The restaurant is moving into the space that was previously occupied by Linn, a Japanese/Asian restaurant.
Kondo worked as the chef at Linn for five years. However, he quit in hopes of opening up his own restaurant, he said.
“After I quit, they [Linn] changed to more of a Korean restaurant,” he said.
Kondo said he was unsure what caused Linn to close, but when he heard that it was shutting down, he instantly became interested in the location.
“After they [the former owners] closed, they called me and told me the location was available,” he said.
Kondo said this is the perfect location since he used to work here and lives in the neighborhood.
Kondo’s wife and partner, Kaori Kondo, said she is hoping customer’s who liked her husband’s food when he worked at Linn will come back.
“We are expecting our old customers to return,” she said.
The restaurant will serve fresh fish imported from Japan, Kondo said. The fresh fish will be served as the daily special.
In the near future, the two hope to offer brunch, serving items such as pancakes, red beans and fish tacos.
“It will be Japanese food but more Americanized,” said Kaori Kondo.
The restaurant can seat about 40 people and will be open from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and then 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. The restaurant will be closed on Mondays.
Kondo will close daily from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm to allow the staff to prepare for the dinner rush.
At the time of opening, the restaurant will not offer delivery, as it currently does not have the staff to do so. However, Kaori Kondo said if business warrants it, they will add it.
Shinobu Kondo was born in Japan, but moved to the U.S. about 30 years ago he said. He has spent the past nine years in Astoria.
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3 Comments
Please don’t go for “Americanized”.
We have been tired of fake Japanese restaurants in Astoria for a loooong time.
All we ask for is ONE authentic Japanese restaurant which Astoria has lacked since Linn..
Does anyone know their phone number/email? Want to leave some feedback but they don’t seem to be on Yelp yet.
Please do not serve pancakes and fish tacos.