Legendary local Japanese restaurant prepares to welcome back diners

Nakato Japanese reopening Oct. 15

Nakato Japanese Restaurant is reopening on Oct. 15 after being closed for 3 months for major renovations. Paul Milliken got a chance to talk to them about the changes and the things they did not change.

ATLANTA, Ga. - It’s been a staple of the Atlanta restaurant scene since the 1970s, and a favorite of celebrities, dignitaries, and locals who just love good Japanese food. And now, after providing so many memorable moments for its customers, Nakato Japanese Restaurant is having one of its own.

After a three-month total renovation, Nakato Japanese Restaurant on Cheshire Bridge Road is set to reopen to diners on Oct. 15 — and this morning on Good Day Atlanta, owner Sachi Nakato Takahara allowed us to be the first to see the finished work. This isn’t just a new coat of paint or some new decorations on the wall; the Nakato team gutted their space at the corner of Cheshire Bridge and Piedmont, redesigning the restaurant which has been a go-to spot for sushi, hibachi, and authentic Japanese cuisine since 1972.

"My grandmother was doing a southern tour and fell in love with Atlanta," Takahara told us earlier this year of the restaurant’s origins. "And before she even went back to Japan, she already had the property staked out and was ready to start a business at the young age of 62." 

Nakato Japanese Restaurant reopens

Nakato Japanese Restaurant is reopening after being closed for 3 months for extensive renovations. Paul Milliken stopped by to check it out.

As previously covered on Good Day Atlanta, Nakato Japanese Restaurant became an important gathering place for the city’s Japanese community in the 1970s, catching the attention of then-Governor Jimmy Carter.

"We didn’t have a Japanese Embassy in Atlanta yet," said Takahara. "So, we were that hub of cultural exchange and meetings and my grandmother loved being a part of that."

When Tetsuko Nakato retired, her daughter and son-in-law took over the restaurant. Now, Sachi Nakato Takahara is the third generation to lead the family business, and says she hopes the renovation will help Nakato Japanese Restaurant maintain its place as a key player in the Atlanta food and cultural scenes. 

Nakato Japanese Restaurant is located at 1776 Cheshire Bridge Road Northeast in Atlanta — for more information on the restaurant, click here. And click the video player in this article to get a first look at the finished renovations!

Nakato Japanese Restaurant shows off its drinks

Atlanta staple, Nakato Japanese Restaurant, is reopening after an extensive renovation and they are showing off their drink selection.