Kura Sushi Debuts In Tampa At Westshore Plaza

Have you heard of Kura Sushi? If you're a sushi lover, you may be familiar with Kura. Well, now we've got one opening in Tampa at Westshore Plaza.

There's a soft opening happening on October 22 from 12 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. More of the same on the 23rd and 24th. Then the grand open will happen on Wednesday, October 25. Yay! There will be a cool ribbon ceremony on Wednesday and the doors will open at 11:30 A.M. If you are one of the first 300 guests in the door, you will get a couple of cool Kura stickers celebrating the event.

Kura first opened overseas in 1977. Now there are 500 Kura's in Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S. Hopefully, Kura will be a hit a Westshore. And then we'll see additional Kura locations in our Tampa Bay area and Florida. There's already a Central Florida location. I believe it will be a hit. Westshore is home to an AMC Movie Theater. You've got PF Chang's and now Kura will be adjacent to it, inside the mall where the Irish 31 used to be.

So why all the buzz about Kura? Of course, they offer fresh, delicious creative sushi options. But here's what makes them so unique. A two-layer conveyer system that runs a revolving sushi belt best described as a sushi highway. The sushi goes from the sushi chefs in the kitchen, down the conveyor belt, to your table. You want a drink? A Kurabot delivery robot serves drinks.

There's an additional layer of fun at Kura. When you insert your plates in the tableside slots, you get to watch Japanese animation on the tablet.

To visit Kura's website and check out their menu, click here.

Updated Feb. 2024

Who doesn't love a good roll? We've made a list of the 7 amazing sushi spots in Tampa you need to try. Have you ever gone to an Asian or sushi restaurant and was totally disappointed? We're always looking for the trendiest places to eat in Tampa and fresh sushi is some of the tastiest meals you can have.

We're not talking your average California roll either. Although that's what you'll find on every sushi happy-hour menu. We expanded our search to include places with an extra flair to their menu. First, we looked at the highest rated sushi restaurants on Yelp, and then added a few of our own favorites as well as a few from Tampa Magazines Best Sushi Restaurants of 2024.  One honorary mention that didn't make our list is Saki Endless Sushi and Hibachi restaurant. They have two locations, one in Clearwater and one in Carrollwood/Tampa area. They have an all you can eat lunch special for $20 that is just too good to pass up on.

Cooking is always a little subjective and completely depends on your taste buds. YOu might just think sushi is rolled-up fish and rice, but that's not all. The art of rolling sushi is difficult to master but easy to mess up. Learning the art of sushi making can take decades and often comes down to technique as well as the temperature of the ingredients.

According to RB Sushi, the perfect roll depends on a few key factors. The rice should always be room temperature and should never fall apart as you eat it. Next up, the fish. The fish should always be firm with a shiny look and should never be wet or greasy. Some restaurants don't use the highest quality fish, but that is essential in making each roll so that it can be eaten raw.

These places are great if you're going with a group of friends, a hot date, or just want to treat yourself to a nice lunch. Bring on the spicy mayo and eel sauce!

The reviews for this place on Yelp are great and people love the vintage vibe the restaurant gives. One of the most popular rolls on their menu is called the "Orange Sunrise" made with Spicy Yellow Tail & Cucumber Roll, Topped with Salmon, Lemon & Roe, Finished with Ponzu Sauce.

Enjoy some amazing sushi rolls with gorgeous waterfront views of Downtown Tampa. Everything at Jackson's Bistro is made with the finest quality ingredients so you know the sushi here is amazing! We recommend trying the Sexy Ben roll.

We've actually ever been here but the reviews on Yelp really make us want to try it out! We looked at their menu and think the Passionate Salmon Roll sounds so good! Izakaya Tori is a runner up in Tampa Magazine's Best Sushi Restaurants in 2024.

Kelp Sushi is a hidden gem located in Town n' Country. It used to be called Origami Sushi but it looks like it has taken new ownership with Kelp. We went there the other day for Happy Hour and they have an awesome deal. They were the #1 winner in Tampa Magazine's best Sushi Restaurants for 2024.

This place is a small, hole in the wall restaurant but the quality will blow you away. The service here is awesome and their specialty rolls are top notch. We recommend trying the Tsunami Roll or the Scallop Bomb Roll.

SoHo Sushi is another winner for Tampa Magazine's Best Sushi Restaurants of 2024. They are located in South Tampa and are known best for their creative, fresh and award-winning rolls.

So we left this off our "official" list because it's quite the drive from Tampa (but totally worth it).