Kuki Izakaya Celebrates Grand Opening at Vista Field in Kennewick

The ribbon was officially cut this morning at Vista Field, welcoming Kuki Izakaya into the community with all the fanfare a brand-new restaurant deserves.

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If you missed it, this is what happened, but trust me, you are gonna want to plan a visit soon.

Tri-Cities Leaders Gather for Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at Vista Field

The grand opening of Kuki Izakaya drew an impressive crowd of community leaders and project partners who helped bring this vision to life.

Tim Arntzen, CEO of the Port of Kennewick, kicked off the speeches, followed by Skip Novakovich, Vice President of the Port of Kennewick Board of Commissioners. Adam Fyall, Sustainable Development Manager for Benton County, also shared remarks, along with Chuck Torelli, Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Kennewick.

Owner Isabelle Na took her moment too, thanking everyone who helped turn her dream into reality. The energy outside the restaurant was contagious; you could feel the excitement building before the doors even opened.

The Crowd Stepped Inside for a Taste

Once the ribbon dropped, the crowd flowed inside to sample the menu, and wow, did it deliver. I tried the fried shrimp, the jalapeño poppers, and a noodle dish with sausage (I didn't catch the name, but it was unforgettable). Honestly, the food was a level above what I expected.

My favorite of the three was the fried shrimp, but honestly everything blew me away. It was extraordinary, really. I'm already planning to bring my wife back soon, being lucky enough to live just down the road.

About Kuki Izakaya

The restaurant is located at 697 Crosswind Blvd., in the newly constructed Vista Field. The 3,500-square-foot restaurant blends Korean-inspired gastropub vibes ("K-pub") with casual elegance.

The word Kuki comes from a combination of the owners' family names. The word izakaya actually means “a casual Japanese pub or gastropub where people gather to drink, socialize, and share small plates of food.”

Everything we sampled looked, tasted, and smelled very high-end. The menu features king salmon poke bowls, crispy chili shrimp pasta, K-crispy chicken or tofu bowls, kimchi fried rice with pork galbi, pork katsu, and cheesy spicy chicken carbonara gratin.

That is a solid list of entrées I am looking forward to experiencing.

Owners Isabelle Na and her husband BK Hong describe the interior as "traditional Korean elegance reimagined with modern minimal luxury." Construction Services of Washington handled the build, with design by Kyle Lepper and Karly Ennis of LPR Architecture. The entire restaurant was beautiful and felt very comfortable with high ceilings and lots of natural light.

One more thing: check out the big piece of art with white swans as you walk in. They are supposed to bring good luck, but something tells me this new spot will be fine even without it.