Mikaku: ‘End of an era’ as Tokyo-inspired Glasgow restaurant to shut due to National Insurance rise
A ‘much-loved’ Scottish restaurant that brought a colourful and innovative experience of Japan is set to close in September.
A Japanese bar and restaurant in Glasgow will close its doors for the final time next month, citing the “strangling” National Insurance rise as a key reason.
Mikaku, known for its immersive “slice of Tokyo” experience, colourful interiors and innovative menu, will shut on Sunday, September 14.
The Queen Street restaurant has been a staple of Glasgow’s hospitality landscape since it opened in 2018. Over the years, it has built a loyal customer base and welcomed thousands of guests through its doors.
The decision to close Mikaku comes as the team behind the venue shifts focus to their next chapter – the launch of Clydeside Containers, a new riverside street food and drink destination opening on Glasgow’s waterfront.
Restaurant director Nathan Sparling said: “Closing Mikaku was not an easy decision. It has been a truly special place for both our team and our guests, and we are incredibly proud of what Mikaku has achieved.
“From celebrating Ramen Week with £1 bowls, to launching one of Glasgow’s most innovative cocktail menus, to introducing a real Robata Grill to the city for the first time – Mikaku has been about bringing something bold, different and authentic to Queen Street, seven days a week. The memories created here, and the community that has grown around it, will always be a huge source of pride.
"But like so many venues in Glasgow and across the UK, we’ve faced the well-documented challenges in hospitality – from rising costs and staffing pressures, to shifts in consumer behaviour.
“The recent rise in National Insurance contributions has added even more pressure, strangling independent operators like us at a time when the sector is still recovering. These wider challenges have been a significant factor in the decision to close, allowing us to refocus our efforts and resources on the exciting opportunity ahead at Clydeside Containers.”
Mikaku will adjust its opening hours for the final weeks of service. From Wednesday, August 20, the restaurant will open Wednesday to Sunday, before moving to a Thursday to Sunday schedule from August 28 until the final day of service on September 14.
The change to opening days will give guests plenty of opportunity to enjoy their favourite dishes and cocktails one final time, the restaurant team said. Staff will be offered opportunities to relocate within the wider business.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.