Hinoki Japanese Restaurant, located at 71-37 Austin St., closed July 31 (Google Maps)
Aug. 5, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
A Japanese restaurant is the latest eatery to permanently shutter in Forest Hills in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hinoki Japanese Restaurant, located at 71-37 Austin St., closed Friday, according to an Instagram post put out by the owners over the weekend.
The post did not specify the reason for the closure.
“It was our biggest pleasure to serve the community with authentic Japanese cuisine,” the post read. “It has been our dream to open this restaurant and we are grateful to share this experience with you all.”
It remains unclear why the restaurant closed and the owners could not be reached for comment.
The restaurant opened in May 2019 and was a traditionally styled venue that served a variety of Japanese dishes. It offered standard Japanese fare such as sushi, chicken teriyaki and beef tataki.
Hinoki Japanese Restaurant did generate positive feedback during its brief time in the neighborhood. The restaurant had amassed a four star rating on both Yelp and Google from more than 200 reviews.
The operators of Hinoki Japanese Restaurant also own Sakura-Ya, a Japanese grocery store located at 73-05 Austin St. That business remains open, according to the Instagram post.
The closure of the restaurant marks the third eatery in Forest Hills to have shuttered in as many months. The Forest Hills Diner, also on Austin Street closed in May along with Jack & Nellie’s Bar/Restaurant on Ascan Avenue.
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