Abokado in Mary Brickell Village Goes Dark

Lesley Elliott

Abokado has officially left the building.

​Abokado's catch phrase asked if we were "ready to rethink sushi," but apparently the folks at this restaurant in Mary Brickell Village have been doing some reconsidering of their own lately. The place went dark last week and after a three-year life span (it was temporarily shuttered and relaunched in 2009) has officially closed. A peek through the window reveals a dining room frozen in time, with tables and accouterments still in residence. Outdoor tables continue to carry the Abokado name, but no signs of life remain. The website is active, but the phone number is no longer in service.

Although Abokado attempted to infuse a little Miami flavor into the mix, the Japanese/pan-Latin menu was never a traffic driver. The fish was fine -- not great -- and sourcing could have been better. When I ate there, I often found empty seats. Several times my take-out order included a disappointing display of iridescent tuna with a veiny texture that even a decent spicy sauce could not save. Thus downtown still needs a casual sushi joint that delivers quality and consistency. Sadly, Zuma is a little pricey for sushi on a regular basis. Toni's, are you listening?

Although our attempts to reach the corporate LLC that owns Abokado failed, Mary Brickell Village general manager Fernando Perez says, "Abokado made a business decision to close the early part of this year."

What's the deal on a replacement? "We are currently negotiating a new lease with a new restaurant operator to take over the space," he says. The restaurant in question is still a secret pending the outcome of those negotiations, and according to Perez, if all goes as planned, it should open within three months.

Follow Short Order on Facebook and Twitter @Short_Order.