A Japanese-inspired restaurant that made its debut in Newark in November 2023 has closed its doors less than a year after opening. Kinjo, located at 155 Washington Avenue inside the Newark Urby residential building, served up Japanese items loved by many — including dumplings, sushi rolls, and more. The restaurant cited ongoing power outages as the reason for the permanent closure, which was announced last week. Read on for more about Kinjo’s closure and what this restaurant brought to Newark residents.
Photo Credit: TRBO Media
The Closure
Kinjo announced its permanent closure in Newark last week via Instagram, citing an ongoing power issue as the reason.
“To Our Faithful Staff and Valued Customers,
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the permanent closure of Kinjo Restaurant. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing power outage situation that has severely impacted our operations, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors forever.
Our hearts first belong with our staff who have built this restaurant with their service and smiles. We owe every bit of success we had to this team and how they dedicated their hard work to making Kinjo great.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to all our loyal customers who have supported us. Serving you has been an absolute pleasure, and we are incredibly thankful for the memories we have shared together.
This decision has not been made lightly, but after careful consideration, we have realized that continuing under the current circumstances is no longer viable. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this time.
Thank you once again for your patronage and support. We will cherish the wonderful experiences we’ve had with each of you. We hope to return to Newark one day soon!
Sincerely,
The Kinjo Team”
See the full post below. This closure comes less than a year after Kinjo made its debut in the Newark Urby residential building.
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About Kinjo
Kinjo made its debut in Newark on November 15th, 2023, after originally aiming for a summer 2023 opening.
The Montclair Girl spoke with Jamie Knott, chef and owner of Kinjo, back in June 2023. “First of all, Kinjo means ‘neighborhood’ in Japanese and basically, we wanted to be approachable to students but kind of change up the dining scene in Newark as well,” he shared.
Photo Credit: TRBO Media
Jamie opened Kinjo along with business partner Robert Palmer. Together, they own Madame (390 4th Street, Jersey City), Cellar 335 (335 Newark Avenue, Jersey City), and Saddle River Café (171 East Saddle River Road, Saddle River). Jamie also owns Saddle River Inn (2 Barnstable Court, Saddle River), so this is the fifth restaurant he’s opened.
Kinjo’s modern Japanese-inspired menu was put together with help from Chef William Sanders, and included dishes like dumplings, bao, sushi rolls, and ramen.
As far as the décor goes, the acclaimed chef described it as “pretty spectacular.” The restaurant included 120 seats, as well as a full bar with a curated cocktail list.
Photo Credit: TRBO Media
Kinjo’s location was inside the Newark Urby apartment building, which is also right next to Rutgers Law’s Newark location. Jamie looked to cater to both students, as well as the residents of the building. QR codes in each apartment allowed residents to order takeout to be picked up downstairs.
See More: New Jersey’s First Yakitori Cart is on Newark Street in Hoboken
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