Renowned Pittsburgh Restaurant Ends Two-Decade Run

PITTSBURGH, PA ? Ending a more than two-decade run, South Side Nakama Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar apparently has closed.

The restaurant no longer takes online reservations and calls to the eatery are not answered.

First opened in 2003, Nakama was one of the first steakhouses in Pittsburgh.

The closure comes nine months after the Allegheny County Health Department issued a consumer alert for the restaurant. A September inspection revealed three dead mice in the basement and a dead mouse under a hibachi grill in the dining area. Nesting materials were found underneath the hibachi grills in the dining area. Rub marks, chewed through holes and droppings were found under and behind the booth customer seating in the dining room.

Nakama's closing continues a trend of frequent East Carson Street bar and restaurant closings. Smiling Moose closed just last month.

Other South Side locations that have closed in recent years:

• Charlie Murdoch's Dueling Piano Bar

• Onyx

• Dunbar's Place

• Kerry Out

• Real McCoys

• Bar 1311

• Fudge Farm

• Oddball's

• Swirl Penguins Ice Cream

• Gino's Blue Grotto

• Cosmo's

• Jimmy Johns

• Sultri

• Carmi

• Doughbar

• Essence/Pittsburgh Steakhouse

• Old La Palapa

• Bonfire

• Stagnoni

• Mallorca

• Green Front Inn

• Spork Pit/Double Wide Grill

• 25th Street Grill

• Cucina Vitale