Thanin Viriyaki
Nikuya Rooftop
According to a press release, Nikuya, the new rooftop sushi bar in The Sinclair, offers nigiri, makimono, and craft cocktails.
This bit of restaurant news comes to you fresh off the vine: The Sinclair, a 16-story hotel off Main Street that happens to have one hell of a rooftop, has officially announced a new occupant for said rooftop, Nikuya.
According to a reservation link in an email from DRG Concepts — the folks behind fellow Sinclair restaurant Wicked Butcher, which occupies the opposite end of the building (the basement), and downtown’s Wild Salsa — Nikuya is a sushi bar “born from a profound reverence for Japanese culinary tradition and … inspired by the serene elegance of Tokyo’s most esteemed sushi bars.”
And for those interested in a sneak peek, the new establishment just kicked off a soft opening (you can snag reservations here). While we can’t report on the quality of the sushi, we can say that DRG has a pretty good track record, and the view will undoubtedly be phenomenal.
There’s long been some conjecture within our office, whether shared by the rest of Fort Worth or not, over what would become of The Sinclair’s rooftop; it was previously a simple bar exclusively for hotel guests. But such exclusivity and lack of innovation felt like a wasted opportunity. And with Reata now occupying a space at ground level, a solid rooftop eatery felt like a gaping hole within downtown’s culinary scene.
Of course, they couldn’t have picked a windier day to break such news.
Designed by Fort Worth architect Wiley G. Clarkson, The Sinclair was built in 1930 for the purpose of housing office space for the growing petroleum industry. Sinclair Oil Company, perhaps best known for their logo featuring a green brontosaurus, leased the majority of the offices upon the building’s completion and, thus, received naming rights.
After falling into disrepair and trading hands several times, the building would eventually make a comeback in 2019 when it opened as a 164-room premium hotel under Marriott’s Autograph Collection. Wicked Butcher, occupying the building’s lower level, would open soon after.
Bit of a fun fact: As far as we can tell — after doing a quick head count of local rooftop eateries (Branch & Bird, Atico, Lot12) — Nikuya is now officially the restaurant with the highest elevation in Fort Worth.
