Wabi on Rose, a sushi restaurant on Venice Beach’s Rose Avenue known for its trendy pink takeout bags and boxes, has permanently closed after six years in business, the restaurant announced Tuesday.
“After many wonderful years of serving the community, we are permanently closing our doors,” the restaurant said in a social media post. “Heartbroken to say goodbye but grateful you were part of our Venice love story.”
The closure appears to have come with little to no notice. A photo posted to Reddit on Tuesday showed a handwritten message taped to the restaurant’s door.
It is with a heavy heart we have to announce our closure. To everyone who walked through our doors and brought us joy we thank you.
The restaurant’s phone number is no longer accepting calls.
Wabi built a loyal following in the Venice area not only for dishes like crispy tuna rice and tiger rolls but also for its distinctive pink packaging, which became something of a neighborhood status symbol among takeout fans.
News of the sudden closure caught many regulars off guard. “Absolutely GOBSMACKED. the westside loves you Wabi,” one commenter wrote online. Another said, “This is really a huge bummer. I used to love taking people here for good sushi on the west side. Such unique rolls and drinks unlike anywhere else.” A third asked, “When is the last day!?!? Like today?? Omg”
Wabi has deep roots in the neighborhood. The original restaurant operated on Abbott Kinney Boulevard for 19 years before it burned down in a fire in December 2018. The restaurant reopened in April 2020 at its Rose Avenue location, offering takeout and delivery as the pandemic reshaped the restaurant industry. Executive chef Rain Pantana led the kitchen’s contemporary Japanese menu at the new spot.
The closure adds Wabi to a growing list of Los Angeles restaurants that have shut down in recent months. Cinque Terre West, an Italian restaurant also located on Rose Avenue, closed in June and relocated to Texas after only a year at that address — a previous location had burned in the 2025 Palisades fire. VooDoo Doughnut, the Portland-based chain, closed its Venice Beach shop in June after just a year in business as well.
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