Japanese restaurant voted among city’s best closes after 19 years in South End

Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar has closed for business, ending its nearly 20-year run in South End Charlotte.

The eatery, located on the first floor of The Arlington building, officially went dark Tuesday, Aug. 18, after the property was sold to a new owner, Johnny Walker with Monument Commercial Partners confirmed to CharlotteFive.

Walker and partner Xavier Grier are lead brokers at the firm, which represented the sellers in the roughly $4 million transaction.

CharlotteFive reached out to Monument Commercial Partners for more information on the buyer, who was unrepresented and asked not to be named.

The sellers, who are retiring, bought the retail space from The Arlington’s original developers back in 2007, Walker said. From there, they built the shell space into what would become Nikko Japanese Restaurant.

The eatery debuted that same year, serving up “innovative sushi and Japanese cuisine” in a modern, club-like atmosphere, CharlotteFive previously reported. Nikko was also a top spot for ramen and was named second-best Japanese restaurant in the city, as voted by Charlotte Observer readers.

It also snagged bronze for Best Sushi in the 2025 Charlotte’s Best poll.

“Thank you, Charlotte, for the unforgettable memories, the loyalty and the love,” read an Instagram post announcing the sale. “You made Nikko more than a restaurant — you made it a legacy.”

So what’s next? Walker said the new owners plan to open a sushi-steakhouse fusion concept in the 6,800-square-foot condo.

Additional details on a name and possible timing of the new restaurant weren’t immediately clear.

Location: 325 Arlington Ave Unit 108, Charlotte, NC 28203 (permanently closed)

Cuisine: Japanese, sushi

Instagram: @nikkorestaurant

This story was originally published August 28, 2026 at 12:37 PM.