Japanese Izakaya Aims to Bring Charcoal Grilled Meats to Woodbridge in November

Woodbridge’s forthcoming Japanese izakaya Katsu Detroit is gearing up for a fall opening at the corner of Trumbull Avenue and Putnam Street. Katsu is part of a block of new food and beverage developments coming to the neighborhood. After missing its July opening timeline, the restaurant is now on track to open in November, restaurant partner Joshua Chiatovich tells Eater.

Chiatovich is partnering in the Japanese-style pub with investors and restaurateurs Roy Chen and Katsu Yama, the latter of whom owns multiple similar Katsu izakayas across Asia. Chiatovich says the goal with Katsu is to recreate the “fun, friendly atmosphere with communal eating” at the izakayas that he experienced while living and traveling in Asia.

Like many izakayas in Japan that have nondescript wooden doors, customers at Katsu Detroit will enter through a semi-disguised entrance located in the building’s back alley. The pathway itself will be decorated to feel “like an old Japanese street,” Chiatovich says. The restaurant, which is expected to seat between 40 and 50 people, will feature a long bar spanning an entire wall of the restaurant with a traditional yakitori charcoal grill at the end for preparing skewered meats. The remainder of the space will be filled with a mixture of communal tables, booths, and a tatami-inspired seating area. The interior will be finished in a mixture of warm colors and dark woods with low lighting, Chiatovich says.

Brenna Houck

Also in the style of izakaya dining, expect to see variety of bar snacks on the menu at Katsu that allow customers to try lots of small bites with their drinks. Larger dishes using udon or soba noodles typically finish off the meal. The bar will also be stocked with a variety of Japanese beers, sakes, and spirits.

Katsu is expected to serve dinner-only and will stay open until 2 a.m. for bar customers. The restaurant is currently in the process of hiring its opening staff.

While Detroit has a handful of Japanese restaurants and a few izakayas in the suburbs, Katsu will be the only true izakaya within city limits. A similar izakaya specializing sake was previously planned for Milwaukee-Junction, but the project was eventually abandoned due issues with the city. When Katsu opens it will eventually be joined by a bike-centric cafe called Bikes & Coffee, and beer and whiskey spot called Lexington Bar.

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