Hollywood's Storied Yamashiro Rises From the Ashes and Re-Opens Tonight

Yamashiro, the storied 100-year old Hollywood restaurant that closed last week, is re-opening tonight under the direction of BNG Group and Sugar Factory. The eatery had closed last week after the former owners wrote a heartfelt letter to the millions of guests it had served over the years.

Sugar Factory, which runs a chain of restaurants in Miami, New York, and Vegas, has partnered up with TCL Chinese Theaters and BNG to restore the hillside restaurant into a fine dining and events mecca. It's a bit confusing, but there's basically a coterie of seasoned hospitality folks trying to run Yamashiro.

Christophe Bonnergrace, formerly at Las Vegas's Buddha Bar & Little Buddha, is now the executive chef of the restaurant, with a multi-faceted approach that'll eventually include sushi, teppanyaki, and more of the crowd-pleasing fare you'd find at Sugar Factory's other eateries.

Though Yamashiro officially reopens today, it will undergo a renovation by JE Group, the Chinese-based outfit that acquired the property earlier this year. JE Group will renovate the property, but will work with the city to maintain its overall look and historic landmark status. All the new rehabilitation will commence within the next few weeks, so the restaurant will retain its former glory for the time being. Hours run 5 to 11 p.m. on weekdays, and until midnight on weekends.