Fort Worth Approves Japanese Steakhouse on Merrick

The City Council signed off on plans for a 2,396-square-foot restaurant at a vacant lot on Merrick Street.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Dining Out

Fort Worth Approves Japanese Steakhouse on Merrick

Live Poll

Should your neighborhood allow new restaurants with less parking than required?

The Fort Worth City Council approved plans by Aspen Hospitality Group to open a Japanese steakhouse at 2509 Merrick St. on Oct. 27. The restaurant will occupy a 2,396-square-foot building on a site that was previously cleared when its prior structure was demolished.

Why it matters

The approval follows a zoning change for a Southern-style restaurant nearby and signals continued commercial development along the Merrick corridor in Fort Worth. Parking requirements shaped the final plan, reflecting how the city balances new dining options with neighborhood parking needs.

The city granted a waiver allowing 19 parking spaces where 24 are required, with an agreement for five more spaces from an adjacent owner. The parking agreement ends if the site stays vacant more than 180 days without a building permit, and the restaurant's name and menu have not yet been announced.

The players

Fort Worth City Council

The elected body of Fort Worth, Texas, which governs the city and voted to approve the steakhouse plans and zoning amendment.

Aspen Hospitality Group

The company behind the proposed Japanese steakhouse at 2509 Merrick St., seeking to open the restaurant on the vacant lot.

The details

The site at 2509 Merrick St. is currently a vacant lot after a prior building was demolished earlier this year. Developers sought an amended planned development zoning to allow neighborhood commercial uses, and no one spoke in opposition at the Oct. 27 meeting.

Earlier this year: Prior building at the site was demolished.
Last month: Zoning change allowing a Southern-style restaurant at 2300 Merrick St. was approved.
Oct. 27, 2026: Fort Worth City Council approved the Japanese steakhouse plans.

Season Trajectory

The approval fits a pattern of zoning changes along Merrick Street that allow restaurants on former residential-adjacent lots under Fort Worth's planned development rules. Parking waivers tied to nearby off-site agreements have become a recurring tool for dense Camp Bowie-area dining projects.

Diners in the Camp Bowie area can expect a new Japanese steakhouse once construction and permitting are complete, though its opening date is not yet set. Nearby residents may notice changes to parking availability on Merrick Street as the restaurant and its off-site spaces come online.

The takeaway

Local zoning decisions often hinge on parking math, so neighbors and diners should watch how off-site agreements are enforced. The 180-day vacancy rule shows that these approvals can lapse if projects stall.