Nobu — the global luxury brand co-founded by actor Robert De Niro and chef Nobu Matsuhisa — is coming to downtown Bellevue. Nobu will rebrand the two residential towers at Avenue Bellevue as Nobu Residences, marking the brand’s first residential opening in the United States, and follow it with a 10,000-square-foot Nobu restaurant, the first in the Pacific Northwest, which is slated to open in 2027.
For a development that has spent years searching for the right anchor, it’s a marquee win. Shawn Katz, president of Silverstein Capital Partners and the executive overseeing Avenue Bellevue for owner Silverstein Properties, called landing Nobu a “game changer.”
According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, which first reported the deal, Nobu will put its name on both of Avenue Bellevue’s residential towers, with Bellevue becoming the site of Nobu’s first U.S. residential opening, ahead of towers the company is developing in Miami and Orlando. Silverstein has entered a “business agreement” with Nobu but did not disclose financial details.
Nubu will occupy the anchor retail space that Silverstein had been holding out to fill with the right tenant. When Katz learned that Nobu was eyeing the Puget Sound region, and Bellevue specifically — he knew he’d found the fit.
“Bellevue has really emerged as a global destination for business and luxury entertainment, and so Nobu was focused on the market,” Katz told the Business Journal. “We both really wanted to do this at the same time and ultimately their vision was much aligned with ours. So it’s really a win-win for all of us.”
Existing and prospective owners shouldn’t expect a gut renovation. Katz said residents won’t see a dramatic change to their homes; instead, Nobu will likely upgrade common areas and bring “significant hospitality improvements” to the buildings. The biggest perk is access to Nobu’s “global ecosystem,” which includes priority reservations at Nobu restaurants worldwide, discounted access to Nobu hotels and properties globally, and other benefits.
Avenue Bellevue is a $1 billion-plus mixed-use development located just north of Bellevue Square in the core of downtown. It comprises two residential towers: 365 condo units ranging from 959 to 4,725 square feet alongside the 208-room InterContinental Bellevue and about 80,000 square feet of retail. Roughly 35% of the residences have sold since sales launched in March 2025, with listed condo prices spanning from $795,000 to $16 million. The project is owned by New York City-based Silverstein Properties, which took control after a developer-lender agreement reshaped Avenue Bellevue’s ownership.
The restaurant is arguably the bigger story for locals. Nobu’s menu blends classic Japanese technique with Peruvian and other South American influences, served in interiors known for dark woods, warm lighting and minimalist design. Signature dishes include its famous black miso cod, rock shrimp tempura, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, and a range of tiraditos, a Peruvian seafood specialty, with a typical dinner for two running roughly $200 to $400.
Over nearly four decades, Nobu has grown from a single sushi restaurant into one of the world’s most recognizable luxury lifestyle brands, with more than 50 restaurants and several dozen hotels worldwide — and the 2027 Bellevue location will be its first in the Pacific Northwest, a notable addition to the city’s Japanese dining scene and its growing roster of top downtown restaurants.
Avenue Bellevue’s dining lineup has been a long-running question mark. Under previous ownership, three restaurants, including two helmed by Michelin-starred chefs were announced for the property, and each eventually backed out, among them Joshua Skenes’ planned concept. Katz said residents have frequently asked the obvious question: “Where are the restaurants?” Today, the on-site InterContinental offers little beyond a breakfast restaurant, a lobby bar and room service.
Even with its anchor secured, Avenue Bellevue still has roughly 20 vacant retail spaces, just over half of its 80,000 square feet. Current tenants including Jo Malone, Refine Beauty Salon, and Fleur Studio. Mr. Katz said he is “very close” to landing additional retailers, including some with a local presence.
“We feel that Avenue Bellevue can deliver a very elevated experience that isn’t being delivered right now in Bellevue,” Katz said. “We intend to distinguish ourselves with the retail and as being this great lifestyle, cultural center for people to stay, live, eat, entertain, shop. Nobu is the anchor. We’re not just jumping on anything that doesn’t fit.”
