Yamamori Izakaya to permanently close its George’s Street site on New Year’s Eve

YAMAMORI IZAKAYA HAS confirmed that it will leave its George’s Street premises at the end of this year.

The Japanese restaurant and former late-night venue announced today that its final day of trading at 12 South Great George’s Street will be 31 December.

“As we come in to the final quarter, we’d like to say thanks to everyone for their continued support,” Izakaya said in a post on social media.

“The search is still on for a new venue, we hope to be delivering positive news soon!”

The announcement comes several months after Izakaya brought an end to its well-known DJ and nightclub offering following a High Court dispute with the leaseholder of the neighbouring Hoxton Hotel.

Yamamori and Trinity Hospitality reached an agreement in June after the hotel operator sought an injunction over alleged noise nuisance from the venue.

Trinity Hospitality had claimed late-night music from Izakaya had forced it to close a number of hotel rooms and resulted in losses of up to €300,000.

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The two sides subsequently announced what they described as a “mutually beneficial” agreement which would allow the businesses to operate “side by side”.

Under the agreement, Izakaya was to wind down its late-night DJ and nightclub programming, while its restaurant would continue operating until the end of 2026.

At the time, Yamamori said it would announce plans for a new venue in the coming weeks.

Izakaya ultimately hosted its final DJ nights in July, ending a 15-year run as one of Dublin city centre’s most popular late-night venues.

The basement venue had become particularly well known as a platform for local and emerging DJs, with free entry and regular sets spanning house, techno and disco.

Izakaya was opened by the late Yamamori founder Derek Ryan in 2011, having established the original Yamamori restaurant across the road on George’s Street in 1995.

The business has continued under Ryan’s children, Graham and Julie, following his death in 2022.

The closure announced today relates specifically to Yamamori Izakaya at 12 South Great George’s Street, and Yamamori’s original restaurant across the road, Yamamori South City, will remain open.