Red Lobster To Become Sushi Masa!

In case you missed the new sign that just went up, New Tampa’s shuttered Red Lobster in The Pointe at Tampa Palms is going to become Sushi Masa, the latest link in a nine-link chain of all-you-can-eat “premium” Japanese restaurants, with existing locations in Texas, Louisiana, Pensacola, FL, and the closest to us in Lakeland. 

Like Koizi in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza (less than 500 feet from the future Sushi Masa), the under-construction Japanese eatery offers all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner options — however, Sushi Masa only offers hibachi/teppanyaki entrées separately from the all-you-can-eat fare.

But, don’t expect Sushi Masa to open anytime soon, as the former Red Lobster has been completely gutted inside (photo below) and the manager we spoke with at the Lakeland location didn’t know when it was expected to be completed. Our best guess is sometime during/towards the end of the first quarter of 2025, but we’ll keep you posted. 

For more information, including menus and photos of the other locations, visit SushiMasaUS.com.

New Tampa’s Red Lobster Closes Prior To Bankruptcy Announcement!

I’ve said it from Day One, but when you’re supposed to be a “fresh” seafood restaurant and the food item people say they love the most at your place are your cheesy fried biscuits, that’s kind of a problem.

Well, the bad news for you Cheddar Bay biscuit lovers is that dozens of Red Lobster restaurants across the U.S., including the location at 17021 Palm Pointe Dr. at The Pointe at Tampa Palms, closed abruptly on May 14, weeks after the announcement that the company was pursuing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the 700+-unit worldwide chain. The local Red Lobster was one of three Tampa Bay-area locations and 20 in Florida that all closed the same day. And, following the closures, published reports say that Red Lobster did formally announce that it had indeed declared bankruptcy on Monday of this week (after we went to press with the May 28 New Tampa issue) —” punctuating a five-year chapter marked by traffic declines, inconsistent sales and dwindling cash. The restructure will result in a leaner company, smaller menu and better capital structure, per a plan laid out in a court filing by CEO Jonathan Tibus.”

Although the restaurant’s popular “Endless Shrimp” promotion was reported as a major reason for the bankruptcy, it’s clear the company had a lot more problems than just too many customers consuming too many free crustaceans.

The good news is that you can still buy the mix to make your favorite biscuits from scratch. They’re also available frozen and ready to bake in most local grocery stores. 

Meanwhile, TJF USA LLC, the parent company of Central Florida-based Tijuana Flats Tex-Mex restaurants, has been acquired by a new ownership group (Flatheads, LLC), but the company concurrently announced that it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which has resulted in the closing of 11 of its 26 franchise locations (there also are 65 company-owned Tijuana Flats), including the one in New Tampa at 17501 Preserve Walk Ln. in the Highwoods Preserve area, which is already closed (photo). 

The Wesley Chapel Tijuana Flats, located at 27709 S.R. 56, is one of the locations that is remaining open. All of the Tijuana Flats restaurants are located in Florida, North Carolina, Texas and Alabama. 

Also, although we told you way back in our Sept. 19, 2023, New Tampa issue that Potbelly Sandwich Works was taking over the former Oronzo Honest Italian space in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza on BBD, we had no idea at that time how long it would take for Potbelly’s to open in the plaza. 

Well, we now know that the answer is “No time soon.” 

Yours truly was able to stop in at the under-construction location a couple of weeks ago and what I saw was a still-completely-gutted space with a dirt floor. In other words, no remnant of what once was Oronzo remains and even the construction workers at the site (who said they didn’t know and certainly couldn’t speak officially about any projected opening date) said that it would be “months” before Potbelly could possibly be ready to open. I didn’t take any pictures inside, but based on what I saw, it could be until the end of the year before we see the new Potbelly’s opening in that space. 

In the meantime, feel free to visit the location at 4738 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. (near Raymond James Stadium) or the one at 2520 S. Falkenburg Rd. (near Brandon) for the Chicago-based chain’s “famous toasty sandwiches, soups, salads, fresh-baked cookies and hand-spun milkshakes.” — GN