Fuego Hibachi opens on Riverside's pedestrian shopping mall

For months, indications at the Imperial Hardware Lofts revealed that a restaurant called Fuego Hibachi would be coming there soon.

That time has shown up. The grill opened last week on the ground flooring of the apartment complex on Riverside's Main Street pedestrian mall.

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The full service dining establishment serves grilled chicken, steak, salmon, shrimp and veggies, as well as a choice of sushi rolls. Lunch costs are $10-18, and suppers range from $14 to $50, according to its website.

Fuego has a small dining-room and design that portrays scenes in China and cherry trees in blossom. A long counter enables restaurants to watch chefs grill meat and seafood through a glass barrier.

Until now the area, at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue has been mostly vacant given that Imperial Hardware Lofts opened in August, 2018. The three-story building was put up on the website of a 1900 store called Imperial Hardware and protects its facade in its architecture.

Despite its name, the development is primarily property. The ground floor has about 8,000 square feet of retail area, anchored by the Salted Pig, among the city's very first gastropubs, which moved there from 12th Street in 2020, shortly prior to the unique coronavirus pandemic.

Developers had actually originally pictured that the space used by Fuego Hibachi would be occupied by a regional coffee house. Game Coffee Roasters had considered opening a 3rd place there, according to co-owner Shane Levario, however instead picked the Main+ Nine apartment, a comparable development one block south. That organization, called Arcade Downtown, opened early in 2022. It serves coffee and brunch day-to-day and dinner with red wine and mixed drinks Thursday through Saturday, according to its site.

Fuego Hibachi is at 3750 Main St., Suite 101, Riverside.

Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.

Info: 951-742-5039, fuegohibachi.com