COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A sushi restaurant has opened inside a former central Ohio Matt the Miller’s Tavern that closed last year after a decade of business.

Named “The Blue,” the new sushi restaurant and bar launched in February at 1436 Gemini Place near Polaris Fashion Place. Home to a variety of traditional Asian entrees, the spot is one of several sushi eateries owned by Columbus restaurateur Daniel Chen, who also operates Song Lan in Dublin’s Bridge Park and the Short North’s 1126 Restaurant and 698 Asian Kitchen.

Chen’s Polaris sushi restaurant took over the space most recently home to Matt the Miller’s, a casual tavern that was known for its pub fare and happy hour. The tavern welcomed patrons for the last time in February 2024 after owner CLB restaurants opted not to renew the tavern’s lease.

The Blue took over the Polaris space most recently home to Matt the Miller’s. (Delaware County Auditor’s Office)

Opened in 2014, the Polaris tavern was inspired by the original Matt the Miller’s in Kilkenny, Ireland. Building on favorites like fish and Chips and Bavarian pretzel bites, the tavern offered soups, salads, flatbreads, pastas, sandwiches, burgers and other entrees. 

The Matt the Miller’s concept was down to one central Ohio location at 6725 Avery-Muirfield Dr. in Dublin, but CLB rebranded the restaurant in September last year to “MTM Tavern Steakhouse. Now, the Dublin eatery is offering a fresh menu with four new steak options, including a 10-ounce wagyu sirloin, a ribeye, a New York strip and a twin 8-ounce filets.

Chen is expanding into Polaris area as several other sushi restaurants have also opened in and around the mall, like Kura Revolving Sushi bar which launched last year. The sushi bar serves dishes on a moving conveyor belt and is home to more than 500 locations across Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

A quick-service sushi bar named Ujelei Sushi opened last fall inside the mall, making the first eatery for Rajesh Kumar Shrestha, the former executive head sushi chef from Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. The bar boasts as a “fast-casual Japanese restaurant,” with fresh options for dine-in or takeout such as sushi, hand rolls, donburi bowls, as well as sashimi, udon and soba noodle soup.