Kare-Ken, a Tenderloin Favorite for Japanese-Style Curry, Has Closed

Fans of Japanese curry spot Kare-Ken will be sad to learn that owner Ryan Lee has closed the doors of his popular Tenderloin eatery, as of Saturday, June 13. Lee says that the decision to close is a "quality of life issue," and a desire to spend time with his growing family— something that has been a challenge since opening in 2011.

Despite a thriving business that typically sold out by 9 p.m., the San Francisco native says he's taking a break until he can figure out what he wants to do next. Since Lee owns the business and the lease, he's still working out next steps but will be paying rent for the near future and leaving himself open to new opportunities. However, Lee says that although he's not interested in selling Kare-Ken (only the lease), he isn't making any promises about reopening either way.

In a goodbye letter posted on Kare-Ken's site, Lee quoted the immortal words of Usher, "When you give it all, you get it all," before thanking his customers for a great four years. "Business was great, and we had great customers. I'm sad that I wasn't able to say goodbye to all of them," said Lee.