Longtime Topeka Fine Dining Restaurant Chez Yasu to Close After 24 Years

In 2019, Mako Ueno-Fakhoury and Jon Fakhoury were looking to the future, telling reporters they hoped to attract a younger crowd to Chez Yasu French Restaurant in Topeka. The restaurant at 2701 SW 17th St. will serve its final meal on Nov. 7, 2026, after 24 years in business, WIBW reported.

The closure announcement appeared on the restaurant’s business Facebook page, which the Capital-Journal reviewed, stating the establishment would close “after 24 wonderful years.” The restaurant will remain open Thursday, Nov. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 7, with Saturday marking the final day of service. Both WIBW and the Capital-Journal published their reports on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2026.

The contrast between the owners’ 2019 ambitions and the 2026 shutdown is stark. The husband-and-wife team opened Chez Yasu in 2002, and by 2019 they were publicly discussing strategies to draw younger patrons to the fine dining establishment. Now, nearly a quarter-century after opening, the same owners have decided to close the doors permanently.

Two Decades of Milestones on SW 17th Street

The Facebook post announcing the closure reads like a tribute to the restaurant’s role in the community. “Chez Yasu has been more than just a place to dine,” the owners wrote. “It has been a place where countless memories were made, milestones celebrated, and people gathered.”

They detailed the occasions that had filled the dining room over the years: “From birthdays and anniversaries to holidays, special occasions, meetings, and cherished moments with loved ones, we have had the privilege of being part of so many meaningful celebrations.” The post specifically invited customers to join for one last dinner of their favorite dish while sharing memories made together throughout the years.

“As this chapter comes to a close, we reflect with heartfelt gratitude on the warmth, laughter, love, and memories that have filled Chez Yasu throughout the years,” the announcement concluded. The language suggests a deliberate, appreciative exit, though it does not explain what changed between 2019 and now.

Closed Tuesday, Open Through Saturday

The final week follows a stop-start schedule that stands in contrast to the restaurant’s normal operations. When Capital-Journal reporters visited the location at 2701 SW 17th St. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, signage on the front door indicated the restaurant was closed for business that day. Yet the establishment will reopen Thursday, Nov. 5, and remain open through Saturday, Nov. 7, for final service.

Neither WIBW’s report nor the Capital-Journal’s coverage indicates why the Fakhourys chose to close Chez Yasu. The business Facebook post did not state a reason for the shutdown after 24 years.

The Unanswered Question Between 2019 and 2026

For Topeka diners who grew up celebrating at Chez Yasu, the gap between the owners’ 2019 statements about courting younger customers and the 2026 closure remains unexplained. The sources confirm the timeline—opened in 2002, aiming for younger crowds in 2019, closing in 2026—but they do not say whether changing tastes, economic pressures, or personal decisions ended the restaurant’s run.

The final itinerary is precise: the restaurant opens for its last stretch on Thursday, Nov. 5, serves customers on Friday, Nov. 6, and takes its final order on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. The Capital-Journal reported that Nov. 7 will be the final day of service, with no indication of a reopening or relocation. After 24 years at 2701 SW 17th St., Chez Yasu will serve its last customer and close for good.