People Still Love I Luv Teriyaki

Three years after fire, eatery returns to Georgetown

A customer walks into I Luv Teriyaki during its "Grand Opening" return in Georgetown the first week of March 2026. (Photo by Steve Lannen)

On a recent sunny weekday afternoon in early March, customers waited in line to place an order at the reopened I Luv Teriyaki. Upbeat music hummed from speakers. Woks sizzled behind a curtain in the kitchen. Plates filled with rice and spicy chicken or beef came out from the kitchen and were quickly delivered to tables. Women working the counter tapped screens and spun around to bag takeout food before handing them to other customers.

The scene was busy, but nothing like opening day when a line of customers was out the door. The restaurant had to close early because it ran out of food. Several old favorites were seen on a menu above the cashiers along with a listing for coffee and some breakfast items, which were expected to be available soon. 

The busy first few days are quite the change for the small restaurant at 6500 4th Ave. S. Three years ago, a fire gutted the building. Owner Dong “Don” Lo and wife, Eva, razed the previous building and rebuilt the restaurant.

The Los had hoped to reopen last spring, but said they ran into issues with city permits. They finally received the occupancy permit allowing them to open in February.

 "It has been a long journey of rebuilding, patience, and hard work. Through it all, our community stood by usꟷand we are incredibly grateful," they wrote in a Facebook post.

In a corner booth, Anthony Bender, 38, ate his gyoza and chicken teriyaki. Although the business changed hands over time, the West Seattle resident said the corner restaurant has sold teriyaki as long as he could remember. He wasn’t surprised that customers, including him, returned. 

“It’s good. It’s been there forever,” he said. “People watch this and in our crazy world, it kind of says something about the human spirit that you can rebuild something like this. It’s resiliency. Makes you feel like you can do anything.” 

Read more about the Los and their work to rebuild after the fire here.