Sunda New Asian

Sunda New Asian is a Chicago-based restaurant concept that serves a modern interpretation of Southeast Asian cuisine, drawing on the culinary traditions of Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Menus are organized around sushi, dim sum, noodles and rice dishes, larger shared plates and a cocktail program, with roughly one-third of the offering devoted to Japanese dishes, one-third to Chinese dishes and the remainder to Filipino and other regional dishes. Signature items include crispy rice with wagyu or spicy tuna, oxtail pot stickers, lumpia, adobo fried rice, pancit canton and the Kamayan Feast, a communal Filipino platter for up to four guests; the River North location also offers caviar service and a wagyu tomahawk at market price.

The first Sunda opened in Chicago's River North neighborhood in 2009 under co-owners Billy Dec and Brad Young, with an opening menu from chef Rodelio Aglibot. The group has since expanded to Nashville, Tampa and, in February 2024, a second Chicago restaurant in Fulton Market on the ground floor of developer Sterling Bay's headquarters. A Detroit location opened in March 2026 at 33 W. Columbia St. in "The District," across from Comerica Park. Restaurants combine full-service dinner operations with brunch and happy hour service, private and group events, sushi rolling classes, gift cards and delivery.

Beyond restaurant operations, the brand has been associated with community and media initiatives, including #SundaService, a 2020 program distributing meals to people affected by pandemic-era shutdowns, and Food Roots, a documentary following Dec through the Philippines in search of family stories and recipes, which was circulating on the festival circuit as of early 2024.

Founding story

Billy Dec, a Chicago native and co-founder of the Rockit Bar & Grill nightlife group, opened Sunda River North in 2009 with co-owner Brad Young, hiring chef Rodelio Aglibot to build a menu spanning multiple Asian cuisines. Dec, who is Filipino American, has framed Sunda as a Chicago-born concept and has said Filipino cuisine was part of the menu from the start.

Business model

Sunda operates company-branded full-service restaurants generating revenue from on-premise dining (dinner, brunch, happy hour), beverage and cocktail sales, private and group events, off-premise delivery, gift cards and ticketed experiences such as sushi rolling classes. Growth has come from opening additional owned locations in new metropolitan markets rather than through franchising.

Per-guest food and beverage sales at premium price points — for example, dim sum items at $18-$27, main dishes from $27 to $68, a $180 four-person Kamayan Feast and $160 caviar service in River North — supplemented by group event bookings and gift card sales.

Traction

The company operates five restaurants across four states and reported employment in the 51-200 range; a third-party profile estimated annual revenue in the $1M-$10M range as of July 2026. Media coverage spans Eater Chicago, WGN-TV, the Tampa Bay Times, WXYZ Detroit and Deadline Detroit.

Latest developments

The newest restaurant opened in Detroit on March 10, 2026, at 33 W. Columbia St. across from Comerica Park. The Nashville location continues seasonal programming including patio season, holiday events, happy hour in The Gulch and sushi rolling classes, and the brand is promoting FOOD ROOTS content tied to Dec's documentary.