Etsu’s sibling spot SHŌTŌ is landing in Burleigh with yakitori, hand rolls and a new after-dark energy
For years, Etsu Izakaya has been the quiet achiever in Mermaid Beach. No signage, just a single red lantern, yet those who step through the barn doors are met with a dining room that’s always humming. Now, the venue’s owner is bringing that same energy south, with a smaller, more intimate sibling spot set to open in Burleigh Heads. Here’s what we know so far …
SHŌTŌ is taking over a space that’s seen a few lives. Most recently home to Kin, long-time locals might remember it as Iku – the yakitori bar originally created by the team behind Etsu Izakaya – a connection that makes this next chapter feel full circle.
For owner Nathan Horwood, the move into hospitality wasn’t always part of the plan. After years running a tech recruitment business, he stepped into the industry with Kirra Beach Bakery. Retirement didn’t quite stick, and two-and-a-half years ago he took on Etsu – a restaurant he’d long admired. With the Mermaid Beach institution continuing to hum, the next move started to take shape.
“I’d been looking for something in Burleigh for a while,” Nathan says. “When this came up, it just made sense – but it had to be different.”
While SHŌTŌ shares some DNA with Etsu, it’s set to be a more stripped-back, bar-led take. The menu leans into yakitori and hand rolls, with executive chef Leo Militao – recently returned from Japan – leading the kitchen. Expect a tight, seasonal lineup that shifts regularly, spanning hand rolls, nigiri, scampi and tuna tartare, alongside a handful of Etsu favourites making the move south (yes, the fried chicken and aburi salmon are sticking around).
The space itself is being reworked from the ground up. Since taking over just weeks ago, the team has been stripping things back and rebuilding, trading the previous rustic feel for something darker and more refined, with subtle nods to its sibling venue. The frontage is being enclosed and elevated, with a new entry setting the tone. Even Etsu’s iconic graffiti wall gets a nod, reimagined here as “pow pow” instead of “bang bang”.
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But the real shift comes at the bar. More than just a place to grab a drink, SHŌTŌ is being shaped as somewhere to settle in – before dinner, after, or instead.
“There aren’t many places on the Gold Coast where you can sit down for a proper drink and stay a while,” Nathan says. “That’s a big part of what we wanted to create.”
The cocktail list will draw inspiration from cities across Japan – Tokyo, Osaka, Shibuya – with a focus on layered, considered drinks. One of the highlights will be its namesake shōtō – a lower-alcohol style of drink (around 15–20 percent), including a custom yuzu version.
Set in the heart of Burleigh, the timing feels right. With the light rail nearing completion, SHŌTŌ is landing as the area continues to evolve.
SHŌTŌ is slated to open mid-to-late May.
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