The Hoboken Girl Team 
A new food option will open in Journal Square this fall. MENSHO, a Japanese-founded ramen restaurant, has announced plans to open at 505 Summit Avenue. The Tokyo-based restaurant has been recognized by the Michelin guide and is gearing up to open later this year, and we’ve got all the details. Keep reading to learn more about MENSHO, a new Japanese restaurant coming to Journal Square in Jersey City.
The Details
The original MENSHO restaurant was founded in Tokyo, Japan, in 2005 by chef Tomoharu Shono. Today, the Michelin Guide-recognized chain has expanded, with restaurants operating across multiple continents in countries including the United States, Thailand, and Australia. MENSHO is a farm-to-bowl style restaurant, and operates with the intention of redesigning traditional ramen through creative cooking techniques, house-made noodles, and thoroughly developed flavors.
The restaurant’s main focus is an emphasis on community and restaurant collaboration. Each restaurant is designed with consideration of its environment, and made to reflect the surrounding community and culture. “We’ve expanded in places like San Francisco, Hawaii, and Singapore, but each new city brings its own culture and expectations around food,” says Tomoharu Shono, the CEO of MENSHO Inc. “That’s what excites us about Journal Square. It’s a neighborhood where many cultures meet, and we felt we could really grow here, not just bring MENSHO as it exists today, but evolve it with the community. Through each bowl, our goal is simple: to create something that feels honest, welcoming, and connected to the people who experience it.”
Other Journal Square News
The Journal Square neighborhood of Jersey City has seen a significant amount of change over the past few years, with one major project completed and another major project being abandoned. Journal Squared is a huge multi-purpose development that has three towers, with over 1,800 residential units. It has also become the site of several businesses, including a Target, and several cafes, fitness spots, and restaurants.
Several other new businesses have opened in Journal Square recently or have announced plans to open. Historic Loew’s Theatre will reopen in Fall 2026. There are plans in the works for a Whole Foods. However, some residents have expressed concerns that longstanding local businesses will be forced to close due to the construction, such as the 90+ year old Boulevard Drinks.
The ambitious Pompidou Jersey City project was declared dead in early 2026. The project, which kicked off in 2018, would have seen a satellite location of the Centre Pompidou, a French art museum and center, open in Jersey City.
The project was a pet project of former Mayor Steven M. Fulop, and was generally criticized by many for its costs, lack of information, and burden on taxpayers. Eventually, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority withdrew its support of the project in 2024. A fall 2025 proposal to convert the property into a hotel and food hall never materialized. Mayor Fulop’s term ended in early 2026, and new Mayor James Solomon was quick to pivot the project.
In February 2026, it was announced that Mayor Solomon’s office is partnering with Kushner Real Estate Group (KRE) to add affordable housing to the space that was originally designated for the Pompidou Museum. The affordable housing will be part of KRE’s Artwalk Towers development that’s already under construction. It’s a two-tower project that’s directly across from the Journal Square PATH station.
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