Lucky Liu’s Temporarily Closes, Cites Racial Tension

Sushi at Lucky Liu’s. Photo from the restaurant.

Lucky Liu’s, a Japanese and Chinese restaurant on the city’s Lower East Side, has joined the growing list of restaurants suspending operations indefinitely.

But restaurant management cited something other than declining sales and a desire to “flatten the curve” in announcing the closure.

“Since the COVID-19 crisis is spreading intensively around Milwaukee along with the racial tensions we are experiencing ever since then, we have encountered more xenophobic and verbal attacks toward our committed staff members. For the safety and well-being of our staffs [sic], our team has come to a difficult decision in closing the business temporarily until further notice,” reads a notice posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page at 12:23 a.m.

President Donald Trump, in both press conferences and on Twitter, has repeatedly referred to coronavirus as the “Chinese virus.”

“It’s not racist at all,” said Trump in defending his choice to not call the virus by its name. “It comes from China, that’s why.”

But Trump’s decision to use the “Chinese virus” label has been criticized, but other conservative leaders, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Republican members of Congress, have followed the President’s lead and called the it “Wuhan virus” or “Chinese coronavirus.”

Lucky Liu’s post was met with over 50 comments from individuals offering support, asking how they could support the business and condemning the behavior.

The restaurant, located at 1664 N. Van Buren St., opened in 2009. It is owned by Henry Liu.

Lucky Liu’s did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the “borders” from China – against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020