Here’s what’s going on with the 1st Zippy’s location in Las Vegas

Almost exactly five years ago, the Review-Journal first announced the beloved chain of Hawaiian diners was planning to debut in Vegas its first mainland restaurant. The pandemic interrupted construction, which resumed in summer 2022, at the corner of Badura Avenue and Montessouri Street.

A check Tuesday on the 7,000-square-foot restaurant, takeout spot and bakery showed construction well underway, with Tyvek wrap in place and windows installed on the soaring front elevation. Zippy’s, which has not yet returned a request for comment, said in a statement late last year that no opening date could be provided because of supply chain delays.

The statement also said the restaurant had begun hiring Vegas managers and training them in Hawaii.

In the meantime, absent a trip to the Aloha State, folks here in the Ninth Island can stop by International Marketplace, 5000 S. Decatur Blvd., for a small selection of packaged Zippy’s foods in the freezer case. (Thanks to reader Jay H. Brandes for the tip, which the RJ confirmed with the store.)

Folks can also comfort themselves with Zippy’s saliva-generating social media images of saimin, fried ahi plates, a Korean tofu burger, chili with rice, malasadas and other ono kau kau.

The Higa brothers opened the first Zippy’s on King Street in Honolulu in 1966. Today, the group encompasses 22 restaurants across Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ItsJLW on Twitter.