A new sit-down seafood restaurant is opening on the northeast corner of 75th Street and Nieman Road in Shawnee.
Seafood Island will serve Cajun-style seafood, including snow crab, king crab, lobster, oysters and the like. The owner, Eric Lin, plans to open the restaurant by March, after he completes some renovations to the interior, landscaping and parking lot. Located at 10810 W. 75th St., Seafood Island is taking over the former Ryan’s Buffet building.
Lin, who has lived in Shawnee with his family the past 13 years, formerly owned Sushi Mido in the downtown area. He said he hopes to recreate some of the seafood dining experiences his business partner had in a restaurant he owned in Houston, Texas.
“Of course we are excited to bring the first cajun-style seafood restaurant in Shawnee,” he said. “There’s not too many in the Kansas City area.”
Lin is also planning to provide live entertainment on site, which is why a special use permit was required. The Shawnee planning commission discussed the special use permit on Monday.
One neighbor had concerns about the noise of live entertainment and asked that Seafood Island’s live entertainment be kept quiet and indoors. Another neighbor shared her concerns with improper trash disposal practices from Ryan’s, so she asked Lin to be sure to keep outdoor trash bins closed.
In an interview with the Shawnee Mission Post, Lin said he hasn’t hired any musicians yet, so he is unsure what type of music they will play, but he expects it to be quiet background music while his customers enjoy a sit-down dining experience.
After discussing concerns related to loud music and protocol for addressing noise complaints, the Shawnee planning commission unanimously recommended the city council approve a special use permit for Seafood Island to provide live entertainment.
The special use permit is subject to the following conditions:
- All live entertainment must end by 9:30 p.m. and remain indoors.
- Soundproofing must be added to the building if the city receives valid noise complaints.
- The special use permit will be up for review in one year.
- Tentative restaurant hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
