‘Wow!’ Busy new Meridian restaurant closed ‘to get things in order.’ It’s back open.

Casey Thornton spent years dining at Teriyaki Madness in Las Vegas. All the way back to 2004.

So after moving his family to Eagle in 2020, Thornton decided to bring “the original Seattle-style teriyaki joint” with him.

Last week, Thornton opened a Teriyaki Madness restaurant at 1653 W. Island Green Drive in Meridian — the chain’s first Idaho location.

“I’m opening up my favorite teriyaki shop in my neighborhood. There’s nothing better,” Thornton said in a press release. “Teriyaki Madness’s fresh, healthy and quality food items will be a huge hit in Meridian, and I can’t wait to grow a loyal repeat-customer base. I’m looking forward to opening locations in other nearby areas as soon as possible.”

Based in Denver, the fast-casual chain has roots in Vegas, cuisine from Japan, recipes from Seattle — and franchise agreements in place for nearly 250 restaurants across the country.

Located near Chinden Boulevard and Linder Road, the 1,950-square-foot Meridian restaurant dishes up a menu of chicken bowls and other Asian-inspired dishes — with Seattle flair.

And apparently, it’s already popular in Meridian. On Monday, Teriyaki Madness announced that it was closing temporarily.

“Wow! Thank you to everyone in the Meridian community that were as excited about our opening as we were!” the restaurant posted on Facebook. “Although the response is exciting and our owners are so very grateful, it’s actually left us needing to restock a few things and this afternoon we are closed to get things in order.

“... And if you wanted to visit us and the wait times were long, we are so sorry for that too. We do make everything to order and we are working with a super new team, plus record-setting demand. So, thank you again for all the support and we hope that if you didn’t check us out yet, you will give us another chance in the future!”

The restaurant reopened Tuesday.

The New York Times once argued that Seattle teriyaki was “the closest this city comes to a Chicago dog.” Although the number of teriyaki restaurants in the Emerald City has faded since that article was published, the thrust of the piece still rings true.

“Teriyaki is derived from the Japanese root words teri, to shine, and yaki, to broil or grill, “ the Times wrote. “That’s the way traditional teriyaki looks: shiny and incised with grill marks. In Japan, teriyaki is a mix of soy sauce, sake and the rice wine mirin, which imparts a subtle sweetness.

“In Seattle, subtlety gets short shrift. Cooks sweeten with white sugar and pineapple juice. They thicken with cornstarch and peanut butter. Ginger and garlic go into the mix, because of the Korean ancestry of many cooks.”

Teriyaki Madness describes its version as “real food, made to order, with fresh, high-quality ingredients, that makes you feel like a million bucks and satisfies your craving.”

Takeout is a large part of the business model. “Our bowls are loaded with chicken, beef or tofu, plus fresh, stir-fried veggies and your choice of white rice, brown rice, fried rice or noodles,” the restaurant advertises. “They come in great, take-home bowls with tight lids that are dishwasher safe and will help build your container drawer.”

Ordering is straightforward. Pick your protein, type of rice or noodles and which vegetables you want. Most bowls are anchored by chicken, but steak, salmon and spicy tofu are other options.

During a grand opening celebration last week, Teriyaki Madness sold its popular Chicken Bowls for a special $5 price. Regular pricing is $7.09 for junior size, $8.39 regular and $10.39 large.

Idahoans can still get in on a drawing for free food. Any customer who places an order using the Teriyaki Madness app through April 21 will be entered to be one of five winners of free Teriyaki Madness for a year, or one of 20 who will win free Teriyaki Madness for a month.

The Meridian location is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Online: teryiyakimadness.com.