A new restaurant from a familiar Traverse City team is taking shape on Union Street. The Happy Cat is listed by its owners as a coming Asian American kitchen and bar at 108 South Union Street. For anyone wondering whether that means saying goodbye to Mama Lu’s, the current plan offers a welcome answer: the taco shop stays.

As checked October 30, 2026, this is an opening to watch. Honest Hospitality’s dining directory still describes The Happy Cat as coming soon. A late-November or early-December opening is the target reported by The Ticker on October 26, but a target is not a confirmed first service.

A separate home for a different menu

Adrienne Brunette and John Larson’s team originally considered transforming Mama Lu’s into the new concept. An October 24 Northern Express interview explains the change of direction: keep the established taco restaurant and develop The Happy Cat separately in the former Identity Brewing space.

That distinction is useful when making plans with friends. Mama Lu’s remains listed at 149 East Front Street, while The Happy Cat has a Union Street address. An older announcement about changing the Front Street restaurant should not be used as directions to the new business.

The owners’ description emphasizes Asian American food and a colorful street-market atmosphere. In the interview, the planned menu includes dumplings, steamed buns and housemade noodles, with drinks drawing on Asian flavors. Those details describe the concept under development; they are not a final menu or a promise that every previewed item will appear on opening night.

What the team already brings to town

The business sits within an existing local restaurant group. Honest Hospitality also lists Mama Lu’s, The Flying Noodle and The Burrow TC. The group’s background page identifies Brunette and Larson as its co-founders and describes a focus on careers in hospitality and distinct restaurant experiences.

For diners, that makes the story more than a name on a storefront. It is a local operator adding a different kind of meal to its lineup. Whether the new restaurant becomes your noodle stop, a place for shared plates or a drinks outing is something to decide once service begins and the actual menu is available.

Before booking your first visit

Watch The Happy Cat’s announcements for the opening date, operating hours and ordering or reservation details. If you have dietary requirements, ask the restaurant about specific dishes and preparation once the menu is published. A broad cuisine description cannot answer those questions.

For a group outing, wait until the business confirms how it will handle tables and larger parties. Keep a second dining option in mind during the first weeks, and check the day’s information before heading downtown. Opening schedules can develop in stages, so an announcement about one service does not establish a permanent weekly routine.

If your group has been following the project for months, share the current Union Street address when you organize the outing. That small detail will help prevent people from heading to the earlier proposed location.

The news to remember is straightforward: Mama Lu’s and The Happy Cat are planned as separate destinations. There is a new Union Street concept to anticipate without treating the familiar Front Street taco shop as closed. Follow the owners’ channels for the next concrete milestone: a confirmed invitation to come in and eat.