I had pretty authentic eating experience here. Food quality was good and the price was reasonable for DC. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I liked how they fixed up little townhome and made it a cozy restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The owner served us and she was nice. read more

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We were looking forward to a mildly adventurous night out and approached this open to trying and learning about new things. Unfortunately, the restaurant staff wasn't particularly helpful or supportive in this endeavor. Asking for details on the menu and suggestions seemed like either a burden eliciting sighs and slight eyerolls or an inability to offer any meaningful suggestions; so, alas, we were left to ourselves. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space, at least on the first floor, is tiny - just counter bar seats in front of the kitchen in a narrow rectangular room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were excited to use this as an opportunity to learn more by watching and interacting with the cooks, but that did not occur. Without guidance, we ordered hamachi, salmon, and kampachi sashimi. The portions were generous - 5 slices of each. The salmon was buttery and the kampachi fantastic - rich and interesting flavor. The hamachi was not liked - it was streaked with some sinewy type substance that didn't help the otherwise unflavorful fish. The soba noodles came with a rich, smoky/strong fish-flavored broth that was interesting. Unfortunately, there is no gluten-free option for the broth. The yakatori skewers (only ordered because they were the only gluten-free skewers) were nothing interesting. The wine list is quite small (understandable considering the tiny size of the restaurant) and the chilled red and the Italian rose were both quite good. The pricing was reasonable in general and considering the quality of the meal and the overall experience. read more

I was excited to try Izakaya Seki after it got a rave review in the Washington Post. Too bad it didn't live up the hype. I visited on a Saturday at 6 PM with a reservation for two. It wasn't hard to get a reservation, but the place was full the whole time I was there. We sat on the second floor. Dinner included the Tuna Nuta ($15), Shimesaba (mackerel, $19.5, 8 pieces), Beef Tongue ($19.5, 4 pieces), three small vegetables (we picked Kimchi Cucumbers, Hijiki Seaweed, and Nasu Eggplant, $19) and a fried Sea Bream Collar (suggested by the server, $30 maybe?). Also draft Sapporo ($8). I liked the Tuna Nuta the best. I had never had this before, and I liked the flavor of the dressing. The Shimesaba was fine; it tasted like mackerel, as you would expect. The Beef Tongue was a huge disappointment -- the slices were uneven and haphazard, the various marbling/fat/textures looked unappealing, and it was served lukewarm. There was no effort or care put into this dish. The Sea Bream Collar was fine; the fry was nice, it was boney (as expected), but I did not like it as much as the salmon collar at St. Anselm. Vegetables were pretty good; the cucumbers didn't taste much like kimchi (a positive, in my book), I liked the flavors and textures of the seaweed (a new preparation for me), and I liked the eggplant flavor even if the texture was a bit limp. Service was pretty weak. The server offered halfhearted suggestions. They did not do basic things like clear the chopstick wrapper or keep the water carafe filled. We struggled to order a second beer. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance was simple, but I liked it well enough.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall, do not recommend. read more

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This place offers the freshest ingredients for Japanese food I've tried in DC. I really have no complaints here... the squid and sashimi were probably my two stand out dishes. Relative to other Japanese places in the DMV, and the array of food, the prices are fair. The service was also respectful and fast, aligning well with the professionalism this place upholds. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is super cute on the outside and inside too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Just be mindful that this place is a hole in the wall, so look for the lantern outside to find the location.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Indoors, there's also two levels of indoor seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Just be sure to make a reservation as well. read more

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First time coming here on May 15 and food was delicious and delightful. We had a bit of a late reservation so had to put our order in quick before they close at 9:30 so keep in mind. Highlights were karate, sashimi, skewers. read more

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We've eaten here a few times now and are always intrigued by the ever-changing menu and the freshness and unique presentations of the food. This is a place to walk into with an open mind. There will be dishes that you've never heard of, and others that you think you are very familiar with, but may not recognize when Izakaya Seki's version lands in front of you. Our last visit found us at the downstairs bar, directly in front of The Man himself. In fact, he would prepare dishes on the other side of the bar and then would stare right at us when he was waiting on his next plate to prepare. A bit offsetting to say the least, but we did strike up some conversation with him to break the silence. He wasn't much of a talker and we didn't mind, but we did feel like every bite we took was being watched and every conversation that we had as a couple was being dissected. We ordered a lot of food. Some hits, some misses but you never know until you order. We had grilled sardine, tongue, the famous mushrooms, the sushi special of the night, fried oysters and ramen, among others. Sardine had many bones, but was very good. Special sushi was a bit chewy, but ultra fresh. Ramen was excellent and mushrooms were rich and flavorful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The fact that the restaurant is in a row house, tucked into a little neighborhood off of a busy U street, adds to the charm.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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My friend and I have been talking about going to Izakaya Seki for over a year and finally made it out this past Friday for dinner. It's tucked away in the more residential area near U Street Corridor, and if you didn't know about it, you might walk past it without a second glance. We were seated on the second floor of the restaurant, which had 10 or less tables, so it's a pretty small interior. The service was fast, and we got our first plates soon after we ordered. RAW: HOKKAIDO UNI - 25 For 25, there was a generous amount of uni and a quail (?) egg yolk to mix in to add more creaminess. The uni (had the "sea sweet" umami flavor) was great for the price, but I wouldn't expect the same quality of uni from an omakase. This is also like... four small bites worth of uni. RAW: TORO - 32 This either came with 6 or 7 pieces of toro per order, which isn't bad. Each piece was sliced thicker than I would have preferred, but it was fresh and went well with the soy sauce. It's not very fatty, but still melted in our mouth easily. FRIED BABY OCTOPUS - 15 Not a lot of octopus per order, and there was a mix of octopus "arms" and "circles" -- personally, I like the arms more for the crispier texture. The batter was inconsistent -- some were fried perfectly, others were on the soggier side. BEEF TONGUE W/ YELLOW MUSTARD - 19.50 This had to be one of our favorites out of the plates we ordered. The beef tongue was cut thicker than we expected, but it was easy to bite and chew. The texture reminded me of baked yams, but meatier. The yellow mustard was tangy and elevated the beef tongue. RICEBALL IN NORI: MENTAIKO - 4.50 Lots of rice, not a whole lot of mentaiko. The rice also didn't hold well because bits and pieces fell all over the plate. The flavor of the rice was just OK, most definitely not exceptional. The riceballs in nori are probably the weak points of our izakaya experience. RICEBALL IN NORI: SALMON ROE AND YUKARI - 6.50 Again, this was just OK even with the amount of salmon roe sprinkled throughout. I don't think it was worth the amount we paid for, but we did want carbs with our meal. SKEWER: MOTSU - 3.50 We got two skewers, one per person. Some of the pork intestine were grilled a bit too much, so there was more of a burnt flavor than a nice char. The outside of each piece was chewy and a bit crispy, with an oozing, fatty interior. I would not recommend eating too many for obvious health reasons, but it was delicious! GRILLED: GINDARA BLACK COD - 31 The black cod was so soft with the perfect, buttery texture. The miso were marinated well on the fish. It is pricy for the portion size, but we enjoyed the flavors of this a lot. My friend and I ended up paying 91 each after tax and tip, which was kind of crazy since we were hungry enough for a second dinner. The food was good and felt more authentic than other izakayas in the DMV, but the price point is quite steep for the amount of food we got. read more

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The sushi was actually pretty good, but unfortunately the experience was ruined by the attitude of the owner's daughter. She constantly looked annoyed, unwelcoming, and acted like customers were bothering her whenever anyone asked a question. Several of my friends have said the exact same thing and refuse to come back because of how uncomfortable she makes people feel. Good food alone is not enough when the service and attitude are read more

Izakaya Seki - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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So so so good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Authentic Japanese food in a cute row home tucked away on a quiet residential street.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There's no phone number to call, but when I had to push back our dinner reservation, I sent over an email and got a quick response. Note: highly recommend getting a dinner reservation!! We got sashimi, a veggie sampler (obonzai) and the grilled whole eel. The eel was incredible (recommend asking for a side of rice to soak up the sauce). The sashimi was fresh and the veggies were delicious (we got the specials of the day that were recommended by our waiter). Great food, great service, and an excellent sake selection. We'll definitely be back! read more

Izakaya Seki - Sashimi - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I can't believe I haven't written a review for this absolute gem yet. This is my favorite restaurant in DC. It's an intimate spot with absolutely incredible food. Japanese cuisine is my favorite and it can be hard to find high quality spots. This place is a dream. This spot is like the cool kid of restaurants. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior design is simple with beautiful statement pieces scattered about.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu design is creative and dreamy. You'll want to do family style at this place. I found this spot after it was recommended to me by my favorite foodie friends. I don't remember everything we ordered the first time we visited, but we got the (NYT best dish award) mushroom dish, the whole grilled sardine, some pork belly dish, and some sashimi. I think I ordered some sort of highball and just remember it was a really strong drink. I also remember crying from joy the first time we came about how tasty all the food was. We came back on a recent long weekend visit to DC. You'll want to make a reservation for this spot. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There is limited seating downstairs and a few spots upstairs.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Thankfully, we were there on a less busy holiday weekend. I finally ordered the ojiya soba soup I was sad about not ordering on the last visit. This soup was heaven. It was perfect for a cold evening. We got the incredible assorted mushrooms again, the garlic-like sauce is heaven. And we ordered the sashimi omakase 7 types. I'm drooling thinking about the light, melt-in-your-mouth cuttlefish that came with this. I cannot recommend this spot enough. It's one of the best restaurants in DC to me. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]One of my favorite restaurants in DC, hands down. A unique izakaya experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Must-haves include whatever is on the specials menu for the day, which typically feature the following categories: raw, grilled, fried, skewers and veggies. Their raw options are always a stand-out, including fresh fish that isn't included on the standard menu. Everything I've ever had here is fresh and delicious, and I've been frequenting this place since 2018. As an added bonus, they now do a Tuesday wine night, featuring a curated natural wine list. Loved sampling the natural wines the last time I went! Final tip: I always get a rice ball (onigiri) to go. Makes for a perfect handheld breakfast the next day. I'm partial to the spicy cod roe and the salmon roe flavors, myself. You can't beat it! read more

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Hands down some of the best izakaya I've ever had! Only tried a few things but was blown away by the flavors and incredible staff putting on a show in the kitchen. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The best place to sit is downstairs at the bar where you can see them make everything![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We tried the special hibachi gil, which was so tender--I had never had anything like this. Also loved the garlic swarmed ahi and garlic marinated beech brown mushrooms, the crab croquettes are also a must! Would recommend coming here with a few friends and ordering a handful of tapas to try together, this will be one of the best Japanese meals in DC! read more

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Dinner at Izakaya Seki in Washington DC. Wanted try an izakaya for the first time and have heard rave reviews of this place. We got a wide variety of dishes - some absolutely amazing and some not as much. We absolutely loved the croquettes, soba, sashimi and the assorted veggies! You could tell the ingredients were really fresh and they let their quality speak for itself. However, definitely pass on the cod here, it was bit mushy and not really flavorful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Server was helpful and the space is nice, but rather small.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall, a great dinner and would love to come back here! Apps: Oyster Tempura, Crab and Corn Croquettes and Grilled Chicken Yakitori Entrees: Toro, 7 Type Sashimi Omakase, Cold Soba Noodles, Warm Udon in Dashi and Black Cod Sides: Obanzai (Cucumbers, Eggplant and Seaweed) read more

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This was my first trip to DC, and my friend who lives here brought me because it's one of his favorite places -- I can see why! We ordered the omakase, which was a nice assortment and incredibly fresh. We also had the karaage (Japanese fried chicken) -- tender, delicious, with a crisp breading fried in fresh oil. The simmered eggplant (nasu no nimono) and sesame spinach (goma-ae) were a perfect contrast to the rich flavors. The service was friendly and warm, and the place feels like a family-owned spot that truly takes pride in quality and hospitality. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's tucked away in a nice neighborhood with lovely plants outside, which adds to the charm.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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I am writing reviews now that I am being more effusive, to replace earlier entries on Yelp that were not as descriptive. I recommend Izakaya Seki with enthusiasm. I have been there three times. My wife's family is in St. Louis. The chef moved to Washington, D.C. from there. His establishment in the Midwest was not bad. But his new venture in the capitol is excellent. I would gladly go anytime the opportunity presented itself. The only issue is reservations at the tiny place. (They have a time limit for tables.) They offer standard fare for a izakaya. They also have sashimi and sushi (that is not always available on a pub menu), and it is among the best you'd find in the city. The dish that has been written about in the NY Times is the ara yaki. That is prepared from leftovers, scraps that otherwise might be tossed as trash: heads, jaws, fins, bones, etc., broiled with a bit of salt. The explanation is insufficient. For this by itself, the restaurant is worth visiting. It will make you want to try to prepare the same quality from leavings. I'd bet it is like much else: simple in concept, easy to execute poorly or at a level that would be deemed middling, and frustrating or maddening to try to perfect. That also is true with the only imperfection, which was the tamago. Brought at the end, which is a custom (it can be the first course or the last course), the omelet was more rustic. It would not have passed muster with Jiro of the acclaimed documentary. The issue was the shape; it was crude. But by any standard short of perfectionism, the meal was great. read more

I had dinner here on a Friday night. The inside of the restaurant is cute, with an ambient and intimate setting. There's a downstairs bar-style seating area in front of the open kitchen, but it was a bit smoky down there, and I could see the scent lingering on your clothes if you dine in that area. The upstairs, on the other hand, has more tables. It's a great spot for a date night. Obanzai - Cucumber, Beets and Citrus, Spinach Goma ae: Everything was fresh and enjoyable. The sesame dressing on the spinach was tasty, and the beets paired nicely with the citrus in a simple yet effective combination. (5/5) Steak with Fried Rice - The fried rice was made with sticky rice, and the steak was fatty with a thick sauce. I personally prefer a teppanyaki-style fried rice with egg. (4/5) Toro - The Toro was disappointing, surprisingly tough and chewy, which I didn't expect. It was underwhelming, especially considering the price. (2/5) Shima Aji - Fresh and flavorful. The fried aji carcass do after you finish the meat is fun and novel, but I wouldn't go out of my way to order it again. (4/5) read more

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Walked in alone and had a great meal. Service was friendly and prompt. Don't be afraid to ask for suggestions. There's a lot of food to try so bring friends so you can try different dishes! read more

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I found my neighborhood authentic Japanese gem. The food tastes the most similar to real Japanese food in DC, the employees are always smiling and super helpful and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the athmosphere is super cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]downstairs is only omakase-like seating and upstairs is small, cozy and warm tables next to each other.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] the food was delicious --light but tasty. I also love their sake selection. Overall, it was a lovely experience and already booked my next visit read more

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3.5 stars Visited on 3/14/25 (Friday) Had dinner with some friends and had an overall pleasant experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was tucked in a quaint neighborhood and had a cozy vibe to it which was nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu was cute and contained several unique items that you don't usually see at a Japanese restaurant around the DMV like squid/tuna natto, fatty sardine, and shisamo smelts, only downside is there weren't a lot of options for sushi and sashimi. We decided to just go simple and split the appetizers, chose our own main dish and had several drinks. Appetizers: - Out of all the appetizers we had my favorite was the scallop carpaccio ($19) and crab & corn cream croquettes ($19.50). The scallops were super fresh and were a good size. The croquettes usually come with two pieces, but since there were three of us they made us another one for an extra charge. For some reason the croquettes tasted like crab rangoons, which can be a hit or miss for those who aren't big fans of the taste/texture but I personally loved how crispy and creamy it was. The other appetizers we ordered were sub-par and nothing special. We felt like the skewers were dry and the tofu was fine. Main dishes: - I had the omakase sashimi 7 piece for and you can tell at a glance that it was fresh by the color and shine. For $33 you get 7 types of fish (tuna, squid, surf clam, salmon, mackerel, octopus, and yellow tail(?)) and the cuts were reasonable for the price. My favorite was the definitely the tuna, but I felt for the amount given, it felt like more of an appetizer. - Our group also decided to split the tonkatsu platter ($27) as we were still a bit hungry. The tonkatsu itself was thick, crispy and juicy, and came with sauce that contained a tad of hot Chinese mustard for some spice. The coleslaw was pretty good but it was drenched in way too much dressing. For a main dish, I wish it came with some rice. Overall, the service was great but in terms of quality of the food I don't think it was that great especially for the price we paid for, but since it's in DC I can see why it was priced the way it is. I still prefer the Japanese restaurants in NOVA but I would definitely give this place another chance if I'm around the neighborhood :) read more

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What an amazing experience. I live in the neighborhood and walk by this restaurant all the time, so I had to try it for dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Completely authentic Japanese food with a small and intimate environment inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were sat at the bar even though we had a reservation, but that added to the experience honestly. The staff was nice and explained the menu to us (quickly, I might add so pay attention!). I will be back! read more

Izakaya Seki - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Quiet little izakaya/japanese place off the main drag of U street. Delicious, flavorful, simple food. We got the hot udon, where the noodles were delicious and thinner than typical store bought udon. Vegetable tempura had diverse veggies (never had beet or bell pepper!), lightly fried and ties with Koh for some of the best tempura in DC. The yakitori chicken thighs were juicy and the toro sashimi was amazing!! The lotus root veggie side was also great and super flavorful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat at the bar after we got a last minute reservation and it was great to watch all the food get made.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The servers gave great recommendations and will definitely be back! read more

Izakaya Seki - Entrance - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They counted Hokkigai (serious?) in omakase 7 type ($36). Not worth the price. This restaurant is on my blacklist now. read more

Izakaya Seki - Mediocre omakase 7 type, - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My friend recommended we grab an early dinner and drinks at Izakaya Seki, and I'm super glad we went. This is definitely a high end Japanese restaurant, that has an authentic menu and vast array of sake options. The sashimi omasake was amazing, as was the mushrooms with garlic and butter. Honestly, everything that was had was delicious and we sampled a lot of the option from the menu. With the seating that we had, it wasn't quite chef's table seating - but certainly felt close to it because of our proximity to the kitchen and servers. This made the service great... There were no long waits between us placing orders and the food coming out... But with no compromises on the flavour and freshness. The restaurant space cover two floors, we were seated upstairs but the downstairs space looked equally spacious with lots of natural light. read more

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Small restaurant near U street that is absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend a reservation as this place gets booked quickly. We happened to get lucky for a walk in but I wouldn't risk it without calling first! The two floor restaurant has a sushi bar and kitchen counter on the first floor so you can watch the chefs cook and the second floor has more tables. They have a menu that remains unchanged with favorites but they change up another portion of the menu based on seasonal and fresh ingredients. This definitely means that you can go here all the time and never eat the same thing twice. Food was all beautifully seasoned and definitely brought me back to my travels in Japan. They also had a long list of Japanese drinks! read more

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I live two blocks away from Izakaya Seki and finally made it for dinner the other week and wish I had gone sooner. It's very unassuming from the outside but is cozy and comfortable inside. I went with two friends and we sat upstairs. We had a really helpful waiter who walked us through the menu, pointed out some of the additional items (the handwritten menu through the QR code) and also let us know what they just got in fresh that day. He made great recommendations. I had some sake and my friends had white wine and we worked our way through a wonderful meal. We started with the uni and the toro and both were fresh and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I think that some of the reviews here that say the fish wasn't fresh just haven't seen fish prepared in this way before because it was high quality. We then had the infamous mushrooms, the cod (cooked perfectly), the soft shell crab and three salads (cucumber kimchi, shishito peppers and eggplants). My favorites were the cod and the shishito peppers! We ended the meal with three rice balls and they were the perfect ending to fill us up. I had the plum, which I loved -- tart, sweet, warm, savory -- and my friends had the spicy cod and the salmon roe. I'd say it's a great place to go to with one other person because the portions are small but I will definitely be back again soon! read more

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Missing my mom's homemade Japanese food, I decided to stop by Izakaya Seki. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere really gives izakaya from Japan feel[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] however the service was not the best. The female server seemed annoyed when I asked to order a drink and then annoyed when I wanted clarification on the tonkatsu plate. I got the tamagoyaki, tonkatsu plate, and a side of rice. I also got an ume chu-hi. The tamagoyaki was very juicy. Not dry and not bland. You can taste the sweetness but it wasn't too strong. It was thick pieces as well! It reminded me of my mother's own tamagoyaki. $13. The tonkatsu plate was pretty expensive for a lot of fatty meat. It was crisp and juicy however I don't think I would pay this much for it again. It was $27. The side of rice was disappointing. Japanese people love a good short grain rice and this rice was okay. It seemed to have been left sitting for awhile because there were some dry and crunchy pieces. The drink I got was not too strong and I could barely taste the ume (plum flavor). $12. Overall this was a nice restaurant. Nice place to have some Japanese food if you're feeling particularly home sick, but only once. Total $61.27. Without tip. read more

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Stopped by for a quick dinner. We sat at the counter where you can watch the chefs at work. We felt like we were in Japan again. The server suggested a couple of their specials so we decided to go with those. 4/5 Kingfish sashimi - one of their specials - this was our first time trying kingfish. It was light in flavor and fresh. 7 big pieces. 4/5 Jowl of a grilled fish - this was one of their specials, but can't remember what kind of fish it was. The fish was nice and flaky. Sprinkled some lemon juice and paired well with the pickled veggies. 5/5 Unagi - perfectly cooked bbq eel. 5/5 Sashimi omakase - we ordered the 10 different types. Everything was fresh and delicious. My favorite was the toro. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a lovely place. The space is charming and well decorated.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is absolutely delicous. My partner and I usually start with the sashimi omakase and then move on to a variety of the grilled dishes. The eel is particularly good. The service is always kind and friendly. The food comes out quickly, so we often order in rounds. I've never had something I disliked. read more

I wish I could be a regular here!!! I've rediscovered Izakaya Seki in search of soba noodles. It's so good I came twice in one week, and the host recognized me LOL It's very cozy and cute here. Highly making reservations online since they only seat 32 people (bar downstairs and tables upstairs). Very nice and helpful staff. Very quick service! I still loved the Uni (with quail egg) and Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio as much as I did years ago. I enjoy getting the Obanzai (sets of cold veggies) especially the Potato Salad, Nasu Agebitashi, and Kimchi Cucumbers (3 for $16 is a good deal)! The Tomato Salad was not bad! Reminded me of bruschetta! I love the Ojiya Soba noodles cold with dipping sauce (SO AFFORDABLE) sooooo much. It's fresh and comforting... Also love the crispy, flavorful Tontoro. Skip the baby octopus karaage (very little and not too special for expensive price). read more

This place was just not memorable in terms of flavor of any of the items. The food on the menu looked great but the overall depth when eating the dishes was fairly subpar. The udon was as thin as the soba and generally speaking the noodles were not that springy. Fish wasn't overly fresh tasting. Cute interior with good service. read more

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Favorite izakaya in DC. Tempura, karage, sashimi platter were fantastic. Sake was great. Really homy ambiance-- perfect for a cute, casual date. Service was great. Overall, definitely the place to go if you are craving great Japanese food and sake! read more

Izakaya Seki - Sashimi platter - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I would come back for the cooked dishes, but would not return for any of the sashimi / scallops. I would not recommend the sashimi or raw scallop. The sashimi didn't taste fresh and the scallop wasn't as flavorful / sweet as I thought it would be. The cold soba noodles were excellent. Very simple sauce and noodles were chewy and tasty. The uni practically melted in your mouth. I would highly recommend. The beef tongue was soft and tasty. Would highly recommend as well. This was also our first time tasting beef tongue but we thought it was good. The skewers (3 for $9) were so juicy but it's just fatty pork so nothing too special about it. It is a solid dish though. The 3 vegetable dishes were good, but I thought the kimchi cucumber could have had a stronger pickled flavor. read more

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I've been coming to Izakaya Seki since they first opened, for well over a decade, and it remains one of my absolute favorite restaurants in DC. It's long overdue that I share just how special this place is. Run by a talented father-daughter team, Izakaya Seki offers an experience that's as close as you can get to a true Japanese izakaya outside of Japan. The food is consistently excellent, thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and always deeply satisfying. From the first bite to the last, you can tell there's real passion and craft behind every dish. The service is outstanding. Warm, attentive, and genuine. They make you feel like a regular, even if it's your first visit. It's that level of hospitality that keeps me coming back time and again. And while the quality is top-tier, the prices are more than fair. For the level of authenticity and care you receive, it's an incredible value. Simply put: no one else compares. If you're looking for an unforgettable, authentic Japanese dining experience in DC, Izakaya Seki is it. read more

The good: food was excellent. Especially the soba, mushrooms, black cod and kalbi. The skewers were hit and miss. Great saki and great vibes. Really made me miss Tokyo! The okay: honestly I was a little nervous about the service based on recent reviews. We had a reservation (booked weeks before) and after waiting at the door for several minutes we started poking our head around until someone noticed. They almost said our reservation time was wrong before realizing it wasn't, and had to find a spot for us in the almost full house. It was fine in the end, but a little annoying as they also rushed us to finish early to meet the 90min despite them causing us to wait at the beginning. I also had made sure to review the menu before arriving so we could order quickly as I know this is a tight meal timeline. I do want to come again as this food is really good Izakaya good, but I hope the service becomes less stressful. read more

Izakaya Seki - Soba with dashi, yakitori, kalbi, spinach - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Menu's pretty limited and the dishes can either be a hit or miss. Prices are a bit high and portions're rather small. But the food's authentic and enjoyable, especially since there aren't that many izakaya in DC. ** 3 1/2 stars overall ** Kakuni ($16) - Slow Braised Pork Belly. This was delicious. It redeemed the other mediocre dishes I had prior to this. Uni with Quail Egg - Raw Sea Urchin. The urchins're so fresh! Best dish on the menu for me. read more

Izakaya Seki has been a place that has been on my to-go list for a while. The hodge podge of different flavors and type of dishes are pretty astounding because you have fresh fish in a carpaccio-type of dish all the way to crispy soft shell crab. I would say that the décor was lacking a bit and not quite what you would expect from a traditional Izakaya. If anything, the current décor is a bit bland or cold, and doesn't leave you feeling like you'd want to stay and drink/eat further. The restaurant itself is located in a very cute neighborhood so I'd think there is a lot of potential with the ambiance. read more

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I visited Izakaya Seki on Sunday, December 8, 2024 around 6 PM. I had a Sapporo Beer ($8), Fried Oysters ($21) and the Sashami Omakasa 10 ($51). The fried oysters were terrific. You get 5 oysters with each order and they were lightly fried and juicy inside. It also came with a fried perilla leaf but that did have much taste. It came with a creamy dipping sauce that did not add to the dish. The star was the oysters and they were prepared perfectly. The Sashimi Omakasa came with tuna, squid, mackarel and octopus. Octopus is my favorite and I saved it for last. The fish was good especially the squid. However, when I ate my first piece of Octopus, it was rubbery and chewy, it tasted bad. Good Octopus should be tender. I left the other piece of Octopus on my plate and when the server came to collect it. I told him the problem and asked for another piece. He said the restaurant did not do that. I asked to speak to a manager. The manager never came to speak to me. The manager sent another server who said the manager did not believe that there was something wrong with the octopus. She offered me free ice cream. I was not interested in free ice cream. I gathered from her that the manager thought I did not like Octopus and I made it clear that I liked Octopus but that there was something off about the piece I ate. I paid my bill and left. I like to support independent restaurants. I am disappointed that the manager did not respect me as a customer enough to come to speak to me in person. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was not busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will not patronize this establishment again. It is a shame that a manager is willing to lose a customer over a piece of Octopus. read more

Finally tried this place after hearing a lot of great things. The food was very tasty - two members of our party got sushi and I had gotten the steak and rice. There definitely are pretty limited options for non fish eaters though. read more

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Our favorite place after 5 weeks in DC. The mushrooms are glorious, as is the mackeral (special). They fry the bones for you afterwards, making a sustainable and respectful snack. We also got the snap peas, salmon collar, and a bottle of champagne. The downstairs is a small place, bar seating only. Highly recommend read more

Izakaya Seki - Mackeral - Izakaya Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Atmosphere: This restaurant is located in the Shaw/U street neighborhood. It is nestled between an apartment building and a row house. The entrance is easy to spot and it has nice Japanese inspired decor. Upon entering there is an option to head up a long flight of stairs to the bar or to the right were the kitchen and sushi bar. This is a small space so it can't really accommodate more than one party of 6 at a time. There is single seating at the bar and then seating of 2,4 & 6. Service: Our server was amazing and informative. It was only us for most of our dinner and he tended to all of our needs. I noticed towards the end of our meal a couple came in and the chef who did not acknowledge my partner and I at all greeted them immediately and also served them sashimi directly. Weird but ok. 8/10 Food: I was excited to try the grilled squid and the steak fried rice. Both were a bit underwhelming. We also ordered the chef selection of sashimi that included octopus that tasted extremely fishy. The Japanese omelette and grilled eel was also just ok. I mostly enjoyed the dessert. Mango ice cream. Overall this place is nice for drinks and small plates but I wouldn't say it's worth the price or another visit. read more

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