One of the best restaurants in dc. The ambiance is beautiful overlooking the water. The pricing for the portion sizes of the food was amazing. The salmon sizzler, tempura crunch and Thai red curry spider rolls all carry wonderful flavor. We ate all of the food so no pictures, sorry. Highly recommend Jose service your table. read more

Nara-Ya - The view - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delicious food and beautiful presentation. Went for a graduation dinner and it was lovely. The sushi, cauliflower and miso salmon were delicious. Everything was very tender. read more

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I don't want to get too much into the rating since I already left reviews on other platforms. They allowed my party and I to do a chefs tasting over 700$ and the price is fine . The problem was the chef wasn't even there and we all could tell it was off. Instead of a proper server we got bus boys who knew nothing about the dishes and each plate we were served was almost identical to something off the menu. Big fail. With so much competition I'll go to another restaurant and skip this cash grab. read more

Nara-Ya is a solid restaurant. I've visited on a few occasions; and for the most part, the experience was good. Decor: The entrance fits the IG theme that a lot of restaurants are going for these days. Take pics. The view of the Wharf, of course, is unbeatable. Hopefully, you can snag a window seat. Service: Solid. No complaints. Food: The sushi was fresh. I didn't have the chance to try their sashimi -- maybe next time. I prefer Nara-Ya for their traditional dinner menu. I tried their brunch menu, and it was not the greatest. I was a little disappointed. I wish they offered more sushi selections for brunch. I would visit again for sure, just not for brunch. read more

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Stopped by Nara-Ya for brunch before a Labor Day white party. It's located at the wharf above Mi Vida and below La Vie. A bit hard to find as you have to take an elevator to get there but it there's an amazing view of the waterfront. The restaurant has a beautiful interior, lots of florals and bright colors. Unique furniture that gives the place an upscale steampunk vibe. We ordered the bottomless mimosa ($25) with alternate juice - peach pineapple, etc (additional $6). Comparable to other DC brunch options but when juice is not refilled I would personally not recommend. Keep in mind as the menu doesn't mention this. For food we did the unlimited brunch plates ($45). Definitely worth it IMO considering the quality of the items and overall amount of options. My favorites were the chicken and waffles, brussel sprouts, yuzu cheesecake, steak, and spicy salmon roll. On the pricier side but really delicious food. Our server Daria was phenomenal! Attentive and friendly. Really took care of us. The manager James was also a great help. Walked us to our seat upon check in and came back to make sure everyone was enjoying the experience during the meal. Will definitely be back to try out the dinner menu! read more

Came here for brunch on Sunday, 4/13, with some friends. It was absolutely one of the best bottomless brunches (food and drink) we have tried in DC. We had a lot of food items and all were fantastic! Some of our favs were- the octopus, sushi, and the whipped cottage cheese specialty toast. That's just to name a few. The aesthetic was vibrant and the view from our table was amazing! Also, the whole staff team, from the front desk to the bussers were great. Our server, Malcolm, was fantastic! read more

pros: -favorite brunch experience -delicious selection of food; all you can eat for $45 per person! -each dish is enough to serve the entire table -pro tip: order as you go, it's easy to over order -beautiful waterfront views if you are seated next to the windows -aesthetically pleasing interior -clean and well decorated bathrooms cons: -none read more

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I was excited to try this spot because of how pretty it looked and because the dishes sounded really good. It's a really beautiful spot overlooking the water. It's very vibrant and does get busy so I recommend making a reservation. We wanted to try their brunch and went in the early afternoon. Their brunch is a flat price per person but includes all you care to eat for the duration of the brunch (2 hours). There's also an option for bottomless for an additional cost. Since I wanted to try the food and not drink as much, I didn't go with the bottomless. The menu is not extensive like some brunch spots but the items are curated and really interesting and worth trying once. We tried almost everything before we got full. Everything is worth trying once but I loved the Miso Pork Belly Hash and the Green Tea Pancakes. The Takoyaki was delicious as well as the Chicken and Waffles. The Yuzu Cheesecake Mousse was fairly sweet but the Matcha Tiramisu was amazing. Overall, this is a great spot for a unique brunch menu, and it's even better because it's all you care to enjoy. The spot is really sunny and upbeat, and is a great spot for a brunch date with friends or your SO! read more

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Another pre-Birthday dinner destination thanks to my Daughter & the company was far better than the experience. Service was lacking perhaps due to a 8:30P reservation, I don't know. We shared the majority of the selections, my take: Edamame Hummus was really good, yet had to order additional rice crackers to finish it & was charged for them. Veggie Gyoza were burnt & only ate the filling. The Green Tea Soba Noodles had a bland broth to it, with the bok choy being so huge & unchewable, I wasn't satisfied with this version of ramen. The Vegan friendly Green Dragon roll had a good mixture of red/serrano peppers, avocado & tempura asparagus which I enjoyed. +Service: 3/5 - hit or miss +Menu: 4/5 - Japanese Fusion +Taste: 3/5 - Some good, some not +Portion: 3/5 - Not enough +Price: 2/5 - Overpriced +Atmosphere: 4/5 - Vibrant decor with a nice view of the Wharf +Attire: Nightlife +Reservations: Open Table +Overall Experience: 3/5 I don't meet the service charge with resistance if it's a large party, yet not for two people - especially when the prices are steep vs the portion(s). I had an attitude of gratitude for the outing...definitely would have preferred to dine somewhere else. read more

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What a day! So, we had brunch at Nara-ya! This was the first weekend for brunch and it was amazing! It brought back SO many memories! On the rooftop is where my son and his fiancé were engaged. The food was great and yet to be acclaimed as different. The service was good. I wish when they businesses offer "bottomless mimosas" either they can leave the carafe on the table or they service a little more efficiently. The ambiance was dope and the decor is life! There is nothing like pink and green! If you're in town and enjoying a day on the Wharf...make a reservation at Nara-ya! read more

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First, walking into Nara-Ya was a visual experience. Was not sure about the ambiance of the restaurant by the eccentric wall murals. The actually restaurant was beautifully curated and I loved the dim lighting and golden chandeliers. Now on food. Edamame- Grilled with Yuzu: this dish was good. I did enjoy the grilled taste of edamame which is not common. I wish this dish had some spice or garlic to elevate the yuzu. Sweet Miso Salmon Roll: Fresh Salmon, but too much sweet miso sauce. The sauce took over the roll, but was still edible. I enjoyed the baked quinoa as a crunchy topping Seaweed salad: This was delicious but also had a lot going on. It was my first time trying pickled strawberries and still am debating if I enjoyed it or not. The salad was served with humus which was also a first for me. Delicious humus but I think it was overkill with all the different toppings. read more

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What a beautiful place with a view of the water! Loved the decorations and theme. When you enter, you take the elevator up to the top floor. The hostess stand is right there. We were there for brunch and glad we scored a table at the last minute. Once seated, it took some time before a waiter came. They kept reminding us that we only had a limited time frame since our last guests arrived tardy. We told the waiter that it was ok to start bringing out our options so that when the kids got there they could eat right away. Anyway, let's move on to the food. We had 5 people so they did family style for our table. We enjoyed many of the dishes while others needed some more to it. The French toast was good but the waffles were dry and served with very little syrup. The drinks were ok. The kids got a delicious soda drink that they enjoyed immensely. It looked super pretty too. The Brussel sprouts were ok and could do with some drizzle on it to amp it up. The sides were large and enough to share. Everything was pretty good. They mixed a lot of different flavors together. I appreciated the fact that there were vegan/vegetarian options on the menu. The options are not plenty but for $50 pp I expected a bit more. read more

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1st time at Nara-Ya for Mother's Day. Reservation made for 4 Adults and 2 infants for brunch. When you come Into the building, go right, walk down the hall and take the elevator up to level 3.1(Yep 3.1). The wall art and aesthetics of the restaurant are incredible, beautiful and visually appealing. We were seated at a booth with views of the water through the glass windows. There is a 2 hour timeframe for brunch, which is more than enough time. There are unlimited servings of brunch items that they serve family style 3 items at a time. The Chicken and Waffles were my favorite and so delicious!(I was on the brink of that slippery slope of falling into carb heaven but I stopped myself). We also had the Steak and Eggs, Miso Pork Belly Hash, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, California Roll Sushi, Teriyaki Tofu Skewers and the Yuzu Cheesecake Mousse as we wanted to taste a little of each dish. The food was really amazing and they had a wide variety of dishes for everyone in our group of different food tastes. Our recently married waitress was so pleasant, attentive and helpful. We really appreciated her kindness with 2 infants. We look can't wait to return again. read more

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While initially, the promise of interesting menu items like the wagyu tataki and tartar seems to draw you in, the reality of the food quality of the majority of the food doesn't reach the level of what you are charged. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, commenting on dishes and genuinely concerned with us enjoying our food. The food at the beginning was quite good to with the initial drink, the sweet Keko, and an appetizer included with the omakase, the edamame hummus being standouts. When ordering, we confirmed with the the waiter what items were included in the omakase and if it would take a while since we had a concert to attend afterwards. He proceeded to list a number of seafood options which were fine with me but my wife doesn't consume seafood so she ordered just gyoza and the wagyu tataki. To their credit my food did arrive quickly but my wife's order took about an hour to arrive leaving her to watch me eat while she waited around. I'd say about half the food was reasonably good but for some like the miso glazed salmon it was at the level of inedible (in it's case specifically it smelled strongly of alcohol which overwrote the taste of the salmon even though it was cooked well). In general despite being ostensibly a sushi restaurant first, I'd advise avoiding the seafood and focusing on their beef menu items and the appetizers as they seemed to have more care paid to their preparation and final taste. At this point I'd say the restaurant would be around a 2-3 star, not the worst but also not worth the money (the $25 2-bite lobster tacos were probably the worst offenders), but it does get worse as the receipt attests. Despite not asking for two omakase tasting menus, we were charged for two despite only having one participant eating the seafood that comprises the tasting menu. I have gotten omakase at kusshi sushi before with a friend of mine for her birthday and my wife along with us, so I know that restaurants can provide it to some patrons and not others, especially as it isn't an all you can eat menu item. Likewise, the surprise of being told our water was $9 a bottle when we were only asked if we wanted our water sparkling or still without the necessary info that it's going to cost money to get it. Either way, if you find yourself curious about trying this place be careful as you might find an extra $105 charge for a menu item you didn't order added or getting charged $18 for some non-sparking water read more

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I've been here for happy hour and brunch and I'd say their happy hour options were great! Happy hour pepper dish was so good as well as the drinks for decent price so I kept ordering because it was so good. The bartender in charge of us were also so friendly with their recommendations as well! Brunch was also fine with service, our waiter was very considerate. The food was good, but my favorite dish were the Brussels sprouts. The only dessert I really liked was the matcha tiramisu - the other desserts were either too sweet or burnt. Steak was tender which I liked. I'd recommend for happy hour for sure. As for brunch, I think it's a little expensive for the overall quality but it's still fine. It is a very pretty vibe above the water though. read more

Nara-Ya - Octopus Takoyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Our group of 6 had 5pm reservations on a Saturday. The restaurant doesn't open until 5pm and we got there about 30 minutes early. This restaurant shares the same building with another restaurant called LaVie so they suggested we sit at laVie's bar until our 5pm reservation. We declined. At 5pm we were seated at our table. The restaurant itself had nice views of the DC wharf. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. IThe edamame appetizer was so good, as well as the meat pizza and calamari. I had scallops for a main dish and for me it was just ok. My preference are scallops that are more seared but I think it's just a matter of preference. The best thing on the menu to me were the desserts and drinks. My Mocktail was delish. It was almost 800 dollars for 7 people. So over 100 dollars per person. Typical for the area and the service fee will definitely be included. Two cons: it was my son's birthday and in my humble opinion you're not too fancy to acknowledge with a free mini dessert or ice cream. LaVie did when we celebrated my daughter's birthday a couple of years back. We did get an acknowledgment from the manager though. Also my daughter ordered the wrong drink and they took it back and gave her the drink she wanted but they still charged for the original drink. I could understand if it was alcohol but it was a mocktail. Jeez. Will I go back? For the desserts, appetizers and the correct Mocktail yes. read more

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Don't go here. Service is horrible and food wasn't awesome just ok. After being rude she took 20% off our bill without any notification to us when we order ed quite a bit of sake. The view is nice, but this isn't worth the money. read more

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B+/A-. Had the brunch which had a good round of selections however some of the food item came out cold. Service was very good and the ambiance for the venue was nice. Definitely would recommend trying. Price was a little above average but it is DC right? read more

Nara-ya is all about Japanese fusion. Gourmet food, fashionistas, decor, view. Ample portions, unlike many Japanese restaurants, and each one the cleverest, most unexpected melding of ingredients, and the presentation beautiful. We were one of the first guest on a Monday to arrive to a very lackluster server. She was efficient but no energy or excitement. This was a huge disappointment considering we were there to celebrate a birthday. I loved every bite of our lobster fried rice and Chilean sea bass with Koji glaze! Our birthday surprise was thoughtful and tasteful for this caliber of restaurant. $45 sake was overpriced; still good. The floors are slippery, so ladies in heels be careful. The food is the star of the show, but is complemented with the awesome waterfront views and the hipster clientele, all surrounded by shapes and colors which compel one to look around. Press 3.1 and enjoy. Note: DC Tax is 10%; there is nothing that can be done about that. They add a 20% gratuity to every check which ensures staff a living wage. Three percent surcharge is added to account for the rising costs of goods, which is removed upon request (this is printed on menu). read more

Nara-Ya - Best lobster fried rice and Chilean Sea Bass - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We must've came during an off night. It took 1 hour to get our food ordered and a total of 2 hours to get our actual food. We had a reservation for 7 people. It's a popular place off of Instagram for photos and a view, but overall service was horrid and food was just ok for the cost. I rather just come here for the drinks at the bar. read more

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Went here for a last minute dinner date with a friend. I've been here a few times and the food has never disappointed and the views of the water are always my favorite part. It's such a beautiful restaurant ( literally beautiful from the entryway to the restroom.) This time, I had the spicy edamame and the NaraYa rolls. Everything was so good. I even ordered the seaweed salad because I was enjoying the food so much but didn't want to add anything heavy. I just wish the later rsvps didn't feel rushed. The service was really good but my friend and I both felt like we needed to hurry even coming with a reservation and on time. Overall, my experience was pretty good. read more

Cutest place at the wharf!!! Love the decor, the bar changes colors!!! I love going here for happy hr, they switch the cocktail daily on the happy hr menu which means you can go every day and not be tired of it hehe The sushi is of very good quality, I just really loooove this place! And the location is even better! read more

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Came here for bottomless brunch and everything was delicious! Portions were perfectly sized for two people. The restaurant has a relaxed but classy vibe with a gorgeous view of the wharf. The staff were really sweet and we got our food very quickly. read more

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One of the finest brunches in DC. It's an all you can eat situation, but ordered off a special brunch menu. I love when places do this, as it ensures quality! We went at opening on a Saturday, and the atmosphere was pleasant and the view of the waterfront was nice. Not crowded, and was able to actually hear the people at my table. There were a ton of options to try, from savory to sweet, snd even sushi. My party was completely stuffed trying to taste everything. read more

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I went here on a Saturday evening. We had reservations but were late;however, they were very accommodating. This is a great place for a special occasion, the decor gives fancy. The prices do too which is pretty common for restaurants at the wharf. We got calamari for an appetizer. The sauce that went with it was good and the calamari had a nice crisp to it. We also got two sushi rolls and the lobster fried rice. The sushi was good but nothing amazing. The fried rice was pretty basic but the lobster itself was delicious. They can just give me the lobster without the rice next time. I would actually give them 3/5 for food but the service and view/ambiance earns it 4 stars. read more

Nara-Ya - Calamari and sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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These cocktails were so good! Definitely a cool spot right on the water when at the Wharf! I love edamame and it did not disappoint! Happy hour ends at 7pm at this DC spot is unheard of! read more

Nara-Ya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place was very cute, the sushi we had was amazing. I Recommend the A5 roll, truffle tuna and kamikazie. Keep in mind this restaurant is a little expensive but worth it. Our waiter was great he explained all the sales to us and helped us decide what to eat. Would come back maybe just for a drink and appetizers. read more

Nara-Ya - A5 roll, Tuna Truffle, Kamikaze - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place was pretty good but extremely overpriced. Drinks were $20+ and it was almost $500 for drinks, 2 apps, 4 rolls and a couple pieces of nigiri. read more

Nara-Ya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Mediocre service, mediocre (at best!) food. But crazy high prices--more expensive than José Andrés restaurants! It's a tourist trap and they treat you accordingly. To add insult to injury, they hide fees (service fee, and credit card fee). The decor is tacky, the ambiance is dead. The view is not even good as the windows are dirty, with thick bars at eye-level between the panes obscuring the view. A million better places to go in DC, or basically anywhere else. read more

Food: My husband and I ordered sushi, chicken dumpling, and the seafood pancake. I thought the pancake was going to be like the scallion pancakes you get at restaurants but there was hardly any bread, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There was lots of crab, which was exciting. The only down side of this item was the wasabi sauce. I don't I realized it would be on there and it kept sneaking up on me. I usually don't eat wasabi so I didn't like that. All of the sushi was amazing and high quality. This is not the place to come if you're a basic sushi eater though, they have manny different flavor combos. I was pleasantly surprised by the roll we had with cream cheese. I didn't think I liked rolls with cream cheese but I'm definitely a fan. Come prepared to spend about $100/pp. Service: It was good, nothing spectacular in my opinion. Drinks: We had a pineapple drink that had cognac in it. I believe it had dry ice in it because it came out smoky which was really good. Ambiance: This is the real reason you to come to this place. It was beautiful inside, girly, chic, and modern. I would love to come back. I would say it's only suitable for small parties though because the inside is rather small. read more

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I had an amazing first experience at Nara-Ya yesterday. I went there with my best friend who was visiting from Massachusetts. I live in DC but she learned about it from Instagram. First off, the ambiance is amazing! When you want in, you feel like you're in a magical garden. Great for pictures/photo ops. I love all the unique wallpaper and unique special design touches. We were greeted by a friendly hostess when getting off the elevator who showed us to the bar area. We opted to sit at the bar for happy hour. The bartender, Fran, and his barback were super attentive. He gave us suggestions and his honest opinion about drinks and food and he was right about everything. We ordered almost everything from the happy hour menu: Edamame - perfectly steamed! Gyoza (chicken and beef) - Loved both but especially the chicken Spicy salmon roll - super fresh Welcome to Kanagawa - Such a delicious whiskey drink Sour Dojo - One of the best gin drinks I have ever had I am already planning on coming back next week with another friend. Haha. Thanks, Fran for making our first experience remarkable! read more

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NaRa-Ya is such a great find! The place has a cozy, vibrant vibe, and from the moment I walked in, I was welcomed with friendly smiles and the amazing smell of spices. Their dishes, like the creamy tom yum and crispy tempura rolls, are so delicious. It's a great spot for a date or a casual night out with friends, and their mango sticky rice is the perfect way to end the meal--I'm already thinking about my next visit! Follow my IG account for Curated Google Maps list for brunch, happy hours, rooftops, parks, wineries & more in the DMV area: @yourdmvbestie read more

I got the full brunch service without bottomless bc this was a tad expensive so make sure you're prepared for big bucks! However the view was gorgeous and service was outstanding and while I didn't love everything I loved more than I'd say 80% of the dishes and they served so much food I could barely eat any of it by the fourth round ! Great to go try once for a special occasion! Definitely a treat! read more

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The food here is delicious! We went for the endless brunch. The skirt steak and eggs were my favorite, but all of the options were delicious. The portions are shared and tapas style but they keep them coming as long as you like. We also got the mimosas and they were pretty good too. The inside is decorated nicely, it gave a spring-y feel with all the flowers. The views were nice also. The customer service was great, they were attentive, friendly, and checked in often. I think you get a good deal for the pricing! I'd definitely go back. read more

Sushi was good grade. General manager isn't that good. He tried having waiter order that didn't know anything about sushi or Asian alcohol. Messed up my order. Instead of offering to fix bill he tried to act like it was our fault nicely... I paid but won't go back. Place was empty on a Friday night. Should have been a major red flag but we were hungry. This restaurant won't last long if they don't take time to train and hire knowledgeable staff. read more

Came here for dinner Wednesday night--had reservations so we were seated right away, and got a table for 2 by the window, overlooking the Wharf. Service was great--our server Jesus was attentive and very helpful with food questions. The decor inside is pretty--very picture worthy! The hallway downstairs leading to the elevator was gorgeous and once upstairs, the restaurant has this Japanese/Cherry Blossom decor feel. Highly recommend the Chilean Sea Bass--it was well flavored and delicious! For the sushi rolls, my top faves were the A5 Roll and Tempura Crunch Roll (tip: ask for spicy mayo sauce, the rolls tastes better with that than with soy sauce). The food presentation was nice. For dessert, the Banana Miso Tart was okay. Overall, the food was great but some were overpriced. Cocktails are especially overpriced--their average cocktail started off at $19-20 a drink, and my gin martini was $25--nothing special about it, for that price. Also, there is an automatic 20% service charge added to the bill. read more

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Was pleasantly surprised by this place as we stumbled upon it while walking around the Wharf. The entrance is definitely eye catching and very instagrammable! We went during dinner time and we were able to get a great view of the sunset so highly asking for a table near the window if possible! Overall the food was very flavorful, and although a bit pricey (as one expects on the Wharf). The service was timely and friendly. For appetizers, we ordered tuna zuku, Kani okonomiyaki. Both were solid and I very much enjoyed smokiness of the tuna zuku, not sure if I would order again just because of the price point of 29 dollars. The okonomiyaki was good but nothing outstanding. For entrees, we ordered green soba noddles, lobster dynamite, salmon sizzler and nara-ya. All were excellent! I really enjoyed the broth of green soba noddles came with and highly recommend it for a cold day! Would come back again to try other sushi rolls. I also ordered their sweet keko mock tail which was not too sweet and paired well with the food. read more

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The entryway was really nice and very photo worthy. The restaurant overall was in a nice location within the Wharf and the view was amazing. The food was relatively good and the drinks were pretty. I also liked the container the dessert came in. Our server was great and very knowledgeable of the menu. read more

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Wow! The whole dining experience was exquisite. First of all, what a beautiful and eye-catching restaurant! The decor is gorgeous, the views are amazing, but the food is even better. We got the chef's omakase, and it was absolutely divine. The dishes came out in rounds, and the pacing didn't feel rushed. They really took their time to make our experience lovely. Our server took good care of us, and she explained every dish very well! Everyone was kind and attentive. We started with appetizers, and while they were all delicious, my favorite was the sashimi. Next up was the tart - rich, creamy, full of umami flavor, and slightly sweet. Not my favorite, but still tasty. Then they brought out nigiri and more sashimi - the fish simply melted in my mouth. It was heavenly! After that was the sushi rolls - they were delightful and each bite got better and better. The entrées were superb - the duck with foie gras, kimchi cloud, and rice was so tasty! Such a unique dish, however the duck was on the saltier side. The sea bass was equally tasty, and was cooked to perfection - flakey, buttery and flavorful. For dessert, the matcha tiramisu was excellent. Very creamy and not too sweet. However, the mochi ice cream was not special - quite hard and too icy for me. Overall, I highly enjoyed the omakase and it's hard for me to pick a favorite dish. I had a wonderful experience here. Ambiance, service, and food were all worth it. I will definitely be coming back to try their other dishes! 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Gorgeous gorgeous restaurant. Everything is so opulent. The decorations were so boujee and there was so much attention to detail. I thought the toilet was going to be gold. Parking was easy, it's located upstairs The view was perfect Service was very nice. Hosts and servers were very attentive The food was incredible, but man prices were expensive We got some apps and sushi rolls, next time I will be trying the Chefs Experience (has a little bit of Everything, apps, rolls, entree, dessert, l etc) Not kid friendly . This would be a good date night or girls night or special occasion place Overall very nice and very Instagrammable read more

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