I went actively searching for this restaurant, yet still found it easy to miss. It's tucked away…read moreand for good reason. It's a secret that you wish never got out. I went alone and sat at the sushi bar and did the premium omakase. Non traditional in that it was all served on one plate, but worth it. Nice presentation. I even watched a fish delivery from a vendor. It strikes you as too trendy to be good, but that's not the case.

Birthday dinner brought us to Kyojin Sushi on a Monday night, and while the food definitely…read moreimpressed, the service kept this from being a five-star experience. We had a reservation for 7:30 p.m. for a party of 12, and I think that was the first issue. A group our size really needed a dedicated server, but instead we had one server covering our entire section. To be fair, he may have been stretched thin, but unfortunately, the service itself also left a lot to be desired. We were seated at 7:30, but our drink orders weren't taken until around 7:50. Then he disappeared for another 20 minutes before returning to take additional drink orders from people who had arrived later. We were ready to order food, but kept hearing, "I'll be right back." Throughout the night, drinks and items were forgotten. One friend finished her first glass of wine, ordered a second, and didn't receive it until we were literally asking for the check. At that point... we're leaving, friend. To make matters worse, several menu items we wanted weren't available. The mochi? Sold out. The Wagyu? Sold out. There were three or four different items people at our table ordered that were unavailable. On a Monday, that was a little surprising. Now for the good part... the sushi was REALLY good. I ordered the Yume Roll and the Tiger Roll, and both were incredibly fresh. The Yume Roll was especially unique and one of my favorite specialty rolls I've had in a while. It was made with spicy tuna, avocado, seared tuna, jalapeño, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and crunchy tempura bits, which gave it the perfect combination of heat, texture, and richness. The Tiger Roll was another standout, made with lump crab, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, steamed tiger shrimp, and a mango tobiko sauce. The combination of flavors was fresh, light, and perfectly balanced. I also ordered the edamame with the spicy black garlic sauce, and I absolutely loved that twist. It was a nice change from the usual salted edamame. One dish that completely missed the mark was the Tempura Rice with Chicken, which I shared with the table. Unfortunately, this was the only thing we ordered that I genuinely didn't enjoy. The chicken was dark meat, lacked seasoning, and honestly tasted like it had come straight from a bag of frozen Tyson nuggets. It didn't have the crispy, flavorful bite I was expecting and felt completely out of place compared to how fresh and well-executed the sushi was. I'd definitely skip this one on my next visit. My cocktail was just as impressive as the food. It was made with Ilegal Mezcal, pomegranate, hibiscus yuzu, simple syrup, and egg white, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The egg white gave it a silky, frothy finish, while the pomegranate and hibiscus yuzu added a bright, slightly tart flavor that paired beautifully with the subtle smokiness of the mezcal. It was as pretty as it was delicious. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. It's tucked away in an alley, so it's a little easy to miss, but once you're inside, the space is modern, spacious, and has a really cool stone bar that gives the restaurant a sleek, upscale vibe. I was also pleasantly surprised by the prices. Specialty rolls ranged from about $12-$20, with only a few premium options around $25. The edamame was about $8, so overall I thought the pricing was very fair, especially for Georgetown. Would I come back? Yes... but probably with a much smaller group. The food and ambiance are worth another visit, but I'd definitely be hoping for a better service experience next time. I also hope they have a better handle on inventory because I'd still love to try the Wagyu and finish dinner with the mochi.

I ordered takeout from here and it was so good it deserved a review immediately!…read more This tiny little spot tucked off the canal feels like a hidden gem. The staff could not have been friendlier, and the sushi was genuinely outstanding. I tried Uni for the first time here and instantly understood the hype. It was incredibly fresh, perfectly prepared, and paired with cucumber in a way that made the whole bite taste clean and bright. I immediately wanted more -- which feels like the highest compliment you can give a restaurant. If you love great sushi and small neighborhood gems, this one is absolutely worth ordering from.

Seaweed salad? Fye. Best spicy scallop roll I've had in a…read morewhiiiiiiile. Service? Kind. Atmosphere/ ambiance? Quaint and comfy. Kirin bottles popped in my presence. First meal with Gabs back in the US We up

I stopped by Umai Nori in DC for a late lunch. It wasn't too busy when I went, but I could…read moredefinitely see this place getting packed for dinner. The layout is interesting -- there's an upstairs when you walk in, but the sushi bar and a good bit of seating are downstairs. The menu is pretty straightforward with a mix of hand rolls, appetizers, specialty rolls, nigiri/sashimi, and traditional rolls. They also have a few solid combo deals, though I usually prefer trying a variety of items instead. Service was quick, which is always appreciated at a sushi spot. We ordered a few specialty rolls, two traditional rolls, and a couple orders of sashimi, all served together on one platter. The rolls were a great size -- filling without being overly large. The sashimi was fresh, and the traditional rolls really balanced out the meal nicely. The flounder and tuna sashimi were both excellent, and the California roll made with real crab was simple, fresh, and really satisfying. The total came out somewhere in the $70 range, so after tip and splitting it between two people, it was about $40 each to try multiple rolls and sashimi. Definitely fair pricing for the quality and amount of food. This spot had been on my list for a while, so I'm glad I finally made it over. I'd recommend checking out the menu beforehand so you can go in with a game plan and try the items that stand out most to you.

Came here for one thing and one thing only - the hand rolls!…read more I've been to Kazu Nori and other places that serve hand rolls so I wanted to see the hype around this place. I ordered the 5 set hand roll with Hottie scallop, Kanpachi, Torch me slowly, Spicy salmon and Mango Tango. I loved the flavors of each one but the wrapping was tricky. Some of the rolls wouldn't come off because the wrapping had a lot of moisture so I ended up just eating it deconstructed. I prefer how Kazu Nori gives you each roll one at a time to prevent this. Overall great hand rolls but it's super messy so I'd give it a 3.8/5.

Welcome to Georgetown, Chef Ota and Sushi Gaku!…read more Fun fact: Chef Ota is one of the only chefs in the area to hole a fugu preparation license! Making a dinner reservation on their online platform was a breeze and seamless. Try their Okimari Prix Fixe, as it comes with miso soup, a choice of a sashimi carpaccio, 10 pieces of premium nigiri, a choice of maki, and ice cream. There is also Gakyu Omakase specialties, where one is a sushi course and one is a fugu course (that is seasonal). They also have Signature Sushi Sets, in which the Edo Style Nigiri and the Gaku Sushi Assortment are recommended! We enjoyed the Chef's Langoustine Lobster roll and the Chef's Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll, several nigiris (Aburi-style), and the sushi sets. Other options include various soups, apps, and a la carte items. Service was kind, friendly, and attentive. Look for the Sushi Gaku sign/plaque, and go downstairs. The space is bright and clean, and I liked the 'sparkly' fabrics they used for the furniture. Metered street parking can be found in the area. +omakase +sushi sets +online reservations available

Thrilled to have an authentic sushi option so close. The menu included chef designed pre-fixe…read moremeals, but also allowed you to order a la carte from an impressive selection of sashimi, sushi and maki rolls. The yellowtail sashimi carpaccio is absolutely worth trying. The soft shell crab rolls were perfectly crisped. The staff was incredibly welcoming and attentive. Beautiful mini orchids adorned all the tables. And even though it was raining today, their back courtyard looks like it will eventually be a delight for outdoor dining. Looking forward to my next visit.

UberEats order review…read more They were running an amazing buy 1 deal on UberEats and I decided to go for it. Let me just say a few things: 1- Packaged with care and safely placed in the containers. 2- They included sauces and numerous items to make the meal delicious (small sauce trays, chopsticks, etc) 3- The portions were more than enough for 2 people. We actually had several rounds of food left. 4- The food was AMAZING and fresh! I ordered the Firecracker, Shrimp Tempura, and Shrimp Shumai and EVERYTHING was perfectly prepared. The firecracker was my favorite of the favs but it was hard to come to that conclusion because all of them were just that good. Fast service online, I waited less than 30 mins. Not sure how it looks inside but now I'm curious to visit them and check out the ambiance. Definitely glad that I found a worthy sushi spot!

This was a fun spot to grab some sushi! Tina was super helpful and gave great suggestions!…read more My friend and I split the spicy tuna avocado balls (come with 2) and steamed shumai! I had the ruby roll-- yuummmm! And my friend got the salmon! Will definitely come back to try more!

Every dish here was gorgeous. The tekka chirashi was my favorite -- lean, medium fatty, fatty, and…read moretartar tuna all in one bowl. The takuji chirashi and the 10-piece omakase sashimi platter were also incredibly fresh and high quality. And don't even get me started on the basque cheesecake - still thinking about that caramelized top and sweet, velvety center. I love that they're a matcha and chirashi cafe by day and an omakase spot by night. The interior is incredibly intimate, with only two tables for people eating chirashi bowls, and relatively small bar seating for people doing omakase. The staff were incredibly attentive and friendly, giving us amazing service.

Finally tried the hyped matcha and also grabbed hand rolls…read more Staff is very friendly and gave great recommendations! There's one line to order both food and drinks (even if you're dining inside). I ordered the Iced Matcha Latte (Oat Milk + Simple Syrup) along with 3 Handrolls (BBQ Eel, Shrimp Tempura & Spicy Tuna) which was 3 for $19. Matcha Latte - 5/5 (Great color, size for value and flavor - the simple syrup was just the right sweetness) Handrolls: - BBQ Eel 4/5 - Shrimp Tempura 3/5 (didn't prefer the mayo) - Spicy Tuna 4/5 Personally thought the handrolls were fine but nothing stand out that I'd come back again to order but definitely recommend the matcha!

When we first located this sushi place it almost seemed like a specialty sushi restaurant. It has…read morea hometown feel and the ambiance definitely fits in well with this small section of Georgetown. We ordered two types of sushi- the California Rolls and something called Maki which basically consist of tuna slices. The fish was absolutely fresh, and we enjoyed every bite. We stayed there for a good twenty minutes before we headed off to the theater. The people working there were nice and it was a great experience.

Guys, run don't walk to this little gem. Rolls are made to order immediately after ordering and…read moreeverything is SO good, my phone did not get to eat first this time. We tried the Red Dragon Crunchy Roll, Rock 'n Roll, and the Hawaiian Roll and everything was DELICIOUS. Good portions, delicious flavor, and honestly a steal at $12/13 a roll. Will absolutely be back.

Came to experience the Thursday night grown folks R&B night. The music was on point and the food…read morewas good but the service was lacking. If you love old & new R&B this is the place to be on Thursday & Sunday nights. My only complaint is that the music is so loud it's hard to have a conversation or even place your order. We had to ask our waitress multiple times for limes, soy sauce and a to go box. I don't blame her for being overwhelmed since the music was so loud but there is room for improvement! Sebastian Roll: 10/10 fried crab roll was delicious. This is my new go to roll! Buenos Aires Roll: 7/10 nothing crazy. Reminded me of an elevated California roll with torched salmon on top. Vegetable Gyoza: 7/10 pan fried instead of boiled which I prefer! Kind of bland. Would be better with a different sauce or added protein. Calamari: 7/10 good but it did not stand out. Comes with both rings & tentacles. We don't like tentacles so we ate around them.

This place feels like it tried to be a hit in the 90s and failed. The sushi just isn't that good,…read morethe whole menu is white washed mid sushi at high prices. The ceviches and crudos and such are all fine, but they're not good. It makes it hard to want to enjoy them at all. Service is nice and friendly, but understaffed. Everything took incredibly long. Why are they understaffing this place?!? Especially at the prices. The cocktails are actually pretty good, though the wine list is uninteresting. It's a fine spot if you're looking for a quick meal in Georgetown, but it's not a destination spot by any means.

Cute Thai spot in Georgetown! Came here on a rainy Tuesday evening and enjoyed their holiday decor…read moreand lively atmosphere. My friend and I split the Drunken Noodles medium spicy. It was flavorful, but a bit on the colder side. The vegetables were crisp and fresh. The medium spice was rather wild - I would definitely do spicier the next time I visit. The service was speedy and the server was very accommodating. Great spot when you are craving your Thai favorites!

Decent drinks, skimpy portions and overall subpar food. I got the red curry which was severely…read moreoverpowered by the amount of basil they sprinkled in it, making it really herby and bitter. It was honestly unpleasant to eat. Appetizers were alright, but were definitely frozen. The one thing I do recommend is their mango sticky rice. Sticky rice paired with a good coconut sauce with coconut flakes; Mangoes were nicely ripe. Nice ambiance and kind staff. There are definitely better options around the area though.

Relaxed atmosphere, carefully prepared food, congenial service, and seating that's spread out. Put…read morethose all together in a restaurant and that's a winning combo for me. Also, one of my close friends is vegan, so fairly challenging to find a nice spot for her. She enjoyed everything that she ordered, and it made us both happy. Went with jeyuk bokkeum as a main. The sauce is just how I like it--tasty zing, very light consistency, not on fire, pleasant. Sampled some of the jabche and split a vegan kimbap--all delicious. If this is considered extraordinary Korean fare, I couldn't say, but think their cooking is pretty darn good. Once inside, it's hard to tell you're in Dupont Circle, with all of the horrible construction that's perpetually on-going in the neighborhood. It's an escape of sorts. Onggi is a keeper.

Tried Onggi -- cute, cozy spot with limited seating…read more Food was tasty (galbi & soju flights were highlights), but portions felt small for the price -- especially the $38 galbi and pork belly with banchan. Service was great too -- our waiter was super attentive even though I forgot his name. Good quality overall, just wish there was more food.