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    Wasai

    3.9 (244 reviews)
    ModerateDim Sum, Ramen
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:45 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Wasai Photos

    WASAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Wasai

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    Reviews With Photos - Wasai

    Steamed D2. Pork, Shrimp Chive Dumplings
    Stephanie T.

    Me and my son came here for early dinner prior to the wizards game. The people working there were super busy making noodles since they are handmade and boba but the guy taking orders was very friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The tables were super dirty, several customers were very vocal about it and got their food to go.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff there were VERY BUSY so maybe they need an extra person to clean tables on their busy days. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I wanted to eat in the restaurant so I cleaned our eating area with sanitizer and napkins.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My son got the spare rib noodle soup and I tried it and it was good! It wasn't the best we've had and the broth was a little bland. His strawberry goncha tasted like fake flavoring and was gross. The spring rolls were very tasty. Everything came out hot and fresh so that was great. I got the steamed dumplings and they were very good. The dumpling sauce was delicious. The reason I gave it a 2 was because of the short rib soup and the goncha. For the price of the goncha it should have tasted better. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Also the tables were yuck. Like they need to get that figured out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Sesame chicken
    Neil W.

    We were in Chinatown, on the hunt for something that isn't too expensive, and my friend recommended we go to Wasai. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We got to the front, seemed fairly crowded, I think a show had just ended at the Capital One Arena.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But seeing that the line was moving, we decided to give it a go. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was pretty crowded and loud inside, but we managed to get seated when a couple got up.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food took a while to come out. Not anything astounding, the sesame chicken is what you'd expect. The soup was a little bit of a disappointment, I'm sad to say... The broth could have used more seasoning or something..? Something was missing, I couldn't put my finger on it. Something I wish they did with the hand pulled noodle is for the noodles to be bouncier, or thicker, something with a little more body. All in all, the prices are reasonable and the location is convenient, the food didn't quite hit the mark for me. My friend seemed perfectly happy though, so maybe you'll be fine here too.

    Tori H.

    The best pulled noodle spot in Chinatown dc! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a fast casual spot with gongcha inside too?![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You order on kiosks in the back. The menu was extensive. I got both beef pulled noodles with thin noodles. The broth was perfection and not too salty, the beef was tender, and the noodles had a good chew and pull. It made for the perfect slurp. The soup dumplings were well seasoned you didn't need soy sauce. It had a good amount of soup too. The service was quick. Everything was so so delicious! I'll be back soon!

    Kassidy K.

    Stopped by on a day trip for a festival... I they've got good options for vegetarians as well as meat eaters. They have 2 self service kiosks. One for JUST boba. And the other for food! I got the Vegetable Fried rice and the Vegetable Fried Dumplings. They were amazing and great for the price. Wish I could've tried the boba- but it looks like it must be good if everyone else in there had it besides us. The staff are friendly and quick with their services. Would def visit again to try the boba and get dumplings again !! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cozy little building too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Beef Flank Pull Noodle Soup and Spicy Cumin Toothpick Lamb
    Nik W.

    Definitely a fast casual experience. Soup was flavorful, included meat was tender, and the hand cut noodles were chewy. The lamb was tasty and tender as well. Staff were very nice and topped up our drink when we asked for more ice. A solid and convenient stop for some basics! Curious to try other items on the menu.

    chive & pork dumplings.
    Kwame S.

    I had some time to spare before meeting a friend for drinks, so I decided to grab a quick snack from Wasai since the restaurant was in the same area where i was meeting my friend. For my quick meal, I went with the Pork and Chive Steamed Dumplings, which were about $10 for a serving of eight dumplings. I thought the dumplings were quite delicious. Since I am not a huge dumpling aficionado, I cannot give great details about the dumplings; however, I definitely would not mind ordering these dumplings in the future. While I would visit this restaurant again, I probably would not go out of my way (e.g., 15+ minute walk) to dine here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Although the restaurant has plenty of seating, the restaurant seems to more of a take out type of establishment - at least from what I saw from other customers.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Eh, maybe folks nowadays are more interested in take-out options, rather than dine-in options. The restaurant is pretty much a self-service spot where you order the food from one of four tablets and bus your own tables. While I provided a tip with my order, I will admit that it sometimes rubs me the wrong way "having" to tip when I have to enter my own order, pick up my food at the counter, and buss my own table after eating.

    spicy Beef Pull Noodle Soup
    Sharon L.

    I got the spicy beef noodle soup (with the hand pulled wide noodles) and it was delicious ! This place is a fast casual spot where you can order from a kiosk and pick up your order once your number is called and dine in any of the available seats. The total came out to close to $17 and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the restaurant interior was clean with lots of seating (for both small groups and solo diners).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The soup was delicious and the pulled noodles had good chew and texture. I would definitely come back and recommend !

    Beef pull soup with spicy broth
    Joan B.

    10 out of 10 Everything was delicious! Loved the shrimp dumplings which tasted fresh. The soup with spicy broth is a must try. I couldn't stop drinking the broth.

    Samantha G.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Good enough the ambiance lowkey sucks and price high[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], also u can clearly tell the ramen is eh and pre cooked. Not wowed, but had flavor. Good portion size

    Soup dumplings
    Richard G.

    This is an order at the electronic board and wait till they call your name. Great tasting noodle bowls. Loved the shrimp and broccoli with plenty of shrimp. The soup dumplings were delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Good portions, good food, good vide.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Try it!

    Belldandy C.

    Came in for a bite of lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was pretty busy but we were able to snag a table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You order at the kiosk and they'll call your number out when it's ready. I love that it's two establishments in one. We were able to order noodle soup and boba! I got the Assorted Beef Pull Noodle Soup w/ hand shaved noodles & Pork Soup Dumplings. The noodle soup was ok. The hand shaved noodles were a bit lacking and didn't have the correct texture/mouth feel & the soup was lukewarm. The soup dumplings were good but the skin was a bit thick & no ginger was served with it. Overall, food is good if there's nothing like it around but nothing I'd crave to come back to again.

    Seafood noodle soup, beef noodle soup
    Sonya H.

    I had honestly almost entirely lost hope in finding good, authentic, and affordable Asian food in Chinatown until I randomly stumbled upon Wasai. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It, admittedly, doesn't look like much at first glance -- the decor is pretty utilitarian, the menu is pretty simple, and they share their space with a Gong Cha.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] However, the simplicity of their menu and decor is what makes Wasai shine -- they do one thing (okay maybe two things), and they do those things incredibly well. My friend and I dropped by Wasai after wandering around the National Mall until the mid / late afternoon on Saturday. We, of course, did not plan ahead and were absolutely starving by the time we made it to Chinatown. We had only moderate expectations for Wasai (for all the reasons above), but they absolutely blew us out of the water. We each got one of their noodle soups -- my friend got their beef, and I opted for their seafood. The noodles were absolutely perfect; they were springy, but not too springy...chewy, yet not too chewy...and doughy while not being too doughy. The texture was absolutely spot on, and these delightful hand-pulled noodles were the perfect vessel for the rich beef / seafood broth. My friend's soup came with a generous helping of beef, and mine had a great bit of mixed seafood. I did think the veggies were a bit lacking, as one sprig of bok choy and two slices of radish aren't quite enough vitamins to keep my doctor happy, but the bowls were otherwise phenomenal. And, lest you think that it was just our post-walk hunger that made us fall in love with Wasai, we've both separately been back there multiple times and have continued to feel the same way each time. I've even ordered it for delivery a few times and it's still fantastic, although I will say that you do lose a bit of the noodle's springy goodness in the transit time.

    Christopher S.

    WASHINGTON, DC / CHINESE / 07-04-24 / LUNCH +Handmade pulled noodles, hand-cut noodles, or skinny noodles. +The cumin lamb skewers were delicious. +The restaurant concept is awesome! +Customer service was excellent. -The broth left a lot to be desired. -The potstickers were a little too salty.

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    5 months ago

    10/10 beef and broccoli. I also had the soup dumplings which were also very good and hot

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    1 year ago

    Food was so so very basic and Americanized. Dumplings were great. Boba took forever and was blended wrong.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Wasai Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Wasai

    How would you describe the ambiance or atmosphere of the restaurant?

    Very casual, and I would say it's nice and modern inside! It's good for a quick meal. There isn't a ton of seating either.

    Do you have any vegan options?

    Do we need to make reservations first?

    Wasai doesn't do reservations! You can just go in and order at a kiosk. They have seating available but during busy nights it can fill up quickly.

    Is it only takeout, or do they have a dine-in area?

    they have dine-in tables!

    Is there parking nearby?

    Street parking or garage parking

    Is there an online menu? Can someone post a pic

    It's on their website at https://www.wasai.us

    View All 8 Questions

    Toki Underground - Pork gyoza/dumplings- served with chili oil, sweet soy sauce. Pan fried, steamed or fried

    Toki Underground

    4.1(2.6k reviews)
    1.8 miH Street Corridor/Atlas District/Near Northeast
    $$
    13 years in business
    Vegetarian friendly

    TLDR: would recommend, decent ramen. Appetizers are great and the drinks are well made. Definitely…read morenot good for a large party size due to restaurant size. Servers are very attentive and come by very often. Must Try: Shrimp Naruto Atmosphere/Setting: very small place with dim lighting. This isn't the place to have your birthday celebration with a Partiful of 20 people. It's moreso catching up with a friend or having a good meal after a long day alone. Food: it's a ramen spot but honestly I've had better ramen but this one is pretty good. I think the appetizers are moreso the star of the show ! Appetizers : Shrimp Naruto (10/10) , Brussels Okonomiyaki (8/10) , Yuzu Rootbeer Wings (6/10) Shrimp Naruto is phenomenal , literally my favorite. I wanted to like to e wings but they were too soft for my liking. If they were fried harder or had a bit more of a crunch I'd rank them higher because the flavor is there. Drinks: both drinks were great !

    Amazing place. Been meaning to try it for a while and first time we went we were confused why the…read moredownstairs didn't go here and it is upstairs. While upstairs it really resembles a Tokyo underground ramen shop. Seating is tight but we manage to be comfortable enough at the bar.The drink selection is great and prices are reasonable. Both times we had both ramen and bao buns which we loved. The happy hour deals are great too. Our bartender (same guy) has been excellent both times serving both drinks and food. They are on InKind as well and had a coupon to return so we came back the next month with our friend.

    Photos
    Toki Underground - The Toki Classic- tonkotsu (pork bone soup), chased, soft egg, kale, pickled ginger

    The Toki Classic- tonkotsu (pork bone soup), chased, soft egg, kale, pickled ginger

    Toki Underground - Shiiitake & Cashew Dan Dan

    Shiiitake & Cashew Dan Dan

    Toki Underground - Fried Chicken Steam buns- karaage fried chicken tossed in sweet chili sauce served with kewpie mayo, pickles, scallions and cilantro

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    Fried Chicken Steam buns- karaage fried chicken tossed in sweet chili sauce served with kewpie mayo, pickles, scallions and cilantro

    Daikaya Ramen Shop - Super spicy shoyu

    Daikaya Ramen Shop

    4.1(3.8k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Food is always good. One of the few ramen places that I can actually finish my bowl. Favorite ramen…read morein the menu is the Shio, but I gave Mugi-miso a try, and it was really good. Not strong miso flavor that hurts your throat, but still has that umami flavor. Place can get packed especially at dinner. But quick turnaround. Can be a group or solo.

    I had heard rave reviews about this place, which is why I finally decided to check it out. The…read morespace is small and cozy, but we went on a Monday and were seated immediately. Since there were only two of us, we shared an eight-person table with three other couples, which gave it a very authentic Japanese ramen shop vibe. Our server was attentive from the start. As soon as he finished taking our order, he asked if anyone needed a fork. I really appreciated that, since I don't know how to use chopsticks and didn't have to awkwardly ask for one myself. We started with the gyoza, which were so crispy and flavorful that we ended up ordering a second plate. For ramen, we tried the tsukemen, which comes with cold noodles that you dip into a rich, soy-forward broth. It was an interesting experience, but after a while the repetitive dipping became a bit tedious for me. We also ordered the spicy miso ramen, which was my favorite of the two. It had a nice kick without being overwhelmingly spicy. It also came with bean sprouts, which aren't usually my favorite, but they added a pleasant crunch and texture to the bowl. Overall, this was a really solid meal. It wasn't quite the mind-blowing experience I had built up in my head, but it's still one of the better ramen spots I've had in DC. I'll definitely be back to check out the izakaya upstairs.

    Photos
    Daikaya Ramen Shop - Clean tidy organized

    Clean tidy organized

    Daikaya Ramen Shop - Spicy Miso

    Spicy Miso

    Daikaya Ramen Shop - Super Spicy Shoyu - very good and actually spicy!

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    Super Spicy Shoyu - very good and actually spicy!

    Kajiken

    Kajiken

    4.5(130 reviews)
    9.1 mi

    The family and I ate here for dinner. Aburasoba may not be the popular ramen, but I may enjoy it…read moremore than broth ramen!! It's so flavorful, the noodles are so bouncy and don't get overcooked in the broth. I often don't finish ramen broth anyway bc it's quite salty (they do offer ramen broth bowls if that's what your feeling). All that to say, the aburasoba that they do here is really good. Some of the apps are on the smaller side, but the salad and the tebasaki are worth it for sharing. You can order with the staff or with the kiosk. Service is good and it's a casual dining area inside.

    I've been on a hunt for ramen around my area these past couple of months now and Kajiken was up on…read morethe testing block. I was aware of this spot for a while now after the old Foxfire grill closed but taking the time out to try it has been tricky. Well, what's a better time than 30 minutes before closing time to just pop in and grab a couple of bowls then! It's cold, it's night, it's ramen time! We stumble in grab some shoyu, miso, seaweek salad, takoyaki, karaage, and tiramisu at the end. This place feels like a Japanese version of a Pho shop. Clean restaurant and clean bathrooms. Service was good, straigh forward, skip all the pleasantries. No Bars here but there is a connected space where you can get matcha drinks and boba but its matcha. Everything was matcha. If you're into that stuff, then that's a matcha for you. Ramens were okay. Broth was blowing my mind in flavor. I would say the depth was not too deep but this will work for a cold night. Karaage was okay. Takoyaki lacked impact in flavor also, missing the oomf! Seaweed salad was good but I'm not gonna rave about seaweed salad. We wrapped things up with the tiramisu cake. Oh boy, that was a surprise. It fell flat. The layers were overcooked and had a tough bite. I expect tiramisu to have a tender bite to it. We didn't finish that slice of cake. Well, we left full but half fulfilled. Was it worth it? Not really. If you need ramen and cup o noodles isn't cutting it, this is an option. Then again, there are options.

    Photos
    Kajiken - Niku Miso

    Niku Miso

    Kajiken - Teriyaki Tori

    Teriyaki Tori

    Kajiken

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    Akira Ramen & Izakaya

    Akira Ramen & Izakaya

    4.7(95 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    $$

    Food was excellent especially the beef and green onions over rice. Sushi was great. The miso soup…read morewas the best that I ever had. Staff are knowledgeable and super pleasant. Atmosphere was open and music was great. Parking lot is around the corner temporarily but you can follow the signs to park at the lowest level which puts you steps away from the entrance. I am looking forward to the next trip for the ranen!

    Came here on May 1, 2026 after leaving the MVA...IYKYK so I was irritated and hungry...lol. I was…read morein the mood for some sushi and maybe some ramen to go so just yelp a place close to me and this popped up. Easy access to a garage that's just around the corner because it is on a very busy street. So garage parking is a must. I don't believe they have been open too long as they are still working on their liquor license. Very cute restaurant nice and tidy but a lot of personality in a small space. I was greeted when I walked in and since I was by myself I opted to sit at the sushi bar area. I forgot to take a picture of my food when I came out because I was so hungry...but the rolls were delicious and fresh. I also took some ramen home and I loved how they packaged everything up for me. I would give them a 3.75 stars because I wish they offered more ramen like beef and with the chicken broth not chicken that's fried. As the chicken was soggy and not eatable when I got home even though it was separated from the ramen. I would give them another try if I'm in the area to try more rolls and their alcohol selection.

    Photos
    Akira Ramen & Izakaya
    Akira Ramen & Izakaya
    Akira Ramen & Izakaya - Spicy crunchy Shrimp Roll w/ a Traditional California Roll

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    Spicy crunchy Shrimp Roll w/ a Traditional California Roll

    JINYA Ramen Bar - Union Market - Spicy Chicken Ramen Mushroomand Shrimp Wonton (3pcs)*

    JINYA Ramen Bar - Union Market

    3.7(85 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Visited for lunch while in was in DC for work and was very happy with warm welcome, attentive…read moreservice, and delicious ramen. We popped in right at the start of lunch rush and got two seats at the bar downstairs. We were able to order quickly and our food came hot and fresh. They had plenty of spicy sauces to elevate my already spectacular tantanmen to the level of spice I love. Would love to visit for dinner next time, they have a stunning upstairs space and second bar area.

    Went here on a whim because I was craving ramen and the place looked like it had a nice vibe from…read morethe outside. The lighting is low, which makes it a good spot for a date or a chill dinner. I sat at the bar area, which actually overlooks the cooking station. Service was fine, nothing bad, nothing over-the-top. I ordered the JINYA Chicken Ramen, which is usually my go-to at any ramen spot, so I had a lot to compare it to. The broth was a little mild at first, so I tried to doctor it up. The condiments they had out weren't really my usual choices. I normally reach for sesame oil, vinegar, or even a little hoisin, but they didn't have those. There was dumpling sauce, something that looked like a chili garlic sauce (but wasn't quite), and one other option. That said, interestingly enough, the next day the broth tasted way more flavorful. The chicken, though, was really good. Chicken in ramen can sometimes be dry or bland, but this was moist and very tender, which I appreciated. Another thing to note that I liked was that you can get free noodles if you have broth left over! I also ordered the dragon fruit fizz, and it was delicious and smelled amazing. One glass gave me a slight buzz, but mostly it was just a really good drink. Bonus points for location. It's right across the street from a free three-hour parking garage, which is always a win. There's also an upstairs portion to this restaurant, which I didn't see. Overall, I'd come back if I was in the area and in the mood for ramen.

    Photos
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Union Market
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Union Market
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Union Market - Bowls

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    Bowls

    Wasai - dimsum - Updated July 2026

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