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    Yirasai Sushi & Cafe

    4.1 (253 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Open 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Yirasai Sushi & Cafe Photos

    YIRASAI SUSHI & CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Katie Q.

    I've been a huge fan of Yirasai for years, always returning when going home to visit family. I'm so glad that it survived beyond the original location! The new location is larger, but has lost some of the charm of the original spot (the walls are no longer wallpapered with pictures of customers). Service is still slow - even when the restaurant is empty, you know it will take a while. Now, that's because the sushi is made fresh before your eyes, but this isn't the spot if you're looking for a quick lunch.

    A la carte menu
    Tommy V.

    Cozy sushi spot inside of Potomac Park shopping center. Close to the Lifetime Fitness in Potomac. We ordered the Sushi Appetizer, Eel Roll, Sushi & Sashimi Lunch Special, and Sushi Special Box. Sushi was good. Not the best sushi I have had in the area, but definitely not the worst. Fish was good quality and rice was fresh. The eel roll had tempura flakes in it which added a nice crunch. The red snapper nigiri was a little chewy, other fish were fine. Service here was exceptional! All the waiters were very kind and attentive. Service was fast. The Sushi Special Box was the best item. I got the salmon teriyaki which was cooked nicely and seasoned perfectly. It also came with a California roll, nigiri, rice, salad, and soup. Good amount of food for $18! I would come back again to try their kitchen entrees.

    5 different rolls & 2 orders of Inari in a sushi boat!
    Maegan G.

    My brother and sister in law have been raving about this place since it opened. I live less than a mile away and I finally got around to trying it and was not disappointed. These were some of the freshest rolls I've had in MoCo. Service was prompt and I appreciated having my water glass filled several times. I can't wait to come back. It was busy on a Friday night at 7pm when we first arrived but by 8pm it had slowed down quite a bit. It certainly helped to have a reservation!

    6 different rolls all very good
    Mimi W.

    Casual sushi place located at Park Potomac with lots of free parking. Clean and spacious for a sushi place, but we went right at opening, so no issues getting a spot and everything came out relatively quickly. We didn't interact too much with the staff, but service was good. We ordered 6 rolls and left quite full for 2 people and everything was quite tasty. A good variety of sushi rolls that tasted fresh and flavors were nice. Very solid sushi place. 4 star all around.

    Chirashi
    Micah C.

    So happy I finally got to try this place out because the sushi and sashimi are amazing! Came here on a Saturday evening (around 7) for dinner with my husband. We got seated right away -- thought it was going to be a smaller place but they had more tables in the back. I ordered the chirashi ($22.95) which comes with an assortment of sashimi on top of rice, miso soup and seaweed salad. The fish tasted fresh and just melted in my mouth. I wish they sliced it a bit thicker though but the flavor and texture itself was very good. My favorite was the salmon. The service was great despite them being busy with both diners and online orders. Loved how we got a complimentary soybean sushi. Definitely coming back here for lunch or to try their sushi boat!

    Miso soup
    Morgan M.

    Sushi was amazing. Cute little spot in Potomac. Took a while to get our food but I was very full and happy with my meal . I will be back.

    Menu
    Joy B.

    I was really excited to have a sushi restaurant 5 minutes away from my house. Yirasai Sushi and Cafe is literally 2 doors down from Harris Teeter, so it would be really convenient to grab my groceries and pick up sushi for dinner on the way home. Like any good Yelper, I looked at the menu and reviews. I knew what I wanted and was ready to order. It was 4 o'clock on a Saturday and the restaurant was lightly full of people. It took about 5 minutes to get someone's attention to take my order. I gave my order and paid the check. I Iooked around the restaurant and took pictures for my review. There was one sushi chef and one assistant. There were 2 waitresses on staff. Ten minutes go by, 15 minutes go by, and I asked to speak to a manager to ask about what happened to my food? They said there was no manager there today. Twenty minutes goes by and they bring out an avocado sliced up in a plastic take out container. I asked if they could add some lettuce, since an avocado salad should have lettuce? And,there was no dressing? For $6.25 you should have a well dressed salad. I asked about my specialty roll and soup? They hadn't even started them. After 25 minutes, I asked for my money to be refunded and I left. Worst service ever and you won't be seeing me going back there. It has been decades, since I have ever left a restaurant and asked for a refund. Such a shame, I had high hopes.

    Soybean Roll
    Mark N.

    My wife and I came in on a Saturday night, before the dinner rush, and we were seated almost immediately. The restaurant was extremely spacious and very bright with a lot of tables. Despite being very busy with online orders, the servers were very quick and polite. I always try the spicy tuna rolls to really rate a sushi place and it definitely did not disappoint. The spicy tuna was portioned wonderfully and tasted amazing, even the sauce wasn't overpowering the fish. The Godzilla roll was packed with flavor and balanced well still. Every bite of each sushi was amazing and I had to slow down so that I can enjoy the meal. One of the servers walked by and gave us a complimentary soybean roll, which was deceptively really good, definitely did not expect it. I highly suggest Yirasai if you enjoy sushi.

    Piece of white fish sushi with a worm
    Ilona C.

    I ordered delivery from here for the first time from Uber Eats. We ordered their sushi combo and found a live worm in it that is likely anisakiasis. See photo. This means that they're not keeping their fish properly. I'm never ordering again from here or eating sushi for some time. When the restaurant was called they said "it is not uncommon, especially with flounder" and she admitted it happens on occasion and then claimed it's not harmful. This is a disturbing response. Link for information about the parasite: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/anisakiasis/faqs.html

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    6 months ago

    Great staff and octopuses was delicious. Clean and well decor. Ample parking. Easily access

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    4 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Very good food at nice locally owned restaurant. Casual and friendly. Very good size portions and an especially tasty lunch.

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    2 years ago

    Kim's bas never been about the atmosphere, or a bespoke experience. The food and service is first-rate.

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    2 years ago

    Best sushi in the DMV. Highly recommend!! The staff is so kind. Very well run local restaurant.

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    Kema By KENAKI

    Kema By KENAKI

    4.4
    (96 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    6/26/26: Kema by Kenaki exceeded every expectation and was easily one of the best meals we had…read moreduring our trip. The restaurant has a modern, inviting atmosphere, and the staff was warm, attentive, and knowledgeable throughout the entire meal. We ordered the Black Magic Roll, the Mini Masunosuke Don Bento, and the Mini Unadon Bento, and every dish was exceptional. The Black Magic Roll was the standout of the meal, with incredibly fresh fish, great texture, and a unique combination of flavors that made every bite memorable. The Mini Masunosuke Don Bento featured king salmon topped with ikura over rice, along with karaage, salad, miso soup, and dessert. Everything was fresh, well-balanced, and beautifully presented, making it feel like much more than a typical bento box. The Mini Unadon Bento was just as impressive. The grilled unagi was tender, flavorful, and perfectly glazed, served over rice with crispy karaage, salad, miso soup, and dessert. It was comforting, satisfying, and executed exceptionally well. What really stood out was the attention to detail. Every plate looked beautiful, the ingredients tasted incredibly fresh, and the quality was consistent across every dish we ordered. You can tell the chefs put a lot of care into both presentation and execution. If you're looking for high-quality Japanese cuisine in the Gaithersburg area, Kema by Kenaki is absolutely worth the visit. Between the creative sushi, outstanding seafood, and excellent service, it's an easy 5/5. I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu.

    Stopped by this sushi spot for lunch today with my family, and it was another great experience. We…read morewere the first ones in the restaurant, which made for a calm and relaxing start to the meal. We ordered the ribeye Japanese fried rice, Green Monster roll, J-Pop roll, California roll, Crunchy Shrimp roll, Crunchy Spicy Salmon roll, Shrimp Tempura roll, miso soup, and Deep Sea hand roll. Everything came out quickly, fresh, and flavorful - exactly what we've come to expect from this place. The ribeye in the fried rice dish was incredibly tender and cooked perfectly, while the rice itself was seasoned so well that every bite was packed with flavor. My favorite roll was definitely the Green Monster Roll - fresh, delicious, and full of flavor. I also appreciate that the maki rolls here are never skimpy, which makes them very filling and well worth the price. The service was excellent from beginning to end - quick, attentive and consistent throughout our visit. Our waters and hot green tea were always refilled without having to ask, and every request, from extra pickled ginger to additional plates, was handled promptly and politely. Overall, another solid dining experience with no issues at all. I would absolutely recommend this spot for either lunch or dinner if you're craving sushi. One thing to keep in mind is that they do close for a part of the afternoon to prepare for dinner service, so plan accordingly!

    Photos
    A lovely decoration.
    A lovely decoration.
    Arugula Salad
    Arugula Salad
    The bar area and where you order for carry out. We had wonderful table side service.

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    The bar area and where you order for carry out. We had wonderful table side service.

    Yirasai Sushi & Cafe - sushi - Updated July 2026

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