This place is pretty freaking cool. It's a Japanese food hall with 4 individual spaces inside one…read morelarge space ( the owner also owns the Italian spot on the other side). I went for the buffet brunch at Dear Sushi. I'm not a hugh sushi eater but I loved the cooked stuff. I'm not super adventurous on the raw lol. The buffet is $65 and a 20% gratuity is added. The price was ok with me. There were plenty of food options for me to chose from and the service was good. We sat the bar, Jose and Molly were awesome and mixed up some delicious drinks. The food was delicious. Highlights for me were the fried chicken ( not sure of the correct name), milk bread (had to limit myself, I love bread lol), dumplings ( could have takien the whole tray lol), grilled salmon, and the tempura cauliflower. Another standout was the donuts from the dessert section. These donuts were so lite and airy. Almost guilt free when you bit into them. I would definitely return for brunch or to try out one of the other spots.

We didn't have the best experience that we had hoped for a Love Makoto. As a sushi lover, we had to…read moretry this Omakase. I really liked the concept of one "old school" and one "new school" style of the same fish. But, the sushi just didn't live up to the hype. First, the pieces of fish were way too big. The fish was far larger than the rice and very difficult to eat. More like 2-3 bites. Also, some fish had skin on - which I know is a chef's choice - but I found it very unappetizing. Had to choke those down. And the "new school" hand-roll had imitation crab in it. So odd and doesn't feel upscale. We enjoyed the frozen strawberry for dessert. They're super cute and tasty. Just wish we had a better experience with the sushi.

The food was great, and I really liked that there was more seating space, making it much more…read morecomfortable to dine in compared to other locations. They also have better drink options, which was a nice bonus. The only downside was that the coffee machine wasn't working during my visit, so I wasn't able to try the coffee. Overall, a great experience spacious, good food, and plenty of drink choices. Definitely a place I'd come back to!

This is a Korean light meal chain in DC. Located on the first floor of the Smithsonian Institute,…read moreit offers self-selected toppings, making it a convenient lunch option while visiting a museum. Bibimbap: I chose purple rice as the main dish, with vegetables including carrots, zucchini, corn, and roasted seaweed, Kalbi (Korean BBQ beef short ribs) and a soft-boiled egg as the proteins, and the Rice Bar Soy Sauce for sauce. The soy sauce was a little on the salty side, but the vegetables were very refreshing. The Kalbi was slightly sweet, and the soft-boiled egg mixed with the rice was very fragrant. It was filling, healthy, and guilt-free. Udon: The texture was a bit soft, which I personally didn't like.

We are here for work and one of my colleagues wanted to come here…read more It's located upstairs so remember to take the stairs on the left side. Super cool looking restaurant. As soon as we reached the top of the stairs, to the right is an amazing bar. Darker warm lighting in the whole restaurant. There are a few tables to the left of the bar, that's where we were seated, and more to the right and there's bar seatings as well We shared all the items ordered and enjoyed it all. Gyozas had wasabi on it so be careful but it was amazing with layers of flavors. The rice pot was more than enough for 4ppl to share with tons of meats and seafood inside. Like a paella but Japanese. Meatballs were underestimated but it delivered. Tasted amazing we had to order another one. Most items are one order, one item so ask before ordering. Service was perfect. Waitress always checked on us and food came out very timely.

Went during HH (5-7pm), had the Sake for $20, and then had chicken thigh, fried garlic, fries, and…read morebrussel sprouts with pork! Would definitely fried garlic again, and the brussel sprouts! Fries were filling but nothing massively special. Just a good bang for the buck

We had a pleasant early dinner here with my toddler. I asked for a nice table where she would be…read moreaway from other tables and somewhat free to move around after being in her stroller all day and they easily accommodated us as a corner table with soft seating on one side like a bench and two chairs on the other. This allowed her to freely wander a bit and entertain herself leaning on the bench and playing. We tried several things and all were very good and fresh and fast out of the kitchen. Our server was efficient and friendly and running around like crazy - she probably had more than 10 tables from what we could see! We tried the cold Sake, Chicken Gyoza, Shrimp and Veggie Tempura, Chicken fried rice, and chicken noodles. Portions weren't huge, but were fair and enough to share with all the other items we got. Enjoyed our meal and would def. come back. Great location - close to everything downtown and easily walkable from Dupont and the Capital area.

Great Japanese food in the DC area in my opinion. I enjoyed everything from the sushi (the shrimp…read moretempura roll being my most favorite) to the salmon. The service was pretty quick as it was pretty empty for a Sunday afternoon. Will definitely come back in the future

Daikaya Ramen is an unassuming spot serving some seriously flavorful ramen in DC. If you're a ramen…read morelover, this place is definitely worth seeking out. We ordered the Spicy Miso with the spice bomb and egg, along with the veggie ramen with spice bomb. The Spicy Miso was the clear winner--easily one of the most flavorful ramen bowls I've had, with just the right kick and incredible depth. The veggie ramen was also excellent and a great option for vegetarians. We also tried the gyoza, spring rolls, and Sapporo beer. For dessert, we ordered the black sesame ice cream, but the ramen portions were so generous that we were too full to finish it! Service was quick, attentive, and efficient. The atmosphere is exactly what you'd want from a Japanese ramen spot--casual, lively, and unassuming. The food felt authentic and the flavors really stood out. They also have an izakaya upstairs, which we unfortunately didn't get a chance to try. Definitely saving that for the next visit!

Let me start by saying I recently visited Daikaya on Monday, August 3, 2026, and unfortunately the…read moreservice that day was disappointing. I gave that particular visit 1 out of 5 stars. However, I also want to mention that Daikaya is one of my family's favorite ramen spots, so we were genuinely surprised by the experience because it has always been much better in the past. When we arrived, we were told that our entire party had to be present before we could be seated, which we understood. We also know that seating is first come, first served. In the past, we've been able to sit in a booth with two people, but this time we were informed that booths were reserved for parties of three or more. It was a little frustrating because the restaurant was slow at the time, and my wife politely explained that we would likely be finished before the dinner rush. Even so, we respected the policy and waited until a seat became available. I do want to give Terry a shoutout because he was very kind and professional. I explained that I couldn't sit at the bar due to my foot, and he was understanding. However, when he relayed that information to another employee, I immediately noticed a change in the other gentleman's body language and attitude. He seemed irritated about having to seat us. Once we were seated, the interaction only became more uncomfortable. He slammed our cups onto the table, and when I asked for a straw, he didn't hand it to me--he simply placed it down without saying much. There were several other small interactions throughout our meal that made us feel unwelcome. It reached the point where we decided we'd rather leave, so we flagged Terry down, asked for to-go containers, and requested the check. During our visit, I also noticed a party of four seat themselves and grab their own menus while both servers had their backs turned at the bar. When the same gentleman approached them, his demeanor was completely different. He was pleasant, took their order right away, and their food came out promptly. Watching that interaction made our experience feel even more disappointing. The food, thankfully, was excellent as always. That's one thing Daikaya continues to get right. I also noticed that none of the staff members we're used to seeing--who have always been warm, welcoming, and respectful--were working that day. Overall, this visit was a rare disappointment because the customer service simply wasn't up to the standard we've experienced over the years. While this particular experience deserves a low rating, I also want to acknowledge that every previous visit has been excellent. I'm hoping this was just an off day because Daikaya has consistently been one of our favorite places for ramen.

It was sufficient…read more Ko is centrally located by Dupont Circle as a second floor restaurant (next to Zorba's). Interior is simple and open. A/C was nice and cool which I appreciated but found the place to be too loud for me once it filled out with more people. Service is courteous. I ordered the tomato salad and two sushi rolls. Yes I committed the sin of ordering just sushi at a kaiseki restaurant, gasp! So I guess I did this to myself since I found the food to be just ok. The spicy tuna roll was just not happening since all they did was drizzle hot sauce over the roll. I've been noticing this more at places, can we just say tuna roll with spicy dipping sauce instead? It's a bit misleading... but I guess I'll have to make sure to ask everywhere whenever I order spicy tuna. I am a believer in that if you're eating at a good restaurant and you ordered their less popular menu item that it should still be good but in this case, Ko didn't deliver. Anyways, I didn't have much of an appetite because of the hot weather so take this review with a grain of salt but I don't plan on returning unless someone can convince me otherwise and if I do, I'm not ordering sushi here.

I have had this restaurant bookmarked for the last two years since they opened and finally got a…read morechance to eat dinner there. I was impressed and by the experience and would definitely come back for a Japanese meal that did not focus solely on ramen or sushi. The ambiance is well done, and the service was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive and able to answer any of our questions. To share, we got the spicy salmon roll, Karaage appetizer, and eggplant cheese appetizer. The spicy tuna roll was the most lackluster of the dishes, but the fish was fresh and the portion was decent for $12. The karaage appetizer was excellent. The chicken was moist and the coating was crunchy and super hot. The eggplant cheese was a surprise highlight of the meal. Pieces of eggplant in a melted cheese bowl made of eggplant was a simple combination. That was a very pleasant mix of textures. The pork Katsu was a highlight of the meal. Unfortunately forgot to take a picture, but the coding was super crispy and the portion size was pretty solid. The Unagidon or grilled eel bowl was also very well made and tasted great with the pickled ginger and seasoning on the side. The set came with miso soup which was very nice as well. My companions also got drinks which they said were well priced and good quality. Our overall meal cost somewhere in the range of $160 before tip which was reasonable given all of the items that we got. I look forward to my next visit!

It is so hard to give this a rating because the food is good but the service is bad and I would not…read morego back! I do NOT recommend for dine in but the food was yummy so maybe opt for takeout...We had a reservation and upon checking in they offered bartop instead of a table unless we wanted to wait which isn't a huge deal so we waited and got sat at a table after a short wait. Then someone was sat after us (next table over) and got greeted, waters, and placed orders before we were so much as greeted. After less than an hour (most of which involved waiting to be greeted and served) we were handed the check and essentially nudged out while still eating our food. They seemed to want to close early. The drinks also didn't match their descriptions, missing key ingredients that were listed. We were barely tended to or checked on at all. We also had a bug buzzing around us that eventually flew into my drink. The staff was very nice but overall the service and quality did not match the cost at all.

Upon entering, you are greeted by a multi-level establishment with sushi bar and small dining area…read moredownstairs and a larger dining room upstairs all laid out in subdued, modern chic, Asian vibe. The staff is amazing, attentive, friendly and efficient! Thank you Kay, for taking such good care of us! We started off with the Kara-age Lollipop chicken, which was finger lickin' delicious. For our entrees we shared the 6 Set Umai Temaki and Sashimi Nori. Super fresh, flavorful and beautifully presented. I got a kick out of the canned sake and maybe over indulged...but so much fun! We felt the value was very good, 27 pieces of generously portioned and fresh sashimi for under $60! We'll make this a regular stop when in DC. Cheers!

This was my first omakase where it only featured nigiri sushi and wow, was I impressed with Sushi…read moreNakazawa. We sat at the counter, and the classic omakase was priced at $190 each. We also added the A5 Wagyu Nigiri for $18 additional. If you choose to dine at the dining room, it's $160, but they exclude several items such as their fantastic tiger prawn. The classic omakase consists of 20 items of sushi. I wish I had written notes on each one, but basically from what I recalled, we had chum salmon, soy marinated king salmon, scallops, squid, tiger prawn, mackerel, sea bass, crab w/ tomalley, ⁠⁠Spanish mackerel, hay smoked mackerel and others. The main course was the four different types of tuna. Of course, the best ones were the chutoro and otoro. The A5 Wagyu was really good as well. The omakase ended with some hand rolls (the toro one was my favorite), uni, eel and the tamago. It's hard to pick a favorite dish since they were all so good. I think this was the first time I had sushi rice that was flavored. That was really good. Service was fantastic. I only wish they had a full bar, because I really wanted to drink some Old Fashioned with this meal, but opted for some Japanese beers instead. My water was replenished frequently, and it was fun interacting with the sushi chef. This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion.

An enjoyable omakase for lunch - a quicker pace with fewer dishes - that still requires a few…read moreadd-ons (pushing the price up) to really wow. It's a solid one-star Japanese place sourcing ingredients from around the world, but there was nothing too surprising or impressive about the experience, other than this was "very good." I enjoyed lunch - it allows a look without the full three-hour commitment.

This restaurant is super cute and chirashi bowl was good. It's perfect for date nights for sure…read more We came here on Sunday evening and were able to sit right away. The servers were very friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. Delux chirashi bowl was so pretty and good. Definitely recommend Chicken karage was little too floury for us. It was not crunch and it was just ok. Ordered rice to eat with karage for my son but it's not regular rice but sushi rice so it was sour for kids. Kids tempura udon was pretty good, recommend it.

For Christmas Eve, my wife, eight-year-old daughter, and I made a reservation at this small sushi…read morespot along Barracks Row. After many accolades and Michelin nods, it was an honor to dine at Sushi Hachi. Here's our experience. 1) Food: To start, we ordered the miso soup and edamame. Both were full of flavor and well prepared, especially the edamame. Sometimes the ones from the grocery store can be slimy. These are not. They are perfect. To eat, I got the shrimp tempura, Chicken Kara-age, and the 8th Street sushi. My wife ordered the Chef's Sushi Platter and swore she will crave the Yellowtail Cilantro Roll. Our daughter enjoyed the California Roll. 2) Drinks: Their cocktails hit each end of the liquor spectrum. My wife enjoyed their Manhattan. The Summer cocktail was a tad sweet, which I found refreshing and unique. 3) Service: It's excellent. The timing, warmth, and attention to our daughter was spot on. 4) Space: It's simple yet inviting inside one long dining room with the sushi counter in the way back. 5) Area: Along Barracks Row, Sushi Hachi is near many other restaurants and local shops. One of the oldest military bases in the country is across the street. There's street parking- paid and free- throughout the neighborhood.

I'm a huge fan of this place…read more My friend and I had the ACYE option here, and the food was fabulously good. I didn't have many of their rolls, so I can't comment on that. Their appetizer game was fire though. I did several rounds of the ceviche, maguro avocado, pepper tuna tatami, yellowtail jalapeño, and everything was absolutely delicious. The ceviche was a standout--the mango added just the right touch of sweetness to balance everything out. Overall, the apps were super fresh and light, so I never felt weighed down even after multiple rounds. Honestly, I wish I lived closer to DC--I'd be here all the time.

If you don't know about this place, you'll probably miss it like I did. The establishment is…read moredownstairs. The lunch rush was CRAZY busy! Maybe because of their lunch deal (which is a good one). It seemed like everyone was running around trying to take orders and drop off drinks and drop off food. My and my colleague's bento box was missing an item and we waited quite some time for it--along with my drink from the bar. Not saying all restaurants have to be personable, but there was no moment of respite for the staff so the entire meal, no one checked on us and I wasn't even able to inquire about the missing items and just waited for it to come. The food though was delicious. No one had any issues about the taste of their meal. There was concern at the end of the meal when the staff couldn't remember where a colleague's credit card was. Go for the food but have patience.