Tucked away in the alley behind the Main Street nw in Georgetown, we got there right around 5 when…read morethey open, and watched it turn from a quiet restaurant to a thriving and lively place. Excellent service, the food was great and not outrageously priced (considering the area), and looked amazing inside! The decor and the lighting is makes it a cozy and intimate place but also great for a large party as well We booked our experience during restaurant week, we love trying out new places and their restaurant week menu offered a little bit of everything. We got some champagne to start, ordered some cocktails after, and the food started rolling in. We started with a caviar bump, and moved into the beetroot salad (which was amazing and so flavorful, we both wanted more), had the Tataki/carpaccio style followed by the nigiri/sashimi, then for the main course - the winner/volcano lobster roll. We didn't want our night to end there, there were so many great options in the menu so we opted to hold off on our desert and ordered some more food We got the sushi dinner dish to share along with the lavender smoked salmon Tataki style. Definitely could've eaten more after but decided to end our night after that, and had our ice cream to finish the night (matcha ice cream and raspberry sorbet) The service was 11/10, our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and all of the other waitstaff was extremely kind and was more than willing to help us with any questions or things we needed. The restaurant was very clean and they had nice bathrooms. The quality of the food was amazing and every dish had us hungry for more. This is definitely a place we'll be coming to again and will be recommending to everyone

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.

As a self-proclaimed sushi connoisseur and lover, this is by far the best sushi I have ever had. It…read morewas so good that I fear it has ruined all other sushi for me, which only means I have to come back more often. I was able to get bar seating for restaurant week without a reservation, which was great because I love to chat to the bartenders about the food. The first course of hamachi was fresh, light, and a great beginning to the meal. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the tomato mixture on top. The second course was the miso butter salmon. It was rich, savory, and the vegetables were piping hot and crisp. My friend upgraded to the yellowtail collar which was succulent and a HUGE portion. The daikon radish slaw was a great palette cleanser for the light and refreshing fish. We added on the yellowtail scallion roll to our meal- it was simple, the scallion had a great crunch, and the overall quality of the fish was buttery and smooth. Then came the big guns and wow oh WOW- I don't think I could have been more impressed. The salmon avocado and spicy tuna rolls were exquisitely done, even in their simplicity. The fried shrimp head was a great textural element to the plate and added fun crunch. I'll list the bites in order from least favorite to favorite, although none of them were bad, and I want to add that I didn't need soy sauce or wasabi for any of them because they truly did not need either. My rankings are sweet shrimp, hamachi, salmon, snapper, eel, scallop, and then toro. The toro was just heavenly- melted in your mouth and truly unbeatable. The snapper and scallop were very surprising and I loved them more than I thought I would. Overall, I basically dream about this meal and wish I could go back daily. It is truly that good and was life changing (not to be dramatic). I am eagerly awaiting my next visit.

Sushi Taro has been on my list for a while since it's known for its authenticity and sushi quality…read more We tried their Summer 2026 Restaurant Week menu for $65 per person, which included an appetizer, a warm dish, sushi, and dessert. Service was incredibly fast as we were in and out within an hour. APPETIZER: YUZU HAMACHI TATAKI No choices here -- everyone gets the same appetizer. Each person received three pieces of yellowtail topped with a citrusy pepper mixture, cilantro, and a translucent golden-yellow sauce. This was fine. The toppings and sauce weren't too memorable, but the yellowtail itself was soft and fresh. WARM DISH: MISO BUTTER GRILLED SALMON W/JPN EGG PLANT This was served in a small cast-iron square pan with sizzling grilled salmon topped with miso glaze and a small slab of butter, along with a few small pieces of squash and Brussels sprouts on the side. The salmon itself was good, but I didn't like that the miso glaze and butter wasn't mixed together before serving. The butter melted immediately onto the sizzling pan, but I didn't think it added much flavor aside from making everything too greasy. SUSHI: TUNA TRIO, SALMON TRIO + SALMON & AVOCADO ROLL / SPICY TUNA ROLL We got seven pieces of nigiri and two pieces each of the salmon & avocado and spicy tuna rolls. I thought the rice was a bit too vinegary, but the fish was incredibly fresh. I loved every single piece, which ranged from lean and clean to rich and fatty. The maki rolls were fine and did the job of filling up my stomach. DESSERT: HOJI-CHA PUDDING (+3) I'd heard their hoji-cha pudding is a must, so I upgraded my dessert to this. It wasn't too sweet, and the hojicha was very strong, roasty flavor, while the pudding was creamy and custard-like. I thought the upgrade was worth it, and I enjoyed it more than my friend's Ume Asian Apricot Panna Cotta. The hoji-cha pudding was actually my favorite part of the meal. Overall, this was a pretty solid deal for the amount of food we were served, and the quality of fish was grat. I was politely full -- not stuffed, but definitely could enjoy a little snack a couple hours later.

My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner. The restaurant is in the basement of a row house…read morebut open to a nice patio. The atmosphere was low key and very pleasant. Most importantly the food was delicious! Everything we ordered was delicious, but especially the fatty tuna, which was amazing! The service was low key and responsive. A wonderful experience!

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

I'm no sushi expert, but I enjoyed my yellowtail sushi rolls. No complaints! I think that this is a…read morenice little sushi spot, and it's in the heart of Rosslyn. I had my sushi with a side of eel sauce. All was good for me.

Located at Rosslyn City Center inside the Upside on Moore, Neko Panchi is a newer addition,…read moreoffering various cold and hot apps, maki, onigiri, and skewers. We ordered the Cat Punch Roll (prepared with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, cucumber slices, and seared tuna, with eel sauce, spicy mayo, and jalapenos), and the Kamikaze Roll (prepared with spicy crab, cucumbers, and avocado with eel sauce, sweet chili sauce, and crispy rice) - the rolls are generously filled, and comes with 8 large pieces. I liked that they had different filling options for the bao buns! I'd like to try their 'sushi sandwich' on the next visit! The online ordering system is super easy, and the pickup process is seamless. +stacked rolls +seamless online ordering +friendly staff +located at the Upside on Moore food hall

My first visit to Love, Makoto and Beloved BBQ was fantastic. Love, Makoto is a large Japanese…read moreculinary hall near Georgetown University Law Center with several concepts under one roof, including Dear Sushi, Beloved BBQ, Hiya Izakaya, and the more casual Love on the Run. Street parking was surprisingly easy, but I highly recommend making a reservation because Beloved BBQ became completely packed by 7 p.m. Beloved BBQ is a Michelin Guide recognized Japanese steakhouse, and the atmosphere feels elevated and luxurious while still being relaxed and welcoming. Our server, Lydia, was wonderful. She gave us excellent recommendations, checked on us despite being incredibly busy, and even brought out additional dry ice so I could capture the perfect photo. Abu was also incredibly kind and attentive, and General Manager Lenny personally stopped by our table to ask about our experience. The entire staff made us feel so welcome. The Wagyu Tower was absolutely incredible, with the short rib being our favorite. We also loved the dragon roll, tuna crisp, and salmon. If you order only one appetizer, make it the oysters with chili koji. They were out of this world, and I could have easily eaten two trays! For drinks, we tried the Sakura Sour, lychee martini, and the zero proof Pomelo. The Sakura Sour was beautifully balanced, while the lychee martini was smooth and delicious. For dessert, we shared the Heartbreaker and Peach Moon and finished every bite. This is a wonderful choice for an elevated date night, girls' night, celebration, or special dinner in D.C. The food, service, atmosphere, and presentation were all excellent. I will definitely be back soon!

We stopped by Hiya Izakaya at Love, Makoto for happy hour, and overall, it was a pretty good deal…read more The happy hour food menu is on the smaller side, but everything was reasonably priced. My favorites were the eggplant skewers and the spicy tuna bites. Both were flavorful and definitely worth ordering. The drinks were probably the best part of happy hour. They were strong, tasty, and only $8, which felt like a great deal. I'm not sure I would feel the same way about the drinks at full price, but for happy hour, I can't complain. Our server was attentive, answered all of our questions, and our food came out pretty quickly. Hiya is also a cute little space, although it's one of several restaurants within the Love, Makoto complex. The restaurant itself has a pretty floral theme, but the open layout and surrounding restaurants give it more of a mall food court feel. It doesn't necessarily make for a bad experience, but it does take away a little from the intimate atmosphere. Overall, I'd definitely come back for happy hour.

Absolutely enjoyed everything about popping in for lunch after a stressful week and enjoying hand…read morerolls. From the moment I walked in the door I was greeted with warm kindness, just what I needed after the week I experienced. Since a focus is handrolls they offer hand sanitizer at the door before showing you to your seat. The restaurant is sleek and minimal. Food is made right in front of you at the bar. Lunch is walk in only. I ordered the 6 handrolls and added on ell and Acevichado for a total of 8. Included in the 6 were the Acevichado, Spicy Tuna, Crab, Hamachi, Salmon Belly and Scallop. My two favorites were the eel and the acevichado hence why I purchased two. I had hot hojicha lemongrass tea to drink. Overall this is exactly what I needed. Great service, excellent food and good vibes.

DC summers aren't for a California girl like me. I was in town for business and couldn't stomach…read moreanything but a light dinner, and Maru San served me well. I landed at DCA and got here when the restaurant opened. There was no line! I even tried to utilize the virtual waiting list - thought I was getting tricked - but there really was no line! Maybe cause it was the day of the world cup final and no one was interested in hand rolls? I think I got lucky. I ordered the set of 3, and ended up adding 3 more - guess I was hungry. My favorite was the acevichado, and least favorite was probably the langosta. I would also skip the passionfruit lemonade since there was nothing special about it. The handrolls have a peruvian twist to it, and I really enjoyed the twist. Its quite dark in there so was hard to take pictures, but great for a first / intimate date setting. My handroll maker wasn't very helpful but the host was around to ask questions. I would come back to the experience!

Found this spot randomly after a networking event when craving some sushi. In a somewhat secluded…read morearea but easy enough to find, and it was pretty empty when we went. Sat at the bar/counter and had prompt service, and was able to watch them prep our sushi. We ordered the miso soup, and 3 rolls between two of us and they were surprisingly good. Restaurant was clean and cute!

This place was so good! I had the veggie roll and added cream cheese (sorry) and eel sauce which I…read morewould definitely recommend. I also tried the tamago nigiri which was even better than I thought it would be. We also got free miso soup. The staff was nice and accommodating to dietary needs. The restaurant itself was comfortable and we easily got a seat!

Fantastic hidden gem! I was very surprised at this place. I see it but never tried it until a…read moreneighboring business had a 30+ hour wait. The sando's were fantastic along with the edamame and chicken karaage. It was so good when my mom just wanted a hot dog to celebrate her birthday, I recalled this place. I took her here and she loved it as well. The staff was also very accommodating when I shared it was her birthday and if they could do anything. Understandably, this isn't one of those like fancy restaurant that do the whole shabang for birthdays. They still made it work. She was utterly surprised. It's not too pricey but I will say I found the Wagyu Sando to be a bit much in price to come back and get it again. However, it was still fantastic. I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it. The pizza I heard is really good. It looked good and I wish I tried it. It's neat how it is an Italian Japanese restaurant. I thought that was unique given it falls between a Japanese restaurant, Shoto, and an Italian restaurant, Gracie Nonna. Ambiance and decor was neat as well. Would definitely come again. I do wish all the sando's

Interior/exterior, presentation, and service was great but the food was just okay…read more My group and I ordered the following: Salmon Onigiri Tuna Maki Akita Fire Pizza Wagyu Cheeseburger and fries Not sure if I would pay $12 for the salmon onigiri's- especially considering how small they were. I would personally choose the tuna maki over the onigiris. Akita fire pizza was yummy flavor-wise but I wasn't a fan of how the middle was falling apart- crust was good though! The cheeseburger was honestly just okay. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't great. The fries on the other hand were solid and I appreciate how they retained their crispy texture for a long period of time! Also, this restaurant automatically charged 20% gratuity to our table even though our party only had 4 people. If this was a party of 6 or more, I would understand but that threw me off a little. Not sure if this is just a DC thing but just a heads up!