I had such an amazing experience here! I came for Beloved BBQ and was very impressed by the quality…read moreof each dish. The standouts were: A5 wagyu sushi, milk buns, and tuna crispy rice. The meats, of course, were all amazing and all melt-in-your-mouth tender. The staff was so attentive, and the dishes came out quickly. The interior is lovely, as well, connecting each of Love Makoto's restaurants.

I had a friend visiting the area so we decided to go to Love Makoto. It's a larger restaurant that…read moreappears to have other associated restaurants in the same building. We only did the dear sushi portion. A beautifully decorated restaurant. From the menu to the towels to wipe your hands, every step was well thought of. We decided to share the omakase and order a few items al a carte. The food was pretty good although I wasn't a fan of either of the hand rolls. But I would recommend getting the omakase! The new school vs old school twist on the sushi was really creative. The service could have been better. At one point I thought we didn't have a server anymore. All in all, I'd come again to visit one of their other restaurants!

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!

We stumbled upon Ko on the way to the Dupont metro station and walked up the stairs to a sublime…read morelunch. We ordered California rolls, salmon roll, yuzu margarita and burnt Basque cheesecake. Everything was delicious and service was friendly and professional. The staff of the Japanese embassy dine here and I can understand why. Definitely will return with more friends!

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.

I sat at the bar. It took 20 minutes to talk to a server. The guy next to me, who came after me,…read morewas able to order before me. It seemed like the distribution of customers was not in favor of my server, who was nice. I ordered a pint of beer but received a 12oz glass. The customers next to me had pints. I waited a long time before I could order again, and just sat there too long with an empty glass, or plate, or waiting to pay. I eat A LOT of sushi, and this experience was not great. If I'm inspired to write a review, it should say something because I have very few reviews and use yelp regularly Food was excellent

First time coming here on May 15 and food was delicious and delightful. We had a bit of a late…read morereservation so had to put our order in quick before they close at 9:30 so keep in mind. Highlights were karate, sashimi, skewers.

I was excited to try Izakaya Seki after it got a rave review in the Washington Post. Too bad it…read moredidn't live up the hype. I visited on a Saturday at 6 PM with a reservation for two. It wasn't hard to get a reservation, but the place was full the whole time I was there. We sat on the second floor. Dinner included the Tuna Nuta ($15), Shimesaba (mackerel, $19.5, 8 pieces), Beef Tongue ($19.5, 4 pieces), three small vegetables (we picked Kimchi Cucumbers, Hijiki Seaweed, and Nasu Eggplant, $19) and a fried Sea Bream Collar (suggested by the server, $30 maybe?). Also draft Sapporo ($8). I liked the Tuna Nuta the best. I had never had this before, and I liked the flavor of the dressing. The Shimesaba was fine; it tasted like mackerel, as you would expect. The Beef Tongue was a huge disappointment -- the slices were uneven and haphazard, the various marbling/fat/textures looked unappealing, and it was served lukewarm. There was no effort or care put into this dish. The Sea Bream Collar was fine; the fry was nice, it was boney (as expected), but I did not like it as much as the salmon collar at St. Anselm. Vegetables were pretty good; the cucumbers didn't taste much like kimchi (a positive, in my book), I liked the flavors and textures of the seaweed (a new preparation for me), and I liked the eggplant flavor even if the texture was a bit limp. Service was pretty weak. The server offered halfhearted suggestions. They did not do basic things like clear the chopstick wrapper or keep the water carafe filled. We struggled to order a second beer. Ambiance was simple, but I liked it well enough. Overall, do not recommend.

I love their food, but their service is HORRIBLE. First, the security denied me from going in, once…read moreI got in they took forever to take my order. They took forever getting my food and then rushed me because they were closing. Good food, but horrible service.

My first visit to Shōtō was amazing! The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful, but the person…read morewho truly stood out was BRANKO. He was attentive, funny, kind, and honestly made the entire experience unforgettable. I can't say enough good things about him. He made our first visit feel special from start to finish. The food was incredible. From the sushi to the sea bass and the lobster, everything practically melted in your mouth. Every recommendation BRANKO gave us, including the drinks, was spot on and so good. You can tell he really knows the menu and cares about giving guests a great experience. I will definitely be back!

This is an awesome addition to the Clarendon area and I'm so happy something like this has finally…read morecome into the neighborhood. The food at Sakaki is full of flavor and the prices are reasonable for the amount. I think, after being twice, that the AYCE is not as worth it for me personally because I'm not a big eater, but it's totally worth it if you want a lot of variety and you have a good appetite. I really liked the rolls in particular. The service was excellent- it was a nice balance of coming over once in a while to ask how we were doing without coming over too much. The vibes are awesome with a really nice interior- definitely a nice place to go for a date,!just to go with friends to have a nice meal, or even to grab a meal alone since the center has a large area for single seating. Fyi- for the AYCE menu, note that once you put in an order for a round, you can't order for another 10 min so be sure to order enough at a time. Also, there is a time limit to the AYCE (I think it was 90 min). This'll definitely be a place I go to regularly in the future!

I missed lunch so AYCE sushi was very much needed! The silver level at $29 is a great deal with…read moreplenty of options including a variety or rolls as well as appetizer/side dish items. I tried as much of the menu as I could and the rolls and nigiris were definitely the highlight. I wouldn't recommend the crab korokke (too liquidy, and no crab that I could taste) or the karagge - save space for other items! The AYCE is 90mins and you can order every 10 minutes from a tablet. Service was FAST, they definitely weren't playing games. The restaurant itself is also super spacious and well decorated.

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 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.

Cool decor, amazing unique rolls. Drinks very innovative…read more Server was very knowledgeable and the fish and seafood were fresh!

Save this place for a quiet dinner for two... not a celebration…read more We had a party of 10 for a birthday with a 7:30 reservation. Before we were even seated, staff tried to seat me to the wrong table with a group I did not know. They apologized and offered me a drink at the bar (but turns out it wasn't on the house). The birthday guest had arranged custom menus and noted the group's food allergies with the restaurant weeks ahead of time. Our waiter had no idea any of that existed. After 20 minutes waiting for drinks and another stretch sorting out the menu situation, we were starving by the time food started arriving: vegans first at 9:10, the rest of us at 9:30. Two hours after sitting down. We left at 11 PM and honestly I was still hungry, the five course prix fixe menu was not very filling. The food was very good, as was the quality, and the presentation was lovely. But the service was a mess from start to finish... no coordination, no follow-through, very little accountability. I've had much better experiences here with smaller groups. For a large party or a special occasion, look elsewhere.

We came here for Valentine's Day. Managed to snag a reservation for 5 PM, right when they open, at…read morethe sushi bar. The staff were all absolutely lovely. And we even got a cute little Valentines gift. I can't say enough nice things about our server - she was so great. Sitting at the sushi bar was neat as we got to see everything being made. We also got to try some complimentary bites. Great experience! The cocktails were crazy good. Everything we ordered was delicious. The salmon usuzukuri was so good we ordered it twice. The Kobe baller was another standout. The scallops were also fantastic. Such a yummy meal! Highly recommend! We will definitely be back.

I might give them another shot given the rave reviews, but tonight I'm disappointed. At this point,…read moreI haven't even seen my check so the price is not the issue, but the service and overall flavor for the price point definitely are. My Hotote crudo app which should be served cold was served cold on a super hot plate which means by the time I ate it, it was thus weird hot/semi-luke warm temp and honestly, not appetizing. I tried the Moriawase after and told my server I wanted to add caviar if it was possible and since I didn't get any, I assume it is only an option for the nigiri/sashimi. Silly but no problem. I was still sooooo hungry I ordered a Surf&turf roll and it was less than appetizing. It had no flavor which was terribly unfortunate. I didn't make a review about the sake mixup or my server only to be polite but there are definitely low points, and those make the list. I hope it's better for everyone else!

Japanese Pizza here is fire! I recently got news that they will be shutting down. I'm really sad…read more.. not sure why such an amazing concept would shut down. Maybe DC is going through it with the economy. Maybe it's the lack of foot traffic. Whatever it is, restaurants in DC don't seem to survive. I hope one day they bring back Tonari - would do great in Virginia. For now, I say my good bye, and this 5 star review is my love letter to this place. Goodbye Tonari :(

We wanted to check out this place for a while. And since we were planning to go to the Wizard game,…read morethis was the perfect spot. We were seated on the second floor, with a nice, dark ambiance. Seatings have decent space between each table. We started with the mentaiko pasta, which was really good. Unfortunately, the portion is a little smaller than we anticipated. We also shared the hot honey and mentaiko pizza. It was pretty good as well, I like the hot honey one more based on my personal preference. And it felt like it had a little more flavor than the mentaiko one. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner but had higher expectations. Definitely recommend checking out this spot.