Upon a 2nd trip and further review... 3 words: Fast, yummy, cheap. 5 stars! read more

This is hands down my favorite sushi restaurant in the DMV at the moment... Can't wait to go back. Pros: 1. Creativity of special dishes 2. Quality of seafood 3. Presentation of dishes 4. Authenticity of dishes 5. Good pricepoint 6. Off the beaten path Con: 1. I only wish they would dim the lights just a bit during dinner hours. Not that big of a deal read more

In my opinion, the perfect chirashi would contain the following ingredients: *multiple slices of sake, hamachi, saba, hotate, maguro, unagi, amaebi, tamago, white tuna *ikura (salmon roe) *slices of sweeten braised shiitake mushroom *pickled radish or daikon *seaweed salad (optional) This restaurant's chirashi had the following pros and cons, relative to my notion of the perfect chirashi: Pros: The fish was very fresh and of the perfect portion size. There was a lot of variety and it even came with toro! The price was decent for the amount of fish you got (~20 pieces). Cons: Unfortunately, I could not give this chirashi 5 stars b/c it was missing some of the ingredients above, namely the amaebi, pickled radish/daikon and wakame salad. All in all, considering that I'm reviewing this chirashi in its native form (minus tako), i think it came pretty damn close to being perfect! now if only it was in California!!! read more

Kotobuki - close up of the chirashi deluxe - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Got to knock a star cuz it's SO SMALL!!! Ahhhhh!!! The wait...THE WAAAAIT!!! Hunger pains...out of control.... Ok, fine it's my fault for not being prepared and going hungry for so many hours. Moving on! "Cozy" would be very nice way to put it, you will most definitely have to wait on the super steep stairs. If you bring children/strollers/anything related to tiny, tiny humans...I will laugh in your face. Why would you do that to yourself? Me and my GFs had a huge variety of sushi (see pics!) Portions are quite large and very good for the price. As an expert on tasting any hint of yucky fishy-ness, this place was wondiferous! So. So. Fresh. Any time I'm over here, this is where I'm eating. Hands down! Someone gimme a high five! read more

Kotobuki - heaven on a plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What more can one ask for? Affordable prices on their sushi? Check Clean, beautiful ingredients which leads to fantastic flavor? Check Good, quick service? Check This little Japanese restaurant is tucked away in the Palisades neighborhood. For those of you who don't know, it's upstairs of the famous Makoto (not affiliated). This place has very clean ingredients which leads to very fresh and tasty sushi. My favorite is the Rainbow roll which is absolutely a beautiful roll to look at but even more scrumptious to eat. The service is very quick and friendly. The one downside is that space is limited. One may have trouble finding seating if they come with many guests. However, I always came with one friend so I never had any seating issues. read more

Kotobuki - Rainbow sushi...yuuummm - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've been here twice and both times, I had their Eel kamameshi - rice and eel comes in a traditional steel pot with four side dishes. It is budget friendly - but would like it better if they give you enough eel for the amount of rice they give you. I think there are only 3-4 pieces for the whole pot. Overall quality and taste is okay - average. read more

Just had a carry out order so I cannot really give them a full review. This is based on the lunch portion chirashi. Comparing their lunch portion chirashi to some others that I have been to. This is the first chirashi bowl I have here in the states that has a piece of fatty tuna (either chutoro or otoro...somewhere in between that I cannot tell). Surprising and maybe that's why there were less fish than I expected. Everything was fresh and I bet it would taste better if I had it there instead of carry out. read more

Kotobuki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I visited Kotobuki for lunch last summer and enjoyed the food. It wasn't the most amazing sushi ever, but it was tasty. The portions were decent, but the sushi was not as fresh as what I've had elsewhere, but the service was nice, I was seated right away, and it was a nice meal. I ordered the Chirashi bowl, which came with a variety of fresh sushi pieces and vegetables, served on a bed of rice. Not bad for $15! I also ordered a side of miso soup, which was tasty as well. Nothing super memorable, but a solid lunch. I would definitely return, but it's a bit far (located in the Palisades, beyond Georgetown) and parking is a bit tight. I am planning to go to the fancier sushi place that is connected to Kotobuki at some point this upcoming summer. read more

Kotobuki - Chirashi Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Four and half stars would be most accurate. Their eel kamameshi is superb. Sushi and sashimi are fresh and tasty. Been here many times and they never disappoint. The reason for the half star deduction is that they have had the same "specials" for the greater part of the last year and half. Not really special if you can get it all the time (or at least the times we went). Normally not the best place for kids (limited seating) but brought my kids at 5pm on Sunday and there was no line. Overall one of the better sushi places in DC. Everything they serve is great but their specialty still is the non-sushi kamameshi! read more

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The best sushi in town. The people who work there are super nice and the food is amazing. I haven't been able to go during covid but I miss their food so much. read more

My all-time favorite japanese restaurant in DC. Parking - there is always parking believe it or not. Service - you know it's real when you walk in and they greet you in Japanese. Service is always on point out here Quality of Food: Chirashi and Kamemashi are my go-to's. They're legit. It's real japanese food and takes me back to my childhood every time i take a bite. read more

Sometimes, simple is better. And Kotobuki is one of the most enjoyably simple eateries I know. The fact that it's mere blocks from work has proven both awesome and dangerous. Nobody put massive effort into Kotobuki's décor: it looks like a tiny cafeteria. With carpet. Nobody strained their brain scouting Kotobuki's location: hard to locate in tucked-away Palisades, and up a dim, narrow staircase to the dining room. Nobody spent countless hours crafting Kotobuki's menu: sushi options include sashimi, nigiri, chirashi, seldom-seen oshizushi, and unadulterated maki incorporating very few ingredients. Anything else on the limited menu is classic, straightforward Japanese like shumai, ankimo, kamameshi, and unadon. What they *did* think of for Kotobuki: phenomenally fresh ingredients, including some of the highest quality seafood and softest rice of any sushi restaurant I've been to; surprisingly affordable prices; fast service; the Beatles on constant loop (every time I've come they've been playing the Fab Four); and -- obviously -- the mantra that simple is better. Their uni, by the way, is to die for. read more

This restaurant is amazing. The rolls are fresh and delicious. We had the dueling dragon roll, which has become a favorite. Also really good is the Sakura roll and Las Vegas roll. Tried the appetizers too and loved the gyoza, takoyaki, tuna tataki, and fried tempura and vegetables. Even the drinks are good. Tried the lychee alcoholic sake shot (pink can) drink and the Fuji apple sake - both of which were sweet and light, with a little kick in it. Amazing! also the seating in the back (Japanese style seating with the cushions on the floor, low table) was so nice to have! Just a bonus. Definitely will come again. read more

Although I've had better sushi, Kotobuki still deserves extremely high praise and recognition as an essential go-to restaurant for everyone. Tucked in a Palisades residential neighborhood, this place is super tiny and holds probably less than ten tables. The first thing I noticed were their remarkable prices. Sake for $1.25 a piece?! Uni for $2.95?! Figuring it was too good to be true, I quickly ordered as much as I could. With respect to nigiri, the menu is standard and doesn't appear to offer anything unique. For instance, they don't even offer ama-ebi. To be thorough, I ordered almost everything they had; hamachi, ikura, maguro, white maguro, sake, scallop, unagi, and uni. We also ordered a bunch of lobster rolls. The sushi came out lighting fast; within ten minutes. Definitely the fastest I've ever seen. Once I determined they weren't pre-made or anything of the like, I noticed the portions were completely normal and almost bordering above-average. Everything looked and tasted fresh. Now here's where it becomes too good to be true. My only gripe with this place is the fish, which tastes bland to me. The only way I can explain it is if you thoroughly washed the fish in water and immediately served it. My only explanation is that although the fish is extremely fresh, it may be a lower quality which allows for the low prices. The non-fish nigiri however, such as the roe and rolls, were just as good as any other place, only half the price. My recommendation is to come here with a focus on the non-fish nigiri like the ikura and uni, as well as their delicious rolls. Load up, because you'll be getting an incredible deal. Definitely order some fish as well, but know that those pieces may not be the best sushi you've ever had. read more

Without a doubt, the best value for AUTHENTIC Japanese sushi in DC, located just above the best overall Japanese restaurant in the DMV area (Makoto). Having lived in Japan for six years, I think I'm a pretty good judge, and this is the real deal. Most sushi nigiri is $1.25 a piece, and rolls average $3.95. They even serve oshizushi (pressed sushi), rectangular sushi formed by pressing the ingredients into a box mold, and not found much outside of the Kansai (Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto) area of Japan. Another specialty is kamameshi, a rice dish cooked in an iron container (kama meaning kettle and meshi meaning rice) and accompanied by a couple of sides and miso soup. Try the eel kamameshi; you won't regret it. If I have any complaints, it's that the place is pretty small, and the word has gotten out, so unless you get here early, expect a wait (they don't take reservations). The drink selection is pretty limited too: only Bud and Sapporo as far as beer is concerned, and not a very extensive list of sakes either. Addditionally, I usually enjoy sitting at the sushi bar and talking to the chefs, but Abe-san, the owner, is not the friendliest guy out there, to say the least. But these are just minor quibbles. If you're a fan of authentic sushi, check this place out. read more

In continuing my night of gluttony with Karman L. on Thursday, not only did we go to BlackSalt for oysters, we took our sassy asses across the street to Kotobuki for some sushi! I didn't know much about Kotobuki until my vet raved about it. When I laid eyes on it, I was pleased to get to have "the experience". We went up the stairs, expecting the place to be busy, but when we got to the top, OH SNAP!, no waiting!!! We chose seats close to the bar. I was amazed at how small it is; it's not for the claustrophobic. It's also not for the drunk, as I was noticing when leaving the stairs are somewhat small and if you miss a step, you'll go rollin' like a mo'fukkah. Watch your step. I scanned the menu and couldn't believe the prices. Was I on a game show? I maintained my composure, but I'm pretty sure my eyes popped out of my head. I had to remember I was in D.C., where it's customary to charge quite a bit for good sushi. I went with all sashimi and one roll. I ordered 2 pieces of salmon, tuna, white tuna, scallop, and mackerel. My one roll was natto maki. Buttery, melt in your mouth goodness. If you dig chewing on your sushi like a raw hide bone, you should stay away from this place. These folks have good, quality fish. I would not want to come here on a night where I'm starving--I'd probably embarrass myself and those around me by ordering a cargo ship amount of sushi. Beautiful neighborhood--really reminds me of Pasadena, CA. I can't wait for us to go back and repeat this doubleheader! read more

It took several years and the very welcome gastronomic whim of a cutie to find my new favorite Japanese restaurant. "I want sushi," she demanded, and knew exactly where to take us. TGSJ, because I surely have no clue. She suggested I try the Chirashi, which is like the name of someone I dated in high school. But unlike said high school honey, this dish had depth, variety and wouldn't give mama a heart attack. I kid, but the Chirashi was seriously good. It had a variety of very fresh sashimi-- tuna, salmon, shrimp, etc. All served over a bed of rice. She had the Unadon, which is unagi over rice and several small dishes to the side. Hell yeah I picked on her bowl. It was very good. Just like home, she tells me. The ambience here is "humble" and that suited us just fine. Again, she tells me, just like home. read more

I finally figured out where Kotobuki is located! This location of Kotobuki is definitely not metro accessible, requiring a fair amount of somewhat aimless driving past the GWU Mount Vernon campus, Georgetown Hospital, and Georgetown Resevoir. I amost felt like I wasn't in DC anymore... Kotobuki is on the second floor of the building that also houses Makoto. The restaurant is a tiny space, seating only twenty people at tables and another eight or so at the sushi bar. My dining companion and I arrived at Kotobuki around one in the afternoon on a weekday and there was only one other table occupied the entire time we were there. The menu at Kotobuki doesn't mess around - there aren't pages and pages of options, just a sushi menu and a one-sided menu offering non-sushi Japanese fare, plus a page promoting the Kamemeshi dish that Kotobuki apparently prides itself on. Though I was tempted to order the kinpira (burdock root and carrot), I decided to stick to sushi for this visit. Every nigiri sushi, with the exception of choice options like toro, hamachi, etc., is $1/each. Toro and hamachi sushi is $2/piece. This isn't a happy hour special, either, this is the normal sushi price. I ordered the same pieces of sushi I always order - tamago, toro, saba, unagi, with the addition of an inari (sweet bean curd) sushi. The unagi was excellent, still warm when it arrived and not overdone or too smothered in sauce. Saba was a decent cut of fish - no kelp accompanyment but still salty and flaky. The toro was a fattier piece of sushi than maguro, but still was not the most decadent and buttery quality, but close. At $2/piece I'm not really complaining though. The tamago was good - the egg looked like it had come close to burning though, which overshadowed everything. Inari sushi was a sweet treat, with a piece of ginger hiding under the rice to provide a surprising bite. The rice at Kotobuki was only so-so - while not flavorless (one could definitely taste the sushi vinegar), it wasn't the best seasoned and the rice was a little on the soft side - just slightly overcooked or, more likely, a little bit too much water added to the rice cooker. Service at Kotobuki was excellent - the waitresses were quite attentive, and the sushi came out in under ten minutes. Granted there were no other patrons; however I usually sit back and have to wait a little while for sushi. Not at Kotobuki. Eat at Kotobuki when you're looking for pretty good sushi on the cheap, or when you're craving Kaz or Sushi Toro but your wallet can't handle it. read more

I used to go to Kotobuki when nigiri pieces were only $1 each, so this restaurant and I have a long history. Recently, I realized I hadn't been in a while, so I needed to return for a quick rendezvous. I had their chirashi, scallop nigiri, fatty tuna/toro nigiri, and ankimo (monkfish liver a.k.a. "pate of the sea" per Bourdain). I think that meal will be repeated on a monthly basis. The chirashi was colorful and I greatly appreciated the unique additions of sauteed shiitake mushrooms and teriyaki eel. My only complaints about the chirashi are (1) they used leftover/crap pieces of toro, which were gristly and required no less than twenty chews to break down and (2) there were imitation crabmeat pieces -- c'mon, give me canned tuna if you have to, but not imitation crabmeat! The toro nigiri, however, was of excellent quality; pure melt-in-your-mouth goodness. I felt like I was eating pure fat, but I did not once feel unhealthy or dirty. The scallop nigiri was equally delicious. I actually lost my ankimo virginity here at Kotobuki several years ago and have since eaten it at Yuraku and Sushi Yoshi. After having it again here, I can now confirm that Kotobuki serves the best ankimo in the DMV area. Trust. read more

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I've been here a few times over the last year and each time there are things I love, things that I could do without and things that are disappointing. Saturday night was no different. Fully prepared for a long wait when we arrived at 6:30, much to our surprise, there was no line and we were seated at the only open table which happened to be for 2. For the quality of the sushi, the $1 sushi menu is great. The portion sizes have decreased since my first visit last year. With rising costs of everything, I'd rather them skimp a little than raise the $1 price. I had an assortment of nigiri but the real stand out was the sea scallop. I don't even know how to judge a good raw scallop but it was darn tasty - and I've lived to yelp about it. The majority of my nigiri next time will be the sea scallop. The maki are a great deal as well with many of the 6-piece roll sets ringing in at $2.95-$4.00. I went with the spicy salmon roll and the spicy scallop roll. Both were great except there was barely a hint of spicy. I do that each time I come here - I forget their spicy isn't at all. Now that I've noted it in my original review and my review update, it's engraved in my mind. One of my top options for a "cheap" sushi dinner. For $16, I had 9 nigiri and 12 maki rolls. Not too shabby. read more

When I first came to the DC area many months ago, I went to Maruichi, a Japanese grocery store run by Japanese people, on Rockville Pike and asked what the owner thought was the best Japanese restaurant in the area. Surprisingly...he said that there were none..but that one of the best was Kotobuki in the Georgetown area. At first, I thought this guy had insanely high standards...after all this is the nation's capital and we're on the east coast right? How on earth can there NOT be a good Japanese restaurant in the DC area???...It appears though that there was some truth to what he was saying.... A few weeks ago, one of my coworkers was raving about this place and we decided to give it a go at the last minute. Here are my opinions about the place: FOOD: the sushi is about average in terms of what you get at other major cities in the US (Chicago, Boston, NYC, LA). I judge the "freshness" of the fish on my nigiri/sashimi orders and found everything I ordered to be on the dry side (hamachi, hotate, etc). It definitely is not "fresh". Also..I was quite disappointed with the quality of the seaweed that came with my uni nigiri and the rolls that my friends ordered. However, considering that this is the washington DC area...it's one of the top I've tried so far. Despite my complaints about the seawood on my uni nigiri, I was extremely happy that they had "uni" on the menu (not many japanese restaurants have it in the DC area). Good lord..how my expectations have fallen after coming here. PRICE: a surprising number of sushi (single piece of nigiri) runs in the under $2 range. That is extremely cheap no matter how you look at it. If you take this into consideration...it is really a good price point. AMBIENCE: it's a very casual restaurant and very small. You'll find yourself sitting a foot away from the people sitting in an adjacent table. Also you'll definitely have a tough time finding a seat for groups of 4 or more. I strongly suggest you go in groups of 2 or 3. Summary: I'm a sushi snob (tried sushi in Japan which is better than "Masa" in NYC which is considered top 5 Japanese restaurant in the US) ..and I'm very disappointed so far at the sushi restaurants that I've visited in the DC area. I'm really hoping that the Japanese owner at Maruichi didn't have the opportunity to try the Korean sushi joints around this area as there is a SLIiiiiiiight chance that one of them may meet my expectations. Anyways, if this really is the best..it looks like I'll be getting sushi when I visit outside the MD-VA-DC area. I have to agree though that for the price point, this place is the best I've tried in DC so far. Update: In the last 24hrs I've been getting many messages on yelp for being too critical about my standards and there seems to be a misunderstanding in regards to the types of restaurants that are being compared against Kotobuki (especially since I've written 'Masa' in my review...which honestly is not a fair comparison). To clarify things a bit, let me state that the rating that I have given is based on the restaurants in a similar price range found in other large cities in the US (Chicago, San Fran, NYC, LA). In my opinion, if Kotobuki were in such cities it would be considered an average sushi joint. Hope this clears some things up. read more

We went here for my Japanese friend's birthday in hopes of catching a good kama meshi (hot ice bowl dish) and cheap sushi. When my wife and I arrived, we came to what appeared to be a hole in the wall type of restaurant that had a hard time accommodating our group. I ordered the eel kama meshi and my wife got the chicken kama meshi. Mine was ok - I think the unagi sauce helped to add a little flavor to the dish. But my wife's? not so much. On top of that, the kama meshi came out with a side tray of pickles that would be normally found in a Japanese home - but nothing impressive or flavorful. I tell you what - for hot bowl rice dish, the Koreans have it down, no questions asked. This stuff just seems like a half baked knock off - or spiced down in order to accommodate less spicy tastes. Also, due to the limited seating, I recommend you pick this spot for an early dinner or you will be waiting. Since we had a group of about 12, I remember the waiting folks staring holes into the backs of our heads as we took our time and drank while eating. It was sort of glorious leaving the restaurant full and getting stink-eyes the whole way down. Too hell with them - let them eat cake!!! read more

Freshest sashimi I've had in a looonng time. Don't know when they get their fish, but I ate here on a Wednesday. I swear the fish I had came right off the boat b/c it truly melted in my mouth. For $1 a piece, this is the best value around. From now on, this is the only place I'll get my sashimi. Service is so quick. I'll comment that I went to this tiny place with a group of 5. There was a party of 8 ahead of us. The restaurant only holds about 25 people total. Amazingly, they turned things over so quickly that we were seated within 1/2 hour of showing up. That's fast service. read more

I'm probably biased, but I really like Kotobuki. Yeah, the place is tiny. Lots Japanese places are pretty small though, and I'm sure rent is expensive in DC. The small space probably also helps them manage all the sushi orders. Yeah, the line sucks. The place is small and cheap sushi seems to bring the masses out in droves. It probably doesn't help that it is close to Georgetown University. I've come at times where the wait was minimal or nonexistent though. I think the sushi is fine and is very good for the price. They have the standard rolls and don't deviate much from it aside from a few combination maki sushi, but I kind of like that. Keep the sushi simple to highlight the fish - well, if the fish is worth highlighting anyway. They're pretty fast about getting the orders out. You can also call ahead and for pick up. This is the only area Japanese place I've been to that does saba (mackerel) oshi zushi, but maybe I haven't been paying attention. Their version was very good. They marinate the saba to take away the overly fishy taste that I find saba has when raw, and it improves the texture a bit. The various kama meshi (hot iron pot dishes) are pretty well done. I love the smell of the otoshi buta (the wood lid) since it reminds me of my gramma's house. Like the Korean dolsot (stone bowl), the pot is really hot and will give you a deliciously crispy layer of burnt rice on the bottom of the pot. You might want to add some soup or tea to help loosen it up or keep it from getting too burnt. The kama meshi sets come with some sashimi and a good assortment of side dishes. Last time they didn't give us any miso soup, but I think it is supposed to come in the set. The side dishes have been pretty home style and tasty. I've had gobo kinpira (simmered burdock root), hijiki (seaweed), and other vegetables in the set. For the fall, they have a special matsutake mushroom kama meshi, but the only notice of it was on a sign taped to the wall, and it was only written in Japanese. Matsutake are pretty pricey mushrooms in Japan and worth trying. The matsutake kama meshi was a little bit bland though, but pretty good. The eel kama meshi is tasty. read more

I'm tempted to say that Kotobuki is to sushi what the original Ray's is to steak: a restaurant that has a specialty and does it really, really well for much cheaper than its competitors. You really can't beat the $1 nigiri or the $10.95 kamameshi (for lunch. It's $17 for dinner.). We came here on a Saturday afternoon expecting a wait, but there were only two or three groups here when we arrived. So we sat at a table and ordered pretty soon after that. He got the sashimi deluxe which came with a mix of nigiri and maki, and I got the chicken kamameshi. Both of our meals came with a miso soup, and then my four side dishes arrived. The two root-like dishes were okay, but I really liked the watercress-like dish and octopus/squid dish a lot a lot! I saved some to eat with my main dish. The kamameshi arrived, and it was steaming hot from a covered pot and delicious! Our server warned me about not touching the metal part of the pot, and she was right (ouch!). The kamameshi had ground chicken and veggies on a bed of lightly seasoned rice. I'm used to eating and appreciating things that aren't too sweet or too salty in my house, so I really liked this dish. But if you're the type that douses your fries in ketchup or love it when your French toast is swimming in syrup, this might not be the dish for you. Otherwise, prepare yourself for a very light and delicious meal! Seriously, nothing beats the price here. The kamameshi portions are pretty generous, and the fish is fresh. However, it's hard to say if Kotobuki's lunch can compete with next door neighbor Makoto's $17 lunch....o_O read more

Wonderful sushi! So fresh it melts in your mouth! It is not in the most convenient location for public transportation, and it s very small, so the line can be long. But the freshness of the sushi is well worth it. This is a great low key date spot. This is not a place to go for frills or ambiance. Go for the food. You will not be disappointed. read more

Kotobuki - Sushi special. So tender, so good. $20.00. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

YUM! i went back this weekend and had some pretty good sushi. i really LOVE the toro and uni nigiri here, those are my favs. also, i recommend the virginia roll, there are so many textures going on, its like a party in my mouth! :) we had the special, clam miso soup. SOO good! really fresh and pipping hot! and the unagi kamameshi (iron pot rice) was good too, it has a nice smokey flavor, comes with 4 small cold side dishes. im going back next week to get the lobster nigiri, ritsuko E.'s recommendation! read more

Chirashi Lunch ($10.95!) Sushi in the NoVA/DC area for good and cheap has been hard to find for me. Although, Kotobuki again proves me wrong! Kotobuki is indeed quite small. The tables are placed close to each other and apart from the sushi bar which seats about (5-6), there is possibly seating for an approximate max of 20 people. They are located above the wonderful Makoto and in a somewhat residential area of northeast DC. Enough with the logistics, Kotobuki is sweet in that it serves traditional Japanese sushi/sashimi. They also serve wooden box pressed sushi and kamameshi. Items I have not seen elsewhere! The chirashi bowl is amazing and such a steal! Anywhere else you will pay upwards of $14-18 for lunch. The thing to note is the quality of each piece of fish they serve to you! The cuts are generous and the fish, buttery enough to melt in your mouth, will making the bursts of salivation worthwhile! Yes, Kotobuki is pretty traditional. You won't find Mexican rolls and Butterfly, Caterpillar rolls, etc. but if you're feeling the fish purity without the desire to stretch the wallet, this place is golden. :) I am eager for my next trek here :) read more

After a long day at work, hungry and tired. I was hoping for some good sushi. This place ruined it for me. Sushi was bad. Soft shell was stale and cold. Service sucks...Will never come back here. I don't know how this restaurant got 4 stars, I hate to think all these yelpers are their cousins. I came because of the reviews, but I was grossly deceived. :-( read more

I still feel like this is somewhat of a secret and I'm wary of letting everyone else is on it!! It's a bit hard to find if you don't know where it is and its not metro accessible. Thankfully I used to live just up the street from it. Now for the food... the sushi is amazing and the cheapest in D.C.! I don't know how they manage this combination... but they do. Since the dining space is so small and the queue is usually all the way down the steps, I always call my order in first (they're on my speed dial, yes they are!) and bypass the line, pick up the deliciousness and eat it in the comfort of my own home! There are two things they do here better than any other sushi place I've EVER been... the sashimi white tuna (I crave it!) its buttery and delicious and only a dollar and the spicy scallop roll. Just try them both and you'll know why. In fact, now that I wrote this I think I'm going to go get some! You should too!!!! read more

I LOVE Kotobuki!!! I am so glad I finally made it yesterday. It reminded me of common sushi-sake bar in Japan and I loved the fact that it's small, not fancy inside but clean and cozy. I'm sure some ppl look for more extensive menu but I liked the fact that the menu was simple. Kamameshi was great. If you like japanese bento box, this is MUCH better than other bento box (unless u want california roll). Maybe I just love simple things too much but I was so satisfied by freshness and size AND price (so cheap and reasonable compared to most other sushi restaurant in this area or even US!) of sushi, and also drinks. If you want a simple but feel good sushi eat-out, try it. Have fun with trying all different sushi, maki rolls and other small side dishes (either pickles, salad or appetizers). You will still spend less than what you spend for I-can-make that too or even better-japanese-wanna be food (sushi, teriyaki or maki rolls) at other places. I am so going there again:) read more

I was debating whether or not to review this place, since it is a bit of a secret, and I don't want it to be overun with people that don't appreciate good raw fish. But I saw that Julie H. already reviewed so the secret is out. It's my favorite sushi place in DC, because it's the best value. Compared to Sushi Taro, and Sushi Ko, I would say the sushi is close, but about half the price! Very small with only about 10 tables, and nothing on the menu except for sushi and a few small places. If you go, definitely order the scallop, it's awesome! read more

It's been a long time since I reviewed Kotobuki and thought it was worthy of an update (despite having so many reviews). I come to kotobuki all the time, and usually just get take out. The service is quick if you call ahead and the sushi is still fresh once you get home, unless you live hours away. There are lots of rave reviews of this place and I believe they are well deserved. What I don't understand are some of the bad reviews. Its ok to not like X roll or have an issue with service. But I really don't understand how a place loses a star for not offering super fancy special rolls or being small. All these fancy rolls shaped like tigers and dragons aren't very authentic and are completely unnecessary to enjoying good, quality sushi and affordable prices. This places delivers on those. WHere else do you get a toro roll for $6? Or one piece for 2.50? NO WHERE. My rant probably sounds extremely pretentious but I don't really care. If you go somewhere expecting something else, then i get the fact that you aren't satisfied and would give it a lesser review, but if you hear about a place with authentic sushi, that is very small, has long waits, you can't complain about that after, or at least not as part of your review. No matter what people say, this place has always provided fresh ingredients, amazing prices compared to ANY sushi joint in the area and pretty authentic. I will always find a reason, and some friends to get a massive plate of sushi from here read more

I HAVE TO COME BACK HERE. My curiosity for Kotobuki other sushi is at its highest state. Me and my friend were here with a bus all the way from 10th & E St NW (catch D6 that goes to Sibley Hospital), and it took us more than 30 minutes til' we got off. What a journey. Let's see, the place is tiny. Thought I nominate Toki Underground as the tiniest little hub I've been but seems like we have a new winner now. Want to say it fits 20 asses max? So funny the previous reviews mentioned about this one lady who was just not nice, period. And I met her! With a thought of saying 'O hello there not-nice lady, I heard a lot about you, and wow you really are a not-nice-looking lady, after all.' But o well, *snap* back to business. I was planning to mix out of their Maki Sushi with something that looks awesome word-wise, like Toro Roll, Salmon & Creak Cheese Roll, but I ended up telling my friend for her to choose. We ended up having too basics roll: Tuna & Avocado Roll, Spicy Tuna & Avocado Roll and California Roll I guess. Not my best pick tbh. But o well, I was too hungry and just want some rolls in my mouth. But HEY, I'm telling you, that was the first time since I don't know when, that I would keep sending the roll after roll into my mouth without feeling bloated or sick or weird like other sushi I've tasted before. The fish were great, the rice was superb. You know what, I'll just say this, it's the best Sushi place I've ever been, okay? Definitely have to come back and pick my own roll this time. Just a bit hurt to imagine myself sitting that long in a D6 bus to get here. Why you have to be far, my dear Kotobuki? read more

This place is tasty and cheap. The only downside is it's not Metro accessible. Their special maki rolls are huge. The rainbow roll is beautiful, but instead of the using the normal California roll foundation, they fill the roll with various types of fish roe (it still tastes great, though). The Hotate (scallop) is AMAZING and practically melts in your mouth. I'm originally from California and was surprised to eat such fresh and cheap sushi in DC when I lived there. This is definitely a place I'll continue to return to when I visit read more

It really was not worth of time and money. Kamameshi was not cooked as it should have been. It was just cooked with rice that was already cooked. Came to our table less then 15 mins. When it should have been cooked with raw rice. It certainly will take more then 45 min when properly cooked. Sushi was just below average at best. Chefs lack of experience was at present when He serving yellow pickle yellow daikon that's harmful to your health. Mackerels : sodium was there but PH level was too high. Miso soup : just water and miso. I would not recommend. read more

This is definitely the best sushi value-wise I've had in DC. Sounds like maybe the fish varies from night to night but I believe we went on a Wednesday or Thursday night and the fish was very fresh. I ordered the chirashi and my fiance had the sashimi deluxe. Both were extremely generous. I think the chirashi was about $15 and there were over 20 pieces of fish sashimi in my bowl. Taking into account the quality of the fish, quantity, and price, Kotobuki is the best. As for ambiance, it's crowded, small, and there's a long wait. So what? Service is perfunctory, but perfectly adequate. There's a reason people line up. read more

Testing the DC sushi hype... My coworker told me the other day that I am incredibly lucky. Why? Because I happen to live next to the best sushi place in DC (in the Palisades in middle of nowhere, mind you). This was reaffirmed by several others at the firm so based on all this high praise, I knew I had to check it out. Results? It was delicious!!! and incredibly cheap! No, they don't have happy hour but who needs happy hour when nigiri is regularly priced at $1. Wow. The only place I know of that's cheaper is Singapore Bistro (priced at 93 cents) but it's not nearly as fresh. We ordered a ton of food and the bill came out to roughly $57 (including tax and tip) for the two of us. And believe me, we got a lot of sushi... we couldn't finish it all and had to take some home. Everything tasted great. A helpful hint would be to spend your money on their nigiri and special rolls. Their regular rolls are good but they don't compare to the specials. Recommendations: For nigiri, try the Eel (Unagi), Salmon, Fatty Tuna and Yellow Tail. We didn't notice that lobster was also on the menu or else we would have tried that, too. We highly recommend all of their special rolls, especially the California Eel and the Rainbow. How to get here? (besides a car) D1, D5, D6 (D5 only runs M-F rush hour) towards Sibley Hospital It's irksome that they are not open Mondays and their hours are limited to noon-2:45 and 5-9:45/10:45 weekends but I will definitely come back often since it's a short walk from me read more

I gotta stop yelping before I try a place. Reading great reviews of a place only makes my expectations higher. Damn you yelp! I can't but be a yelpaholic though. Onto the review - Kotobuki let us down. The best part about it was taking a trip out to the Palisades on the especially tardy D5 bus. I didn't know DC had trees and peaceful, small-town streets. A+ for atmosphere. I have to say though, the food was not what I hoped it would be. I ordered the taro (or is it toro? the fancy tuna. that one.) sashimi - $2.50, it better be good for a single piece, right? Wrong. It was a little, TINY, where's-my-microscope piece of meat that wasn't much better than regular tuna. I wished I had passed on that and tried the lobster instead. The other rolls are reasonably priced, but still so-so. The dragon roll was an experience, and by that I mean an experience in trying to actually taste the roll through all the fish eggs they slathered it in. The price of rice is going up, so are they trying to compensate in fish eggs? The idea was not bad, but the execution was overkill. read more

I'd be inclined to give a 2.5 stars...but MEH.... i really have had better sushi. It's cheap because you get what you pay for. But I have paid for the same amount and got 10x the better tasting. I had the sashimi dinner-the quality is mediocre, the fish, while the cuts weren't too bad, bit of it were still chewy & overall too big. Not as "melting in your mouth" as I'd want my sashimi to be. Additionally, I can't seem to pinpoint the "freshness" of the sushi. It just wasn't apparent to me. The rice is blah, (equally as important right?), and not to mention that there soy sauce option was regular only. In other words, no "low sodium"!!!!!!!!! Kudos to the miso soup. Ultra hot & fresh from the pot... I'm really surprised by some of the ranting reviews here ... food was meh..and the service was double meh.. had the service been better, i probably would have considered that extra half of a star, given the fact that this place is very limited in space. Indeed, they couldn't wait to hurry you out the door! I'm so particular about my sushi it's not even funny. so the quest is on for the perfect low-key sushi joint.... read more