Astoria completely lived up to the hype. It's one of those coveted DC reservations that's…read morenotoriously hard to get, and after having it on my list forever, I can confidently say it's 100% worth the wait. Tucked into the heart of Dupont Circle with its unmistakable bright blue awning, the restaurant is intimate, moody, and always buzzing. Inside, you'll find dim lighting, a handful of cozy wooden bar booths, seats along the bar, and a few outdoor tables. It's not a huge space, which only adds to its charm and makes every reservation feel like a win. The atmosphere is perfect for sharing dishes and lingering over dinner with friends. The food was incredible...I genuinely loved every single bite. Just be prepared: the Sichuan spice is no joke! If you aren't expecting it, it'll definitely sneak up on you (in the best way). My must-orders? The chili wontons, Dan Dan noodles, and beef noodles. Every dish was packed with bold flavor and left me wanting to come back for more. If you've been trying to score a reservation, keep at it. Astoria is one of those places that's absolutely deserving of its reputation, and I'll be thinking about those noodles until my next visit.

There was a line waiting to go in before opening and I think it's still be easy to get a seat if…read moreyou arrive right at opening time but it definitely got filled by the time we left! Inside had small tables and a kinda casual cocktail bar vibe Beef Noodles - the highlight and actually very good! The noodles are long and handmade and chewy. They hold onto the sauce very well! The sauce has a slight kick and is very savory. The beef is soft and also flavorful! I feel the price for the portion is kinda expensive though 8/10 Chili wontons - skin is silky and soft, sauce is savory with a small kick as well! Even though the sauces look similar to beef noodle they taste very different. The fillings had good flavor and overall were good but were a bit tougher and dryer than I would prefer. 6/10 Crab fried rice - crab is slightly overcooked but naturally sweet. It has a light curry taste throughout and was pretty good but didn't really stand out 5.5/10 Mapo tofu - slight kick and nice savory taste in the sauce! However I think they cut the tofu pieces way too large or the tofu they chose had way too much tofu flavor that overpowers the sauce. I'd prefer a very light silky tofu but this was a soft tofu. 6/10 Vpod - at first it just tasted like orange juice but then the other flavors peek through on the after taste and when I mixed it more. Even though it was good, it still felt very basic 5/10 Philadelphia Scotsman - it's pretty ginger forward. Technically the level of ginger spice is fine but strong but then the rest of the drink got completely overpowered and so this just wasn't that great 2.5/10

Took my girlfriend here for her birthday and it was the right call. The edamame was a simple,…read morewell-executed starter -- nothing fancy, but it set the tone before the real highlights arrived. The toro tacos were a standout -- rich, buttery toro paired with a crisp shell, the kind of bite that balances luxury with a little bit of fun. We rounded things out with several maki rolls, all fresh and well put together, each one distinct enough that ordering a few felt worth it rather than repetitive. Beyond the food, the service made the night -- attentive without being intrusive, which is exactly what you want for a birthday dinner. The ambience matched too: romantic, trendy, dim lighting that made it feel like an occasion without trying too hard. Great pick for a celebration -- between the toro tacos, the maki, and the overall vibe, Shoto delivered on every front.

Came here on 6/28/26, had a reservation at 8pm and were seated immediately…read more The space inside is gorgeous but cramped and LOUD. This is not a space to grab food if you're trying to have a conversation. We often found ourselves yelling across the table and when selecting items to share we crammed ourselves on one side of the booth squishing other patrons. Otherwise this would've been a 5 star review. Our waiter was amazing, albeit a bit distracted at times because of his service area, and helped advise us on the items we were interested in. We had: Koika No Karaage - their version of calamari - 10/10 - lightly fried with the most amazing texture and paired with a yuzu mayo. For the price I wish the serving size was larger but that's my only gripe. Kani - 10/10 - snow crab with spicy mayo - 2 came with the order and they were amazing. The Japanese crest was the perfect contrast to softness of the snow crab. It was also seasoned well. Hotate Toryufu - 10/10 - the scallops melted in your mouth. Amazing. No notes. California Maki - 6/10 - my least favorite thing here. It wasn't awful but it didn't compare to the other things we had. Drinks - I WISH I could remember the name of the drink I had. Hands down one of the best drinks I've ever had and was paired with sparkling sake. Bathe me in sparkling sake, put a bottle in my casket, I want it with me forever. I would come back for sure but would opt to sit at the bar. It would definitely be easier to speak to someone sitting next to you than across from you. For the price you will not get full here but if you want to share some small bites of new food this is absolutely your spot.

They were busy,We ate at the bar. The CHIKIN App was excellent! Messy but worth it…read more Emily was our server. Extremely good at describing the menu items and other pointers. We had a great meals.

Let me preface this by saying that we're from NYC, so we're used to amazing food spots…read more Amazing food and good service. Probably one of the best spots we tried in D.C. Highly recommend and would definitely come back.

The food was amazing, we did The tasting menu and it did not disappoint! Some really unique flavors…read moreand things that don't normally go together that worked perfectly! Skye our server was incredible, went above and beyond to make our experience great! We also learned about Peruvian cuisine and Pisco! Love the decor, felt very cozy! The only weird thing that happened, we added on the all you could drink wine to go along with our tasting menu. There were three reds and three whites to choose from. Things were going along great and then a manager in a suit asked if we needed anything and we asked for the next White on the list. He brought it to us then told us this was the last one in our tasting. We mentioned that the menu says all you can drink. The portions they poured were tasting size portions each time, and our plan was to try each of them. We pointed out what the menu said, he said let me check. He brought Luis over who agreed that's what the menu said. Ultimately, we had a good time, but that made us feel weird that we had to even point that out when it was very clear on the menu. I've included the photo of the menu in case upper management would like to make sure if it is not all you can drink to change the wording. And if it is to make sure Mgmt. doesn't make guests feel uncomfortable for asking for more.

Pretty disappointing. And not that great of Peruvian-Chinese-Japanese fusion restaurant…read more Need to pay more attention to the reviews that say the following: small servings (siu mai were half the size than regular anywhere else), ceviche also super small serving - good flavor but not much and not served with anything to eat it with (like chips), Tam tam noodles were overcooked and mushy, brussel sprouts were delicious (!), lomo saltado was meh (undercooked pieces of onion, nice chunks of beef but kind of chewy, super salty sauce but was good soaked up by the fries). Kind of fun decor - expected more from this Jose Andres restaurant because we really enjoyed the sister restaurant, Oyamel nearby (try that place instead!)

Stopped in after attending another dc event and loved Raku so much! Even at about 8pm on a weekday…read morethe place is packed and glad I had a reservation before hand. I had the harasu and red dragon roll and first I want to say that another yelper ordered the same thing and it came out looking the same way. It's those details and consistency that show they pay attention. Our server was great and kept the water coming. Sushi restaraunts can always be a hit or miss too for vegetarians but I can say my wife and daughter was pleased with the selection here. I look forward to coming back and visiting when im in this part of town.

What a delicious makunouchi bento and shrimp dumplings I had! I met up with a friend for lunch and…read moreit wasn't too crowded there. Free validated parking also available if parked in the garage. The service was quick and fuss-free. Every items I got to taste was absolutely delicious. I just wish the rice portion wasn't so huge or had an option for me to swap it with salad. Wouldn't mind revisiting again in the future.

We dropped by after my wife was in the mood for ramen. I am glad we did. We arrived at 6:00 pm…read moreon a Tuesday before it got crowded. Most of the tables were taken but we were seated right away. We ordered the Edamame and House Smashed Cucumber. The Cucumber had the right amount of tanginess. The Cheng Du Spicy Wonton stood out. The spicy sauce that they came in was an excellent accompaniment. We finished off with the Reren Signature Ramen. It really hit the spot. The ambience is very casual. We were tourists but it seemed a lot of locals were eating there too. We would definitely come again.

I've been walking (or running) past Reren for a while. I've had their soup dumplings through Uber…read moreEats, but hadn't tried their entrees/Lamen yet. I ordered the Kung Fu Noodles and really enjoyed them! I appreciate a noodle soup thats also packed with veggies (hello, Bok Choy lover here), and the the kimchi gave the soup an added layer of glamor and crunch! It's advertised as spicy, and I was asked if I was ok with spicy after I ordeeed (which I appreciated), but I honestly didn't find the soup very spicy at all! It was pretty flavorful though. I'd get it again. I'm also looking forward to trying other items like their Dan Dan Noodles.

AN is a typical bowl spot with both set and build your own bowl options and a variety of Southeast…read moreAsian inspired bases, proteins, and toppings to choose from. I made my own bowl and liked the topping options but the bases (vermicelli noodles, bok choy, and veg mix) and were underwhelming as was the teriyaki chicken. The best thing by far is the crispy pork belly which for a $2 up-charge you can have 3pcs. It also comes with a complimentary cup of broth which was surprisingly aromatic and flavorful. It's a large portion but not one I'd spend $20 on again.

Thanks to IG for the recommendation of trying out this spot. This spot is like a Viet Chipotle. You…read morecan choose a bowl they have set or your can make your own. The service was really great! They were patient and answered all of our questions. The vibe is very modern and cozy. It may look small, but there is a lot of seating upstairs. I made my own bowl with a side of the chicken broth. Bowl was good but what really caught my attention is the BROTH! I would come here just for the broth! lol. That's what really gives my review 5 stars. I highly recommend this spot!

First thing's first: I'm not a fan of Korean BBQ per se. I don't see the logic of going to a…read morerestaurant to pay for the privilege of cooking. However, sometimes you gotta get out. Kanpai is in a prime place along Rockville Pike, but depending on when you go you may find easy parking. (If you're not bothered about where to park, ignore what I just said.) Out front there's something that looks like a tuk-tuk or rickshaw. Tbh, don't know if it's theirs or the business next door. The restaurant itself is clean and elegant. Also, not as loud as some Korean BBQs (thinking of KPOT off of Randolph Rd), which is important if you don't like being overwhelmed by everyone else's noise. That is one big '+' in Kanpai's favor. The waiter was cool and very helpful. Because of him I now know what the thin meat slices are meant for (which is for the soup), before then I had no clue. The food itself is good. Like, why wouldn't it be? I actually prefer the shabu-shabu (soup), makes me wish I knew how to do that myself so I wouldn't have to go out as much. Yes, the grill meats were great, as was the kimchi. These places are not cheap, but it was enjoyable while I was there. If you're not in a rush you can go a few doors down afterward to an import store selling everything from K-chips to puzzle-kits. So I would say...take your time. But don't warm your seats for more than 90 minutes, as Korean BBQs tend to kick people out (nicely, nicely) if one overstays. P.S. I'm sure they have some great drinks there, but even if I wanted to I couldn't loiter. That's what Bethesda is for. (Or at least how it used to be.)

This is a place you need to come to hungry! I had a great time here with friends a few weeks ago…read more We were able to get some drinks from the happy hour menu right before it ended. Our server, Kelley, was great. She explained how everything works here. The buffet is pretty extensive and you can get full from that alone. They have an option to just do the buffet (during lunch hours). There is a good selection of meats. there's a robot here that brings stuff to the table - pretty cool. We were stuffed! It's a bit pricey but was worth it. I would visit again.

Walked in and immediately LOVED the vibe. Very welcoming and just completely cool. Fantastic…read moreservice from the wait staff -- especially Q. He was terrific. Wonderful recommendations. Non-alcoholic drinks were on point. Make sure you ask for Q to make yours. Oh and do get that cauliflower. -- Your welcome.

I had such a wonderful time visiting O-Ku. It's one of my favorite sushi spots in Washington DC…read more This time, a bartender named Adam stood out for being exceptionally attentive. He had a great knowledge of the menu and encouraged me to try new dishes, which turned out to be fantastic. The customer service was excellent, and I really enjoyed my experience. Keep up the good work, and I wish you all the best.

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.

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.