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

Was visiting from out of town and our friends showed us this wonderful place for the happy hour…read more Was absolutely blown away, we came back 3 times in 6 days, we couldn't get it off of our minds. Now that I am back home, I still can't lol!! Great staff, atmosphere, hospitality, and thee best food!!! Will fly back just for Mecha, that's no joke either.

Everything was oh, so so so good. We had a range of things: hand rolls, bao buns, general tso…read moreshrimp, and pho king. We will 100000% be returning, amazingly good and fresh food!

Food is always good. One of the few ramen places that I can actually finish my bowl. Favorite ramen…read morein the menu is the Shio, but I gave Mugi-miso a try, and it was really good. Not strong miso flavor that hurts your throat, but still has that umami flavor. Place can get packed especially at dinner. But quick turnaround. Can be a group or solo.

Daikaya -- Washington, DC…read more Walked in expecting a solid bowl at a shrine to Sapporo-style ramen and left feeling swindled by a soup that tasted like it had never been to Japan. This wasn't a bad day in the kitchen -- this was a fundamental misunderstanding of what Ramen is supposed to do. The Breakdown Broth: F -- I ordered the shoyu. It's way too simple, flat, and an insult to the bowl it was served in. Does it really take 16 hours to make soup that tastes like beef broth bought at Walgreens? I'm not a heavy oil person but there was also a noticeable lack of oil to give the soup any depth either. Is anyone in the kitchen tasting the soup or had ramen before? Genuinely puzzled by how bad this is. This would never fly in Japan. It shouldn't be ok here either. Noodles: B -- honestly the only competent part of this bowl. They say they're shipped in from Japan. Protein: F -- a pile of unseasoned ground pork sitting next to massive slice of chashu so bland it made me question the pig. What are we doing here? This is too much poor meat. Quantity over flavor, and it showed. Toppings: C -- the egg was tasted great, perhaps the most flavorful part of the meal, but half of it was warm and half was cold. Green onions seemed to be all the green bits from the top and none of the white parts on the bottom. And then -- the cucumber salad. A tiny $10 side dish for a quarter of a cucumber in soy sauce and sesame seed oil. Charging this much for such a small quantity is it's own kind of crime. Mind you, it tasted fine but I really expected more and it's ultimately what bumped this 2 star review down to 1 star. Overall: My Japanese ramen radar was blaring "fake ramen" the whole time at this place. This felt like a Ramen place run by people who had never been to Japan. And while that is ok, if you end up serving ramen that's so lacking in redeeming qualities then I have to call it a failure. That bad pricing on top of that is just a kick in the nuts. I felt misled by the reviews. DC's ramen scene deserves better than this 2/10

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.

I went during happy hour and it was not busy at that time. Our server was Jeremey and he was very…read morewonderful is making sure that we were taken care of and taking our orders etc. The drinks were so pretty and they tasted wonderful. I also had the cucumber item and that was so refreshing! Got the dumplings stir fried and they were delicious also. It's a lovely restaurant and there are a decent amount of tables inside. Very clean and cute decor. It looks like there is also a nice bar area as well.

Been a few times prior to reviewing, so I generally had a good opinion, but finally decided to…read morescrutinize them a bit more. Stopped in for dinner, and was warmly greeted and seated. Always appreciate the minimalist yet still eloquently-decorated aesthetic of the restaurants, complete with a window to view the kitchen, which itself seemed relatively clean and well-kempt. Ordered the Woodear Mushroom and Mint Salad, and the Mogu Shiitake Mixian Ramen. The mushrooms were light and chewy, yet savory with citric and garlicky elements, and overall very refreshing. The ramen was solid in most respects, with a decent variety of vegetables and multiple proteins, including tofu, shiitakes, soybeans and marinated egg (which I enjoyed despite typically not liking hard-boiled egg too much). The noodles were a little bland, however, and didn't taste like they absorbed much of the broth. Overall, I'd say 4.5 stars are more accurate; YbP Noodle House is a regular haunt for me because the quality is there in most respects.

good i suppose very very good. a bit expensive but that's a given in the area. otherwise, the…read moreflavors taste great and are authentic for their class. I was well nourished! the vibes were honestly run of the mill and nothing to write home about (I mean you're eating on metal tables after all) but that didn't affect the quality of the food. clean enough place !

Disappointed - I paid $2 for one egg, but the picture clearly shows 3. The ladies at the counter…read morereplied "Oh that's just for illustrations and not our picture. I will tell management". One even said "Whatever". Terrible customer service. Otherwise, food is tasty.

What a fantastic place to grab some delicious food and drinks!…read more Ambiance: it's like having dinner in someone's comfy kitchen. No reservations, just stop on by, grab a seat, and order your food at the counter. Service: service was pretty fast once our food was ordered. Staff were pretty good and they moved quickly to accommodate all guests. Drinks: they have a pretty solid list of local beers and ciders along with wines. Food: I ordered the Jjajangmyeon which was scrumptious! The roasted black bean sauce added some sweetness to the savory flavor oozing out of the shrimp and scallops. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the cucumber on top helped cooled the dish. I also ordered a side of cabbage kimchi which was the perfect addition to my meal. My boyfriend ordered and loved the Spicy bulgogi stir fry and I must say, it was delicious, even from the small bite that I had. Overall, this was a delectable meal and I'm looking forward to returning.

I've ordered from Chiko on Uber Eats more times than I can count, so I already knew I was a fan…read morebefore finally dining in. My go-to order is the soy-marinated brisket, smashed salmon, duck fried rice, and their incredible homemade kimchi. On my recent visit to the restaurant, I decided to branch out and try a few new things. The chicken wings were outstanding. Perfectly crispy with a delicious seasoning that had me reaching for another one immediately. I also tried the house fried rice for the first time, and it was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The restaurant itself has a very relax atmosphere, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn they offer a happy hour with some great deals. I didn't get a chance to take advantage of it this visit, but it's definitely given me another reason to come back soon. Whether you're ordering delivery or dining in, Chiko continues to impress. Highly recommend!

Best way to describe the place is: If you know. You know!…read more And if you don't know. Find a local to find out. Took us a little while to find the place. Not the address but the place. If you're looking for a hole in the wall keep looking. You're looking for hole in the hole in the wall. Basically it is a bar on the 2nd Floor of the old building which has another bar on the first floor. Once you find it I can't say you'd be disappointed. Although we didn't get there when they have their busiest time like Friday or Saturday night but we were seated immediately service was great prices reasonable. The Menu isn't vast (this is not a Cheesecake Factory) and I didn't see any issues with anything we ordered. Cocktails were superb even without Pork Belly Garnish on my Monster. Ordered all appetizers from the list. All of them were wonderful. Karaage, Pickles, Wings, Buns It is all delicious. Same with Ramen. Nothing had any issues to note all were absolutely superb.

TLDR: would recommend, decent ramen. Appetizers are great and the drinks are well made. Definitely…read morenot good for a large party size due to restaurant size. Servers are very attentive and come by very often. Must Try: Shrimp Naruto Atmosphere/Setting: very small place with dim lighting. This isn't the place to have your birthday celebration with a Partiful of 20 people. It's moreso catching up with a friend or having a good meal after a long day alone. Food: it's a ramen spot but honestly I've had better ramen but this one is pretty good. I think the appetizers are moreso the star of the show ! Appetizers : Shrimp Naruto (10/10) , Brussels Okonomiyaki (8/10) , Yuzu Rootbeer Wings (6/10) Shrimp Naruto is phenomenal , literally my favorite. I wanted to like to e wings but they were too soft for my liking. If they were fried harder or had a bit more of a crunch I'd rank them higher because the flavor is there. Drinks: both drinks were great !

China Boy, near Chinatown, is a bustling hole-in-the-wall spot that feels busy but not unwelcoming…read more Service is through a QR code, though you can also order at the counter. You pay and bus your own table. The food came out pretty fast, and there were lots of pickup drivers coming through. The beef chow fun had great wok hei. The rice noodles were good, and the steak was really flavorful without being chewy. The onions and green onions were also great. The fried tofu came in triangle-shaped pieces rather than cubes, but it was still really good. It had a nice sweet soy-style sauce, little pieces of fried garlic, cilantro, and a spicy sauce that went really well with everything. It is not a mega-amazing or fancy dining experience, but it is acceptable. For a quick, affordable, and satisfying meal, this place is perfect.

**BRING CASH came…read morehere for brunch after going to the Bruno Mars x Hello Kitty pop up nearby. I've been wanting to try this spot for the longest time & coming here afterwards was perfect! we ordered a wonton soup, pan fried dumplings & beef rice noodles crepes. we paid in cash for a small discount. food came out in 15 minutes & it was delicious. you can tell everything is made in house, from the dumpling wrappers to the actual dumplings. I loved it so much. the wonton soup was so warming and delicious. highly recommend. I was surprised as to how good the noodle crepe was too! this is a very small shop, but they were busy with orders. I ordered a beef chow fun to go & that was really good too! highly recommend if you're in the area.

This Thai restaurant is the best in the city. Their food is consistently flavorful, fresh, and…read moredelicious. The service is timely and effective. Plus, the ambience is a mix of relaxation and class. I ordered the Lychee Martini to start, followed by the Tom Yum Fried Rice with Shrimp. It was cold, fresh, and so flavorful. Plus, it packed a punch. Although I normally eat the pork belly with fried rice, I decided to go with the Tom Yum Fried Rice with Shrimp, which did not disappoint. The freshness and spicy/sour flavors really delight the pallet. Plus, the pepper tray provides vinegar and hot sauces to supplement, if needed. The owner not only cares about the quality of the food in this restaurant, but about his customers and the community. I haven't visited for a while, and the staff still remembered my standard order. That attention to detail is something that makes people feel appreciated and want to come back again and again. Kudos to Baan Siam for their success year over year!

Amazing Thai food at this restaurant. Got the green mango Salad, chicken wings, khao soi, and beef…read morecurry. The mango salad was delicious, I could eat that all day. The khao soi had good flavor, and it came with rice. The chicken wings were for my son, he said they were the best wings he's ever had. The beef curry had good flavor, but the beef was a bit overcooked. Service was a little bit of a miss. When the waiter first came, he asked us for our food order. However, we wanted to order drinks first. I was able to order my cocktail, however, the waiter left before anyone else at my table could speak to order a beverage. Food came out very quickly. This is not the type of place where you would want to enjoy drinks and food over a period of time. However, if you are super hungry, your food will definitely get to you quickly. Restaurant was crowded, but not super loud. Overall, I would come back for the food, I just wish that I could have more time to enjoy my restaurant experience.