I brought my Mother here for her birthday. We ordered hummus, gyozas, noodles and two rolls. The edamame hummus was the prized dish of the night--so delicious! The soba noodles were underwhelming--it had big chunks of vegetables in it that were hard to eat and overall wasn't that flavorful. The service and ambiance were good. Overall, it was a decent dining experience. read more

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Came from the bottomless brunch. When you first walk in the decor is stunning, great ambiance, but way smaller than expected. Added a star strictly for the decor. The food was terrible. I'm a fan of bottomless brunches and the menu reads very well which is why I was so excited. However, I was extremely disappointed and so was my party of 4. Nothing on the menu would make be come back, in fact is very sub par and lacked flavor. Best item was the chicken and waffles. Very disappointing read more

This place has unique dishes, such as the green tea soba noodles. It was nicely flavored but on the mild side. I enjoyed the hint of green tea flavor and the bokchoy. My favorite was the lobster dynamite roll. We were recommended it by our server. The lobster paired deliciously with the eel and eel sauce. There was a generous amount of lobster sitting on the roll too. The tuna truffle was very standard but refreshing. The tartare was also okay. The seaweed crackers that came with it were nutty and crispy. The view was great- you can see the boats and the water. read more

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We had some great fish along with a Kirin Ichiban beer. A set of sushi nigiri (fish over rice), and a series of rolls made for a great evening. The service was great. read more

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I think with a $40 all you can eat and $25 bottomless mimosas and Bellinis it's a pretty solid value for the amount and quality of food, service, ambiance. It's in a a great location where you can enjoy a lively view of the board walk and boats. Our server was attentive to our needs and food came out in a timely manner. This place has a wide variety of dishes that everyone can share and enjoy. Definitely come hungry! read more

Nara- Ya was a vibe! The sushi was incredible full disclaimer I waited to long to write this review so I don't have the names of the dishes and drinks. What I can tell you is that you have to go for yourself! The ambiance and decor alone is totally worth the trip. The food and drinks are also really good! It's definitely pricey but just make a plan to go and and INDULGE. read more

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I came here for happy hour prior to a concert for some small bites. I sat at a high top near the bar, which had a great vibe. Our service was great and she recommended a few of her favorites, such as the gyozas and edamame hummus. Both of them were great but I loved the consistency of the hummus. I'm a big fan of toppings and speciality rolls so I loved all the flavorful additives that topped many of their rolls, specifically the Kamikaze! From decorative wallpaper, unique lighting and furniture, to fresh fish this place is one of my favorites for happy hour. read more

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Went to Nara-Ya for dinner a couple weeks ago with my sister and loved it! Finally a restaurant in DC with cute vibes great service, AND great food! We skipped the cocktail menu and settled on wine (honestly because we're 31 and wine presented the least risk of a hangover ) We ate: Vegetable Gyoza (not pictured we were hungry lol) 8/10 Crispy Cauliflower - texture was amazing 8/10 Tuna Zuke - from presentation to the quality of the tuna 10/10 Tuna Truffle - perf if you like a little spice+crunch (no avocado cuz I'm childish) - 9/10 Salmon sizzler - twas good but a little on the sweet side for me - 7/10 Will definitely be returning! read more

Nara-Ya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've been seeing a lot of instagram posts of the food at Nara-Ya and was mesmerized by how pretty everything is, but skeptical that anything that looked THAT good could also taste good. Nara-Ya proved me wrong. In fact, it was so good that my friend and I decided to make our way to Nara-Ya on a Tuesday night, even when we had reservations later. The hosts were very gracious and accomodating, and we got situated at the hightops immediately. Just off the bat, the decor of the restaurant exudes a very mysterious vibe that pairs extremely well with the ambiance. For two, we got the happy hour spicy salmon roll, the wonton crab tacos, and the Okonomiyaki. In order of deliciousness, the wonton crab tacos were by far the star of the show (REAL CRAB HOLY COW THAT WAS GOOD) and we were so tempted to get two more but held back. The okonomiyaki is made out of purple cabbage, and has an interesting (but good) and different taste than what you might normally expect + the CRAB ON TOP OH MY. Finally, the spicy salmon roll is what you would expect from a spicy salmon roll, especially off the happy hour menu (but tbh, we were so thrilled with the other two dishes it didn't even matter at that point). All in all, a very worthy date-night spot! read more

This spot has won the vibe check - all the japanese art and aesthetic really added a pleasant vibe to the restaurant. each art piece was super interesting to look at - they really did a good job of decorating the place to make it "insta-grammable" for the drinks: loved the rhythm of the river. i love sweet cocktails and this tasted like it had zero alcohol in it. my friend got the martini and i gotta say the presentation was 10/10. for the price its worth it - you get your cocktail, stuffed olives, and a little side snack of some fish and caviar. very cool! the dessert cocktail our waitress recommended was also great - she made sure to let us know it wasnt one of those sweet cocktails that tasted bitter sweet but rather was actually dessert type sweet. the flavor reminded me of an indian dessert called "ras malai". Our waitress also invented the old fashion so we had to order it in her honor. i dont usually like whiskey but this did not disappoint! i enjoyed the smoothness and little cracker that came on top. my friend whose a big whiskey guy said this was one of the best old fashions he's ever had for the food: i gotta say i wasn't super impressed. presentation was on point but the food itself wasn't anything special. the crispy cauliflower was great but i wished it had more of a spicy pepper on it, and the sauce was entirely at the bottom of the dish which was hard to reach. the peppers were great, but it was weird because its on the vegan side of the menu but is topped with a little fish flake? my vegetarian friend could only eat some of the peppers because of that. The sushi for the both of us was good - no complaints. soy sauce was made perfectly which is a big deal - i usually find soy sauce to be very salty. i wish there was some added factor to the sushi itself to make it unique since this place has trademarked every other area as unique overall for this being their third month opened i think theyre doing a great job and would recommend to all my friends to check it out, and I'll be back for the wagyu and smoked tartare read more

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wow wow wow, i did not expect to be blown away like i was. a good friend has been singing nara-ya's praises for a while now, and now i get it. first, ambience wise, its gorgeous, with amazing views of the wharf and water, it wins at being both romantic and hip. second, its very instagramable from the bottom floor where you enter, to the top. it exudes cool. also definitely come in a group so you can try alot of different rolls. most importantly, we come for the food, and all the sushi is fresh and delicious, there were very few underwhelming moments the highs: DC Diablo Tuna truffle thai red curry spider roll (so unique and literally just as i am writing about it, remembering it makes me want one right now!) disrict spice electric eel salmon sizzler smoke break kaiba king mount fuji pan seared scallops A5 Tataki the lows: green soba noodles fried chicken (though i liked that the meat is halal and thats honestly the only reason i ordered it) read more

Such a cute restaurant that has a view that overlooks the murky waters of the Wharf. Started out with the edamame and crab tacos (Masago Tobiko, yuzu chili aioli, avocado puree, scallion)The shells for the tacos were tasty. For the entree, I went with the Lobster fried rice (whole warm water lobster tail and lump meat with fried rice, scallions, charred corn, egg, edamame with a garlic chili crunch) and Lamb Chops (Four lamb chops with purple sweet potato puree, roasted rainbow carrots and a sweet glaze) The lobster fried rice was just ok but the lamb chops were great. For dessert we tried 3 different desserts Matchamisu (Ladyfingers, matcha creme patissiere, mascarpone creme, matcha powder, leaf tuile), Nara-ya Panna Cotta (Silky vanilla cream, honey mousse, red berry cream, glazed raspberry, fresh strawberries and edible flowers) and Mt. Fuji ( Sweet tart shell, yuzu-lemon custard, maple chantilly cream, Italian meringue, flammable liquor ignited tableside). My favorite of the 3 was Mt. Fuji. read more

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Beautiful waterside restaurant in the Wharf with some great views and fun decor. The food however underwhelmed. Had the crispy cauliflower and the Kani Okonomiyaki as starters. The cauliflower would have been much better if the pieces were about half the size. But the flavor of the cauliflower was just so so. Thought the okonomiyaki was a but funky. Had the lobster fried rice and the lobster was delish but thought the fried rice part was a bit funky as well. Had a nice Junmai sake. They advertise this place as a sushi bar and izakaya. It would be more accurate to call it an Asian fusion place based on menu offerings and as it's not really an authentic Japanese restaurant. Probably a better place for a few drinks and to enjoy the view than a meal. Service was attentive. read more

Nara-Ya - Sunset view from restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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If you love good food and posting it on instagram, this is the place to be! Me and boyfriend love Japanese food and this place did not disappoint! Love the indoor decor, the ambiance, the view of the water, the staff and most importantly the food and drinks (although it's a bit on the pricier side but that's expected being it's at the wharf where everything is pricey) Will definitely be back! Oh our drinks were so on point too! Nara-ya is not one to miss!!! read more

Nara-Ya - Drinks and Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I really enjoyed celebrating my wife's birthday at NaRa-Ya--I knew I had chosen the perfect place the moment we walked in. We were warmly greeted by the hostess and promptly seated. The stunning waterfront view, elegant decor, and attentive staff set the tone for a memorable evening. Every dish was fresh and bursting with flavor. The dessert and the sake shot at the end of our meal were a pleasant and lovely surprise that made the experience even more special. We left thoroughly impressed and can't wait to return! read more

The ambience and decor of this place is def top tier! It's really nice and some of the seating overlooks the water. The drinks were pricey but, the were good, nice and strong. As far as the food, it was good but definitely not worth the price. The sushi rolls provided were the same sushi rolls you can get at Wegmans. You can actually probably get a better variety at Wegmans for a fraction of the price. The menu in general was not very extensive and the plates are extremely small. Overall, it was ok but def not worth the price. I don't see myself ever going back but it was a nice restaurant to check off my list. read more

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What a wonderful dining experience! Perfect place for date night or celebrations! It was my friend's milestone birthday and we decided to do the Luxe Omakase - totally worth it! Felt like we tasted the entire menu! Everything was delicious, flavorful, and fresh. The service was exceptional - Jesus was amazing! Very attentive and knowledgeable. I love my craft cocktails and Nara-Ya definitely serves up some amazing unique drinks! On the pricier side but totally worth it. Highly recommend. read more

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The restaurant was great! We went there for brunch this weekend and had an amazing time. The staff made the experience personable. The sushi was fresh and delicious. I definitely plan to return to try their dinner menu. read more

I give them 4 stars because the service and experience were incredible. You walk into a unique passageway that takes you to an elevator. From there, your in a beautiful dining room with a full view of wharf and VA on the other side. Excellent choice for a date night. If I could at least take a .5 of a star for the food I would. I'll start with what was good... Fried cauliflower is always my favorite but here they did it exceptional well! The lightly battered cauliflower is crisp and airy. The sauce compliments the texture and flavors of the veggies and micro greens so well. The duck and Kim chi was incredible! Served medium. It's a dish you must try. Not chewy at all and loved the unique presentation. The drinks we ordered were good but just ok for the price. I'm a light weight and didn't even get a little bit buzzed. They're light on the alcohol. Read all of the drink descriptions thoroughly because one of ours had habaneros in it, but it was the last ingredient so it was poorly placed in the description. The sushi..... please don't order it unless you like dry flavorless sushi. It was awful. Even the soy sauce didn't have flavor in it. They really missed the mark on every roll we ordered. I was extremely disappointed. Save your money and just order an entree. It's very pricey to eat here but you get a lot for your buck if you consider the overall experience. Be choosy in your food choices and you'll leave happy! read more

Nara-Ya - Garden sushi roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Elegant and sophisticated place to dine. Lights are dime and the views are giving romantic vibes. Food is just as exquisite. Service was above and beyond we had a birthday in our group. The manager came over just to wish him a happy birthday. drinks were delicious and different as well. Overall good experience. read more

Nara-Ya - The dragon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Incredible! Beautiful! Glamorous! My vibe 100% encapsulated in a restaurant. I love this chic wharf spot. Service is fast, everyone is dressed so glam I love it. The chicken dumplings were perfection and came with a tangy sauce. The tuna app that comes smoked was beautifully presented and even better tasting. The tuna truly melted in your mouth. I tried the scallops too which wasn't a huge serving size - 3 big scallops. They were pretty good and definitely had a melding of flavors. Finally finished with some sushi! I tried the roll with crab and foie gras. Not sure what it was called. Really good and there were some smoky torched flavors incorporated. The BEST roll was the tempura crunch roll. Perfect mix of shrimp tempura and spicy tuna! I will definitely come back. read more

Beautiful, Instagramy restaurant with a gorgeous view of the wharf. I came here with a group of five girls ready for Ladies Night. truthfully was expecting mediocre service and food but was very pleasantly surprised. For drinks, I had the sour dojo and why is it floor 3.1. Although slightly on the pricey side, the drinks were delicious, unique, with the right amount of alcohol and flavor. The food was also slightly pricey for how much you get. I had the seaweed salad that had came with strawberries mixed in. It was slightly on the small side but filling and tasty. I also had the district spice sushi which was excellent. For desert (my fave) I tried two deserts - a matcha tiramisu and a flourless chocolate raspberry desert. They were devoured. Our waiter was also pretty great, the only thing I would have liked was for him to have asked was whether or not we wanted separate checks since we all ordered separately and we were charged for an extra seaweed salad. All in all, I would gladly go back. read more

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One of the finest brunches in DC. It's an all you can eat situation, but ordered off a special brunch menu. I love when places do this, as it ensures quality! We went at opening on a Saturday, and the atmosphere was pleasant and the view of the waterfront was nice. Not crowded, and was able to actually hear the people at my table. There were a ton of options to try, from savory to sweet, snd even sushi. My party was completely stuffed trying to taste everything. read more

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Amazing experience! Food was amazing, service was exceptional and the ambience was great as well. We had a large party but nothing lacked, which was impressive. Definitely plan to return! read more

Love the interior design from the moment you walk in to take their elevator and even their bathrooms! Super extra and it's great. You definitely dine here for the experience with the decor & music all around you. I got the luxe prefixed menu option and I did leave very stuffed. Some courses were good but others were okay and I did expect my mouth to be blown away by every course I would have. I will say that the cocktails were excellent! read more

Nara-Ya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Sushi was delicious, filling and reasonably priced. The two sushi rolls I got were the Kamikaze and Tempura roll. I was adequately full after eating those 2. I would HIGHLY recommend the Kamikaze roll if you are in between any of the other options, you don't even need soy sauce. Drinks were tasty but strong, the bright side is they have happy hour even on weekends. Great view of the wharf too for any romantic or casual dinners. Well worth it. read more

Nara-Ya - Menu and drink at the bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Worst sushi I've had in DC. Poor rice quality, edamame was over cooked, and service was very poor. Hardly anyone in there and the server didn't bother to check on us but once. I do not recommend. The cocktails were nasty. Overpriced and disgusting. read more

When you enter the building where Nara-Ya is located you will have to go to the right where there is an entry way. Through that entry you turn left and a there is an elevator. You will press 3.1 to get to the floor it is located on. Nara-Ya is beautiful! As soon as you enter it is a pretty cool aesthetic. The hosts were super friendly. My waiter was very attentive and helped me to select a delicious cocktail to start. These cocktails are really good but pricey! I spent $22 for each cocktail I had. I enjoyed the Rhythm of the River and the Shinjuku Noir. They were both good, but not worth the price to be honest. The drink prices were pretty inflated because of its location at the Wharf. I never really had sushi that I liked, but here I really enjoyed the Smoke Break. It was tasty! My friend got the electric eel and really loved it. Definitely one of the better places for sushi places in DC. I would return if someone invited me to go with them, but not sure if I would go on my own. If you like delicious cocktails and sushi but want a higher end experience you should check it out. read more

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Delicious food, gorgeous ambiance, but, dear Mr. Nick Lombardi: 1. Black.Patrons. Matter So excited to bring my daughter to this beautiful restaurant, give her the royal treatment, and help her live her live her best life. But, she noticed that Mr. Lombardi visited almost exclusively the white patrons at the restaurant to ensure that they were having an extraordinary dining experience. Does the quality of our experience matter not? One star off for provoking me to wonder. Our waiter, Marco, on the other hand, provided top notch service, was cordially attentive, and saved the joy of the experience. read more

Loved it! The atmosphere was super chic and food was amazing. My server was very kind and gave great suggestions!! A bit on the expensive side and has an automatic 20% gratuity PLUS a "DC tax" Which is probably normal for the area so just be prepared. Overall the experience was worth it! read more

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Honestly the food wasn't out of this world. The vibe inside feels like a cocktail lounge, but the staff was nice enough to move our table to somewhere a little more quiet when we had a loud table next to us. This place is definitely a little over priced for what you get, but overall loved the experience and atmosphere. But probably won't go out of my way to eat here again. read more

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The manager on duties was really nice to us ! Super great. Made everyone feel welcome. My family and I We had a great time for my sister birthday . Thank you to our server Jose ! He was really nice and patient with us . Thank you to the other manager Heidy for her assistance on putting this together. Very great ambiance Looking forward to be back very soon. Best brunch I ever had!! read more

Overall I thought the sushi was very good. Service was great too. I thought it was a tad overpriced for the quality of fish though based on my taste but I'm very particular about my sushi read more

Nara-Ya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Located in the wharf, sharing an entrance with LaVie, this location has amazing cocktails and sushi. They offer wagyu in sushi and their old fashion. I visited for my girl's birthday. We took a party bus here and was a group of 18. We had two tables overlooking the water and two servers which were very attentive and knowledgable. Sushi and food were flavorful and had nice presentation. Everyone had at least two cocktails and a few bottles of the sake. I will definitely be back for a date night and would recommend to others. read more

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Yep, I got pulled in by TikTok once was again. I came here with my bestfriend for a late birthday celebration. She is a sushi lover so it we thought it would be a perfect spot. The restaurant is beautiful and it is great for pictures, especially as you walk in. From the moment we walked in, the customer service was lackluster and we were barely greeted. Even getting seated was a task as the employee acted as if we did not have reservations and somehow was lost and stumbled into the restaurant. While at the table, our server was slow and not very attentive. In fact, when we asked questions about the menu offering she was kind of condescending as if we should've been experts on the menu. However I ended getting a roll, I forget the name but it included waygu. It was actually delicious, which is the frustrating part because the service and treatment received was disappointing. There were lots of people celebrating and having a good time, and it appeared that they were receiving better service than my friend and I. Is it a cute spot, yes it is. The food is also good as well, but the overall experience left a lot to be desired. I most definitely would not return. read more

Nara-Ya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Rumor has it all the influencers come here to pose for pics. I can see why based on the beautiful decor! And the view of the water is even prettier than the decor. It wasn't very crowded on the rainy Thursday evening we went so we had a table with a waterfront view. The view, a glass of Rose + amazing company alone made it a fabulous night. The food itself was just OK; I have a feeling people come here more for the scene. We started with a few apps and did our best to find a few sushi rolls without a lot of sauce, cream cheese and crunch. I'm the biggest sushi fan there is and while this hit the spot, I'm guessing DC has better options. Regardless it was a fun spot to spend my one night in DC! read more

The restaurant has a beautiful ambience and our server was wonderful. The food was absolutely amazing! Fresh fish that melted in our mouths! The cocktails were delicious and pretty. We will certainly come back here! read more

This place looks fancy. It has a decent ambiance. Great views of the wharf. I like the crispy cauliflower and seaweed salad appetizers. Their cocktails are ok. And way expensive. And a glass of Sauvignon blanc is $22. But the real reason I came here was to talk about the sushi. I love sushi. I eat it often. I may not be a connoisseur and I've never been to Japan, but I definitely know good sushi and I've had it hundreds of times in my life. I realized about midway through my dinner that this place makes the most disgusting sushi I've ever had. All the rolls are covered in gooey glazes and aoilis and god knows what else. It's all sweet and over designed and $20+ per roll. They had a lobster one that was $32, and it was like lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise and some sweet balsamic glaze on top. I gotta say, I really don't get this place. My bill for a dinner of two with two appetizers, two drinks each, and four extremely disgusting over engineered sushi rolls cost $291. It was so unappetizing that we couldn't even finish it. Major disappointment and I don't get all the positive reviews. I guess some people like over the top sushi concoctions with 75 ingredients. *shrug* Save your money, y'all, and go literally anywhere else. read more

Literally everything I had at brunch was delicious! Best pancakes and best California roll I've ever had hands down!

My husband and I had reservations for Friday evening (8/40/24) but we decided to leave shortly after being seated. Our waiter was extremely rude and only addressed my husband, completely ignoring me. He asked my husband for his drink and water preference, then turned and walked away without even acknowledging me. I cannot support an establishment that treats women in such a disrespectful manner. read more