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    Nobu Washington D.C

    3.6 (626 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

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    NOBU WASHINGTON D.C ATMOSPHERE

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    Steak , butter lettuce cod, fried rock shrimp
    Shanan F.

    We went for the Sunday AYCE brunch for a birthday celebration. The restaurant was large and they had plenty of food until closing at 3pm. All of the sushi was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the sliced steak, rock shrimp, and butter lettuce cod. The baby spinach truffle salad was excellent. The desserts were refreshing, light and tasty, not too rich. The main server was average but the assistant was good. Overall, I will be back.

    Oliver C.

    After watching the Nobu documentary and being a huge fan of sushi and Japanese cuisine, I was thrilled to find out one or their locations was only a few bocks away from my hotel. After convincing a coworker who doesn't eat fish to join me to try Nobu, we walked a few blocks in 98F weather and made it to Nobu in Washington, DC The ambience is elegant and modern, dark and moody, dimly lit by those fancy skinny LED lamps all fancy restaurants use nowadays. All staff is dressed in black from head to try trying to give an air of elegance and sophistication. The staff was friendly and made some recommendations on the menu. I was tempted by the omakese, but we didn't have long to dine and I wasn't hungry enough to order the sushi selection. I went with à la carte this time. I was very excited to try their food, however I must say I left quite disappointed. I don't know if I ordered the wrong thing, or what, but I usually judge a sushi place by their most basic dish: the humble nigiri. I ordered two tako nigiri at $8 or $9 dollars a piece (twice as much than I usually get at my local sushi joint in Japantown, for example) and a toro maki roll for $19-$20. Top top it off, I got a lychee grapefruit yuzu drink. As soon as the food arrived, I knew I was going to need more food. The portions were not only small (look at the thin and tiny slice of octopus on the nigiri! and the maki roll had 6 humble slices) , but it was completely unremarkable in every way. I know what you are gonna say: "duh, octopus is tasteless, it's more about texture" and I'll agree partly with you, but the toro was completely forgettable. No marbling or that rich, butteriness you'd expect from a high quality fatty tuna piece. Sure the fish was fresh, but nothing I couldn't have gotten at any other sushi restaurant for much cheaper and way bigger portions. I ordered more food as the first round would be maybe an appetizer, when I was expecting it to be my whole meal. I ordered the Japanese eel nigiri ( which the server promptly corrected me: "it's called Unagi". I obviously know it's called unagi, but their menu calls out the fish by the English name. Anyway, the server really recommended the jalapeño yellowtail, so I got a maki roll of that with higher hopes this time. I was equally disappointed. No spark, no distinguishing characteristics and I could not even taste the hint of jalapeño. I don't need sugary sauces and overly complicated Americanized toppings on my sushi, the fish was tasty, but nothing special unfortunately. I guess the only saving grace was the real wasabi served instead of horse radish with food coloring paste. My coworker ordered some baby corn in spicy oyster sauce as an appetizer which was very unbalanced. The dates was sweet. It nearly tasted like a dessert. Even after squirting the whole lime provided and drenching it in chilli crisp, it was at best average and uninspired. The best dish was the beef tenderloin marinated in sake and grilled with mushrooms and asparagus. It was tender and flavorful and very well balanced. I could taste the sake and char from the grill and the enoki mushrooms and asparagus were a brilliant compliment. Odd that in a sushi restaurant, the beef was the best dish of the night. For dessert I ordered a lychee strawberry panna cotta with ice cream and fresh strawberries which was delicious and playful. My coworker ordered a stuffed chocolate cream puff which was ok. For the price, and all the hype, unfortunately that's exactly what this experience was. Overpriced hype. I'll guess I'll go to some of the Michelin star sushi restaurants a few blocks away instead next time

    Entrance
    Jong K.

    Service 100% Food quality 100% You can tell by sushi rice! It was sooooo delic and we are coming back every 4-5 months wife said.

    Chandra M.

    If you're a sushi lover like I am, the brunch at Nobu Washington D.C. is absolutely worth experiencing. The selection was fresh, abundant, and beautifully presented, with plenty of options to satisfy every palate. Whether you want hot, cooked items or traditional sushi, the all you can eat brunch buffet had plenty of options. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance of upscale and inviting, making it an excellent spot to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or any special occasion. We celebrated my daughters graduation. If you're looking for a memorable brunch with exceptional sushi and a luxurious dining experience, Nobu delivers.

    King Crab tempura
    Nneka M.

    We celebrated a lovely birthday dinner here.. The service was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu and the specials, and the ambiance was grown and sophisticated. Dining here is an upscale experience, but I'll admit that ordering food for delivery via third party is also quite delectable. The presentation of their food is also a work of culinary art. Overall, I recommend Nobu for dinner, especially for a special occasion.

    Tanny D.

    Did the unlimited brunch here and I actually really enjoyed it! It is definitely expensive but depending on how much you eat, you can easily get your moneys worth. They were constantly putting out new food and it all felt fresh. I was able to enjoy the crispy rice tuna dish and the miso cod which are two of their popular dishes. They had plenty of non-sushi items too and dessert. The service could have been a bit better but I know our server probably had a lot of tables. I think I would go back!

    Cynthia F.

    I've been seeing Nobu's brunch go around on TikTok and was able to snag a reservation for my husbands bday! They offer a selection of nigiri, salads, maki, sides, hot foods, and desserts for their brunch. Drinks are not included. My favs were the torched salmon nigiri and the steak carving station with a truffle teriyaki. I wish there was more variety in their sushi selection because it was mostly tuna and salmon. Unfortunately their famous crispy rice with tuna was overhyped. Not sure if they sit for too long on the brunch buffet but they did not taste that fresh! Staff was super attentive, no complaints there. Overall we enjoyed our meal but felt like it wasn't quite worth the money or drive.

    Miso Black Cod Miso
    Paige D.

    I ordered miso cod and it was pretty good! I also enjoyed the drinks I ordered. They offer a good happy hour, would recommend that. The bartender was helpful and attentive.

    Margarita
    Stacey P.

    I love Nobu and have reached a point when I see one I haven't been I must go. I was immensely delighted to discover I was within walking distance of a Nobu when I was vacationing in DC. My best friend I visited twice - once for lunch and once for dinner. The lunch was impromptu as we passed by and saw a sign advertising they had lunch, so we went in, were seated at the sushi bar, was provided a lunch menu, and rotating servers checked in with us throughout the meal. It was lightly attended with few diners in the restaurant but everything was prompt and the sushi was very tasty! Dinner had been planned two weeks in advance with reservations made on-line. We were seated within minutes of entering and placed at a table that could seat four, which seemed a bit much. Not sure how that happened unless they just didn't have that many two top tables. When we entered it wasn't that busy with a wide variety of diners - a mother with her four young children sat near us, a group of co-workers celebrating a recent success, a young couple who moved to the furthest table from anyone in the restaurant, and a group of friends were about it. Voices easily carried through the space and some tables were more mindful of that fact than others. If only every table had been as courteous as those four children. We opted to order the omakase from our polite and attentive waitress. Every dish was amazing with immaculate presentation. Nobu is Japanese Peruvian fusion and I love the melody of flavors and textures. Nobu is just fantastic. The drinks also were wonderful and tasted exactly as they did when we were in Miami, so the formula was on point. The ambiance was a bit basic compared to other Nobus. It was a louder restaurant with more group tables and wider open spaces. Nothing was bad and nothing was exceptional in that regard. And I guess that may have surprised me the most because there was nothing about this Nobu that made it standout from the others. Every other Nobu to date has "their" touch that makes them a bit different from a unique cocktail to a particular architectural feature. This one was the first I could say was generic Nobu, and that's not a bad thing to be!

    Panna cotta
    Se C.

    Came on a Sunday to try Nobu's AYCE brunch after seeing social media posts hyping it up. I made a reservation through opentable at least 3 weeks in advance and waited less than a minute after arriving to get seated. It was my first time coming to Nobu and I didn't realize it was so big inside. It was also quite modern with wooden and Zen touches. There are enough seating for at least 100+ people. It was very busy and the restaurant was full. The food was constantly getting replenished and I knew the food was fresh. 3 to 4 sushi chefs were making nigiri's nonstop. The rice was a bit undercooked and dry. Probably from making such a large portion all at once. The chefs were not very friendly and looked annoyed whenever the sushi serving ran out. The staff didn't replace the dishes promptly when it was empty leading to congestion in the line. There were a few hot food options including Salmon, beef, pork, chicken, and cod. Very basic salad, miso soup, brussel sprouts, potatoes and broccolinis. Miso soup was one of the worst I've ever tasted. It tasted more like shoyu broth (soy sauce broth), than miso. The dessert section was pretty good with the strawberry, raspberry panna cotta taking the spotlight. I think overall, for the price of $80 a person, this is not worth it. You are paying for the Nobu experience, but if Nobu Matsuhisa were to dine here, he would be utterly disappointed by the lack of quality and taste. Street parking available on Sundays for free.

    Lychee martini
    Tammy L.

    Came for the NOBU EXPERIENCE ayce for Sunday brunch-- sooooooo GOOD! The food choices must be their favorite items because there were probably 5 options per food category, just the right amount to choose from. We walked out full and completely satisfied - when in DC, need to make it a point to eat Nobu for Sunday brunch. Fish was really fresh, their steak super tender and juicy, and desserts were delicate with just the right amount of sweetness! A must try-- 10 out of 10 for me!! We will be back! Enjoy!

    Crispy rice spicy tuna
    Ethan G.

    Came here for their new all you can eat brunch option and really enjoyed it! Was hard to get a resy but I see notification alerts for OpenTable. For brunch, there were some salads, cold appetizers (sesame noodles and shrimp), warm appetizers, sushi, desserts, and a carving station. My highlights were the brusselsprouts, cod, sushi and desserts. The fish was all fresh, the miso marinated cod was small but flavorful, the vegetables were perfectly cooked and glazed, and the salted caramel chocolate mousse were all highlights!

    Dessert table
    Christina M.

    This review is for the brunch experience only! I had been jealous of Nobu's brunch experience in London for years, so I was so excited to see it become an option in DC! It's Sundays only, and the price is $80 per person, which includes unlimited plates but does not include any beverages. We were seated promptly, and service was excellent throughout brunch- our old plates were cleared quickly, dishes that went empty along the buffet were restocked rapidly, and all of the servers and runners were friendly and attentive. The quality of everything at Nobu is excellent, and brunch was no exception. The back of the restaurant is set up into different areas- there was a "hot" section to the left with a carving station (salmon and I believe prime rib), the famous black miso cod, chicken karaage, and miso soup. On the right were three salad options and all of the sushi options. In the middle, there was a dessert table, a shrimp cocktail table, and a table with three side dishes (fingerling potatoes, broccolini, and brussels sprouts). There was a nice variety available, especially for the sushi- I think there were at least four nigiri options and four rolls, as well as crispy rice with tuna. I was really impressed that there were five sushi chefs behind the buffet constantly making and replenishing the nigiri and rolls. Almost everything we had was fantastic- the sushi has some of the best quality fish you'll have, and the small accompaniments on top of the nigiri went so well with the fish. We really liked getting to try some of the sides, too, like the crispy Brussels sprouts and the soba noodle salad with spicy lemon dressing. The black miso cod is famous for a reason- it was so good! We were also really impressed by the dessert table, there were five different options of mini desserts and all of the ones we tried were great. We loved the buttermilk donuts and the raspberry panna cotta, which was so light and fresh. I will say, the lines get pretty long, particularly for sushi, but they also go pretty quickly. Although we really enjoyed everything, I'm just not sure I would recommend this brunch at the current price point. $80 per person is really steep! This is also one of the higher prices for this experience compared with other cities (which can be around $65 or $70). I think it would've felt more worth it if the price included a glass of bubbly, or even coffee and tea, but everything else is additional (it's nice that the cocktails are at HH prices, but they're still at least $16 each). With tip, it's pretty easy for this to become a $250-300 brunch, and I just can't say it's worth that very high price tag- particularly when a lot of what's available at the brunch buffet is also available at happy hour (now, the happy hour, I'd recommend without a second thought!). We really enjoyed our experience, but likely won't be back to brunch soon at this price point.

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    Page 1 of 16

    Nobu Washington D.C Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Nobu Washington D.C

    Is Nobu's happy hour only in the bar?

    Yes

    I'm vegetarian. Can I add tofu to the vegetables over rice? Your menu looks like it's lacking in any type of protein for vegetarians.

    For a group of 7 does anyone have a suggestion of best items to share for the table or "must try dishes"?

    Everything at Nobu is technically meant to share family style. Their cold dishes are perfect for sharing and I highly recommend their yellowtail jalapeño and the white fish Tiradito!

    Is there outdoor seating?

    No - didn't see any

    Is there valet parking and, if not, where's best to park nearby?

    There is valet parking available as well as street parking nearby.

    What's the age limit?

    We had our 12 year old with us.

    Does the miso soup have fish sauce?

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    Love Makoto

    Love Makoto

    4.5
    (570 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$$$

    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.

    We didn't have the best experience that we had hoped for a Love Makoto. As a sushi lover, we had to…read moretry this Omakase. I really liked the concept of one "old school" and one "new school" style of the same fish. But, the sushi just didn't live up to the hype. First, the pieces of fish were way too big. The fish was far larger than the rice and very difficult to eat. More like 2-3 bites. Also, some fish had skin on - which I know is a chef's choice - but I found it very unappetizing. Had to choke those down. And the "new school" hand-roll had imitation crab in it. So odd and doesn't feel upscale. We enjoyed the frozen strawberry for dessert. They're super cute and tasty. Just wish we had a better experience with the sushi.

    Photos
    Pick up area
    Pick up area
    Omakase Express Lunch came with these 5 sushi. Otoro, hamachi; bluefin tina, salmon, snapper.
    Omakase Express Lunch came with these 5 sushi. Otoro, hamachi; bluefin tina, salmon, snapper.
    Emperor butterfly mocktail

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    Emperor butterfly mocktail
    Ko Japanese Dining

    Ko Japanese Dining

    4.5
    (73 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    It was sufficient…read more Ko is centrally located by Dupont Circle as a second floor restaurant (next to Zorba's). Interior is simple and open. A/C was nice and cool which I appreciated but found the place to be too loud for me once it filled out with more people. Service is courteous. I ordered the tomato salad and two sushi rolls. Yes I committed the sin of ordering just sushi at a kaiseki restaurant, gasp! So I guess I did this to myself since I found the food to be just ok. The spicy tuna roll was just not happening since all they did was drizzle hot sauce over the roll. I've been noticing this more at places, can we just say tuna roll with spicy dipping sauce instead? It's a bit misleading... but I guess I'll have to make sure to ask everywhere whenever I order spicy tuna. I am a believer in that if you're eating at a good restaurant and you ordered their less popular menu item that it should still be good but in this case, Ko didn't deliver. Anyways, I didn't have much of an appetite because of the hot weather so take this review with a grain of salt but I don't plan on returning unless someone can convince me otherwise and if I do, I'm not ordering sushi here.

    I have had this restaurant bookmarked for the last two years since they opened and finally got a…read morechance to eat dinner there. I was impressed and by the experience and would definitely come back for a Japanese meal that did not focus solely on ramen or sushi. The ambiance is well done, and the service was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive and able to answer any of our questions. To share, we got the spicy salmon roll, Karaage appetizer, and eggplant cheese appetizer. The spicy tuna roll was the most lackluster of the dishes, but the fish was fresh and the portion was decent for $12. The karaage appetizer was excellent. The chicken was moist and the coating was crunchy and super hot. The eggplant cheese was a surprise highlight of the meal. Pieces of eggplant in a melted cheese bowl made of eggplant was a simple combination. That was a very pleasant mix of textures. The pork Katsu was a highlight of the meal. Unfortunately forgot to take a picture, but the coding was super crispy and the portion size was pretty solid. The Unagidon or grilled eel bowl was also very well made and tasted great with the pickled ginger and seasoning on the side. The set came with miso soup which was very nice as well. My companions also got drinks which they said were well priced and good quality. Our overall meal cost somewhere in the range of $160 before tip which was reasonable given all of the items that we got. I look forward to my next visit!

    Photos
    The dining room can seat two, four, six, eight...you name it.
    The dining room can seat two, four, six, eight...you name it.
    Beef Sukiyaki
    Beef Sukiyaki
    Delicious chilled sake

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    Delicious chilled sake
    Umai Nori

    Umai Nori

    4.5
    (288 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    It is so hard to give this a rating because the food is good but the service is bad and I would not…read morego back! I do NOT recommend for dine in but the food was yummy so maybe opt for takeout...We had a reservation and upon checking in they offered bartop instead of a table unless we wanted to wait which isn't a huge deal so we waited and got sat at a table after a short wait. Then someone was sat after us (next table over) and got greeted, waters, and placed orders before we were so much as greeted. After less than an hour (most of which involved waiting to be greeted and served) we were handed the check and essentially nudged out while still eating our food. They seemed to want to close early. The drinks also didn't match their descriptions, missing key ingredients that were listed. We were barely tended to or checked on at all. We also had a bug buzzing around us that eventually flew into my drink. The staff was very nice but overall the service and quality did not match the cost at all.

    Upon entering, you are greeted by a multi-level establishment with sushi bar and small dining area…read moredownstairs and a larger dining room upstairs all laid out in subdued, modern chic, Asian vibe. The staff is amazing, attentive, friendly and efficient! Thank you Kay, for taking such good care of us! We started off with the Kara-age Lollipop chicken, which was finger lickin' delicious. For our entrees we shared the 6 Set Umai Temaki and Sashimi Nori. Super fresh, flavorful and beautifully presented. I got a kick out of the canned sake and maybe over indulged...but so much fun! We felt the value was very good, 27 pieces of generously portioned and fresh sashimi for under $60! We'll make this a regular stop when in DC. Cheers!

    Photos
    Complimentary birthday mochi!
    Complimentary birthday mochi!
    Sushi rolls
    Sushi rolls
    5 hand rolls

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    5 hand rolls
    Sushi Nakazawa

    Sushi Nakazawa

    4.4
    (533 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$$$

    This was my first omakase where it only featured nigiri sushi and wow, was I impressed with Sushi…read moreNakazawa. We sat at the counter, and the classic omakase was priced at $190 each. We also added the A5 Wagyu Nigiri for $18 additional. If you choose to dine at the dining room, it's $160, but they exclude several items such as their fantastic tiger prawn. The classic omakase consists of 20 items of sushi. I wish I had written notes on each one, but basically from what I recalled, we had chum salmon, soy marinated king salmon, scallops, squid, tiger prawn, mackerel, sea bass, crab w/ tomalley, ⁠⁠Spanish mackerel, hay smoked mackerel and others. The main course was the four different types of tuna. Of course, the best ones were the chutoro and otoro. The A5 Wagyu was really good as well. The omakase ended with some hand rolls (the toro one was my favorite), uni, eel and the tamago. It's hard to pick a favorite dish since they were all so good. I think this was the first time I had sushi rice that was flavored. That was really good. Service was fantastic. I only wish they had a full bar, because I really wanted to drink some Old Fashioned with this meal, but opted for some Japanese beers instead. My water was replenished frequently, and it was fun interacting with the sushi chef. This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion.

    An enjoyable omakase for lunch - a quicker pace with fewer dishes - that still requires a few…read moreadd-ons (pushing the price up) to really wow. It's a solid one-star Japanese place sourcing ingredients from around the world, but there was nothing too surprising or impressive about the experience, other than this was "very good." I enjoyed lunch - it allows a look without the full three-hour commitment.

    Photos
    Sushi Nakazawa
    ? Black Skipjacks
    ? Black Skipjacks
    Kama Toro (cheek)

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    Kama Toro (cheek)
    Shōtō

    Shōtō

    4.0
    (706 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    Amazing food Amazing service…read more Amazing ambiance I had the sake tacos which was salmon small bite size tacos. Definitely recommend getting two or three for your appetizer. The beef tenderloin (forgot what they called it) with the potatoes on the side. The beef tenderloin was cooked medium well and tasted so good, don't let it it sit because it can get a little cold quickly. The potatoes were soft fried and had a nice kick with the sauce. I want to try the spicy lamb next time. Paired it with the kemuri cocktail, a mezcal that hints of smokiness but sweet. Ended with one scoop of mango sorbet. My date got the chicken skewers and the grilled salmon well done, it was good but a little dry. Ended with the chocolate fondue with vanilla bean that just melted in your mouth. Parked it all with a Long Island ice tea top shelf. Thank you TJ for serving us and being attentive. It's located right y the street so you can't miss it. You walk in and they have a display of all their whisky. It's intimate but they have plenty room for group settings. Loved the decor especially the fire windows. Can't wait to come back!

    We had such a great time exploring Shōtō. We started with sushi and California maki rolls. The…read moresashimi was very fresh, and the hamachi was my favorite. From there, we moved on to the skewers, chicken and pork, then grilled steak and scallops. And of course, there's nothing quite like the feeling of Wagyu beef melting in your mouth. It was a lot of food, but everything tasted so good that at some point, you just stopped setting boundaries and kept exploring. You can tell how adventurous everyone was by the variety of desserts we ordered. Some had a perfect Japanese twist, especially the matcha tiramisu and yuzu cheesecake. The interior and ambiance are nice, stylish without being over the top. I think it's a great place for team building or business dinner.

    Photos
    The beautiful bar
    The beautiful bar
    Premium omakase (tempura)
    Premium omakase (tempura)
    Seating area

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    Seating area
    Izakaya Seki

    Izakaya Seki

    4.0
    (522 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$$

    I had pretty authentic eating experience here. Food quality was good and the price was reasonable…read morefor DC. I liked how they fixed up little townhome and made it a cozy restaurant. The owner served us and she was nice.

    We were looking forward to a mildly adventurous night out and approached this open to trying and…read morelearning about new things. Unfortunately, the restaurant staff wasn't particularly helpful or supportive in this endeavor. Asking for details on the menu and suggestions seemed like either a burden eliciting sighs and slight eyerolls or an inability to offer any meaningful suggestions; so, alas, we were left to ourselves. The space, at least on the first floor, is tiny - just counter bar seats in front of the kitchen in a narrow rectangular room. We were excited to use this as an opportunity to learn more by watching and interacting with the cooks, but that did not occur. Without guidance, we ordered hamachi, salmon, and kampachi sashimi. The portions were generous - 5 slices of each. The salmon was buttery and the kampachi fantastic - rich and interesting flavor. The hamachi was not liked - it was streaked with some sinewy type substance that didn't help the otherwise unflavorful fish. The soba noodles came with a rich, smoky/strong fish-flavored broth that was interesting. Unfortunately, there is no gluten-free option for the broth. The yakatori skewers (only ordered because they were the only gluten-free skewers) were nothing interesting. The wine list is quite small (understandable considering the tiny size of the restaurant) and the chilled red and the Italian rose were both quite good. The pricing was reasonable in general and considering the quality of the meal and the overall experience.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Salmon Roe and Yukari Riceball in Nori
    Salmon Roe and Yukari Riceball in Nori
    Tempura Special, sake

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    Tempura Special, sake
    Kyojin DC

    Kyojin DC

    4.4
    (328 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    I went actively searching for this restaurant, yet still found it easy to miss. It's tucked away…read moreand for good reason. It's a secret that you wish never got out. I went alone and sat at the sushi bar and did the premium omakase. Non traditional in that it was all served on one plate, but worth it. Nice presentation. I even watched a fish delivery from a vendor. It strikes you as too trendy to be good, but that's not the case.

    Birthday dinner brought us to Kyojin Sushi on a Monday night, and while the food definitely…read moreimpressed, the service kept this from being a five-star experience. We had a reservation for 7:30 p.m. for a party of 12, and I think that was the first issue. A group our size really needed a dedicated server, but instead we had one server covering our entire section. To be fair, he may have been stretched thin, but unfortunately, the service itself also left a lot to be desired. We were seated at 7:30, but our drink orders weren't taken until around 7:50. Then he disappeared for another 20 minutes before returning to take additional drink orders from people who had arrived later. We were ready to order food, but kept hearing, "I'll be right back." Throughout the night, drinks and items were forgotten. One friend finished her first glass of wine, ordered a second, and didn't receive it until we were literally asking for the check. At that point... we're leaving, friend. To make matters worse, several menu items we wanted weren't available. The mochi? Sold out. The Wagyu? Sold out. There were three or four different items people at our table ordered that were unavailable. On a Monday, that was a little surprising. Now for the good part... the sushi was REALLY good. I ordered the Yume Roll and the Tiger Roll, and both were incredibly fresh. The Yume Roll was especially unique and one of my favorite specialty rolls I've had in a while. It was made with spicy tuna, avocado, seared tuna, jalapeño, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and crunchy tempura bits, which gave it the perfect combination of heat, texture, and richness. The Tiger Roll was another standout, made with lump crab, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, steamed tiger shrimp, and a mango tobiko sauce. The combination of flavors was fresh, light, and perfectly balanced. I also ordered the edamame with the spicy black garlic sauce, and I absolutely loved that twist. It was a nice change from the usual salted edamame. One dish that completely missed the mark was the Tempura Rice with Chicken, which I shared with the table. Unfortunately, this was the only thing we ordered that I genuinely didn't enjoy. The chicken was dark meat, lacked seasoning, and honestly tasted like it had come straight from a bag of frozen Tyson nuggets. It didn't have the crispy, flavorful bite I was expecting and felt completely out of place compared to how fresh and well-executed the sushi was. I'd definitely skip this one on my next visit. My cocktail was just as impressive as the food. It was made with Ilegal Mezcal, pomegranate, hibiscus yuzu, simple syrup, and egg white, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The egg white gave it a silky, frothy finish, while the pomegranate and hibiscus yuzu added a bright, slightly tart flavor that paired beautifully with the subtle smokiness of the mezcal. It was as pretty as it was delicious. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. It's tucked away in an alley, so it's a little easy to miss, but once you're inside, the space is modern, spacious, and has a really cool stone bar that gives the restaurant a sleek, upscale vibe. I was also pleasantly surprised by the prices. Specialty rolls ranged from about $12-$20, with only a few premium options around $25. The edamame was about $8, so overall I thought the pricing was very fair, especially for Georgetown. Would I come back? Yes... but probably with a much smaller group. The food and ambiance are worth another visit, but I'd definitely be hoping for a better service experience next time. I also hope they have a better handle on inventory because I'd still love to try the Wagyu and finish dinner with the mochi.

    Photos
    Inside the restaurant
    Inside the restaurant
    Lobster Volcano
    Lobster Volcano
    Kyojin きょうじん:raw platter

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    Kyojin きょうじん:raw platter
    Sakaki Izakaya

    Sakaki Izakaya

    4.4
    (322 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    All you can eat
    Happy hour specials

    When I hear sushi and all you can eat in the same sentence I typically proceed with caution. No…read moreneed for caution here. From the moment I walked in Kay gave prompt, professional service. He walked me through the options and ordering was a breeze. The price point is a little higher than your average all you can eat dining experience, but well worth it. I must've had 15 pieces of nigiri. Having worked in a sushi restaurant I can tell you it was phenomenally well done. Beautifully fresh and buttery and the sushi rice was perfect. The eel kamameshi was a highlight and came with a showing amount of eel. Finished everything off with the matcha tiramisu and a cup of green tea. I won't need to eat for days. Will definitely be coming back! Thank you Kay and team!

    First off, let me just say.... If I'm honest, whenever I…read moreshow up to an AYCE I'm always skeptical with the quality of the food, especially when it comes to sushi but wow, I was blown away how great it was for AYCE. The set- up and the ambiance is very comfortable and sleek/modern with the main sushi chefs in the middle and the tables around them. The tables have waiters and a tablet at the table like most hot pot/kbbq places and you can order everything off of there. I have only been here once and wanted to try to low tier without going "all in" on the top tier option of diamond without knowing how the basics would taste. Let me say if the bottom tier was as good as it was, I'm excited to come back to try the next tier! Anyway, the basic tier already comes with a lot of sushi options and should be enough for those who are craving just sushi. All of the cuts of nigiri was great, all tender with great flavor, but what stood out to me the most was actually the yellowtail, super buttery and great flavor. The eel was also a top choice! All the rolls were good basic to the fancier ones, I would say that most of the bang for the buck would be the nigiri. The rolls are good but a little too much rice for me personally. The appetizers, didn't spend too much time on them but the chicken karaage was solid and the seaweed salad was my two favorite. Overall, super solid for the price and I'd totally want to go again to try more of their options! 100% recommend!

    Photos
    Drink Menu
    Drink Menu
    Old fashion
    Old fashion
    All you can eat menu

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    All you can eat menu

    Nobu Washington D.C - japanese - Updated August 2026

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