While fusion cuisine is often a failure, with one element usually overpowering the other, Tonari strikes the right balance. We dropped in for brunch on Sunday, and while the menu is not as wild as usual, it was still interesting. My wife liked her avocado toast. The Pesto Ramen was tasty and unexpected. The big thing seemed to be their Italian ices, and we were sitting at the bar in front of the machine watching them be made, so my wife had to have the Matcha one, which she loved. It had a slightly different flavor in each bite. I got the chocolate chip cookie - the parmigiana on top didn't really impact it. My wife liked it, but I hated it, not for quality, but because I hate my cookies underbaked. read more

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Overall it was good- the garlic bread was AMAZING! Service was also super friendly and attentive. My husband's pasta wasn't a hit for us but they were super friendly about switching it out and he got the hot honey pepperoni pizza which was really good. It's more informal than Graffiato used to be in the space, but we had a good time overall. read more

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Very cozy and unique place! Love the lighting and overall ambiance of this place. Dim, but not too dim. The bar seating is comfortable and they even have a "pizza bar" where you can sit in front of the pizza oven where all the magic happens. I have been here on numerous occasions and the food is always spectacular. I've had the pleasure of having their hot honey pizza and also a mambo pizza (ode to DC) that was a limited special. Both were absolutely delicious. The shishito peppers on the appetizer list are also very tasty; they are paired with a very good basil aioli. Currently on Mondays they only do a specific pop up menu. Which includes a steak and cheese that has a Japanese twist, and let me tell you...phenomenal. They also do a hot dog and a couple different French fry options that are delicious as well. Will absolutely be back for the Monday special! Service is simply outstanding. From the bartender to the servers to the owner; everyone is attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, and speedy. Absolutely recommend read more

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i had no idea what to expect from this place but i was pleasantly surprised. definite highlifht was the chuhai, it tasted like fresh watermelon juice. the happy hour deals are very good. the pizza dough was so good and i really enjoyed the fusion chili oil burrata. my only complaint is that it does not come with bread so you have to pay extra for bread. i definitely want to explore the menu more and ill definitely be back. read more

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wafu japanese italian with famous mentaiko corn pizza but also nice philly cheese steak pan style pizza. menu limited but mentaiko and uni pasta both delicious. happy hour price at pizza bar seating read more

This was such an interesting meal. From walking in, you can tell that they put a lot of attention to detail to their decor. From the miniatures that are displayed upon walking upstairs, I could tell this is going to be an interesting experience. I found the food to be very interesting. There was a lot of fusion happening, and it was all actually very tasty. I especially found the "pizza "to be really delicious. Our server was also lovely, offering us her favorites and recommendations to help us through the process. This gave a little more than your standard Asian experience and it was delicious. I would return. read more

Tonari - Mentaiko & Corn - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They finally have a vegetarian menu! The pizza reminds me of Detroit pizza with the crispy square buttery crust deep dish pizza. A half pizza looks small but is enough food. If you sit at the bar, during happy hour whole pizzas are half price if you buy a drink! Every day from 5-7pm. They are not open for lunch. However the drink menu was way too innovative to me, nothing looked good. Wednesdays is half off select wine bottles which are $50-66 normally. I see they finally have take out! Wasn't an option pre-pandemic which was the last time I was here. I had to take one star off because I was horrified by something I saw sitting at the bar. Do not order the Korean Style Garlic Bread or Burrata! Both of those breads are sitting in a bin next to the oven. I saw a woman put them on a plate to heat up in the oven. Then once heated she grabbed them with her BARE HANDS and held the bread in the palm of her hands as she chatted with another woman, then eventually put it on a plate to serve someone! If you order the mentaiko corn pizza for take out they don't allow you to opt out of both the cod roe cream and the chives, you have to pick one or the other. I don't want either. They also serve alligator meat pasta. Gross! read more

I've been wanting Tonari since it opened. We finally had dinner on a Friday night with my sister. It was a fun and easy going vibe when you walk-in. I was disappointed to find out they didn't have the traditional Japanese style seating on the floor anymore. I guess I took too long to make it here. We had the burrata salad for starters, Japanese Philly pizza, and mentiako pasta! We had no room for dessert at this point. The pizza was my favorite! It reminded my Chicago style pizza but with way better crust. The meat, onions, cheese, all of was perfect...I couldn't get enough of it. We saved some room for the pasta dish. That was more an acquired taste and needed a little more citrus. The burrata with orange dressing was really delicious. I practically drank the dressing. Glad I finally made here and will be back for the pizza! read more

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Best new pizza I've tried. Not even a pizza person as you can see from my yelp history. The corn is an interesting topping but it worked well with idea of the pizza. Lovely place, interesting center garden figure in the second floor and nice ambient lighting and setting for a date night. No complaints about service and recommended! Check out their menu first before you go to see if theres anything you're willing to try. read more

Tonari - Mentaiko & Corn Pizza - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Tonari Phenomenal food to please your taste buds. This spot brings the vibe of japanese excellence with Italian love. I ordered the mentaiko pasta, gongonzola pizza and japanese philly. All three items were top of the line amazing. I loved the variety, textures, and flavors of all three. I cannot explain in words what I was eating because it was so great. read more

The Japanese Italian fusion concept is so cool! It really works with the dishes they've created. The Japanese Philly pizza is seriously amazing, and the vodka pasta is one of my favorites as well! On weekends they also have a coffee menu you can order from, and I've had their iced latte with strawberry milk which I loved. The service here is always great, and the variety on the menu is perfect for groups. read more

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Phenomenal food, atmosphere, service and just an overall great experience! I am all about fusion restaurants--and while some establishments use it as a marketing gimmick, this is definitely not the case with Tonari. The menu offered several variations on Italian classics with a strong sense of Japanese flare. It's also not often I come across ingredients I've never tried before (outside of travel), so I immediately went for the Uni Pasta which contained delicious Sea Urchin Cream! Tonari is a great date spot with reasonable prices given the innovative dishes and less common ingredients. read more

Eric, the bartender, gave us amazing service. It was a busy Saturday night and the pizza was taking longer than usual, he apologized and chatted with us during the wait. The food was delicious, I would definitely get the hot honey pizza and the mentaiko again. The plum sauce on the pizza was delicious. I would skip the burrata, it's a very small portion even though it's a fun flavor read more

Tonari - Hot honey pizza - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went on a friday night and had a great experience! The atmosphere is a bit dark and themed with beautiful interior. It's a Japanese fusion spot with various dishes such as pasta and pizza. Both pasta dishes were very delicious and high quality- I wanted to savor every bite. Not pictured, but also had two cocktails that were great, especially for the vibe. read more

Tonari - Uni Pasta Mentaiko - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Such a cute "hole" in the wall with fantastic food and quick service. They do pizza happy hour at the bar but we started with drinks happy hour in a booth - $12 sake carafes, $12 cocktails, etc. the meatball baos were fantastic- some of the softest bao buns I've had in recent memory. The next course was fantastic- the baked rigatoni with meatballs was better than some other Italian we've had recently. The Detroit style hot honey pizza was some of the cheesiest and most flavorful slice of Detroit pizza I've had for a while. Two slices truly fill you up but if sharing with the table, you could do the full pie. Service was quick and friendly, restrooms clean, and spot really filled out around 730! read more

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Food: The kitchen did a fantastic job of handling my "no cheese" request. In the past, they had delicious bread sticks and marinara which satisfied my cravings. My friends LOVE cheese and when they mentioned Tonari, I didn't have the heart to remind them of my allergy. I wish they went back to the older menu which was much more elevated. The uni pasta was replaced by a cod roe pasta which is just okay. The inarizushi used to include a caviar add-on but that also disappeared. My friend ordered the 'create your own pizza' with ALL the toppings. Just no parmesean. The pickled toppings apparently made it overwhelming. If you try that, please just select one of the pickled toppings e.g. pickled jajalapeño Server: Our server was very attentive but I couldn't help but overhear the table behind us got a comp'd bday dessert AND sake round. We felt left out. read more

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Unassuming but totally fire spot super close to the Capital One arena. Stopped in to try the fusion of Italian and Japanese and loved it! The pizzas were great (you can pick halves or wholes) but I think the pastas are where it's at. I tried the uni and the clam pastas and both were insanely good. The Oji drink is also incredible if you enjoy spirit forward whisky based cocktails. read more

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One of my go-to HH spots in Chinatown. The food is always good and the cocktails are inventive. They have a new vegetarian menu so that's helpful. The pizza is always a pre-game go-to but I've just added the burrata to my rotation. The service is good, too - servers get your order to you as quickly as the cooks and bartenders can make them. The space is small so there might be some elbow rubbing but it's a pleasant atmosphere overall. read more

Tonari - Burrata - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Their rice pudding was fantastic! Not too sweet, and the perfect dessert. The pasta was good and definitely interesting. The pizza was hefty and easier gave more food for splitting (but would recommend using fork and knife for eating). The upstairs area was very cute, and the staff were busy but still very kind and helpful! read more

Corn pizza? Yes please! Tonari is located near the Capital One Arena and their pizzas are amazing. They're the first and only Wafu Italian restaurant which is translated to Japanese style. We loved their pizzas but don't sleep on the garlic bread. Our server recommended it and it's an item on the menu that you don't want to miss out on. I will have to try their other items next time especially the desserts. read more

Tonari - Loved their pizzas! - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've been to Tonari twice now for their restaurant week deal (once in January 2024 and once in August 2024). I would say Tonari has one of the better restaurant week deals as they usually do a 5 course meal for $55 and if you go with a friend you can both order one of everything to split to try it all. the items on their restaurant week menu that are also on their regular menu that I would recommend are the mentaiko pizza, mentaiko pasta, and tomato kare pasta. the pasta is always cooked to perfection and am a big fan of the fusion flavors! the downstairs of the restaurant has a bar and some booths that I imagine are great for the cafe (though I have not been during cafe hours). upstairs they have floor seating that is similar to the tatami style they have in Japan (but shoes stay on and you don't need to cross your legs). I would say the upstairs is quite dark and I would prefer it to be a tad brighter so I'm not falling asleep. as for the service, we had the loveliest waitress (unfortunately didn't catch her name) who was super friendly and even gave us two drinks on the house after there was a long wait for our pizzas to come out. I can't wait to come back! read more

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This has officially made it into my list of favorite DC restaurants. I had the pleasure of eating here for Summer Restaurant Week, and it was honestly such a great experience. I have only been to one Japanese Italian restaurant in the past (Kimika in NYC) and honestly this might have been better. Our server was so friendly and I ended up picking everything she recommended (no regrets). We were seated on the second floor, and I noticed there's low table seating as well which was fun to see. For Summer Restaurant Week, there's a five course tasting menu and the portions are very fair. I loved that there were two options for each course, one that was more Italian and one that was more Japanese. I chose: 1. Inarizushi (5/5) Never had inari with anchovies before, but it worked well. The EVOO was also a nice touch! 2. Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup (5/5) Great presentation and the peach with basil garnish tasted so good. 3. Strawberry Marcela Pasta (5/5) My favorite dish. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. 4. Mentaiko and Corn Pizza (3/5) This was okay. I had some burnt pieces, but the dough/bread they used was so fluffy and delicious. Apparently they import it from Japan? 5. Rice Pudding (but I also tried the Coffee Gelée) (4/5) Both desserts were decent but I was more impressed with the coffee one since it reminded me of tiramisu. Will be thinking about this meal for a while. 100% would return. read more

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I've been to Tonari before but we came tonight for the Philly cheesesteak pop up and let me tell you, it was amazing! We had two cheesesteaks, one with snow onions and the other with au jus. They were both so flavorful and juicy, and the au jus was so good my boyfriend drank what was left of it. The curry fries with cheese whiz were exactly what you want in cheesy fries. Great vibes, not too loud, easy to find a table on a Monday night. Really enjoyed the sake and beer as well. Hope this pop up sticks around! read more

Tonari - Cheesesteak with au jus - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We came for the DC restaurant week. Let's start with the service, the wait staff were incredibly nice and friendly with quick service. We were seated promptly and provided with a menu. The food, being a fusion of Italian and Japanese flavors can be felt for each of the dishes. The pasta were amazing! The pizza was also delicious being in a Detroit style slice. The dessert was sooo good. The rice pudding with crispy rice on top was not very sweet and had a light salty taste to it which made each bite amazing! The restaurant is hip, not too loud perfect for date night and trying a new fusion place! Definitely plan on going again! read more

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Delicious but I wouldn't come here if you're looking for large portions. The uni pasta was my favorite thing!! The noodles were perfectly al dente, the sauce was light and creamy, and the bread crumbs added the perfect amount of texture. The mentaiko pasta was good too, but the aftertaste was a bit too fishy for me and it lacked the mouthfeel that the uni pasta had. My favorite drink was probably their Aperol spritz solely because they add a dash of St. Germain into it as well. I'm just a sucker for a good Aperol spritz once the weather gets warm. But you really can't go wrong with any of their drinks. I liked all the ones I tried. As for desserts, the affogato was fine and same with the chocolate chip cookie. They sprinkled parmesan cheese on top of the cookie and it gave the same effect as a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. The restaurant itself was dimly lit and well-decorated. I can't remember the name of the waiter, but he was phenomenal. Overall, a solid spot. read more

Tonari - Uni Pasta and Mentaiko Pasta - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've heard great things about Tonari from friends, so I decided to finally check it out--and I'm glad I did! The staff was incredibly welcoming the moment I walked in, and service started right away. I ordered the Mentaiko pasta and the hot honey pizza (whole size). The pasta was absolutely delicious, though the portion felt a bit small for the price. That said, the flavor made up for it. The hot honey pizza was fantastic--doughy, tasty, and perfect for two people to share. Yes, it's a little on the pricier side compared to some other Italian spots, but the quality and unique twist on flavors make it worth it. I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely be coming back to try more from the menu! read more

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Tonari is a Japanese Italian fusion restaurant. We came for the weekday happy hour (bar only: Tu-Fri 5-7p for pizza; Tu-Sat 5-7p and Sun 5p-close for drink specials). They offer 50% off all pizzas Tu-Fri so we got the Mentaiko & Corn and Unagi pizzas. The pizzas are Detroit style pizza: thick, and chewy with a crispy crust. The unagi pizza is more savory. Both pizzas were good, favorite between the two was the Mentaiko & Corn, but both pizzas were a little too salty. The happy hour prices for the pizzas are worth it. Service was at the bar was ok, but we weren't really checked on. Japanese Italian fusion is Italian inspired foods using Japanese ingredients and Japanese/Asian flavors. It's a trend in Japan, but not typically seen in the U.S. I would rate it a 3.75/4, rounding up to a 4/5. read more

Tonari - Unagi (half) - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The restaurant has a new modern wood decor Izakaya vibe. The service is attentive and helpful to understand the menu as they do things a bit differently, i.e. Pizza is Sicilian Style vs. the original circular shape. They have specials on Sakes by the glass or bottle. If you are coming to eat and get full I would advise that this is more of a munch and snack type place as the portions are "bite size" and on the expensive side. The Cod Roe Pasta is hard to find but tastes good for those who like this type of flavor. The Pizza was lacking tomato sauce to my liking as it was a hot honey with pepperoni. The crust and dough is not too heavy and light. The half portion comes out in 2 slices with the whole pizza being 4 slices. For $28 one person could eat the entire pizza. Rsvps are recommended but if you walk in when they open for dinner hours you should be able to get seated quickly. read more

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Tonari Cafe (aka, weekend lunch) review. Just top notch, highly recommended! Ordering for weekend cafe/lunch is done at the corner of the bar with the bartender, then you find a seat and wait for your name to be called to get your food further down the bar. Upstairs seating is open too, but you'll want to send someone downstairs to listen for the order name, you can't hear it from upstairs. Drinks and food started coming out quickly after we ordered, and come out one item at a time as they are ready, so if you've got a large party with a bunch of people and orders, you really have to pay attention! Hot tea was good, and in a lovely tea set, but the Dalgona Coffee was truly outstanding. The frothing of the coffee made it a little lighter and gave it less bitterness while still being strongly coffee-flavored. Food was (almost) uniformly excellent as well. The Garlic Bread Onigiri was substantial and delicious, as was the Tamago Salad Sando. Ramen is outstanding, at least the Arrabbiata was; lovely broth, noodles with a nice chew, and the tomatoes and garlic cloves were nice complements. Yuzu Pound Cake was also excellent, as was the Big Ass Cookie. The only slightly 'meh' thing we tried was the croissant, which wasn't bad by any stretch, but also didn't stand out. Highlight for lunch service is definitely the kakigori (Japanese shaved ice). The strawberry was absolutely fantastic, and the matcha and coffee looked good (although we didn't try them). It's only served 1:00-2:30, and while it's not a huge portion, it's a nice size to either share if you're not super hungry, or to get your own if you paced yourself on the food. Like the other restaurants by the same group, good service and a great soundtrack playing to boot! read more

Tonari - Strawberry Kakigori, only served 1:00-2:30 on weekends. - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Japanese-style Italian food is definitely an interesting combo. I've tried: - Garlic bread (3.5/5) - really buttery and pretty tasty - Radicchio salad (2/5) - strangely difficult to eat and not that good; I'm kinda confused by this dish - Mentaiko pasta (4.5/5) - absolutely delicious, with a stellar combo of sweetness and fishiness, all on top of perfectly cooked pasta While sitting at the bar, watching the pizza come out of the oven was a mouthwatering experience. We'll definitely have to come back to try the pizza, although it'll be hard to pass up the mentaiko pasta read more

Korean style garlic bread & corn pizza were so unique, would definitely go back to eat these again!

WOW so delicious!!! We came in for a quick breakfast and were so pleasantly surprised at how good everything was. We got the E.C. Sandwich and the Avocado "Not" Toast. The egg on the sandwich was so fluffy and tasty. The avocado and dressing on the "not" toast was fresh and light. We also got a cappuccino and the coconut shakerato, both delicious as well. Inside was really cute and the employees were quick to answer questions and offer suggestions. read more

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I really enjoyed this place! It has a nice ambiance & service was great. It wasn't too loud & it seems like the perfect place for a date night. I've been curious about this place for awhile since they have Japanese - Italian fusion food which is 2 of my favorite cuisines. My table got the corn pizza, uni pasta, & mentaiko. I enjoyed the corn pizza it was something different & loved the Detroit style pizza. The pasta were ok something different for all of us! I've never had uni or cod roe pasta so that was interesting to try. Would recommend trying this place out ! read more

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Even though this place is pay at the counter first and then self service, I thought service was really good. The guy that took our order warned us that there is one more table available and to grab it quick before ordering. The chefs behind the counter helped us navigate everything we needed for a comfortable eat in experience. Food wise, interesting concept and the dishes that we ordered were good but didn't quite hit the mark for me. The fungi ramen and pesto ramen were both delicious. They tasted like an Italian pasta dish but what's in front of us were broth and Asian noodles. Both ramens were a bit too salty. We also had their lox and bagel onigiri which tasted like a bagel with cream cheese but we had rice and seaweed in front of us. It's like a mind game haha the fusion works. We ordered the special of the day for dessert. I don't remember the name but it was a dessert sandwich with two buns a filled with cream in between. My kids loved it. We came for lunch. I really wanted to try their uni pasta, mentaiko and unagi pizza but didn't realize those items were on their dinner menu. Next time! read more

Tonari - pesto ramen, fungi ramen, and tamago sandwich - Japanese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The cheesesteak pizza is HEAVENLY! The staff is great, the food is delicious, and the dessert rice pudding was the perfect way to end the meal! I really enjoyed this Chinatown restaurant. read more

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Third time back and I just say that their food never fails to disappoint. It is one of the best and my fave in DC. I'm a big fan of cheese and fusion food. Tried the mentaiko pasta (not pictured here) and got their classic unagi pizza. We were really confused when they served the rice pudding. We thought it was just cream with sprinkles of crusty rice on top but it turned out to have some glutinous rice beneath it. Service was average. They stopped serving water after a while and I got really thirsty. read more

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I'd been waiting for a Monday night off to finally try Tonari's chīzu-sutēki (cheesesteak), and it didn't disappoint. After chatting with the staff, I went with the regular cheesesteak, adding fried shishito peppers and every sauce they offered on the side. Unfortunately, they were out of the green sauce--but the marinated steak more than made up for it. Moist, tender, and packed with umami, the meat was beautifully complemented by a pillowy, fresh roll that I'm pretty sure comes straight from Philly. I paired it with the S&B fries, which had a gentle salinity and a pleasantly sweet curry spice. Together, it made for a killer combo definitely worth trying. If I could make one suggestion to the kitchen, it would be to consider offering an upcharge for extra protein--something reasonable that still works for the restaurant, especially in light of the added pressures from Washington DC's Initiative 82. With the phase-out of the tipped minimum wage, many long-standing DC restaurants are struggling to balance increased labor costs, and several have already shuttered as a result. It's a tough climate, and flexible options like paid add-ons might help both staff and guests alike. Pro tip: hit the condiment bar and grab a few cherry peppers. Then whip up a nostalgic middle-school-style fry sauce with Kewpie mayo and ketchup, and finish it off with that umami-loaded soubise. Trust me. read more

This spot has been on my list since I saw a corn cheese pizza on an IG reel. Finally stopped by and the place is cool! My friend and I sat at the bar and enjoyed some drinks and pizza. I started with the yubari sour - really good and strong melon flavor. My second round was the sesame martini - I was really curious about the flavors. Every sip smelled like fried rice because of the sesame oil, but I liked it! We shared two pizzas. The mentaiko & corn and one of their specials (sorry don't remember the name). I loved the cheese corn one, so simple yet so delicious! I'm ready for more of it. Definitely will come back! read more

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The food at Tonari is so good!!! Their pizza is so delicious and their pasta is so good! The service can be slow at times, but it was not bad. The pizza here is detroit style. I did make a reservation which I'm glad I did because when I first came it was not busy but it definitely filled up within an hour. read more

Their happy hour drew me in, it's currently Mon-Fri 5-7p 50% off pizza and daily drink specials, Sunday is all day. The Japanese Philly pizza was really unique. I love a thicker pizza and a drizzle of... i believe this was the cheese whiz. Cocktails were unique and it's a cozy spot. Would love to come back for more pizza and to work through the menu. read more

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