I went for dinner here a month or two ago and every dish was incredible- from the ube bao bun to the tofu. We also loved the drinks.
Came back here on Friday to stop by the bar to get the Ube Colada (it’s so good!) and had such a lovely time. The bartenders are so kind and knowledgeable and it was the perfect place to close out a Friday evening.
Will definitely be back again for dinner or drinks and want to try their brunch!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Clint Escorpeso (Tatsu)
From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by our server, who was both friendly and knowledgeable. The bartender was equally personable — funny, engaging, and made the overall experience even more enjoyable.
The ambiance captured the essence of Filipino culture beautifully, blending traditional elements with a modern, cozy atmosphere.
The food was exceptional. It’s heartwarming to see Filipino flavors represented so thoughtfully here in D.C. The visual presentation was stunning and truly elevated the dining experience.
The Adobo Tartare was outstanding — the contrast of the crisp toast with the garlicky, tangy flavors and tare tare sauce was perfectly balanced. The Kinilaw was bright and refreshing, with the acidity complementing the fish beautifully. The Pork Chop Dinuguan was another standout — savory and rich, with the saltiness of the pork melding perfectly with the sauce and the light tang from what seemed like pickled onions.
The Lamb Chops were cooked excellently — tender and flavorful. While I personally would’ve preferred a sharper contrast to the balsamic reduction, it remained a beautifully executed dish.
And the desserts — wow. The Taho was absolutely delicious, and the touch of caviar was an unexpected but delightful twist. The Cassava Cheesecake was a perfect finish — comforting yet refined. I also appreciated the chance to try the Chori Burger, which lived up to the hype. The balance of flavors, especially with the ube bun, was phenomenal.
Overall, this restaurant is a gem. The service, ambiance, and food all come together to create an experience that celebrates Filipino cuisine in the best way possible. I’ll definitely be coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hajir Sailors
Really awesome food, everything was great. Service was kind but not amazing and the space is uninspiring! Regardless come eat
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Sean Jin
The atmosphere relative to the pricing of the food seemed really off. (The atmosphere I was expecting to drop $20-30 per person, not close to $100 per person).
All of the entrees and appetizers were extremely salty. One of the dishes was straight up inedible, so we had it sent back due to there being way too much salt in the dish. The only dishes that were okay were the dessert. Lastly, the dishes came out extremely late; I’m not sure why the entrees came out 25-30 minutes after the appetizers.
The photos that I saw of the place are extremely deceiving to what I saw in person. So, both myself and my gf were honestly just waiting to leave at that point. I personally tried to keep an open mind when eating at KAYU, but I don’t really have anything positive to say.
The only thing that’s preventing me to give it a 1 star is that the dessert was decent, and the service was “okay” despite the wait time. I can’t blame the waiter for the food for coming late if it took 25-30 minutes to cook.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 4
Bianca Rivera Alvelo
Phenomenal restaurant with unique dishes and exceptional service. While at times understaffed, the endearing front of house makes the effort to provide a great experience.
The space is quaint but vibrant, perfect for any occasion for singles, couples, or small groups.
Plate sizes vary and the salo salo $70 3-course, a la carte meal is a great option.
Favorites have been the Ube colada, golden rush, hamachi, cassava cake, ensaymada, lamb shank, prawns, and burnt cheesecake
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Neriel David Ponce
A cozy new location, I’m glad to see KAYU live on despite Cafe Hiraya’s closing. The current menu features classics from KAYU’s original tasting menu, with new additions taking a modern spin on Filipino classics.
What I loved was the Lamb Rack Tiyula Itum - a rare cut of lamb with a burnt coconut glaze. How unique! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tausug cuisine at any Filipino American restaurant before, props to the team at KAYU for exposing us to other parts of the Philippines.
The salo-salo for $70 is so worth the cost for an app/main/dessert - don’t miss out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacob Sharpe
Excellent food and location! The three course tasting menu was a ton of food, and by far one of the more reasonably priced options in the city at this point in time. Everything was delicious, unique, and looked great (despite my lacking photography skills).
Not terribly loud, cute location, great service, interesting cocktail and non-alcoholic selections. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rachel Jones
So good! Especially the chorizo bao buns, short rib & fig dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Samuel Seong
Changed the time of my reservation by 30 minutes and was charged a $50 cancellation fee. At the restaurant, they said it would be refunded, but they are non responsive since then.
Update: restaurant refunded the cancellation fee after multiple contact attempts. Needs improvement in communication.
Service issues aside, food was incredible and unique. Highly recommend food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Erin Sheek
The food and drinks were amazing, and our server was especially attentive and kind!
Kayu delivered a memorable dinner with vibrant, flavorful apps, highlighted by the bao bun. The mains stole the show—the duck breast had perfectly crispy skin, and the short rib with its rich pan sauce was outstanding. Desserts were less impressive, but the wine paired nicely. Overall, a great experience with mains that truly shine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Marian Clourysce Luna
Loved everything about this place! Seriously one of the best Filipino restaurants I’ve tried. They put their own spin on dishes but the taste of home is still there. Unique but very authentic. Kudos to the chef, esp Chef Jaeron! The food, drinks, and atmosphere were amazing, plus the location is perfect. Can’t wait to go back.
Bryce Hornicek
A really nice atmosphere. With some of the best Filipino cuisine you can find in dc with some unique twists that complement the dishes great. 10/10 would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
James N
Great new restaurant. The shortrib is amazing, as is the bread pudding. Jason was great. Two thumbs up.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Griffin Hale
Top tier new spot I highly recommend going to. Opened recently (Fall 2025) and has both great food and drinks. Small shop vibes with beautifully displayed foods and drinks. It gives it the feeling of a local small restaurant that is very close to its customers, but the quality of a Michelin star restaurant. The staff is very friendly.
I went for dinner here a month or two ago and every dish was incredible- from the ube bao bun to the tofu. We also loved the drinks.
Came back here on Friday to stop by the bar to get the Ube Colada (it’s so good!) and had such a lovely time. The bartenders are so kind and knowledgeable and it was the perfect place to close out a Friday evening.
Will definitely be back again for dinner or drinks and want to try their brunch!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by our server, who was both friendly and knowledgeable. The bartender was equally personable — funny, engaging, and made the overall experience even more enjoyable.
The ambiance captured the essence of Filipino culture beautifully, blending traditional elements with a modern, cozy atmosphere.
The food was exceptional. It’s heartwarming to see Filipino flavors represented so thoughtfully here in D.C. The visual presentation was stunning and truly elevated the dining experience.
The Adobo Tartare was outstanding — the contrast of the crisp toast with the garlicky, tangy flavors and tare tare sauce was perfectly balanced. The Kinilaw was bright and refreshing, with the acidity complementing the fish beautifully. The Pork Chop Dinuguan was another standout — savory and rich, with the saltiness of the pork melding perfectly with the sauce and the light tang from what seemed like pickled onions.
The Lamb Chops were cooked excellently — tender and flavorful. While I personally would’ve preferred a sharper contrast to the balsamic reduction, it remained a beautifully executed dish.
And the desserts — wow. The Taho was absolutely delicious, and the touch of caviar was an unexpected but delightful twist. The Cassava Cheesecake was a perfect finish — comforting yet refined. I also appreciated the chance to try the Chori Burger, which lived up to the hype. The balance of flavors, especially with the ube bun, was phenomenal.
Overall, this restaurant is a gem. The service, ambiance, and food all come together to create an experience that celebrates Filipino cuisine in the best way possible. I’ll definitely be coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really awesome food, everything was great. Service was kind but not amazing and the space is uninspiring! Regardless come eat
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
The atmosphere relative to the pricing of the food seemed really off. (The atmosphere I was expecting to drop $20-30 per person, not close to $100 per person).
All of the entrees and appetizers were extremely salty. One of the dishes was straight up inedible, so we had it sent back due to there being way too much salt in the dish. The only dishes that were okay were the dessert. Lastly, the dishes came out extremely late; I’m not sure why the entrees came out 25-30 minutes after the appetizers.
The photos that I saw of the place are extremely deceiving to what I saw in person. So, both myself and my gf were honestly just waiting to leave at that point. I personally tried to keep an open mind when eating at KAYU, but I don’t really have anything positive to say.
The only thing that’s preventing me to give it a 1 star is that the dessert was decent, and the service was “okay” despite the wait time. I can’t blame the waiter for the food for coming late if it took 25-30 minutes to cook.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 4
Phenomenal restaurant with unique dishes and exceptional service. While at times understaffed, the endearing front of house makes the effort to provide a great experience.
The space is quaint but vibrant, perfect for any occasion for singles, couples, or small groups.
Plate sizes vary and the salo salo $70 3-course, a la carte meal is a great option.
Favorites have been the Ube colada, golden rush, hamachi, cassava cake, ensaymada, lamb shank, prawns, and burnt cheesecake
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
A cozy new location, I’m glad to see KAYU live on despite Cafe Hiraya’s closing. The current menu features classics from KAYU’s original tasting menu, with new additions taking a modern spin on Filipino classics.
What I loved was the Lamb Rack Tiyula Itum - a rare cut of lamb with a burnt coconut glaze. How unique! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tausug cuisine at any Filipino American restaurant before, props to the team at KAYU for exposing us to other parts of the Philippines.
The salo-salo for $70 is so worth the cost for an app/main/dessert - don’t miss out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food and location! The three course tasting menu was a ton of food, and by far one of the more reasonably priced options in the city at this point in time. Everything was delicious, unique, and looked great (despite my lacking photography skills).
Not terribly loud, cute location, great service, interesting cocktail and non-alcoholic selections. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So good! Especially the chorizo bao buns, short rib & fig dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Changed the time of my reservation by 30 minutes and was charged a $50 cancellation fee. At the restaurant, they said it would be refunded, but they are non responsive since then.
Update: restaurant refunded the cancellation fee after multiple contact attempts. Needs improvement in communication.
Service issues aside, food was incredible and unique. Highly recommend food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
The food and drinks were amazing, and our server was especially attentive and kind!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Kayu delivered a memorable dinner with vibrant, flavorful apps, highlighted by the bao bun. The mains stole the show—the duck breast had perfectly crispy skin, and the short rib with its rich pan sauce was outstanding. Desserts were less impressive, but the wine paired nicely. Overall, a great experience with mains that truly shine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Loved everything about this place! Seriously one of the best Filipino restaurants I’ve tried. They put their own spin on dishes but the taste of home is still there. Unique but very authentic. Kudos to the chef, esp Chef Jaeron! The food, drinks, and atmosphere were amazing, plus the location is perfect. Can’t wait to go back.
A really nice atmosphere. With some of the best Filipino cuisine you can find in dc with some unique twists that complement the dishes great. 10/10 would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great new restaurant. The shortrib is amazing, as is the bread pudding. Jason was great. Two thumbs up.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Top tier new spot I highly recommend going to. Opened recently (Fall 2025) and has both great food and drinks. Small shop vibes with beautifully displayed foods and drinks. It gives it the feeling of a local small restaurant that is very close to its customers, but the quality of a Michelin star restaurant. The staff is very friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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