Sushi Taro used to be considered one of the top Japanese restaurants in the city, but it is not surprising they no longer are on the Michelin guide in 2025. The table service was good, but the rest of the service was mediocre. The food itself does feel overpriced for the quality, only a few select items were notable. Really not a destination for sushi or sashimi. Nothing they are doing terribly wrong per se, just nothing to write home about.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hoji-Cha Pudding
Jordan
Great quality and fair prices. Portion sizes are perfect and the taste delicious. Fish is fresh and restaurant quite busy on Friday night. Easy for late walk in. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Rivera
Amazing dinner. Sat at the chef counter with random friendly people. Their feedback was that there was TOO MUCH food, but delicious bites make me hungrier :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
SAIS Alumna
Beautifully crafted sushi in Dupont Circle. The presentation was elegant. My only quibble was that the wait time was longer than expected, but overall worth it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
moby chu
Visited during restaurant week, this used to be one of our favorite Japanese restaurants and since there are more Japanese restaurants where I live, we don't come to DC as often.
I have to say I am a bit disappointed with the sushi, I can probably get similar grade sushi at my nearby sushi restaurant. The presentation is underwhelming. I suppose is restaurant week, the affordable menu and so no need to put thoughts into the dish. There is just nothing that jumps out and wow us except for the hoji-cha pudding dessert. Silky smooth and the aroma of the hoji-cha was perfect. I did pairing and the dessert goes well with the green tea plum wine.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
Ebidanko
First time here, this is one of our seven restaurant week this year. I would put this at the bottom of the list. Wait time is long, food portions are little (I get it, sushi, supposed to be little, but why the long wait time). The table next to us waited about 30 min for their appetizer. Food quality was also poor and boring. The appetizer sashimi, the jelly sauce on the sashimi is way too salty, covers up any taste the sashimi had. Warm dish portion is laughable. For 6 tiny fried shrimp, size of thumbs, we waited 20min. Then, only 2 pieces of the sushi combo are tasty, the others taste like what you can find in a typical supermarket sushi box. The presentation was also not satisfying, 2 pieces' fish are damaged (see image). The desert was ok, but the presentation and the cheap plastic cup does not fit the high price per person of the restaurant. The chopsticks are also not reusable, it s the one-time wooden takeout chopsticks. I don't get the hype for this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Harrison C
Great menu, and a very calm zen-like interior decor. Love the big windows that overlook the leafy, late summer trees on the street. High quality seafood and sushi
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Son Thach
Sushi Taro is one of the best sushi spots in DC — always top-quality fish and beautiful presentation. I do miss the older, more homey vibe before the renovation, as now it feels more upscale. It’s not cheap here, but the happy hour is a great way to enjoy excellent sushi at a better value.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Crowley
Japanese aesthetic. Attentive and caring service. Great sake selection. My favorite sushi place in all of DC. Reservation recommended, perhaps required to get a table.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Linda No
Definitely will be back for more! Highly recommend the tasting menu
Horrible management,so much better when Jin used to run this place.
Blessing Vincent
I finally got the chance to dine at Sushi Taro, and wow—this place lives up to its reputation in so many ways. We didn’t go for the full omakase or Kaiseki tasting this time (saving that for a future splurge), but even the à la carte dishes gave us a clear sense of the chef’s precision and creativity. The quality of the fish is next-level. You can tell most of it is flown in from Japan—fresh, delicate, and beautifully plated. The uni especially was a standout for me—super creamy with zero funk. We also tried the agedashi tofu, miso butter salmon, and a couple of sushi specials off the board. Every single bite was thoughtful and flavorful. Service was solid—our server was attentive, gave great suggestions, and kept things flowing smoothly even though the place was busy. I did notice they were moving a bit fast with courses, probably because of the dinner rush, but it didn’t feel rushed in a bad way. The ambiance is classy without being stiff. Between the handmade chandeliers and carefully curated decor, it’s clear they’ve put intention into both the food and the setting. I get why Sushi Taro was once a Michelin-starred spot, and even though it no longer holds that title, I’d still recommend it for a date night or special dinner—especially if you want to experience something more traditional and elevated. Pro tip: After dinner, I made a quick stop at PullUpDC, my favorite local spot for cannabis. Their top-shelf flower and relaxing vibes were the perfect way to end the night. If you’re someone who appreciates premium experiences—from sushi to strains—PullUpDC is definitely worth checking out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zzzaqwerty Le
I had the menu tasting, all good till it came the hot pot noodles, so off … shouldn’t be in there, doesn’t go along with the set, that’s why i give them 4 stars, can’t wait to try the omakase there, and hopefully none of that will happen in the omakase… it just kill it, period. Other than that everything was an adventure. Thank you for a good experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Jesse Nichols
Delicious kyoto-style sushi & Japanese food. The nigiri selection was superb, and the quality of fish (both fresh and marinated) is absolutely top notch. We had a chefs tasting menu, and it was an exciting adventure in food, but everything was delicious!
Sushi Taro used to be considered one of the top Japanese restaurants in the city, but it is not surprising they no longer are on the Michelin guide in 2025. The table service was good, but the rest of the service was mediocre. The food itself does feel overpriced for the quality, only a few select items were notable. Really not a destination for sushi or sashimi. Nothing they are doing terribly wrong per se, just nothing to write home about.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hoji-Cha Pudding
Great quality and fair prices. Portion sizes are perfect and the taste delicious. Fish is fresh and restaurant quite busy on Friday night. Easy for late walk in. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing dinner. Sat at the chef counter with random friendly people. Their feedback was that there was TOO MUCH food, but delicious bites make me hungrier :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Beautifully crafted sushi in Dupont Circle. The presentation was elegant. My only quibble was that the wait time was longer than expected, but overall worth it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Visited during restaurant week, this used to be one of our favorite Japanese restaurants and since there are more Japanese restaurants where I live, we don't come to DC as often.
I have to say I am a bit disappointed with the sushi, I can probably get similar grade sushi at my nearby sushi restaurant. The presentation is underwhelming. I suppose is restaurant week, the affordable menu and so no need to put thoughts into the dish. There is just nothing that jumps out and wow us except for the hoji-cha pudding dessert. Silky smooth and the aroma of the hoji-cha was perfect. I did pairing and the dessert goes well with the green tea plum wine.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
First time here, this is one of our seven restaurant week this year. I would put this at the bottom of the list. Wait time is long, food portions are little (I get it, sushi, supposed to be little, but why the long wait time). The table next to us waited about 30 min for their appetizer.
Food quality was also poor and boring. The appetizer sashimi, the jelly sauce on the sashimi is way too salty, covers up any taste the sashimi had. Warm dish portion is laughable. For 6 tiny fried shrimp, size of thumbs, we waited 20min. Then, only 2 pieces of the sushi combo are tasty, the others taste like what you can find in a typical supermarket sushi box. The presentation was also not satisfying, 2 pieces' fish are damaged (see image). The desert was ok, but the presentation and the cheap plastic cup does not fit the high price per person of the restaurant. The chopsticks are also not reusable, it s the one-time wooden takeout chopsticks. I don't get the hype for this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Great menu, and a very calm zen-like interior decor. Love the big windows that overlook the leafy, late summer trees on the street. High quality seafood and sushi
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Sushi Taro is one of the best sushi spots in DC — always top-quality fish and beautiful presentation. I do miss the older, more homey vibe before the renovation, as now it feels more upscale. It’s not cheap here, but the happy hour is a great way to enjoy excellent sushi at a better value.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Japanese aesthetic. Attentive and caring service. Great sake selection. My favorite sushi place in all of DC. Reservation recommended, perhaps required to get a table.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Definitely will be back for more! Highly recommend the tasting menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Horrible management,so much better when Jin used to run this place.
I finally got the chance to dine at Sushi Taro, and wow—this place lives up to its reputation in so many ways. We didn’t go for the full omakase or Kaiseki tasting this time (saving that for a future splurge), but even the à la carte dishes gave us a clear sense of the chef’s precision and creativity.
The quality of the fish is next-level. You can tell most of it is flown in from Japan—fresh, delicate, and beautifully plated. The uni especially was a standout for me—super creamy with zero funk. We also tried the agedashi tofu, miso butter salmon, and a couple of sushi specials off the board. Every single bite was thoughtful and flavorful.
Service was solid—our server was attentive, gave great suggestions, and kept things flowing smoothly even though the place was busy. I did notice they were moving a bit fast with courses, probably because of the dinner rush, but it didn’t feel rushed in a bad way.
The ambiance is classy without being stiff. Between the handmade chandeliers and carefully curated decor, it’s clear they’ve put intention into both the food and the setting.
I get why Sushi Taro was once a Michelin-starred spot, and even though it no longer holds that title, I’d still recommend it for a date night or special dinner—especially if you want to experience something more traditional and elevated.
Pro tip: After dinner, I made a quick stop at PullUpDC, my favorite local spot for cannabis. Their top-shelf flower and relaxing vibes were the perfect way to end the night. If you’re someone who appreciates premium experiences—from sushi to strains—PullUpDC is definitely worth checking out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had the menu tasting, all good till it came the hot pot noodles, so off … shouldn’t be in there, doesn’t go along with the set, that’s why i give them 4 stars, can’t wait to try the omakase there, and hopefully none of that will happen in the omakase… it just kill it, period. Other than that everything was an adventure. Thank you for a good experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Delicious kyoto-style sushi & Japanese food. The nigiri selection was superb, and the quality of fish (both fresh and marinated) is absolutely top notch. We had a chefs tasting menu, and it was an exciting adventure in food, but everything was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very melt in your mouth good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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