14 Best Japanese Restaurants in Washington

“Visiting from Denver for a work conference and stumbled upon this gem on Google Maps. It’s located on top of a CVS so didn’t know what to expect. We were BLOWN AWAY with the Kobe dish on a leaf and the shrimp/scallops were just next level. We had to order a second Kobe beef!! The NC Bluefin Tuna special was awesome too!! So glad we took the risk and remember to never judge a book by it’s cover!! That’s for damn sure.“

“Me and my sister attended a lovely evening here for my birthday! Great food, great service, great drinks. Everything was great. Staff was even kind enough to check on my sister, who had a reaction to one of the foods we weren't aware she was allergic to. We had to leave earlier and didn't get to finish the experience but would love to return again next time I am in town. Highly suggest.“

“on point!! don't shy away from the menu, everything we had was delicious.“

“The interior is beautiful inside! A great date night vibe. I was a bit disappointed that we were seated in the back corner even though we had reservations. The server was nice and helpful with the menu. Definitely try their tacos because they are so good and their scallop skewers!“

“My goodness...I am pretty sure Kappo DC is the closest thing to heaven on earth. Upon arriving, you are greeted with a conspicuous entrance, light brown wooden door, and a gold plaque with "Kappo Makoto" carved into it. It gave off a very exclusive and high end vibe. Once our dinner reservation time arrived, the door finally opened with a host greeting and welcoming us in. Walking by an amazing display of various bottles of sake and a large mirror for us to snap a picture together, we entered the main dining area. To start, the chefs introduced themselves and gave us a little history on the restaurant's creation and overall vision. We ordered our drinks and we were given the option for the uni & caviar add-on. Since it was my birthday, you can bet your ass we got it! To start, we were presented with the wagyu summer salad. Every ingredient paired perfectly together with a dash of acidity from the light dressing. The uni was absolute butter. The wagyu was melt in your mouth goodness. The greens provided the perfect balance to the rich, complex flavors from the uni and Wagyu together. I knew we were in for an amazing night. Next up was the Chawanmushi, a savory egg custard with wagyu. It was delicate and velvety, yet bursting with umami. Of course, with our caviar topping, this dish was the perfect amuse-bouche. The sashimi trio that followed did not disappoint. The first was light, refreshing, and well balanced. The colors of this dish popped, with bursts of green, pink and orange. The fish (I believe it was hamachi) was super fresh and perfectly marinated. The next one was more meat centric and being paired with the uni, it balanced out the sharper taste of the tuna. The final of the trio was a scallop sashimi, with thin cucumber slices and red onions in an acidic drizzle. Like the first one, it was refreshing and bright. Annnd let's not forget, the caviar/uni pairings which perfectly meshed with each dish. Next up we starting getting back into the wagyu with the Wagyu Menchi Katsu. This one was fun to eat, not anything super impressive, but overall had rich flavor and sat atop a small pool of sauce and a shishito pepper. Overall, a nice change of pace from the fish heavy dishes from before. Onto the Wagyu Chirashi Sushi, this was by far one of my favorite dishes on the menu. The presentation was gorgeous, with a small ball of white rice topped with orange salmon roe, red tobiko, bright yellow quail egg, vibrant green chives, a little yellow flower and a gold flake on top. Let's not forget the radiant uni and caviar to top it all off, this dish was bursting with color. The flavor was overwhelmingly good. My friend, wife and I couldn't stop ourselves making awkward "mmmm's" and "oooh's" out loud lol. It was served in the perfect portion, as any more would have been too overwhelming, but any less would leave much to desire. The Wagyu sukiyaki was a good transition from the rich and savory flavors of the Chirashi. It was solely Wagyu beef with glass noodles and some greens on top, sitting in a puddle of delicious sauce. Sweet yet savory. At this point I was getting very full. Finally the Curry Udon arrived. It was good, but honestly it was definitely well past the climax of the courses. I found this to be a grounding dish, bringing us back down to earth after being sent into space. It was comforting and warm. I wouldn't say it was amazing, it was just nice. A reminder that overindulgence can be detrimental to your overall enjoyment. They did provide me with a scoop of some yummy ice cream since it was my birthday, but also we were sent home with some Royce chocolate. Among the dishes, they had really great cocktails and we also got a bottle of "Seven Spearsmen" sake, which paired really well with the rich and fatty flavors we consumed. Service was phenomenal and I think the chef's enjoyed us at the counter because of how expressive we were and amazed by each dish that was put forth. They spent a lot of time chatting with us while preparing t“

“Outstanding performers and great food!“

“TL;DR: Toro is where it's atCame here close to the end of lunch time and was able to snag a seat. Interior is small and minimally decorated, but very cute. Service is very fast and friendly.FOOD:~Toro Sashimi (5/5): they let the product speak for itself. Very good~Chirashi Deluxe (3.9/5): I love the variety of fish they give. Flavor/quality varies depending on the fish. I LOVED the mushrooms that came with this, I thought about asking for a bowl of it. Favorite fish we liked from here were: toro, crab stick (surprisingly), and white tuna.~Eel and avocado roll (3.5/5): basic~CA uni (4/5): yummy and fresh~Hamachi (3/5): mid quality and flavor~Scallop (3/5): again, not up to par~Saba (2.5/5): didn't have that pungent flavor that mackerel usually has~Aburi salmon (2.5/5): was over charred and couldn't taste anything but bitternessOverall, if we stick to the main things we liked, this place would easily be a 5/5. But if you want a variety of things every time you visit, then you MIGHT be disappointed.“

“The meal was fantastic (get the crispy rice with spicy tuna - YUM!!), and the views were spectacular, ... but the waitstaff made our evening!! Special shout out to Ellen who took great care of us! She was very knowledgeable on the menu and gave us some really good recommendations!! Highly recommend!!!“

“Great atmosphere and service!“

“Bar tenders were delightful, the view of the Capitol at night was spectacular and the food was so good I went back the following night to eat the same thing again! Chef stopped at the tables to check on his guests and thank them for coming!“

“Easily one of the best bars in the city, hands down“

“Amazing! The sushi tasting menu was exceptional and filling! Delicious and whimsical cocktails. Bar in the back, very hip and chic workout being pretentious. Wagyu beef skewers from the bar was one of the best things I’ve ever had. All the skewers were amazing and the fried chicken and other bar snacks are classic bar foods, but way elevated- can not wait for the rest of the space to open!“

“Fantastic ambiance, excellent service and delicious food!“

“We went to Kyojin for the first time and Jessica took care of us and it was an absolutely wonderful experience! Jessica gave me all her recommendations and explained the menu thoroughly to me as it was my first time which I extremely appreciated. She made notes of what my favorite fish and dishes are in general to give me better recommendations that suited me. Overall great experience. Also amazing atmosphere and such a cool place. Thank you Jessica!“