Top 6 Sushi Restaurants in Washington DC

If you’re a sushi lover who is only satisfied with the freshest and best-presented sushi, you won’t be disappointed in the choice options that Washington D.C. offers. Although it’s difficult to select the best among D.C.’s selection of outstanding Japanese restaurants, there are a few gems that stand out from the rest. Here are a few must-visits for any sushi aficionado who finds themselves in the capital city.

1. Sushi Ogawa

When you enter Sushi Ogawa, the serene atmosphere has an immediate relaxing effect. This small restaurant, which is located in an apartment building in Kalorama, has a clean and contemporary interior design, with honey-colored accents and a ceiling of hand-painted fish providing a cozy and intimate feel. Owner Minoru Ogawa, whose father and brother are master sushi chefs in Japan, has decades of experience.

To see him doing what he does best, take a seat at one of the seven seats around the smooth cedar sushi bar counter. Here the omakase (chef’s choice) is displayed and Ogawa gets to show off his knife skills. Enjoying the omakase tastings at Sushi Ogawa doesn’t come cheap, though. You can either opt for the Chef’s Selection, which costs $195, or the Premium Selection, which will set you back $260. However, you’ll be served fresh and top-quality fish that’s been imported from the famed Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.

2. Sushi Gakyu

Chef-owner Yoshihisa Ota specializes in sushi at his 54-seat restaurant. This means that at Sushi Gakyu you’ll find no fryer or grill. Located a stone’s throw away from the White House, this premium sushi restaurant boasts a modern, industrial-style setting with a large sushi bar, white maple tables, and two-toned walls. However, the attractive setting fades in comparison to the food that Chef Ota, who has worked in many top restaurants, serves.

For starters, try the Tofu Dengaku, which consists of a trio of savory tofu lollipops, each dipped in a different miso sauce, or Ukazo, which is eel and cucumber marinated in a vinegar sauce. You can choose from a selection of sashimi and sushi plates for your main meal. You can also reserve an omakase sushi meal. For $100, you receive three appetizers, 11 pieces of premium nigiri, and dessert.

3. Kotobuki

Kotobuki is a quaint hole-in-the-wall sushi joint that can seat about 15 people max. With its white walls, decorated here and there with a few splashes of red and black paint, the setting of Kotobuki is simple and unpretentious. Don’t mind the lack of decor though. The food at this Japanese restaurant is both delicious and affordable.

If you’re lucky enough to find one of the five seats open at the sushi counter, you’ll most probably see chef-owner Hisao Abe in action, busy making his fine sushi creations. Otherwise, you can take a seat at one of the small tables in the unassuming dining room.

Apart from offering fresh and delicious sushi and sashimi on the menu, Kotobuki is also the only Japanese restaurant in D.C. that serves kamameshi. This is a traditional Japanese hot pot rice dish, cooked in a traditional iron kettle and served with sashimi, miso soup, and three house specialties, such as pickled beets and brined daikon. Another traditional dish served at Kotobuki that you don’t find that often on the menus of other Japanese restaurants is oshizushi, which is pressed sushi cakes.

4. Kaz Sushi Bistro

Since the opening of its doors in 1999, Kaz Sushi Bistro has proved to be one of Washington D.C’s most exceptional Japanese restaurants. The long list of awards that the restaurant has raked in over the years, such as the 2006 RAMMY Informal Dining Restaurant of the Year, is testimony to the superior food and service offered at this establishment. Owner Chef Kaz calls the food he serves “freestyle Japanese cuisine,” as he likes to give traditional dishes a modern twist and present them in an original way.

Chef Kaz is a pioneer in many ways. Apart from being the first chef in Washington D.C to receive training in the art of preparing and serving blowfish, he was also the first to bring premium sake to the city. Kaz Sushi Bistro offers a spacious and stylish setting, with an attractive sushi bar and a dining area with warm, autumn tones. The menu offers a selection of cold small plates, hot small plates, and sushi and sashimi tasting plates. You can also reserve omakase sushi for a special occasion.

5. Perry’s

If you’re into savoring delectable nigiri on a snazzy rooftop bar, cocktail in hand, Perry’s is the Asian hangout for you. The restaurant is located in the middle of Adams Morgan Party Central so it’s the perfect spot if you feel like enjoying quality sushi in a buzzing nightlife setting. Apart from its dazzling, illuminated rooftop, Perry’s also offers a classic wood-paneled dining room on the ground floor for a more intimate and sophisticated dining experience. 

Start the evening with a Caipirinha and one of their delectable starters, such as steamed edamame with Japanese sea salt or Nasu Agedashi, which is a traditional eggplant dish. For mains, you’ll do well to opt for sushi, as it’s good. Especially the nigiri is excellent. Other options on the menu include kare ramen, which is a Japanese-style curry dish, and the Kushikatsu Platter, which consists of fried skewered meat, seasonal vegetables, okra, shrimp, pork belly, and tonkatsu sauce.

6. Shibuya Eatery

Shibuya Eatery is a brand-new tri-level Japanese restaurant in Adams Morgan. It’s the brainchild of chef Darren Norris, who is known for opening one of the first izakayas, called Kushi, in Washington D.C. Norris’ vision for Shibuya Eatery, is to offer a modern spin on izakaya fare. The menu offers a wide selection of sushi and sashimi options, small plates, bento boxes, fresh noodles, and rice bowls. A binchotan charcoal grill supplies different meats, such as lobster tail, short ribs, pork belly, and koji-cured chicken thighs, for a variety of meat skewers, called kushiyaki.

The small venue is cozy but offers limited seating. However, there’s a cheerful outdoor seating area with gas heaters where patrons can enjoy their food. Located on the top floor of the building is Death Punch Bar, where patrons can also order from the Shibuya Eatery. Apart from a pool table, the bar offers a few tables where you can sit down to savor your meal.

If you’re a lover of sushi and the good things in life, do yourself a favor and put aside some time to visit these choice Japanese eateries in the American capital.

*Image via Flickr by hirotomo

Tags: Sushi, Washington
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