The Top List of Sushi Restaurants - Washington, D.C.
Hail to the Chefs in the Nation's Capital! by Magda Nakassis
Washington, DC’s first sushi restaurant—Glover Park’s Sushi-Ko—opened its doors in 1976. It’s hard to imagine this city’s dining landscape without sushi, or remember a time when people were confused by the bite-size packages of rice and fish. These days, there is no shortage of fine Japanese restaurants to choose from—but a guide to the area’s top spots will help you find a sushi spread to suit your mood. Whether you want to chow down as many rolls as possible for a fixed price, enjoy an authentic Japanese dining experience complete with slippers and kimonos, or experiment with “east meets west” flavors, the District has something wonderful in store for you.
Benihana 3222 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 (202) 333-1001
With locations on five out of seven continents, Benihana is hardly a Washington original—nor is it commonly identified as a top sushi restaurant. This chain is better known for its Japanese steakhouse theatrics, with “teppanyaki” chefs showboating for delighted diners. Over table-top grills, the hibachi cooks juggle knives, flip and crack eggs while doing 360°s, and toss stir-fried shrimp into patrons’ mouths. But if you’re willing to miss out on the antics, you can take advantage of some wonderful (and too often overlooked) sushi. More important, in a town severely lacking in all-you-can-eat sushi joints, Benihana offers a fab deal: $27 for all the maki, nigiri, hand rolls, and sashimi you can take. You’ll instantly forget about the excitement of the hibachi tables when you and your friends go head to head, roll for roll…
Kaz Sushi Bistro 1915 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 (202) 530-5500
Kaz Okochi was head chef at Sushi-Ko for 10 years before starting up his own restaurant, Kaz Sushi Bistro. At this I Street eatery—bustling with World Bank employees at lunch and Washington foodies at dinner—Chef Okochi offers his unique blend of “Free Style Japanese Cuisine.” More than just your traditional Japanese fare, the sushi at Kaz’s bring Western ingredients and techniques to the table in an “east meets west” menu that has won over nearly every DC food critic. This is the place for adventurous sushi fans who demand top-quality fish, presentation, and sake selection.
When feasting on raw fish, I don’t think rock bottom prices are necessarily a draw. Neither is being located in a barebones, shoebox of a room above another Japanese restaurant. (And the fact that this other restaurant, Makoto, is exclusive and highly regarded doesn’t help either.) And neither is playing the Beatles on a continuous loop, for that matter. And yet Kotobuki remains a destination for high-quality sushi, bringing lovers of fine fish to the Palisades. The menu is simple enough, and well suited to those on a budget. There are 14 varieties of nigiri at $1 a pop—and if you feel like going wild, you can splurge on another four types at $2 per piece. When it comes to maki rolls, you can choose from 13 different kinds at $2.80 each, or an additional six gourmet treats at a whopping $3.25 for six pieces. Add in the chef’s special handmade soy sauce, specifically designed for sushi and sashimi, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Cheapskates, take note.
I often wonder about the relationship between Hisao Abe (chef at Kotobuki) and Takashi Okamura (sushi master of Makoto). As upstairs/downstairs neighbors, they must have one. Both chefs serve great sushi, have restaurants with small dining rooms, and share the address of 4822 MacArthur Boulevard… but the similarities end there. Makoto is a place where one makes reservations and comes armed with a platinum credit card. And whereas his upstairs neighbor presents only the sushi essentials, Chef Okamura offers some rare seafood delicacies, serving them with courteous, deferential service in a formal (but calming) environment. Diners trade in their shoes for slippers at the door, and sit at low tables in a quiet and luxurious space. As you exit through Makoto’s carved wooden doors, you’ll be sated and relaxed—as opposed to having “Back in the U.S.S.R.” running through your head.
Murasaki 4620 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 (202) 966-0023
When Murasaki sprung up in Tenleytown, it was not short on competitors. Yosaku, just a block away, is a well-established Japanese restaurant with a loyal clientele. And Mei Wah, down the hill into Friendship Heights, is a popular Chinese restaurant with surprisingly good sushi to boot. But Murasaki has won over the neighborhood, as well as the diplomats from the nearby Japanese embassy, with its wonderful (and generously sized) maki rolls and nigiri. If you’re really hungry, come on weekdays during the early evening to make the most of the sushi happy hour. The tempura here is also out of this world, but if you’re looking for sushi exclusively, at least order a hand roll with tempura bits. And during the summer months, the outdoor seating area—with its carved wooden portico and Japanese garden in the rear—is a lovely spot to dine al fresco.
With the Japanese government threatening to crack down on faux sushi restaurants, you had better write down the address of Korean-run Rockville Sushi before it’s forced to change its name. This little hole in the wall in suburban Maryland serves Korean house specialties and Japanese sushi side by side. *shock/horror* The clientele is almost exclusively Korean, and if you’re unable to speak/read Korean yourself, you may have difficulty ordering. But whatever you do end up pointing to on the abstruse menu, it will inevitably be delicious—even if you never figure out exactly what it is you’re eating: before, during, or after consumption. The prices are also very reasonable, and if you leave the “Wintergreen Plaza” strip mall without eating an oddly textured, unidentified raw sea creature, well then you’re just not trying very hard.
Spices Asian Restaurant & Sushi bar 3333-A Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (202) 686-3833
It’s hard to walk into a pan-Asian restaurant confidently. Most diners approach ethnic restaurants wishing for some sort of “authentic” cultural experience—and when you know from the get go that the kitchen is pumping out drunken noodles, Peking duck, green curry, and shrimp tempura simultaneously, it’s hard to believe that they will do each country’s cuisine justice. But Spices in Cleveland Park manages to consistently serve delicious Asian fare, as well as first-rate sushi. It’s also a wonderful compromise for those who aren’t prepared for the intensity of Rockville Sushi’s sea urchins or Makoto’s no-shoes policy. Feast on tasty unagi rolls while your conservative relations hide behind spring rolls and sesame chicken. There’s no reason to alienate your friends and family with raw fish anymore.
Sushi Taro 1503 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 462-8999
It comes as no surprise that the fatty tuna is the star of Sushi Taro. This East Dupont restaurant takes its tuna seriously, with three different grades of “the chicken of the sea.” It also boasts of the longest sushi bar in town, as well as 30 different varieties of fish and shellfish. This Japanese bistro will satisfy those looking for “the real deal”: the waitresses are decked out in silk kimonos, the sushi chefs don their trademark blue hats, the walls are lined with rice paper screens, and diners are invited to crouch on Japanese-style mats and tuck in at low tables. Sushi Taro has been owned and operated by the same family for the past 14 years, and is well on its way to becoming a DC institution.
Sushi-Ko 2309 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 (202) 333-4187
Washington, DC’s oldest sushi restaurant remains (with little argument) its best. In the safe hands of creative director and co-owner Daisuku Utagawa and head chef Koji Terano, Sushi-Ko succeeds in bringing sushi fanatics, discriminating foodies, and Glover Park locals a stunning blend of traditional and creative Japanese fare. Wielding his $2,000 knife, Chef Terano treats Washingtonians to the best fish in town and a menu that is utterly gourmet. (The “sushi moriawase”—the chef’s pick of that day’s finest fish and rolls—is highly, highly, highly recommended.) In addition to Terano’s culinary skill, Sushi-Ko prides itself on Utagawa’s innovation. He has pioneered the pairing of Japanese food with French burgundies, and the man is a genuine international culinary playboy—trekking across the globe in search of the world’s finest foods and techniques, and folding them back into Sushi-Ko’s menu. DC is blessed to be the home of such a cutting-edge veteran.
Tako Grill 7756 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 652-7030
Sake Bar Hours: Monday–Thursday: 5:30pm–12am Friday–Saturday: 5:30pm–1am Sunday: 5pm–12am
Just outside the DC boundaries, in downtown Bethesda, Tako Grill is your best bet for sushi… and sake! This fashionable, buzzy restaurant has a comprehensive menu with the standard varieties of fish. (And the tempura is recommended if you want to stray from a strict sushi dinner.) The rolls are reasonably priced, and Tako can be a cheap eat if you want it to be. Dishes are served on beautiful, ceramic plates, and although the service can become negligent when volume is high, your server will be exceedingly pleasant—when he does make his way to your table. The list of epicurean sakes is lengthy, and the sake bar can be a fun and different place to enjoy your sushi spread.
The Top List of Sushi Restaurants - Washington, D.C.