Top 5 meals ever! Great service and sushi was insane!
Reservation system: First, the restaurant does not answer the phone during business hours (and by the way still refers to the Waldorf Astoria as the Trump Hotel) and calling is one way you are supposed to be able to make reservations. Found it weird that when the reservations were released on Resy 14 days before the day I wanted to dine that more than half of them were gone (at the top of the morning), which was very weird and frustrating. Managed to nab a spot, but they should pick up the phone-- on to food/service Food- The cuts of fish were excellent. The sushi rice was amazing. You have two options-- the classic omakase and the chef's omakase, which is more expensive, covers the supplements that you can also pay per supplement. The Chef's Omakase was amazing. The wine/sake/tea list is crazy expensive and they should add in tasting notes on the wines so that diners can make faster, informed decisions especially when there was a feeling that we needed to quickly make decisions (next paragraph). The sommelier was great and knowledgeable but still tasting notes would be more informative so that we can better digest a complicated wine list. Service- The servers were welcoming and friendly but I felt like they were rushing us from the beginning. How we can immediately make a decision on wine when the binder is huge to go through. They did a good job of explaining the source and preparation of the sushi and the Chef's recommendation; however, some of them spoke too fast and low. The acoustics of the small restaurant are not great-- so they should work on that. The servers were okay with questions but one waiter in particular gave an impression of being annoyed when we asked to repeat and brought us our bill like 5 seconds after we finished the dessert course, not even asking like do you want a dessert wine. In my mind I was like oh okay wow- you want us to go. We are paying an incredible amount of money to savor and reflect on the delectable tastes of the sushi, which is I would think is what the Chef wants us to do, not to be there to scarf it down quickly and get out. Overall, excellent food but they need to reflect on how they can make diners feel relaxed and not that we need to get in and get out.
Sushi that melts in your mouth. Initial server was a bit snobby, but thankfully the others were better. Restaurant’s entrance is also a bit difficult to find. High price point, but likely the best sushi I’ve had in DC.
I've gone twice so I tried both the counter and the dining room and both times were fantastic. The counter is definitely the way to go but if you can't get a seat, the dining room is still incredible you just lose the interaction with the chef. Every bite is delicious and perfectly seasoned. I will definitely be back!
This place was just jaw dropping. The sashimi was just out of this world and the service was impeccable. Each dish was just a plethora of flavors and so different from the other. Each piece was carefully laid out to be different from each other and made sure no conflicting tastes. One thing about the service that was amazing is that they noticed I was left handed so they reorganized the dishes for me so I'd start from the left while my right handed friends would start from their right. That level of service is next level. This is a Michelin star restaurant and it was 100% worth. It's a pretty penny tho expect to pay at minimum $300 per person for this amazing experience. If I could afford it I'd come here all the time ?
Great traditional style nigiri omakase. Everything was super fresh and excellently prepared. We added A5 wagyu and uni tasters
The restaurant has most of the qualities of any other Michelin star restaurant I've been too from food quality to service. The one knock I had was for the atmosphere. Its a small space and got really loud when it was full which took away from the experience.
—Assessment: Avoid it. It’s not worth it. Save your money. —Location: At the back of the Trump International Hotel in DC. We hit the foyer before dinner. Dark and empty—there were only 3 other people in the huge foyer in addition to us. —Price: You have the option of ordering the classic sushi set menu at $150/person or the delux at $250/person (including sushi dusted w caviar and other exotic items). So it’s a special occasion, and we don’t go often, so we order two classic set menus (now $300 plus really crazy pricey drinks). Both sets include 20-21 pieces of sushi. A set cannot be shared. The sushi arrives in seven “flights” consisting of 1 to 3 pieces of sushi on each plate. We were prepared to be wowed. —Ambiance. It’s nice, modern, some Japanese elements with black tiled walls, wood, tables, and a sushi bar. An attendant checks coats. —Sushi rice: For a couple that has spent nearly 4 years in Japan, grown and harvested rice, and helped prepare Sushi rice, our assessment was that the rice was not freshly prepared, was slightly mushy rather than sticky, did not have sufficient sushi vinegar. The texture was off. —Wasabi: Wasabi is traditionally placed between the rice and the fish. I did not perceive any wasabi in my first piece of sushi, so I removed the fish, and I saw no wasabi. When I asked the waitress to ask the chef to prepare the sushi in a traditional Japanese style, she said “look, there is wasabi [yes—there was indeed a 5 mm speck], it’s expensive and real wasabi, if you want more wasabi I can bring you the fake green stuff and that’s going to cost you extra.” —Fish: It’s all about the fish. The fish was not flavorful, and rather bland. I have—I’ll be honest—had better tasting fish and “American” sushi at the mall in Tyson’s, for a fraction of the price and the pretense. If I were eating inexpensive sushi, no big deal, but this meal would have been pushing at least $400, so there are expectations there. —Drinks: The drinks listing comes in a massive 3-ring binder, with maybe 40+ pages of various wines, mixed drinks, and sake, by the glass or the bottle, ranging from $20–$300+. Ok. Can’t complain about the drinks, themselves, but the price? Ok, we’re eating in a pretentious joint attached to Trump hotel. —Service: I informed the waitress after the first flight of sushi that it did not meet our expectations, and would ask that the chef make the sushi in a more traditional manner for the price. She volunteered that she would invite the manager and the chef to speak with us, she returned, and said they could stop further service, that the sushi is prepared to exacting standards and meets their quality, and that the chef is even from Japan, and they would have to charge us for the 6 pieces of sushi in our first flights. I pointed out that we consumed only four (out of a total of 42 pieces), and would pay for that and our drinks if sushi preparation could not be improved (it was actually our preference to stay). She returned again, stated no one would meet us or talk to us. The waitress’ tone seemed unnecessarily combative. —Result: The restaurant comped our 4 pieces of sushi and our tea. We were prepared to pay for what we consumed, but appreciate that the restaurant didn’t charge us anything at all. That was the only nice thing about the evening. That, and the cute lotus-root chopstick rests on the table. —Will we go again, or should you go? Absolutely not. It’s a high price for incredibly mediocre food and service.
Some street parking available with this being in DC. We had a great time time and the food was delicious. It was an amazing experience and we enjoyed every bit of it. Service was impeccable. We ordered the bottle of the Dewazakura Boquet [$95]. They pour it for you and keep the bottle elsewhere and fill up your glass as it gets low. We opted for the Premium Omakase Experience [$150]/ person]. Each piece selected was amazing and full of flavor. They have chopsticks, a wet towel wipe and ginger at the table for you. Started off with a warm hand towel wipe. Ended the evening with some green tea and egg custard at the end. Loved every bit of this experience. We also ordered the Gold Osetra Caviar as one of the supplements that came a little over halfway through. Also very delicious.
Great experience. We did sushi counter since a few of the reviews suggested it. They were not wrong. Sushi was fresh and delicious and the chef explained every bite perfectly.