Osaka, 6669 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-256-0152 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]
They keep on putting not-quite-feasible Korean-Japanese restaurants in this space. This place is OK, but I don’t see any reason to think it will survive.
Sei, web site, 444 7th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-783-7007 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | Don Rockwell | Yelp]
Asian fusion, most of all Japanese but not just. If you go heavy on the small dishes and the sushi and sashimi you can have an excellent meal. The wasabi guacamole is quite interesting, as are the excellent pork buns. The “fish and chips” rolls are recommended as are many of the other rolls. Not cheap. All-white interior with a shi-shi crowd. Overall I have been glad the two times I ate here but beware that at least half of the main courses are boring. If you are afraid of leaving hungry, just stock up on the pork buns.
PADO Seafood Restaurant, 4231-E Markham Street, Annandale, VA, 703-256-3565
An average Korean place, with sushi and some Japanese dishes. Average in Annandale is pretty good, but there’s always above-average right next door, so I don’t think I’ll go back here.
Kotobuki, web site, 4822 MacArthur Blvd., Washington, DC, near U Street NW, on the second floor, 202-625-9080 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | MenuPages | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]
The best sushi right now and remarkably cheap, the sushi is only a dollar a piece, yet the quality is very high. A real find. I've been waiting for a price shake-out in the sushi market, and perhaps the time for that has come. The also have Saturday lunch and Sunday dinner, they don't take reservations. A Beatles soundtrack plays all the time. Don't expect good service or comfortable seating, but right now this place is essential dining. The shumai and lobster sushi are especially good, in addition to the usual winners.
Matsui Sushi, web site, 6408 Landsdowne Center, Alexandria, VA, 703- 550-6100, at Telegraph and Beulah, in Springfield, Fairfax County (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)
I have heard they have good sushi, have yet to go.
Temari, 1043 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD, 301-340-7720 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Highly authentic, too authentic some would say. Right next to a Japanese store and Japanese supermarket; patronized primarily by Japanese. More a cafe than a restaurant. If pork cutlet doused in ketchup is your thing, this is the place to go. Here you will encounter the other side of Japanese food.
Blue Ocean, 9440 Main Street, at Pickett Road, Fairfax, VA, 703-425-7555 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | Yelp]
Excellent, and attracts a largely Japanese clientele. More than just the usual teriyaki dishes, also. Worth having in the repertoire.
Matsuri, 150 Elden Street, Herndon, VA, 703-707-0367 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper]
Gets consistently good reviews. The sushi here is good but I prefer the main courses. The best miso soup around. Excellent tofu. Consistent main courses, although some are a bit sweet. This is not a place for purists and the bento boxes are not cheap. Recommended, an underrated restaurant, although I have heard that of December 2005 they have narrowed the menu significantly. (See "Matsuri: What Price Success?" by Eve Zibart, The Washington Post, January 6, 2006.)
Tokyo Inn Japanese Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant, web site, 6661 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA, 703-923-9800 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [openlist | Yelp]
I have yet to go, doesn’t look like anything original but almost certainly a welcome addition to the growing Springfield dining scene, it appears clean and attractively presented.
Atami, 3155 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-522-4787, Clarendon metro area (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
NOW CLOSED. They have both Japanese and Vietnamese food, and have been in decline for some time now.
Yama, 328 Maple Avenue, Vienna, VA, 703-242-7703 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Above-average sushi, and a good Vienna location. Good eel, a good place to know.
Akasaka, 514-C Van Dorn Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-751-3133, hard to see from the street, in the same mall as Savio’s, the Italian place. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Very solid Japanese, especially useful in an area that doesn’t have much first-rate Japanese food.
Arigato, web site, 13039 Fair Lakes Shopping Center, Fairfax, VA, 703-449-8404, closed Monday. To get there, take I-66 West to #55B, straight off the exit, left at the first light, then a left at the second light, into the big shopping center, look between the Hechinger's and Toys R Us. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [food-plan | openlist | Yelp]
Plus a branch in Fairfax: 11199-A Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA, 703-352-9338, where Germantown Rd. hits Rt. 29.
Very stylish and original, the best decor of any place on this list. The cardboard chairs are the best part of it all. Japanese food by Koreans, but still a good restaurant. Get the cream cheese dumplings as a side.
Tachibana, web site, 6715 Lowell Avenue, McLean, VA, 703-847-1771, there is also a branch in Bethesda (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
The best Japanese place in the suburbs. Not at all cheap, but the quality justifies the prices. Many entrees are in the $20 range.
Matsutake Hibachi Steak & Sushi, 4121 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-351-8787 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | food-plan (Herndon) | openlist | Yelp]
Also in Worldgate Shopping Center, 13049 Worldgate Drive, Herndon, VA, 703-787-3700, 320 S. 23rd Street, Arlington, VA, 703-412-5301, Kabuki Sushi, Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 202-789-1159, and Washington Reagan National Airport, National Hall Center, 703-417-0521.
One of the best of the sushi buffet places. All you can eat sushi for lunch, and the sushi is reasonably good. Some of the branches have teppanyaki as well. Is it the single best sushi place around? No. Will it start you wondering why you ever order sushi a’la carte? Yes.
Yuraku, web site, 19773 Frederick Road, Germantown, MD, 301-515-7448 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Recommended by a few of my correspondents, supposed to be very authentic and popular among Japanese.
Kaz Sushi Bistro, web site, 1915 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, near 20th, 202-530-5500 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
A mix of Japanese and fusion, both the beef and the sushi can be very good. It has much more variety than your typical Japanese place, you won’t get bored here even after a few visits. Washington needs more of this kind of place. Get the kobe beef. Lately, however, I’ve seen some signs of decline. It remains well above average, but beware.
Sushi-Ko, web site (Flash), 2309 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-333-4187, closed Monday. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
The best sushi around, after Makoto. Not cheap, but you can afford to eat here, also.
Matuba, web site, 2915 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-521-2811, also 4918 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-652-7449. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Good sushi, though no longer dominant as it once was. Now just another good place.
Makoto, 4822 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Washington, DC, 202-298-6866, closed Monday. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Ten small courses, (used to be $35), only four tables. A gem - one of Washington's best. The closest you will get to real Japanese haute cuisine here.
Raku, 7240 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-718-8680 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Yelp | | Gayot]
More Japanese than anything else. I used to like the old incarnation, I have yet to go here.
