Authentic Japanese Ramen
Stir fry in Szechuan black bean sauce and roasted garlic. Five spice rubbed, grilled, ramen noodles washington dc tossed in tamarind BBQ sauce with a side of cucumber relish. Fried tofu with tempura tsuyu, grated ginger, daikon radish, kizami nori and bonito flakes. Izakaya (居酒屋) literality translates to"stay, alcohol, shop." In Japan, Izakaya is a casual place where friends can order drinks and snacks and hang out after work. At Akira, we serve many authentic Japanese izakaya snacks that pair well with your drinks and engage in your conversations and appetite.
Here’s where to find the comforting noodle dish around D.C. Indulge in an exquisite dining experience where noodle and sushi dishes come together, showcasing an array of vibrant flavors crafted from the freshest ingredients. This dining spot is perfect for both intimate meals and casual outings with friends, making it a go-to for any occasion. Expect friendly service and a menu that caters to various dietary preferences. Be sure to explore their outdoor seating for a laid-back experience.
Priced at $80 per person, brunch is available every Sunday from 11am to 2pm. Well-made drinks, an impressive listing of Japanese whiskey and a range of succulent Japanese fare highlighting robata-grilled preparations and sushi are the order of the day. Start off with the Toki old fashioned to accompany dishes that includes prawn and black cod gyoza, skewered chicken wings, soft-shell crab maki and yuzu cheesecake. The streets of Chinatown have been buzzing since the arrival of Japanese-Italian fusion spot Tonari on the block. And it’s warranted—the upstairs dining room feels like a lively celebration space and dishes run from unagi BBQ eel pizza to Korean garlic bread, many with a creative spin. A single, airy corn pizza comes with Japanese flour crust, crisp Detroit style puts ordinary pies to shame, and that garlic bread is rich with flavor.
Deep fried breaded minced shrimp with panko, served with sweet red sauce. Reservations available until 30 mins before closing.We prioritize the safety & well-being of our guests, strict food preparation practices, and hygiene standards. While we are proud to offer a variety of gluten-free dishes, our kitchen is not an allergen-free environment, and we cannot guarantee no cross-contact or cross contamination from gluten, soy, and other allergens. Many of us sought comfort food during the pandemic, but few spots delivered the homemade warmth of Momoyama, a small, cozy restaurant that’s blossomed into a monument-adjacent gem run by a kind elderly couple. The tenderness of the shaved bulgogi in their bento boxes resonates from one table to another, and a satisfying classic marinade comes through in each bite. You’ll lose track around dish #12, but don’t stop before trying the Tokyo ramen and sashimi, which are the highlights.
There’s even an incredible selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes so no-one gets left out. We recommend ordering one of their ramen bowls, or check out their happy hour for those delicious delicacies at a discounted price. Location on M Street, Nobu is the perfect splurge-worthy destination for a date night or celebratory dinner. And want to try the precursor to one of your fave Japanese dishes, make a pit stop at Reren. This Chinese brick-and-mortar has a full menu of traditional appetizers, entrees and dumplings, but boasts its homemade Lamen Noodles as a must-taste. Served in China for more than 4,000 years, Lamen Noodle Soup is kind of like Ramen’s Uncle.
It shares DNA with Daikaya and Bantam King, both among the top ramen spots in the city. Noodles are specially made in Japan and married in-house with the delicate Chintan stock. Grab a table in the narrow dining room, along the high-energy kitchen bar, or at a communal patio table and get slurping. Bowls of shio, shoyu, miso, or spicy shoyu soup can be customized with a whole range of additional toppings from butter to bamboo to a seasoned “nitamago” egg. As an added bonus, most of the ramen varieties are available in both large and small portion sizes, leaving flexibility to stop in for a snack or pair a bowl with another appetizer, like crab rangoon or smashed cucumbers. For those authentic flavors from Japan, head to Izakaya Seki.
The restaurants on this list are reliable bets for a variety of ramen riffs, including varying flavors, broths, and toppings. If you spot a line of bundled-up patrons on a chilly DC evening, they’re likely queuing for steaming bowls of ramen at Absolute Noodle and Sushi Bar. This cozy spot requires some timing savvy—they offer discounted prices from 5 to 7pm, so plan accordingly if you want to snag their high-quality sushi at very affordable rates.
A cornerstone in the Washington community, recognized for its outstanding Sushi cuisine, excellent service and friendly staff. Modern interpretation of classic dishes only made with high quality, fresh ingredients. This Adams Morgan stalwart for reliable raw fish got a big boost with James Beard Award-winning Japanese chef Masako Morishita at the helm. Choose from a long a la carte lineup of two-piece nigiri or sashimi and six-piece maki rolls; the morikomo platters are a good way to sample a variety. Morishita has fleshed out the menu with other creative items (and her Japanese breakfast sells out almost instantly), but sushi is still a major draw here. All of Bantam King’s ramens are spritzed with a wine spray, giving them a rich flavor you aren’t going to find elsewhere.
More traditional dishes make an appearance, too, including pork-filled onigiri and sashimi, but chef Daisuke Utagawa's training with José Andrés means even the familiar has unexpected elements. Reservations are available online, and they're a good idea; the sultry lighting and cool decor (red-backed bar shelves, manga wallpaper) encourage lingering at a table over another glass of saké or sochu. Yosaku, though boasting a menu mainly filled with sushi options, offers a tempura soba noodle soup. The dish is similar to udon but features buckwheat soba noodles, and comes with a side of shrimp tempura. He’s done just that as a franchise with more than 50 stores across the country. Prepackaged “ramen”—think 12-pack dehydrated bricks and Cup-o’-Noodles—have been a leading food group in college dorms since we can remember.
The coveted seats are at the 10-seat sushi bar that offers the best view of the action ($190). Find plenty of sake and Japanese whiskey for pairing options. The Japanese food hall’s classy sushi restaurant centers around omakase tastings ($85). Dinner starts with bite-sized seasonal snacks, and sushi courses showcase fish in both “old school” and “new school” preparations.
Bluefin, for example, arrives with a touch of soy and wasabi in the more traditional version, and “burnt” miso and foie gras in a modern interpretation. Diners can order optional upgrades like prized cuts of tuna, caviar, and wagyu. The restaurant recently introduced a generously portioned lunch omakase express option for $42.
BBQ spare ribs with lomain, stir-fried with bird-eye-chilli, bean sprout, carrot, basil, red bell pepper and onion. Roasted chicken breast, rice noodle, peanut, bean sprout, carrot, cabbage, cilantro, in tom kha style coconut soup. Glass noodle in tom yum soup with minced chicken, shrimp, bean sprout, scallions, cilantro and peanut.
The Suppon Kaiseki Tasting focuses on the very traditional soft-shell snapping turtle. Roam around, and you’ll find an array of authentic instant ramen noodles from top brands in Japan. An entire wall of shelves dedicated to ingredients for making Japanese food from home. Instead of relying on restaurants to provide Japanese cuisine, Hana Market allows you to elevate your home cooking with a variety of authentic Japanese ingredients from the source.