I had dinner here recently. Nice little restaurant /lounge /bar. The seaweed and octopus salad were excellent. The sushi is ok. The sushi selection is a little unusual. You will not find the typical rainbow roll, caterpillar, green dragon selections. Instead they have a listing of «signature rolls» that include a lot of selections that use spicy tuna, scallops, or chicken.
Clinton L.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Arlington, VA
After the amazing sashimi dinner I had last week, I had to come back again to try their omakase! It was heavenly! Hands down the best sushi place and omakase I’ve ever tasted in my life. Chef Peter is truly an amazing chef with refined techniques and creations. Their specials of the night: kobe beef, foie gras, uni, chu toro, yellowtail belly, salmon belly. Can you honestly tell me you wouldn’t want to eat any!!! They all sounded so good and were all a part of my omakase course. The omakase consisted of:(in order that it came out) 1. Chu Toro(Fatty Tuna) w/Foie Gras on top 2. The amazing stack of delicious goodies: monk fish, chu toro, scallops, uni, ikura, special sauce 3. Kobe Beef w/Foie Gras on top 4. Sashimi of the day: Chu toro, Yellowtail belly, Salmon Belly 5. The winner: rice, eel, foie gras, tuna. He won a competition with this dish! 6. A sushi roll with uni, ikura, and chu toro in the middle. baby octopus and quail egg on top. 7. Ginger ice cream on their birds nest and a tiramisu to finish I’ll be back again really soon! Parking lot is in the back shared with pork barrel bbq. Be sure to read my sashimi dinner review if you aren’t down to spend the $ 60. But I will say, you will NOT regret spending the $ 60 to eat chef Peter’s creations. It is so worth every penny!
Hannah H.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Alexandria, VA
WHEREHAVE I BEENFORTHEPAST2YEARS?! I never knew that The Sushi Bar had been part of the Del Ray neighborhood for a couple of years now. This small, unassuming sushi restaurant with a small obscure sign, owned by Chef Saran(also known as ‘Chef Peter’, who apparently trained under Chef Hiroyuki Sakai, my most favorite Iron Chef of all time!!!) Kannasute, offers literally one of the best ‘contemporary’/‘creative’ omakase that I’ve experienced!!! The hubs and I came here for a little date night, and calling in advance, found out that the restaurant does not take any reservations — first come, first serve. When we arrived, we only waited for about a few minutes to sit at the sushi bar in the back. The hubs and I decided to go with the omakase — and, I’m so glad that we did!!! We started off with some authentic Japanese Kobe tataki(!!!), with some microgreens and a house sweet sauce — slightly seared, the Kobe was cooked perfectly and subtly tasted grilled; Blue Fin tuna with some duck pâté and tobiko; salmon belly nigirizushi with fresh ginger sauce; some bluefin tuna tataki with sesame; toro tataki with some garlic ponzu, carpaccio sauce, spicy sesame oil, and schichimi togarashi; one that won competition in south Florida — rice, eel, foie gras, and tuna; and, a tower of fatty tuna, sea urchin, monkfish, ikura, tobiko, garlic ponzu, and chili lime sauce. The uni/sea urchin was literally one of the most freshest, most creamiest, and the most delicious uni I’ve head in ages — it had such a clean and wonderful taste, I was super pleasantly surprised! The eel? Perfectly grilled and had the perfect ratio of the sauce. None of our plates needed a dip in the soy sauce or anything — everything was perfect seasoned, dressed, and drizzled on! For dessert, we were presented with a black sesame ice cream on a crispy phyllo bird’s nest — super amazing!!! The crispy phyllo nest had a lovely drizzle of honey, and the black sesame ice cream was not too sweet and a great complement — a wonderful way to finish the meal! Each plate was beautifully-presented, creative, had great attention to detail, and all the fish was just super fresh and wonderful — you can really taste the quality! Chef Kannasute and Chef JJ were both super sweet, friendly, and welcoming, and the staff(Kirin, Ashley, and Nathan) were all just super awesome and attentive!!! :D The hubs and I were both huge fans and really believe that this is literally the best restaurant in VA!!! Even better, the omakase also changes, so just let the Chef know and he’ll always provide a different, creative offering the next time!!! Just note that the sushi bar has only 6 seats, so you may have some wait — however, it’s totally worth it! I also LOVE the fact that this place is 18+, so no screaming/whining kids(there may be some adults doing these acts, but that’s a whole another story AHAHA). The restaurant has a deep red décor, is clean, small, and cozy. Definitely check this gem of a sushi restaurant out — you will NOT be disappointed!!! :D :D :D +order the omakase!!! :D :D :D +contemporary and creative = keep that in mind! :D +super fresh fish!!! :D +black sesame ice cream for dessert! :D +ask for Chef Kannasute and Chef JJ: D +ask for Kirin, Ashley, and Nathan: D +18+ only! +limited street parking off of Mount Vernon! +located in between Holy Cow and Pork Barrel
Jasmin Z.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Alexandria, VA
This place is incredible! I will start by saying that the service could be a lot better, to match the quality of the sushi. However, the food is so incredible, that you almost forget about the –sometimes– indifferent staff. The avocado salad is amazing! And every single roll I have tried has blown my mind away. I am not sure if they do not actually have a desert menu. Every time I have been there, we are just told about the deserts when we ask. I know several places do this, so it does not bother me. However, the deserts we have had here are so great, that we are surprised that they are not written on the menu. Tip: Get the fresh lump crab meat when you have the option to chose the type of crab meat. It is a bit more expensive, but oh, so worth it!
DeerEyes M.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Falls Church, VA
The atmosphere is very cozy. You can sit on a couch, or at the bar. We sat at the bar(corner side). My friend and I ordered several sushi rolls; we loved them all: salmon lover, dream roll, crazy monkey roll, del ray roll, and after rain roll. We also ordered the octopus salad based on other Unilocal reviewers and did not like it. It was cold and just tasted weird. It was not spicy at all. Our server/bar attendant was very nice and paid attention to us(when our drinks were low, she filled them up fast). All in all, I loved this place and would definitely go back!
Kharen S.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Vienna, VA
Moved into the Shirlington area and found this hidden gem. So far it’s my go-to sushi spot. The quality of the food is great, consistent, and insanely affordable for what they serve. I recommend the spicy miso soup to start off and ask for their sushi specials because sometimes they offer the scallop rolls. Which melt in your mouth. Anytime I’m craving sushi, I come here every time and fully satisfied. The service and staff are pretty good too. No complaints.
Shellie D.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 Alexandria, VA
I want to make this review constructive but all I can think of writing is «Hated it». While it wasn’t horrible, I will never come here again. Customer service was good. Venue was nice. But this sushi bar fails miserably in the authenticity department. I am no sushi connoisseur, but this was mediocre at best. Seaweed salad — didn’t taste fresh. Too much peanut oil. Took two bites and left it alone. My friend finished it for me. So I guess it wasn’t too bad. Decent portion. Ceviche — WASTEOFMONEY!!! It was a half cup of ceviche which consisted mostly of tomatoes. Odd mix of seafood. Flavor was off. Not worth $ 8!!! A roll with scallops(a special for the night) — Cooked scallops with spicy mayonnaise laid over a cold avocado roll. Not a fan! Crazy monkey roll — the best thing I tried tonight! Although I’m not crazy for smoked salmon, and a lot of cream cheese was used… It was still good. Nice flavor due to the smoked salmon. Overall… Not a fan. This is an American Japanese restaurant. Not real Japanese. I spent $ 30… What a waste! Somebody give me my money back!!!
Joel W.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Alexandria, VA
I took my foodie friend here when it was a special occasion and we became fans from the first time. I love that its local and a small business. The food was fantastic and creative. This isn’t a rookie sushi shop, they push the boundary on flavor and fusion here! The salads are wonderful and the sushi is travel worthy! I have to say that I don’t really see the difference in sushi most times but this place is by far and away a cut above the rest… you see what I did there… a cut… never mind!
Kelly C.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Washington, DC
Kudos for The Sushi Bar for being a 18+ establishment in a place where the streets are teeming with toddlers, mine included. It’s refreshing to enter a place knowing you won’t have to see poor parents negotiating with these adorable little masterminds while trying to have a night out. Again, us included.(And how ridiculous would it be to try and craft a sushi kids menu? I don’t think«raw fish sticks» and«grilled octopus skewers» would be pleasing for the 5 and under crowd.) Despite its less than original name, The Sushi Bar makes up for its creativity in its dishes. We ordered a delicious sampling that included the famed baby octopus salad, the tuna tartare, & the winner starters, and the salmon lover and dream rolls. The salmon nigiri tasted like butter, in the best way. I ordered a flight of sake, which included a detailed explanation from the waiter, which was entertaining and appreciated, although probably lost on me and my unrefined sake palate. At least I didn’t drop any into my beer and shout«sake bomb!» The bartender took much care in crafting my husband’s old fashioned, and gave an equally prepared speech to explain its construction, possibility trying to outdo the sake flight master. Good service, tasty sushi, thoughtful drinks, sans kids… everybody wins.
Buddy G.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 Alexandria, VA
I’m sitting here after 20 minutes of waiting for our sushi order. Here’s the deal… It’s a busy, but not full restaurant. We had to remind our server about our appetizer, after we received our first round of rolls and sashimi.(Good by the way) The wait is for our second round of rolls. Drinks are empty, server is embarrassed by the kitchen, so chooses to avoid us instead of address us. So… Food is good, service not so much. P. S. I’m not from the DC area, so not being overly pretentious like most folk around here;)
Barbara G.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Washington, DC
Cool place. I wanted sushi but didn’t feel like fighting for parking in Old Town Alexandria. I used my trusty Unilocal app and found The Sushi Bar. Thank goodness! Tucked away in family friendly Del Ray, this sushi spot is very swanky. For one, there is no signage on the front that says The Sushi Bar. There is only a single black flag with a white kanji symbol for«dream.» Once you’ve figured out you’re in the right place, there is a small sign on the door that says«18 and older only.» Wow! Not expecting that, but it’s nice to know that this is a grown up place. Inside, you’ll see why. The restaurant is small with a sophisticated atmosphere. There is an open kitchen and a large selection of sake(20 types to be exact) and other adult beverages. Happy hour every day! We got great service and the food was delicious. Baby octopus salad and ceviche were outstanding. Everything was tender. You won’t feel like you’re chewing on rubber like in some places. The nigiri and rolls were fresh and yummy. My favorite thing — you can request real lump crab in place of any imitation crab listed on the menu. Just $ 1 more. Yes please! We got the crab roll, yellowtail and jalapeño roll, and one of the evening’s specials — soft shell crab roll. The jalapeño roll was not as spicy as I was expecting(or hoping), but I just added a little wasabi for the kick I wanted. Otherwise, I enjoyed them. And the nigiri sushi were all divine — tuna, salmon, yellowtail, mackerel, and eel all melted in your mouth. Next time I’m in the area, I will definitely come back for more sushi.
Jason R.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Arlington, VA
WHAT a cool, unique place! It’s a sushi tapas bar! The chef is enormously talented and creative, and the small plate dishes are cheap($ 5 – 10), exciting, and DELICIOUS. The Baby Octopus Salad is one of the best things I’ve ever had. The sushi itself is fresh and delicious — the uni(often TERRIBLE some places) was delicious, fresh, and sweet. If you’re looking for a new, fun place to try, check out this trendy but small/quiet lounge in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria! We will be going back, for sure!
Fez A.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Arlington, VA
Ambiance is very romantic and hip. The setting and staff allows you to stay, relax and drink flavored sake(pear sake was delicious — we got a bottle for $ 19). The child-free(no kids under 18) helped add to the ambiance. Sushi rolls were smaller, so I recommend getting more than the normal number of sushi(maybe double the amount of sushi you would normally get). 1. Del Ray was least favorite: one-note and«dry» wrapper. 2. Kamikaze roll was our favorite. The fried potatos were a unique part of the sushi 3. Sushi«finger sandwiches» were delicious and a cool shape. Good to add to the mix of sushi. 3. Tuna tataki appetizer was ok. Fresh but bland. Also, I think they serve food fairly late(one time we went after 10pm). Great late night sushi dinner for those who don’t want the usual takeout options! Free parking available in back.
Angela E.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Alexandria, VA
We were looking for a new sushi place to try and found this on Unilocal(of course!). Parking can be a little challenging because it’s all street parking in Del Ray and this little town is quite popular. We had a little trouble finding the restaurant and had to follow the street address to the correct one. It is 2 buildings to the right of The Dairy Godmother. I love that this place has a rule that you must be 18 or up to come into the restaurant. The restaurant is pretty small and has a trendy and more intimate atmosphere. We were led to the corner to a tiny square table with a couch that lined the entire wall. It was the perfect angle to see the whole restaurant. The server was very friendly and talked about all of the specials. We started off with an order of the edamame and then had a hard time deciding which rolls to go with. Everything looked so good! We eventually ordered 4 rolls to share, including the dream roll and the volcano roll. Both were absolute wins here. When the food came out, the presentation of the plates were awesome. They are large plates with a small bowl in the middle, where the sushi is placed. There is a yummy sauce that is used to decorate the plate. I have never seen sushi displayed like that. After we finished dinner, it was very easy to get the check and be on our way. I love that. Overall, it was a great experience and I will definitely be coming back for more.
Christopher S.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Alexandria, VA
I am breathing a huge sigh of relief having finally come across a sushi joint in Alexandria that finally gets it right. The next three best options in the area(Momosushi, Zento Sushi, Ichiban) need to elevate their game significantly to match this place in quality, creativity, ambience, value, service, and presentation(i.e. everything). Don’t be fooled by the lackluster title bearing the kanji character for«dream», since I had to pinch myself at the end of the meal to believe I just experienced a stellar sushi dinner with a creative array of small plates accompanied by a final pricetag that would make Sushi Taro in DC seem like a Vegas resort property. From its quirky location to the young chef who originally hails from Thailand and its ultra-modern lounge décor with no children allowed(translation– great date spot), the elements do not make perfect sense but rather make perfect nonsense. Serendipitously migrating from Delray Beach, FL to the Delray neighborhood within Alexandria, Chef Saran«Peter» Kannasute is a passionate, engaging, and competitive chef who has not only emerged victorious in a cooking competition or two but literally trained under one of the original Japanese Iron Chefs(Hiroyuki Sakai, the one dressed in red with the killer ‘stache back in the halcyon days of The Food Network). One can check out his well-honed knife skills in a few videos posted on the restaurant’s facebook page. The food is beautifully plated and the raw elements are amongst the freshest I have encountered since exploring the sushi scene in the DMV. The meal began with a baby octopus salad that was aggressively marinated with a solid punch of spice and excellent texture that fell in that perfect sweet spot between crispy and chewy. I could pop these delicate little morsels in my mouth all day with a tall glass of beer. A perfect foil to the first dish would be the crudo of yellowtail topped with thinly sliced jalapeño, red tobiko, and spicy lime dressing. Masterful executed where the yellowtail’s natural flavor is not overshadowed by its supporting cast since they provide subtle accents of acid, spice, and umami to round out each successive bite. The dish of the night would be the one of the chef’s specials of the night: kobe beef tataki. An ephemeral kiss of the blowtorch provides a lingering smokiness as the sublime slices of Japanese beef literally melts in one’s mouth. Next up was the salmon lover roll: perhaps my least favorite since the flavors all seemed a bit muted although it could also just be an unfair comparison having followed three all-star dishes. I appreciate the creativity of using small bits of crisped red beet as a colorful substitute for those ubiquitous fried crunchy bits popular in Westernized sushi, and the plating is definitely much more meticulous and thoughtful compared to similar offerings in Old Town. Being my first time here, I opted for the sashimi dinner(14 pieces) as the main course to get a broad survey of their raw fish selection, and upon hearing a mere $ 5 extra to upgrade to two pieces of uni, salmon belly, fatty toro, and monkfish liver, I replied yes faster than one can say«fresh ground wasabi», which provided yet another unexpected enhancement that I would expect at typically the finest of establishments. Throw in a few pieces of white tuna, raw scallop, red snapper, and mackerel, and I began to wonder if I was the fish being baited and switched for an exquisite sampling of the sea for under 30 bucks(spoiler alert: the price is right) Del Ray is one of those eccentric neighborhoods that at first glance does not seem to have the look of one with highly discerning palates or foodie proclivities, yet somehow slowly but surely it has begun to amass it’s own menagerie of hot spots such as The Dairy Godmother, M E Swing Coffee, and Reserve 2216. As part of a restaurant conglomerate wedged between Holy Cow and Pork Barrel BBQ, perhaps it will be Chef Peter who will prove to be their cash cow and prize-winning pig if the neighborhood continues to embrace this rising star. Verdict: 4.5 stars Pro tip: don’t miss their happy hour from 5−7pm with great deals on rolls and beers.
Annie K.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Fairfax, VA
The Sushi Bar is the perfect date night spot if you’re in the mood for sushi. Located in the quaint neighborhood of Del Rey, the restaurant has a «no kids under 18» policy which is nice for parents and couples who want an intimate night out. The restaurant itself is small and has a «lounge-y» vibe with a few tables on the walls and a bar with a variety of alcohol on the shelves. The appetizers and rolls are inexpensive, but the portions are small. I liked it because I’m usually the type to over order and end up eating everything and feeling overly stuffed because I don’t want to waste food. We started off with the baby octopus salad, yellowtail jalapeño and the salmon carpaccio, and ordered 5 rolls: naked roll, sashimi roll(both wrapped in cucumber), crunchy salsa roll, volcano roll, and the Japanese sandwich roll. I enjoyed all of the rolls except for the Japanese sandwich because it was cut into diagonal slices and it was a little hard to eat. I was surprised by the freshness because the fish literally melted in my mouth! As for dessert, I opted for the black sesame ice cream on top of a birds nest. It was HEAVENLY. The birds nest had honey and tasted just like Frosted Flakes cereal! The service was attentive throughout our meal. I’ll definitely come back to try their chef’s omasake next time!
Gwen B.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Arlington, VA
After reading the reviews, I decided to give the Sushi Bar a try for takeout on a Friday night. As always, I used Unilocal to decide what I should order. I chose not to get the Dream roll with tempura shrimp simply because I think that would be a roll that’s better eaten on-site rather than to go. I opted for the baby octopus salad to start with. It was fresh and tasty, I would recommend it if you like octopus. For my entrée, I decided on the Del Ray roll and Crazy Monkey roll. I liked both a lot, they were well made and delicious. I would give the slight edge to the Crazy monkey simply because I thought the cream cheese gave it a smoother taste. The jalapeños on the del Ray were yummy but slightly spicy for me. Overall, I think this is definitely my favorite sushi place thus far in the Arlington/Old Town area. I’ll be back soon for another sushi fix!
Mary Kate M.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Washington, DC
My friend Sara and I came here tonight for happy hour where we enjoyed some of the basic maki rolls for $ 4 a piece. She ordered a Japanese beer taking the suggestion from Patrick, the bar manager, for what to select. It was similar to a Guinness with less froth and more taste. We ordered the spicy crab, shrimp tempura roll, 2 philly rolls, and I ordered the avocado salad with lump crab versus crab stick which is simply imitation crab. All was consumed and very delicious. Sara was raving about the place. She was thoroughly impressed with The Sushi Bar, and is dying to return. I told her it is my go-to spot for great quality sushi. They offer an excellent happy hour beyond the standard sushi offerings, but if they have the basics down — you know the specialty rolls are going to rock on just as wonderful. Happy hour is pretty solid with rail, house wine, beer, and sushi specials all VERY reasonably priced. I can’t emphasize enough how much I truly enjoy visiting here. If you want to know more about it – just visit. You won’t be disappointed. Just one key note you should be aware of – they offer smaller portions meant to be shared. Sort of like tapas for sushi. Maki rolls come with 5 pieces.
Katie S.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Springfield, VA
4.5 stars. So this is the Sushi place I remember hearing about on the news that prefers it’s guests be 18 and over? I get it. It’s pretty lounge-y and doesn’t really have a family friendly vibe. I think everyone in the area is aware of that by now, and they do have a sign on the door that says so, but I figure I will mention it here too, just so we are all on the same page. That said, yes, it is a very modern, very elegant, very lounge like feeling. You walk in and are immediately greeted with a smile and whisked to a table, or offered a seat at the bar. It is an extremely intimate space, so plan accordingly. Sidenote: If you are tall and end up at a table sitting on a square pillow/seat thing you are going to feel super awkward, so be ready for that. They have two flights of sake on the menu and I thoroughly enjoyed sampling the unfiltered ones. The sushi is very fresh, priced appropriately and there are some great beverage pairing choices available. My favorite rolls were the Del Rey, the Crazy Monkey and the After Rain. Yummy! The staff was ridiculously friendly and attentive and I will definitely be back when I am in the area! What a great spot for a sushi date.
Charles H.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Arlington, VA
I had a decent experience at the Sushi Bar in Del Ray. The flight nigorizake provided some normalcy and calmness as I was not comfortable sitting on their mini seat cushion since I’m taller than the average Asian. Also, the bar stools were not comfy as they probably originated from Ikea. I understand some people dig Ikea furniture but IMO I haven’t found it too fond for my liking. Nevertheless, I didn’t stop the dining experience due to comfort as we ordered the sushi dinner, edamame, del ray roll, spicy shrimp roll, chef choice and cali roll. Although the quality and freshness were on point, I feel the rolls were a bit smaller than what I’m used to eating. Despite the seating and small portions, the service was über friendly!