Daikaya Review

Delicious and fast service! Although we had to wait an hour and a half to seat two people, it was well worth the wait!

To be honest the Ramen was less than average, but, the staff was really nice.

Everything from the food, to the drinks to the service was outstanding. Small plates, immense flagor, and thoughtful food. If that weren't enough the service was outstanding. Our first time here the manager went out of his way to take extra care of us and make sure we got the complete experience. Could not have been happier.

Thoroughly enjoyed all the food I had here -- there's an upstairs and a downstairs and they have slightly different menus, just to warn you.

Great ramen, recommend the vegetable ramen plus pork and egg and spice bomb. Any sake or a beer. The wait is usually 30 minutes for 2. We got in after 20 minutes. It's small we had bar seating thought but comfortable. Good service. Fresh ingredients.

I go to Daikaya nearly every week. Best shoyu around. Their noodles and broth are great and the additional of sauteed pork/onions/bean sprouts adds umami to the broth. Chashu is subpar (almost worth omitting from your bowl) but the other components of the ramen make up for this shortcoming. Much more traditional than Toki. Although both have their advantages, I prefer Daikaya.

Tip: If you want to try their ramen and hate to wait, go alone. The wait for two is usually at a minimum 45 minutes and typically closer to an hour. I have never waited more than 5 minutes when i go solo.

This place doesn't really any more reviews but it is amazing. We waited for 1.5 hours and that was on a friday night. Really good.

At this point, this is the best ramen in the District.

Solid ramen option. The wait is a total bummer but that's what happens in country-af DC when someone opens a place with decent food (or even a place without decent food, but with nice decor and overblown hype). The nitamago are done right and a delight btw... not some snot-nosed "63-degree" bs.

Hopefully I'll get around to trying the izakaya upstairs one day.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and Kirin beer. But ramen I ordered was a bit salty and greasy for me. Spicy one was even more saltier. Plus DC price warning here.

Friday evening (10pm)
The Ramen is amazing!

A little too expensive, but it's gotta be the best ramen in Chinatown. It seems that only the vegi ramen comes with vegetables so I usually get that and add an egg and pork belly, along with a spice bomb. Delicious but expensive to get a bowl with vegetables and meat combined.

This place is incredible. You will wait a minimum of 45 minutes for a table with wait times sometimes exceeding 1.5 hours. This is easily mitigated by going to the lovely bar upstairs as you wait for the greatest bowl of Ramen you will ever eat.

Ammmmmazing Ramen! I would seriously go again, food was devine!!

I was badly missing what was my favorite ramen on election day, so my husband and I decided to order carryout from Daikaya for the first time. when we got the food back home we followed the reheating instructions diligently but the result was awful! Both of our broths were insanely salty and the noodles were mush. The final product tasted nothing like what you get when you dine in. I would go as far to say it was not edible, and definitely not worth $50. We'll never order carry out again from this place.

(Daikaya) Highly subjective but one of more disappointing ramen experiences in DC. Veggie ramen USED to be a perfect dark soup with a lot of well-prepares toppings but this changed sadly. Bland, weak with hastily prepared toppings.

If you manage to get a seat, the ramen is delicious. There are no reservations, but they use a digital line service so once you get to the front of the line you can leave until your table is ready.

Delicious. Long wait but great service and delicious soup. Menu online is not the menu for downstairs.

We were on the second floor, which was small plates. Before you go, make sure you know what small plates actually are. In my picture: 12:00 ~$7, 3:00 ~$4-$4.50, 6:00 ~$7.50, 9:00 ~$4. So it's a bit expensive for the amount of food you get. The waitress said it is normally about 5 plates per person, which can add up quickly.

That being said, the food is very good. The have rotating specials and a very good selection of whiskeys. Very good service, very clean and fun atmosphere.

The food gets a 5. The host today was aloof and the music was very loud. That s personal. I don t care to hear R. Kelly at all yet alone really loud,

Comfortable, relaxed atmosphere; sometimes a little loud but great staff, food and drinks!

Visited Daikaya (downstairs) around 5PM on a Friday since we didn't have a lot of time in the city to wait in a potential line during later dinner hours. We were seated right away. The vegan ramen is superb. I will long for it now that I'm back home in FL where there is absolutely nothing like it. My hubs (a meat-eater and ramen aficionado) had the shoyu ramen with pork belly and spice bomb -- he enjoyed every last slurp. Very friendly and fast service.

The vegetarian remen was good and the sake was just the best out of any liquor I have taken very smooth and 19% alcohol content

Ramen was okay. Pork wasnt as soft as i would like it. Staff friendly. I like the check in process. They text you when your table is ready.

Really great ramen, fast. Great for work lunch or after work.

Very active place. I sat at the counter and met my neighbors. Fun to watch the food prep production. Service was quick and accurate. And I enjoyed the Sapporo ramen.

My first experience with Ramen and it was amazing. Will definitely miss it when I get back to miami.

Delicious!! Get the marinated egg with what ever Ramen you order! Soooooooooooooo yummy!

Super food, fantastic drinks, and wonderful service!

Came with a decent size group of 8. We were sat in a both which was tight totally our fault as we showed up with 2 more than our reservation so sitting was tight. But our service and food was well worth it. We ordered several (20+) dishes to share. Our server was great he had great recommendations and explained menu items perfectly. Grilled avocado is amazing and so much more. Definitely get reservations and check this place out. FYI no ramen up here only downstairs but dont worry you won't be did with this menu!

My Japanese friend really like here. I feel thts not bad. I took a Ramen based on soy source. I think miso Ramen is better.

This is the best meal I've so far in DC. It's popular and busy but for a good reason!! You can sit and watch your ramen being created before your eyes. And wow was it delicious. The broth was complex and perfectly seasoned. The noodles were the perfect consistency. I recommend this place to everyone.

The only place in the city I will have ramen. Great ingredients assorted for the best bowl of comfort food. Amazing atmosphere without all the annoying flashy arrogance typical of the hyped DC food scene. I am always comfortable there and the spice bomb changed my whole perspective on dining out.

Excellent ramen. Mugi miso had great flavor and the noodles were springy and chewy. Be prepared to wait (60-90 minutes for 2 people) - fortunately there are places nearby to have a drink while you're waiting for the text letting you know your table is ready.

First time here to try this hyped ramen shop in DC. Personally, I am only a tonkotsu broth person and thought their shoyu broth was just okay. A little bit too salty and tasted boring. The chashiu pork was just okay as well but at least their egg was cooked and tasted perfectly. The ramen noodles also cooked and tasted perfect. I like the idea of the bean sprouts on top packed mile high as opposed to be mixed in. I do not like to eat my ramen mixed in with bean sprouts-- so I would just eat all of the bean sprouts first. Would come back to give them another try for their miso.

I went to Daikaya. Their cat graphic is so cool! All of their tapas were excellent and they had an enormous selection of Japanese scotch and beer that I have never tried.

A really cool and busy place. It was packed at even off lunch times. But it s worth the wait if you like ramen. There is also a Japanese bar upstairs where you can get a drink and try a snack while you wait. The portions are little large and the broth is so tasty. Pair the ramen with a Japanese soda it goes very well with the food. You have a limited time (around 20-25 min) to finish your meal so keep that in mind.

Great food and relaxed atmosphere at lunch. The pork belly was delectable and shoyu ramen hit the spot. Thanks!

Great izakaya, inventive dishes. Tight seating - definitely recommend reservations.

While it kills me to pay $12 for ramen, it does live up the deliciousness hype! Delicious, nutritious and they even import their noodles from Japan.

Whatever noodle base you get (I prefer the traditional Shio Ramen) try adding some Chashu (roasted pork) or Nitamago (egg) to get the full experience.

Very good ramen spot. Doesn't compare to ramen on West Coast like in Sawtelle, but for DC, about as good as it gets. Not sure if best in DC as sakuramen in AdMo gives it a run for its money. But everything is fresh, authentic, delicious. Quick, friendly service. They have great staff. Small space so be prepared to wait during peak lunch hours. Overall, very good spot for$15 or less lunch.

My favorite ramen shop, i look forward to visiting the sister shops. It was nice to have a chuuhai with my ramen

Great ramen if you can find your way around a crazy wait time

The upstairs restaurant is a chic space. The DJ is super uninteresting and unnecessary, but the food is good. Plates are definitely small, so order a lot! Took quite a while to be seated despite having a reservation, but we got some free food.

Excellent food was wonderful the spicy ramen and dumplings were the best I have ever eaten. We had a short wait so we waited at the upstairs bar, the bartender was great, I asked for a gin and tonic he hand squeezed the grapefruit and the Japanese Gin Nikka Coffey Gin was superb. I would highly recommend this restaurant everything about it was wonderful.

It was so good my wife wanted to eat there again so were back. If you like Gin you need to try the Nikka Coffey Gin its fabulous the bar upstairs is a great place to wait for your table the bar tenders are great and the take your drinks down to you when your table is ready.

Long wait for the ramen bar, and some pressure to turn the table quickly, but absolutely worth it. The Shoyu packed amazing flavor and the Shio was light and aromatic. Cold draft Sapporo and gyoza on the side made for a delicious and incredibly satisfying meal.

Simply the best ramen I've had in the city. Beats Toki by a mile. The Spicy ramen is the ultimate flavor experience. Don't miss it.

This place was amazing. We went upstairs and sat at the bar which was a great decision. The bartender explained all the menu options, asked us about our tastes, and helped us pick an outstanding selection of dishes. When we were there they were servong their own homemade kombucha, and it was the best kombucha that I have ever had.

Amazing staff, unbelievable ramen, and great sake. what else could you ask for?

Pricey with super small portions. Some food was tasty and some was awful. Definitely wouldn't return to the upstairs dining... would give the downstairs ramen shop a try though.

Go here at least twice a month. Was stationed in Japan for years and this is authentic!

Took a minute to get a table but totally worth it. Spicy miso ramen was yummy. Huge bowl. Not sure where everyone puts it. Will definitely return!

Went during the February restaurant week, great experience

Awesome ramen. Some of the best ramen I have ever had. So tasty and full of flavor!

I've only been to the top floor during a off-time, so there was no crowd. The food was exceptional.

Cucumber salad was delicious, the cold ramen was even better. My favorite thing was the fried octopus balls, that was amazing and leaving me wanting more. I'd recommend as even I want to come back here as soon as possible.

If you are planning to eat here make sure you don't have any time sensitive plans after. They are always super busy, but the wait is worth it. I would gladly wait another 2 hours to eat here again.

DC novice in town from TX. Walked around trying to decide what to get and ended up here at the 1st floor. Delicious spot, glad I picked it. I will be going back next time I'm downtown. First ever 'ramen' experience and it did not dissapoint.

Very limited menu. Tiny piece of charsu, broth is way too salty, the stir fried bean sprouts and pork were either part of a burnt batch or that smoky flavor is an acquired taste!
Definitely NOT worth the wait! Very disappointed!

wonderfully delicious, with love, prepared little dishes. reasonable priced. the deserts are a big wummm - a wauuu wummm! and the cocktails! a mouthgasm. give it a shot - you will not be disappointed. look forward being back in DC. daikaya will be a fix stop in the itinerary.

Best ramen in or out of Japan . Amazing unctuous rich , we'll worth the wait . Solid drink selections and addons .

If you can't decide where you want to eat eat here, there I decided for you. The food is absolutely delicous. The only complaint I have was that the music was just a bit to loud to carry out a conversation and it can be really busy. But it is worth the wait no matter what.

The cacio pepe udon will have you returning multiple time along with the company of some fried eggplant with tofu ranch!

This was my first time at Daikaya and I was truly delighted and surprised by the amazing service and overall quality of the restaurant. The servers were amazing and knowledgeable. Their recommendations were also well thought out and he didn't try to upsell me at all. I would recommend this restaurant highly. I loved the cream croquette served during the happy hour the Brussels and Pork were to die for!

Loved this. Came here for an anniversary dinner and a much needed parents night out. The sizes and prices are excellent, ambiance was delightful and the food was seriously delicious. One of my better dining experiences of all time. Wish I could give it six stars. The little potatoes were to die for.

Very good ramen downstairs and the upstairs Izakaya is excellent, with a good mix of exotic, traditional, and less challenging (not that those are exclusive categories necessarily) dishes. Wonderful service.

My husband and I aren't big on Izakayas - too little food for its worth for most places. But being drawn by Daikaya's brunch menu, my husband and I decided to give it a try.

To our surprise, we were able to make our opentable reservation 15 minutes before arrival. In fact, the place was half empty where we could have walked in, be seated with no problem.

Not exactly sure of the portion size, my husband and I initially went with just 2 dishes. Our sweet waitress politely suggested to leave a menu with us and didn't criticize us for under-ordering at all. After eye-ing the dishes that were served at the nearby tables, we went with one additional dish - chicken and waffle, loco moco, and sisig.

Chicken and waffle - loved the wasabi butter and maple syrup combo. Although the fried chicken was a bit overcooked and dry, it was crunchy and well seasoned. The red bean taiyaki did not have the crunchy exterior I hoped for. However they didn't skim on the red bean paste filling. Overall, a satisfying dish for just $7!

Loco moco - my husband wasn't a big fan of the red wine gravy. I however thought it was pretty tasty. The beef patty could use a nice seared exterior. In fact, it was pretty mushy and fell apart almost immediately in the skillet. I would stick to another order of chicken and waffle.

Sisig - this was the let down of our meal. My husband and I always order sisig whenever we see it on the menu. This sisig was perhaps the worst one we've ever had. The pork pieces were dry, tough, almost inedible. Instead of crunchy, pan fried pork pieces, they were swimming in a oily? watery? layer of liquid. We mixed and mixed but it didn't get any better.

Disappointed by the loco moco and sisig, my husband decided to end our meal with their chocolate ice cream. Thank goodness for dessert, my husband left with a smile back on his face. The ice cream was perfectly sweetened, smooth, and silky. The banana chips added the perfect textural contrast and the miso caramel added an interesting savory element.

Overall - a hit/miss depending on what you order. Price point - not too bad for Izakaya! Would love to come back and give dinner a try and perhaps the ramen downstairs!

Incredible broth and noodles. The nitamago is absolutely the best item on the menu, seriously, order extra.

This was the best meal I have ever had in my life, I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Great food, great service. Grilled avocado was godly.

A tapas like experience where you'll need to order 3-4 plates per person depending on your selection. Our group of 5 ended up spending $50 per person with a drink each and shared deserts. Honestly everything was delicious, we had close to half the menu. The sake selection is broad and the sparkling sake is a fantastic bottle to share as dessert ($50+) this was if you include this it's $60/per person. Reservations are important there place was packed. The environment is very loud and lots of hustling by the runners of the food so conversation will be elevated across the table. I wouldn't recommend this as a place for a private discussion, but great for a bonding experience with friends or colleagues. I have not tried the ramen downstairs, but there was a long line and if it's anything like the food on the second floor (door to the left of the ramen entrance) it should be amazing.

The worst host ever. don't care anything about customer.
Worst customer service ever!!!! Owner better to train how to talk to customer!!!!!

I've tried the Shoyu & Miso birth. Both are amazing. This is easily my favorite ramen place.

Amazing food and excellent service. Quaint little place with a unique atmosphere.

Decent ramen with a broad range of choices are available on the first floor; pricier selection of fusion Japanese small plates are available on the second floor.

DC's Chinatown disappoints but Daikaya - Ramen didn't. All three ramen were on point (Shoyu, Spicy Miso and Shio). The broth is perfect and not so salty like most places we had. It's probably the 2nd best ramen we had thus far next to Ippudo in NYC.

Amazing food and atmosphere, will definitely be back

Consistently good ramen, it's crowded but worth it. I've always had a good experience here.

This is our favorite place for Ramen - hands down, no questions, end of story!
If you did not get it, I must have eaten ramen (and not the grocery store kind) at many many different locations. There have been many that I would rather forget eating, and some that have been good to very good and even a few that have been great. But nothing is in the same league as Daikaya. Of course, I am not considering any ramen that you have to take out a second mortgage for.

I have been coming to Daikaya for a long time now and generally get the Shoyu ramen. Everything from the broth to the noodles to the meat to the eggs are outstanding and have been consistently good during this time.

The noodles are something that sets this place apart from other Ramen places (NYC, international ramen hotspots).

The soup is quite good - love the flavor and the taste!

I generally get an extra egg and the meat - both are totally worth the extra cost!

The space is limited here so plan on having a long wait time. We generally get on the list and hop over to one of the watering holes next door for a drink or two :)

Even the takeout is acceptable from Daikaya. Though nothing can beat the experience of having it fresh, at the restaurant, but their takeout model works good too.

Bottom line, this is a must on anyone's list that is interested in Ramen!

The ramen section is always crowded, but the tapas are so good that they make up for not getting ramen.