Daikaya Reviews

Daikaya deserves 5 stars across the board; amazing food, exceptional service, good prices, and a fun casual atmosphere. They are a must! There can be a little bit of a wait, but once you get on their waitlist they'll text you when your table is ready

Really good food and cocktails. Chill vibe. Fun place.

The food was great apart from the rice dish. That seemed pretty bland compared to the other dishes.

Ordered the first ramen in the menu, sorry didn't find it particularly delicious, very average

We came here due to great reviews and awards. I think they were voted best in the area. However, we felt differently after dining here. It was average at best. We wemt woth what our waiter recommended and then some. After sampling a variety of offerings, nothing is memorable. We gave it three stars due to the ambience. Otherwise, the food is at best 2 stars.

Best Ramen I've ever had. The Miso ramen is my ramen of choice.

Oops .. Even though I went alone, the waiting time is 20 minutes and the second floor is Izakaya. I'm sitting here waiting for a while .. I'm bored to wait, but I ordered a cranberry beer. Photographed by Shouramen. While in Washington, I'm going to go and eat something else.

There is only one word to describe it: DELICIOUS! He was only one person so there was no need to wait, the waitresses offer orientation from the first moment and the kitchen staff is very nice.

Very tasty and enjoyable bowl. I ordered the mugi-miso ramen with egg and thought it was fantastically balanced. The broth was extra thick and had perfect notes of fatty-ness to it, the noddles were cooked well and the salt in the broth was a tad too salty for my tastes, but still satisfying. I have had ramen all over the world and in Japan, and this ramen hit the spot for a quick lunch. I did feel a little rushed with the check coming out when I was about 2/3rds of the way done with the bowl, and when I was taking my time with the last 1/5th of the bowl, a busboy came up to me prepared to take my bowl before I told him I wasn t just done yet. It s a busy spot, and I get it, but it would have been nice to have some more time uninterrupted and not rushed out.
Great spot for ramen right across the capital one arena.

Delicious! Definitely one of the best Ramen places I've visited in terms of flavor and consistency. Quick service and lovely staff. It can get busy around peak hours, but I've never had to wait too long for a seat.

Cozy vibe, but the food is mediocre and the service is lackluster. Go to Haikan for ramen instead. And if you really want good whisky, go to The Alex Speakeasy in Georgetown.

Really great noodles and tasty broth. No extras needed, but the extra toppings can really liven up the base bowl. The spice bombs are also very flavorful and not too spice. Great atmosphere, but go early before the lunch rush hits so you can get seated quickly.

I"m ready to go back already!

Friendly bar staff upstairs in the Izakaya. Food is good overall. Chicken Kara-age is tender and juicy. Check out this place if you enjoy Japanese food.

Hands down one of the best ramen spots!! Small location, so there's usually a wait but definitely worth it!!

There only thing i hate about this place is the waiting time is too long. Otherwise in terms of food they do a decent job

Great ramen broth and perfect portion size to not be overly full or hungry. Fast service. Pretty cool that a lot of customers dined solo here.

being heard about this Japanese Ramen restaurant for a long time and firstly came tried their Spicy Miso Ramen 2 weeks ago. Sadly, the ramen didn't surprise me. Too plain to compare with my expectation.

Staff very knowledgeable about restricted diets. Vegan ramen was bomb. Noodles were on point, not too chewy, not too light. We added corn and extra noodles, good choice. A little heavy on the onions, but that's ok. My partner and I both felt bloated after one bowl shared. Very good sign. However, we did have to wait about an hour (56 minutes) for a seat, so that kind of sucks. I hate places like that, but this was recommended. Was it worth the wait? Not if you're hungry, but of you're vegan and you want a non-fusion dish, then sure.

If you like ramen you won't be disappointed, late high quality bowls, you can make it as mild or as spicy as you want.

Really interesting menu, preparation and service were excellent. Knows exactly what it is.

Delicious ramen and cocktail. Great music. Satisfyingly quick service.

Man....that was some excellent food right there!!!!!

Food was good, but the portions to price ratio is pretty far off. The little cup of beer I received I wouldn't not even call a half pint.

We came to try ramen here as we were really craving it on a cold day. My wife ordered the spicy miso and I got the shoyu (picture). I really wanted to like it and give it 5 stars but could not. The ramen was a bit salty for my taste, it was still a decent bowl of ramen. We arrived at 5:15pm and the wait was for two hours. Do come early! Definitely not worth the 2 hrs wait. I would say the ramen here is worth about a 30 minutes wait or less. We are from out of town so maybe this is the best that you can find in DC. Wait staff was awesome but the ramen just not worth the long wait.

So good, and so filling. Lil expensive but definitely worth it.

Been to Japan a couple times, and while I can t tell you that this is as good as the real stuff, I can easily say that it is probably some of the best ramen I ve tried in the US.

It's delicious, but it doesn't seem to be enough to visit and eat. Friendly. Delicious, but generally just okay.

The food is phenomenal and quite reasonable for what you get. The two of us got fifteen dishes and some drinks for about $140 - we were ready to splurge so it felt good. Favorites were there pork Brussels sprouts, the chocolate ice cream dessert, the beef tongue, the egg custard.

Always a great experience, the ramen is always amazing. If you're from out of town I would highly recommend, if you do live in the area and never been gooooooo

Really solid ramen place. Not quite as good as Toki Underground but still really good. Be prepared to wait a bit as they're usually packed.

The ramen soup was extremely good at a very reasonable price. Only negative they didn't have hot tea

First time Japanese food and I liked it. I cannot say whether it is good or bad but it is interesting and different from anything I have had before.

Always a favorite. Really nice that you can go downstairs, put your name on the list, then go upstairs for a drink and go back down when your receive the table is ready text message. Some of the best ramen I've had and also a great vibe and drink selection. So good!

I am disgusted with the rude attitude of THREE different servers. The only reason I am leavong a two star, is that the food was excellent and prompt. This was my first time, and my last. We attempted to ask questions about the food, and drinks and were met with unanswered questions and a feeling of being unwelcome. We asked to pay the bill after the meal, and were told to sit down and wait, even though we had been waiting for quite some time.

Double veggie, with the veggie spice bomb is amazing. It took me almost half a year to be able to make it back here and it lived up to expectations.

Best Miso Ramen I have tried. Also, they have the kitchen in front of you, so you can see all how they do, and it's very interesting. If you go alone and sit in the bar, you will have very few qeue time.

Best place for Ramen. Reserve before you go. Trust me, you would wait a minimum of 45 minutes if you do not have a reservation.

Amazing food but the seating situation can lead to some long waits before you get to order

Daikaya is one of my favorite ramen spots. Expect a wait and i would avoid large groups, try to keep it less than 4.

The Ramen is good, but not WOOW.
No water bottle, a lot of beverages were not available. The stool could be better.

Great tasty spot for Ramen. The ingredients were fresh and the seasonings were tasty at an affordable price. I recommend calling in to reserve a spot before arriving since this place is packed during peak hours.

Was expecting much more reading the reviews of this place. The ramen was good but not great, was lacking richness in flavor, and the server forgot to give me the drink I ordered.

Always delicious Ramen. Shoyu Ramen is my favorite, it's darker and comes with that delicious egg. I like sitting at the bar top to watch them cook. The only downside is the size of the place and the sometimes long wait. Service is always excellent though!

Hands down my fav place to go for Ramen in DC. The serivce is second to none and so is the Ramen! You walk in hungry and you leave feeling like you're ready to go to sleep! Trust me, I've done it! Spicy Miso is the only way to go!

From Salt Lake to Sapporo the best ramen I've ever had was here! Add a soft boiled egg to anything you order.

Daikaya is my favorite place to go to eat ramen: the menu includes only 5 types of ramen, also in the spicy and vegetarian version, and gyoza. On wooden counters you can eat side by side. The portions are abandoned and it is the only place in DC where I have to queue to eat. It does not accept reservations, but if the wait is very long, you can go upstairs for a snack or a beer to trick the wait.

Izakaya is the name of the restaurant on the top floor. Here you do not eat ramen, but a selection of dishes of refined Japanese cuisine. Of course, at first glance what is striking is the atmosphere of the room: the lights are dim but not too much, you will still have the opportunity to see what you eat, the tables offer a fantastic atmosphere of privacy and the furniture is very nice. The flagship is the wide choice of Japanese liqueurs, from beers to sake to "endangered" spirits. I find it ideal for a romantic dinner.

Awesome ramen and good vibes in a cool space! Spicy ramen had a good kick to it but really enjoyed it.

Being vegetarian limits the options, but the food is still fantastic. I appreciate that the spice bomb comes both vegetarian (spicier) and pork(savory-spicy). The mushroom top is the best part of the vegetarian bowl; be sure to savor it! Learned from our stranger neighbours about the connecting restaurant/bar upstairs. Great cocktails and thank you for the texting/no wait app use.

Izakaya in the 2F is far the best Japanese Izakaya you will find in D.C period. Two reasons for that:

First, there really isn't any other real Japanese Izakaya (comparing interior, food quality, menu choices) in Northern Virginia/DC. Hey NOVA/DC, you guys are really behind...really.

Second, even if there were a lot more Izakayas coming up, this one is actually really good quality. Good fusion food, and authentic skewers. Customer service is awesome always (visited more than 10 times). Been to many Izakayas in Japan, and for the U.S version, this stands out really well in every perspective.

Vegetarian ramen broth was perfect. Well balanced salt and spice; no one offered but didn't feel like adding anything to change that balance!

Small restaurant, but lively atmosphere. The music was a bit too loud for my taste. The ramen wasn't particularly aesthetically appealing but the dish was pretty good overall. The service was friendly.

I went here nice and overall the experience was a good one. The waiter was friendly and the food came out pretty fast. In terms of flavor, the broth is very flavorful. I got the miso broth and it was good enough to have on its own. The pork was alright, it was tender but not as tender and flavorful as the one from sakuramen. I would probably go again if I am around the area. (The presentation is not all that unfortunately)

Ever wondered what top tier Maruchan Ramen would taste like? This place shows you just that with amazing noodles and a variety of different options. If the stuff you bought in the store could taste this good, the world would be eating like college students: purchasing ramen noodles by the pound. Great lunch spot.

GET HERE EARLY. My friend and I were the last to get seats without waiting in line at 11:50am on a Friday. We enjoyed the Shio Ramen. Noodles are amazing. The marinated egg is worth the extra. Watching cooking behind bar is entertaining. They were a little pushy to take our plates. When we left there was a line out the door.

Apparently their ramen broth is made for 16 hours, and you can taste the difference. I love the rich broth and I even love the more 'familiar' curly noodles they use! Appetizers are solid as well. Plus, everything is very moderately priced - was very surprised by the quality especially at this price point.
Atmosphere is great, more traditional Japanese with a ramen bar rather than a regular sit down restaurant. Service is very quick.
Very busy on weekends, but it is so well worth the wait. Plus, turnover for tables is fast because the service is awesome. (waited an hour and 15 minutes.. But it was still fast considering 28 parties were ahead of us)
Definitely a must try at least once if you're in DC.

Miso ramen supposedly has the most flav but nah. It has no flav. Overpriced bland

Very tasty! As close to actual Japanese ramen as I've tried in DC so far. Broth was great on the spicy ramen, egg was good, noodles were okay and pork was okay.

My husband and I went here for a quick bite to eat and it sure was quick. We were sat in the bar area right away, there was no wait and this was during a Thursday evening at 5:45. Our server brought us our menu and we picked out our bowls. This was our first time here and we just picked some random noodle soups bc we felt a little rushed. People were going in and out quickly in the noodle bar. Our server was really heloful to others that came in after us. He suggested lots of choices and brought out sauces for other to put in their ramen bit didn't do any of this with us. The environment is super trendy with very loud music blaring.

I ordered the Shuyo Ramen dish and it was OK. I was raised to eat many noodle soup dishes on a regular basis and this was just OK. The broth is very rich and sweet. I think there was too much soy sauce in the broth. Too sweet for my liking. The noodles were absolutely delicious. They were perfectly cooked. The soft boiled eggs were also really good.

We also ordered the Spicy Miso. This was much better than the Shuyo, still rich but not as potent. This soup was a slightly sour and had the same delicious ramen noodles.

If you want a quick bite to eat with one or two people then I would suggest going. I think most people would like eating the ramen here but it was just not for us.

Hands down best ramen in DC. No reservations and not very big so I'd recommend trying to go during non peak hours.

I came here for lunch on a weekday around 1:30PM, and it was about half full - yay no wait! I was promptly seated, and I ordered gyoza and the spicy miso ramen with an egg. My ramen came out in about 3-5 minutes, and it was a pretty big bowl! The noodles were really chewy and cooked just right. The soup was a tad salty for me, and it wasn't very spicy. I guess the spice is there for flavor more than anything else. The meat wasn't very flavorful, but the egg was amazing - would highly recommend getting an egg (or two!). There were also pieces of minced pork, bean sprouts, and green onions as well as a piece of seaweed, otherwise there wasn't much else in the bowl. I really enjoyed the noodles though! The gyoza came out when I was about halfway done with my ramen (I was told when ordering that the gyoza would take some time to come out), and it was very flavorful too. There's white pepper in it I think that makes it so flavorful. It's a bit oily, and the skin isn't as crispy as I thought it would be. Tasty though! All this came out to be around $23 post-tax, which is definitely on the pricey side, but the quality of food is pretty good!

The food was salty and the taste was normal than expected

Excellent ramen shop in Chinatown, probably one of the best in D.C. They do not take reservations, so plan for at least a 30-45 minute wait for 2. The spicy miso is delicious, and you can add all the extras you want into it. Great date night place if you put your name in and take a walk through Chinatown.

This place is good but I think a little over hyped. They don't take reservations so make sure you get there with time to kill and walk around the city or whatever while you wait. The food and service are both definitely good but didn't blow my mind. Seems good quality and pretty authentic though. Overall it's a nice environment and I had a pretty good experience.

Best ramen I've ever had and they play great music!

The ramen downstairs is great! The extra add on's are what take these bowls of noodles to the next level! Customize exactly what you want based on your tastes. The tapas upstairs are also good, but don't compare to my love for the ramen. I can't visit the DC metro area without stopping here for lunch. I will ride the metro from Rockville or Greenbelt just to eat here!

This place has a great atmosphere. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I ordered the Vegetable Ramen (in fact this was the only vegetarian thing on the menu downstairs). The broth was D E L I C I O U S. However the veggies were a little uncreative. It was served with Brussel sprouts (boiled), snow peas, bean sprouts and seaweed. As a consumer, I would like to see a little more creativity with the veggie option. There is a plethora of options (bak choy, mushrooms, avocado, tofu) and it felt lazy to me.

Amazing ramen, the atmosphere you'd expect from a ramen shop, and great chilled house sake. I got the Shoyu Ramen for my first visit. Added in corn and butter. Was tasty and filling. Looking forward to many more visits into the fall and winter.

Went for brunch. The food is great. The prices are wow.... some of the Japanese whiskey was $60 a glass. The food is all tapas sized but costs 8-15 a pop. They recommended 3 or more dishes per person for a meal. That's a bit nuts I think. The bloody Mary was fine but nothing special. Seemed like it was a pre-made or something. Just boring.