Daikaya Reviews

Great aroma and taste. Do try their Spicy Miso Ramen...Be prepared for a long wait though as the place is very popular, but the service is fast and you get seated in a short time

Great Izakaya! Every dish is a surprise, a solid 4 star. but ramen is a disappointment, shio Ramen is too salty. Meats were pale. Barely any topping for that price. But if you must try, Shuyo soup is great. I would recommend izakaya over ramen.

Hands down best ramen I have ever had. Great atmosphere and the service is excellent. Next time I visit D.C. I will definitely be going again.

Prices aren't the best but that's American ramen for you. Order extra nori. Call ahead to. There was a hour wait when I went but they would text when a table was ready

Really freaking delicious ramen! We got the spicy miso (with an added egg-worth every penny) and loved every bite of it. The portions were large and the price wasn t too bad for DC.

Probably the best ramen place I've ever went to. Wait times are long, but definitely worth it!

Soft boiled eggs are must get! This isn't the tonkotsu style broth that I love, but is not heavy. Char sui taste ok.

Fantastic and savory ramen! The broth has great flavor, noodles have a good chew and the toppings are great! Love the extra egg topping! Even though the ramen bar doesn't take reservations the turnover is pretty fast. Definitely a must try for ramen in DC!

Izakaya is okay but the portion is extremely small. Portion size can be acceptable if it tastes amazing but it wasn't that good. Ramen is so much better.

My review is for the 2F restaurant. Not the ramen shop (1F).

Really good food with amazing ingredients and really nice restaurant!

The super spicy lived up to its name! Other than that the Ramen was decent, a bit saltier than it was flavorful.

The custard dessert was really good though, my favorite part of the meal!

This was by far the best Ramen I had in DC and most probably one of the best I had in my life! Everything was super tasty! Portions are big and it's a really honest price. I can't wait ti come back here

I love Daikaya.
This review is mainly for the first floor ramen shop. I haven t eaten their lzakaya aside from an order of grilled okra with my takeout ramen once, but I did get an egg nog cocktail upstairs last winter while waiting for ramen and it was very good.
Ramen at Daikaya is simply the best. The noodles they import, the depth of their broth. I don t even like onions that much, but I love the crunch they add. I also usually add mushrooms to my ramen, which are always great. My least favorite part is actually the pork chashu, and I never get egg. I ve gotten takeout from them ~3 times in COVID-era and I appreciate how they package things for transit - mostly individually packaged and you heat + assemble it yourself. Will definitely keep returning here!

We attempted to come here on a Saturday night only to be told there would be a 3 hour wait, so we returned on Monday which was still packed despite being their "slow" day. I had the Shoyu Ramen, which was the favorite of our server, with pork belly (does not come with it). I've definitely had better pork belly, specifically Momofuku, but everything else was on point; the broth had a depth of flavor and the half egg was delicious. I definitely recommend this place for anyone looking to try all the ramen shops in DC, but my heart still belongs to Toki Underground.

Dimly lit, date spot for ramen (no sushi, don't even try). Interesting drink menu; ask the waiter/waitress for tips!

Small plates and Japanese whiskey. The pork with brussel sprouts and chicken wings are fantastic. Great friendly service and classy casual vibe.

i go to japan a few times a year, so i'll say the food here is definitely legit. however, the atmosphere is what ruined it for me. i did not enjoy the loud rap music while i was trying to slurp down my noodles.

price is about average for ramen over here, but i can't help but feel ripped off when i compare to prices in japan.

Best ramen I've had. I'd suggest getting a reservation in the upstairs restaurant and having a few drinks, then have your name put in for the downstairs restaurant.

Tastes are good, speedy serving but salty bases miso soup. If you wanna have Japanese style ramen, it's batter to go other place.

For izakaya the service was good but the good portion was very bad

Great service but I thought the shoyu broth was a little light on flavor

It's a very eclectic and stylish atmosphere. They give you A LOT of food. It's great food though! The vegetable ramen is 100% vegan and very delicious. I ended up bringing most of it home in a takeout container and eating it for the next three days.

Several of my friends had recommended that I try the ramen at Daikaya but when I looked online I discovered that they actually have two concepts. This one is upstairs and is NOT the Ramen spot but I loved the menu that I saw, so I decided to try both. Since Daikaya doesn t except reservations, I would recommend putting your name on the list downstairs then head upstairs for a drink and a small plate or two to start. With help from the server I ordered wasabi infused raw octopus, grilled okra, beef tongue and the Rocky Balboa featuring raw quail egg, salmon roe, sea urchin and wasabi. It was AMAZING. So many flavors and textures! I had a fantastic experience!

Good variation from pho,
If you like this type of soups, worth the truck downtown. Parking is an issue

Amazing! There's usually a wait and for good reason. Simple menu and delicious ramen

Long wait but the best bowl of vegan ramen awaits the patient diner. We've waited almost 2 hours but there is none better. Drinks and small plates upstairs lessen the blow.

Go-to place for ramen. Incredible food and quaint location. Will return!

Very tasty food. I was mixed on the cocktails; we tried three: they were all creative and pushed the edge a bit, but some took a direction I didn't like much. Sat at the communal table: it was a little cramped when full but emptied out pretty quick and we could spread out a bit.

This place is two stores in one: a ramen shop on the first floor and an izakaya (Japanese comfort food and drinks) on the second. I'm a regular at the ramen shop so my review will be centered around there.

Hands down, one of the best places for ramen in the city! My personal favorite from their menu is the shoyu ramen, but having tried all of their selections, I must say that you really can't go wrong. Whatever you decide, be sure to try the pork belly! It's not on the set menu, so you may have to ask for it, but it's definitely worth adding.

It's a small place and not really ideal for large groups. Weeknights are usually pretty busy with a long wait and the ramen shop doesn't take reservations. You've got a good chance of getting seated if you arrive before 6pm.

The lower floor serves ramen and it is excellent! Highly recommended!

First time Ramen and it was amazing. The spicy Ramen is highly recommended. The shoyu Ramen was not bad. I do not recommend the extra pork belly.in it, try another add in for the flavor. The avocado tacos were ok, the wheat or corn tortilla shells took away from the flavor of the dish. Way overpowering but amazing Ramen

I stayed basic and had the Shio Ramon. It was the best Ramon I've ever had. Can't wait until my next trip to DC so I can try the Spicy Miso!

THE BEST RAMEN PERIOD. Get Shoyu with butter, corn, and bamboo shoots. You won't be disappointed.

Not far from the Chinatown Metro stop, this unique dining experience is perfect for any Ramen Lover. Designed to be a quick bite, diners can expect easy access to pitchers of water, amazing food, and maybe even a quick cocktail.

After your early dinner, come visit the National Portrait Gallery (open until 7:00 pm)

Perfect date night. Order a soft-boiled egg with your Ramen. You won t be sorry.

Great food and very reasonably priced. I would definitely come here again with friends.

Great food, friendly staff, and cool atmosphere. Want to go again.

Ramens the best ramen in dc. Get veggie ramen, double spicy. You ll hallucinate in happiness.

I am visiting DC, and was in the mood for ramen. Found this place using Google maps, and I plan to return next time I'm in the area.

Very good traditional ramen. Only problem they have, is not enough space for customers. Waits for this pace
Place can get over 45 mins in a blink.

Highly recommended, don't miss the best noodles you may ever eat. Fun atomosphere, it is a social event too.

Best ramen I have had outside of Japan. Broth was good, noodles were chewy, all in all delicious.

Very salty taste and very unkind server.
Because I didn t want to give him tip, I was preparing coins. But he refuse the coins. That s no make a sense.

Dint like the service, spicy ramen wasnt spicy and they were rushing us. After ordering 5 ramen and beer they told us we have 10 min, they were closing.

Great place to get ramen. Next to CapitalOne Arena and close to the National Portrait Gallery. This place is walk in only, be prepared to wait and leave a cell phone number they will text you.

Pretty decent. Good broth. Could use more condiments.

It's great but because it's a small popular place , the wait can be long at times. If you dont mind a 30 minute wait. The ramen is tasty

One of my favorite ramen restaurants. Menu is focused on enjoying the different kinds of ramen with a bit of modern twist. However the underlying flavorings are traditional. There is a bar upstairs that has a variety of sakes. Enjoy...

Tried their signature Shio ramen. The soup base is thick and well flavoured. The only problem is that it is too saltish and has too much MSG. It left me thirsty for quite some time after the meal.

Brilliant food options. The biggest complaint is that the shishito peppers weren't really shishitos but were padrones. I lived on a farm where we grew these for a japanese restaurant and they were NOT this hot ever. They are supposed to be sweet and not this amount of heat. The person I was with, who likes heat, couldn't handle it. Not cool guys.

The drink selection was phenomenal, I really enjoyed the otter Creek? Otter home? Otter something sake. It was fragrant, smooth and enjoyable.

The bathrooms also were wild. That radio inside was sort of different. Sadly no toilets that speak to you a la Japan.

Pretty good! Closest thing I've had to authentic Japanese ramen in the States yet. The gyoza were a little meh, but the ramen was good. Hokaido style I think. Finding parking sucked, but I guess that's anywhere you go in DC. They even gave us a little private room in the back which was perfect for us with our small kids. We will visit again!

Awesome place, it's really tiny with no reservations expect to always wait atleast 20 minutes.

Excellent ramen! Definitely reminds me of when I lived in Japan! Worth the stop!

Best ramen I've ever had! The pork belly was a great add on as well. The noodles are the best thing about it and that's something most ramen places don't get right. This place has it down to a science

It was good but I was kind of disappointed because it was really expensive and I ve actually eaten at a lot of other places in the city that are better especially for the money that I spent there. It s good it was an interesting experience but I would not call it a must visit.

The upstairs izakaya is great. Nice space very casual. The cocktail offerings are not really inspiring. But the beer, wine, sake and whiskey selections make up for that. Lots of really good food, I recommend most of it. The udon cacio e papa is not one of them, bland muddled and boring. But the beef tongue is exceptional and highly recommended.

Dumpling was not bad. Miso ramen was good, and Shoyu ramen was really great. It was worth to wait 30 mins.

The upstairs seen in the photo here is full of fun all plate dishes. My friend loved them, I could have used some more luck. Awesome staff and a great time!!!!

It took us two nights of returning here to get a seat, but the ramen is worth it!!

This is my favorite Ramen place in the city. The line can get long (both for the ramen and the izakaya) but the wait is oftentimes worth it. The upstairs bar is pretty chill and the drink selection is great (if you like Sake). The onigiri is also one of my favorites.

There's usually a line out the door and the reasons for it: delicious noodles await. However, once seated and ordered you'll eat soon.

This is an update of a previous one-star review that I gave because of poor service. The general manager, Josh, reached out and I addressed the issue with him. He was very helpful and understanding, and has taken steps to resolve the issue. I've been to Daikaya many times in the past and the ramen is truly delicious. I look forward to going back soon.

Wonderful food, cool atmosphere, the decorations make Izakaya stand out. It can get pricey but it's worth it. I liked everything including edamame which I'd never eat otherwise!

Delicious, authentic ramen served in a friendly environment. Highly recommend for couples and small groups. Seating is limited.

Food is amazing, but restaurant is loud and cramped if you go prime time.

Delicious! There is often a wait here, but it's worth it!

I haven't been to this place in awhile but I know it is great. The menu is simple with a choice of three or four broths that are all unique and delicious. Also, the 90s music is fun and the communal feel of the place is awesome. It is a small place that is laid out like a traditional japanese quick food place. You sit next to perfect strangers where conversation can be had, or not people are pretty laid back. Servers are great, food is great the only downside is that it is always packed so call ahead, it usaully a 45 min wait but totally worth it!!!

Best frigging ramen we have ever had... stumbled upon this place, will be here again...

Update as of 2018: Still the best ramen in DC. The wait has gotten worse, but just put your name down and go do something else in the meantime. There's plenty of stuff around. You can also grab a drink/appetizer and hang out at the izakaya upstairs.

2017: Best ramen I've had in DC so far. If you've been to New York, I actually prefer the ramen here to Ippudo. The broth is rich. I do agree with some people who say that the broth is too oily/fatty, I like it a little on that side rather than having it lighter. But to each their own. Definitely worth a try if you're in town.