Daikaya Reviews

You just can't beat the service, the food or the service here. Great place to catch up with coworkers or friends over a sizeable meal that doesn't break the budget. Loved the atmosphere and the staff. It was a treat to try so many different choices on their menu. It's a must try place for those who enjoy what they eat

So much good food and a super knowledgable waitstaff who go the extra mile to accomodate dietary restrictions

Easily my favorite ramen shop in DC. Daikaya can do no wrong.

I know this place gets great reviews, but I honestly did not enjoy this ramen. So many bean sprouts that made the ramen diluted in flavor. The $3 pork belly addition wasn't good to me either. It was cold, chewy, and flavorless. That being said, the staff was amazing and the ambience and music was great. I really wish this ramen was good, but I need to be honest when reviewing these restaurants. I'm sorry Daikaya, it's nothing personal.

This cozy ramen spot definitely hit the spot! My friend and I went here on a chilly Friday night at about 7pm and found that there was an hour and a half wait (the place is rather small and VERY popular) so we put our names down and went for a couple drinks at a bar across the street. They called us when our table was ready.

The waiting staff was quick to tend to us, friendly and helpful. I got the veggie ramen (vegetarian broth) with a spice bomb (the red stuff). The ramen was delicious and the spice bomb was not overpowering but gave the meal a real good kick (this is coming from a spice-fanatic, so you've been warned).

All in all, a great experience!

The ramen here was great! I would say probably best I have had outside Japan. The noodles were cooked to perfection and the broth is also excellent. Checking Google maps for the day and time I was planning to go it showed that there should be no wait however ended up waiting for about 15 min or so for a table. I am not sure if it was so crowded due to the event going on at Capitol One Arena that day. I would definitely go back though for ramen. They also have an upstairs that is totally separate that you need to access with a door over and I would also like to try that one day.

Really great ramen here! I came around 11am and seemed to miss any lines, so I got to sit right down and had a giant bowl of hot, delicious ramen in front of me within 10 minutes. Seating is pretty tight, so be prepared to get friendly with your neighbor.

My wife and i have been in the DC place for two quick days and one area we were surely demise to dine at turned into Daikaya. when we known as to inquire about a reservation Friday night, Amy, the hostess, informed us that they were booked and no tables were to be had till after 10pm. Amy supplied to position us at the wait-list, however we did no longer have high hopes.

nicely, approximately 1 hour later we acquired a textual content that a desk changed into to be had! And what an first-rate enjoy we had! First, Amy was absolutely excellent. She become notable to talk to over the cellphone, turned into very patient, replied all of our questions even though the eating place was busy. while we arrived, she greeted us warmly and confirmed us to our table which turned into sales space (i like booths!). actually, the night time is going to Amy. She coordinated everything for us: from the best table, to our waiter Mike. Amy set the tone for a exquisite evening.

Our tremendous experience continued! Mike changed into our waiter and he turned into virtually terrific! He changed into extremely knowledgable about the menu and sake, which my husband and i had been both interested by attempting. Mike introduced awesome customer service too and ensured we were happy. He even did his very excellent to discover the proper sake for me! The hospitality industry can be very difficult, but Mike made it look easy. He was very attentive, expert, timely, and personable. We severely couldn't have requested for a higher waiter and guide for all matters sake!

closing but no longer least, we spoke to Nick, the general manager, about the remarkable time we had at Daikaya. exquisite carrier is critical to us, and the whole group at Daikaya introduced amazing carrier. The food was set off, clean, and delicious. We can't wait to go to once more and tell all of our buddies approximately this extremely good established order!

thank you Amy, Mike, and Nick!

They seated people before us that arrived after us and entered our phone number incorrectly for a call back. The soup better be good!

Literally the best ramen I have had. We had a 2 hour wait and still made it work to get this.

For you spice fans, I recommend a Spicy Ramen Bowl, Spice Bomb, Extra Noodles, and Veggies. Cannot be beat!

Sooo good! This place is definitely worth any wait that you may have due to it being in high demand because they got amazing food. I was seriously impressed on how good this place was, the beer also really complemented the food as well. The customer service was outstanding and I received my order fast and correct. If you're in the area, I highly recommend this place. Don't be discouraged by any wait time you are given, just walk around the block and sight see till you get a notification saying your seat is available.

Tasty Ramen with all the trimmings! Wait is normally long; but food is worth it. Limited seating and booths are tight. Ramen is not aloud to commingle on second floor. Friendly and educated staff.

Smaller portions but prices reflect it. Most dishes are under $10. Very tasty and good service. Will return

This is a go-to spot everytime I visit DC. They have some of the best ramen I've ever had and definitely the best in the area. The wait can be a little long but it is ALWAYS worth it. If you are in the area, do yourself a favor and stop by for a bowl.

Loved the food and the service. Go for the beef tongue and chicken n fish nuggets with their sauces..yummy!! At first i got them for my 2 year old nephew but ended up eating them with him!! Arigato gozaymasu

The best ramen I have ever had (no, I have not been to Japan).

Tasty food, pretty expensive. If you have mobility issues you will have a hard time getting to izakaya.

Wow. Can't beat the staff, food, mood, energy, and the price paid. Now I understand why this place was listed on many sites as one of the best in the country.

Awesome Japanese Ramen place I've been to around DC!

Amazing ramen. Arrive early or add yourself to the waitlist on Yelp to get a seat without much of a wait.

Delicious raman, kinda cramped but that somewhat adds to the experience, long wait time and no waiting area.

Great place for ramen, service is quite fast and the food is very filling. However it's a little pricey and there are not many seats inside

If you don't mind waiting around for a long time for the third- or fourth-best ramen in DC, it'll mostly pay off. It's quite good!

Overrated but understandable.
Overly long waiting time - the lady host told me to wait 40 mins and they will text me once our table was ready. We texted back but they said they didn t get it and gave our table to others despite we got there within 10 mins after their message. This had us waiting longer for vacant seats. Is this shop worth my wait?

Customer services needs immediate improvements.

Noisy atmosphere never expect to eat ramen with really loud music like this making me feel uncomfortable (no peace!), unlike any authentic ramen shops/restaurants I have ever been to in my life.

Above all, I ordered the spicy one with extra egg.
The overall ramen tastes mediocre, the broth is not flavorful but thick and salty. The noodle is good. I like it. Crispy but not raw. The pork is ok, easy to chew, a bit moist.
Another thing is that after I finished the bowl, it left my lips dry, itchy and peeled for the following couple of days.

Bottom line: this place will not be your destination if you don t have enough patience and plenty of time to await to taste something not AUTHENTIC.

Spice bomb takes every Ramen experience to the next level!

I'll split the rating. 3 stars for ramen & 5 stars the izakaya. We shared the house special Mujo-Miso Ramen with extra noodles and an egg. This was just the right portion for 2 adults who aren't super hungry. We were able to smell the peanuts and there was a subtle peanut taste to the broth too. It's a light tasting broth but a bit heavy in substance. The noodles were al dente so there was a slight firmness when biting down on the noodles. The egg was cold which I hate hate hate. The hot broth couldn't warm up the cold egg. Disappointed by the ramen.

The izakaya is awesome however. The chicken thigh skewers are better than the ones that we had in Japan. Each order of skewers is just one which can make it pricey but it was so good. We also ordered the pork belly onigiri which is perfect for drinking. We had multiple drinks. It has an excellent selection of Japanese whiskey. The old fashioned was also really good.

Izakaya was quite tasty, but overpriced

Edit: Daikaya's ramen was very good; Sakuramen > Daikaya > Toki Underground

Freaking yum. Their barley miso was delicious! The noodles were cooked really well and the broth was devourable. Trendy and cool atmosphere. They used the space efficiently. We will be coming back.

Some of the best Ramen I've ever enjoyed. I like spicy food, so the spicy miso was a no brainer. Food came quick and hot. The hostess to the wait staff were efficient and friendly, top notch service. The restaurant is small and gets busy, but they seem to turn seats quick. If you want some good ramen and you're in the area, highly recommend you come here. Really fantastic all around experience.

2F Izakaya is the best restaurant I have ever been to in my entire life. The way the food was specifically catered to our pallet was incredible. The server was really personable and made us feel welcome. The food was delivered to the table and he was quickly there to walk us through what we ordered and how we should expect the experience to go.

First time trying Ramen and it was a great experience! Love the communal seating. I just thought the portions were HUGE. Which is a great bang for your buck but it was nearly impossible for me to finish. However, it was absolutely delicious and I would 100% go back.

The first start is for the sake. The second one is for the stuff and waitresses, otherwise I will have to rate this place zero stars

If you go there for Ramen you would be better off by just buying any 7-11 instant noodles all you need to do is throw a boiled egg and some sprouts. Sorry my broth was bitter it tasted like crumbs from an old dinner griddle...and yes I have tasted burnt griddle meat crumbs

My girlfriend ordered the shoyu Ramen. A little better still the onions had a burn charcoaly taste

It may just be my luck but I am struggling to find a reason to give this place a second chance

Hitting Ichi-ran as soon as I go back to HK

Fun experience! The decor and ambience is amazing. The food was delicious. I m looking forward to coming back here and also trying out their ramen restaurant downstairs!

This is a review for the ramen shop on floor 1. Delicious and hearty broth, just a bit salty for our taste. We were able to beat the crowd coming here around 6:30pm on a weekday, but be ready for a wait normally! Those with peanut allergies beware - two of their star ramens on the menu are made with peanut sauce in the broth, and they can t be ordered without the peanuts.

Amazing food. Plan your visit here - there can be a considerable wait. Loved my server who explained everything that needed to be done to enjoy the tasty and deliciou food.

Overall, its a bit loud so not too ideal for date night but again its a great spot to eat some great fare and then move on. Service is quick and efficient.

Review is for izakaya have not tried the ramen. Great options on small plates to share and try. Friendly service at bar

You cannot top this place 10/5 if I could. Absolutely recommend. Food, music and culture that's what is all about!

This was such a well known place. So, I had to try it out and it didn't disappoint. Ramen was delicious. Well worth the visit.

It was delicious as usual. It was popular in the reviews, but if you think it's delicious at the US level, it's delicious in a Japanese sense. That's why it's so popular. Should be given if coming near!

This was my 1st ramen experience about 6 years ago. I have been to a plethora of ramen joints since then and nothing compares to the Shoyu ramen served here.

Had reservations upstairs at Izakaya prior to ramen. No complaints about the experience there. This is for experienced/adventurous diners; even if you're not-servers seemed laidback to answer questions about the menu/offer suggestions. The food came out relative quickly. I'd say less than 10 minutes.

Neither place seems to allow lingering after you've paid. They are small with high traffic with wait times that often can reach 2 hrs or more. Though, we had a wait time of 90min for 3 people around 630pm.

They have vegan ramen !!
Yum! Noodles imported directly from Japan :)

This restaurant is about trendy as you can get. I went to the bar section which is upstairs and serves tapas along with drinks. The vibe is very cool with great lighting and a very modern design.

The tapas were good and varied ranging from fried garlic to wheat noodles with black pepper. Some were better than others. The chicken skin skewer had too much fat for my taste, but the fried garlic was better than I expected. The wheat noodle in pepper was too heavy swimming in sauce. However, it is a dining experience.

Decent from a Japanese standard, for at least they are making them at a decent process. Generally miso ramen should be served boiling hot especially in the cold weather and when people are waiting outside, but unfortunately it was served warm at best( could have given one more star if it was).

I was excited to try this place based on reviews but it did not deliver. I got the Shoyu, which had more bean sprouts than noodles in it. The noodles were also the thick, wavy yellow noodles which don t have the taste or texture of the thinner white noodles seen more in Japan. We also got gyoza which were not great. The place was blasting usher and other pop music which kind of takes away from the setting.

Wasn't really a fan of the ramen. I had a miso ramen, and it tasted quite different from the ones I've had in California where I'm from. They do a sapporo-style ramen so that could be why. I'm more favorable to tonkotsu ramens. Their pork chashu and fried bean sprouts, however, were top notch. Wait staff was nice and friendly, and watching the cooks make everything from the bar was nice.

I don't really like the idea of having ONLY Ramen in a restaurant. The Ramen is pretty expensive considering it takes 10 cents to make

Great food, service didn't take long though it was pretty crowded. Lively atmosphere. I had the chicken thighs on skewers, grilled/torched salmon(i think), with few other items. I like the tea with yuzu, refreshing and mildly tasting.

Absolutely delicious, amazing service, and good vegetarian options.

The ramen place downstairs indicated that they had a wait time of approximately 45 minutes for a table, we trooped upstairs and were seated promptly at Daikaya Izakaya. I will echo past reviewers and say that the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and can give great detail about the food and drink menu items. Since it was a chilly afternoon, I opted to try one of the heated "hoping to be classics" cocktails: My Oaxacan Grandmother. You could definitely taste the alcohol, even the whipped cream was pleasantly boozy. The drink didn't taste overly sweet, which is why I was able to have two of 'em. We ordered several small plates, and for me, one of the stand-outs was the grilled octopus. It's a small portion, and the accompanying ingredients ( Robu-chan potatoes, olive oil, pimenton) work well with the perfectly cooked octopus.

We arrived for an early Saturday supper, and with time the place became more lively, people kept streaming in.

Bad service
Go somewhere else.

We ate at Izakaya and for the most part the food was great. A couple dishes fell a little flat. Service was pretty fast. It's a pretty hip place and can be very loud. I look forward to trying the ramen downstairs.

Fantastic ramen, great prices and really quick service!

Came here on a Sunday afternoon with a group of friends. There were six of us and we had to wait an hour but that wasn't so bad plenty of stuff to do in the area.

Once we were seated everything was great. We enjoyed the atmosphere but we were in the back room so we were separate from the rest of the restaurant.

Service was great and the food was delicious. The only thing holding it back is its a little price.

Between the six of us we had mugi-miso ramen, shio ramen and the spicy miso. Everything was delicious. We ordered some of the spicy sauce and it was delicious as well. Highly Recommend the mugi-miso!

I can't say enough about this place. The food is out-of-this-world fantastic. I rarely find food like this. Ot is prepared expertly. It is artful. It is fresh and creative. It is a joy. You have to go to this place.

The bartenders are great. The liquor selection is great. The atmosphere is great. Don't hesitate if you are in the area. Just go.

When I went here for vacation in 2018 my experience here was absolutely incredible. The food here is to die for, it is a authentic Japanese ramen shop. Everything here is splendid. The service was very good and the food was 10 out of 10. I strongly recommend to eat at this establishment.

Nice trendy place, good portion of food for price and attentive wait staff. Atmosphere was very smooth as well

The management at this establishment, especially Mr. Volte, are quite possibly the rudest people I have ever heard of. Apparently Mr. Volte thinks it is acceptable behavior to knowingly make slanderous statements about repeat customers to their face. AVOID THIS RESTAURANT AT ALL COSTS!

Tried the mugi miso ramen and it was awesome. Very fast service too.

I've been here multiple times. Great little ramen shop, and great atmosphere.

Always the most amazing experience. Love the food, the atmosphere feels like you're in Samurai Champloo. If ya don't know then ya don't know.

Wonderful atmosphere, very hip and chill. The food was delicious and the service was great. Highly recommend.

Magical. We lived in Japan and this is the best ramen we have found State side.

It was very good perfect place to take a first time ramen eater, can't go wrong

Good Egg

I stopped by Daikaya for an evening bowl of ramen the other day, and was promptly seated at one of the many communal tables. I'm usually a Tonkatsu guy (which they don't carry), and haven't carried for the sips of Shoyu I've tried at three other ramen places, so I ordered the Shio to try- with a soft boiled egg, of course.

I was generally pleased with the ramen; the broth, and most of what was in it. I thought the pork could have had some more flavour. I've had way worse pork, and it had a little flavour and fat as it should, but it just wasn't next level like some of the pork I've had in my ramen. I don't know what makes the difference. The egg, though, was among the best I've had the pleasure of eating. I see why they're known for it, recommend it, and charge a little extra for it.

I can see myself returning to Daikaya for another bowl, though I do anticipate trying a few more places before doing so. Luckily for them, they're the closest to my workplace.

This has to be the best ramen in town. It's an incredibly satisfying meal with generous portions. Not a lot of frills, but perfectly done every time and a couple of choices for styles and add-ons. Try the extra veggies and spice bomb.

Amazing ramen!! Mugi miso is excellent, make sure to get the soft boiled egg, it s amazing. Very hoppin vibe, loud music, great service; tiny so expect a wait

At the Izakaya, everything that matters is spot on: the ambiance, the service, the food, and the drinks.

Haven't tried the ramen house.

Best ramen in dc! They don't take reservations so you typically have to wait, but we'll worth it. Spicy miso with pork belly is my favorite.

Amazing quality broth and super friendly service! My only criticism is my bowl was a little heavy handed on the bean sprouts but that's not nearly enough to take away a star. Get the pork belly and you won't regret it! Great little place.

If you want a bowl of spicy water this is the place to go! Total waste of $17. I could ve gone to Safeway & hooked up a pack of oodles & noodles better than this place

Best smelling ramen ever. Overall: Held its own against ramen in Vegas, Chicago, LA.

The shio ramen was spot on. Broth couldve been fatter, but noodles was spot on and the charshu pork was great. Definitely recommend. One thing is the wait- best to arrive before 5 pm or later (say 7) to avoid the lines which could run for hours. However, last time it was only 15 mins for a table for you.

If youre waiting, Gallery Place has shops you can check out or grab a drink a the pub across the street. The only beer they have on tap is Sapparo which is a good option to have with Ramen.

First time here and the only bad thing was the wait (call ahead for a table or reserve in advance) fast cook time. And the beer is great definitely a good spot for a ramen fix

I went to Izakaya on the second floor, and I liked it, but I really feel like it could and should be better.... Read on to see what I mean.

The atmosphere, service, and presentation of dishes was excellent and fitting to it's mid-high price point. However the flavor of the dishes was not up to snuff. Being an Izakaya style restaurant we serveral small plates to share, but I think there's a misguided approach to the flavor profiles. I found each of them to be overbalanced almost to the point of blandness. They're small plates of unique and discreet foods, I want to enjoy and celebrate each one! The poke should taste like poke, and celebrate fresh tuna and some complementary flavors. What we got was a beautiful display of poke that was underseasoned and with large chicken-egg yoke which overpowered the modest flavors within. The snow pea salad was totally unique and had great flavors of fresh greens and black pepper... But it was sitting in a mozzarella sauce that completely dulled that interesting flavor. This continued for most of the dishes.

I almost feel that each dish was developed in a vacuum without regard to what else might be on the table. Like tapas, Izakaya works because you can take a bite of each thing on the table and delight in how different each one is. I didn't get that experience here. I really see a lot of care and creativity going into the dish, which makes me feel that this place could really serve great food, if it wasn't afraid to make bold flavors.

Also, on the menu they said they do their yakiniku (grilled meat) on an infra red grill. I don't know if it's a limitation of the IR grill or just the way it was prepared but it only had maybe a quarter of the delicious char and flavor I've come to expect from a great yakiniku grilled a few inches from a red-hot hardwood charcoal. Again it seems like a neutered form of what it could be.

I'll be back and I hope it improves, I see a lot of potential!

The wait was horrendous, and took us a little bit over an hour for us to get a seat. There was not much of a wait area and we visited during the winter when it was in single digits so it was even worse.

As for the food, the broth was very rich and flavorful and the ramen was cooked perfectly. We ended up sitting at the bar and got to see the workers assemble everything, which was entertaining itself. The wait staff was attentive but not clingy and the service was fast once we got seated. It's a bit pricey for what we are typically used to paying for for ramen of this caliber/Style, however it was totally worth it as we have not had Ramen like this in quite a while. If you're looking for a casual night out and in the mood for comfort food then the ideal meal. If you're looking for a quiet place to eat then I would probably avoid this place as it can get pretty loud. Overall, highly recommended and especially if you've not had Ramen before you're certainly in for a treat.

Some people say that it is "no," but it is the only Japanese ramen shop in DC that is valuable to Japanese residents. It's too crowded, so it would be nice to have more real ramen shops to take advantage of this demand.

Amazing Ramen place in DC. I make sure to stop here every time I m in DC. The wait is really long but you can put your name down and they ll text you when your table is ready. Since the restaurant is in Chinatown, there is a lot to see and do while you wait, including a few museums, galleries and shopping stores. I highly recommend this restaurant !

Love this place!!!!! Only thing is, be prepared to wait an hour or so if you don't reserve a spot ahead of time!