Daikaya Reviews

The noodles are divine, but it is a little crowded and rushed.

Great vegetarian ramen with an option for a vegan spice bomb.

Even the architect knew this place was going to be one of a kind when building it. Down stairs they offer warm, fresh ramen from an open kitchen near the back of the restaurant. Upstairs its an eccentric, funky hip Japanese tapas style experience. Order the fried catfish and you will not be disappointed. We originally put ourselves on the waitlist for a table down stairs, but when we went upstairs for a drink we ended up doing a few appetizers and came downstairs for dinner. I highly recommend going that route to get the full experience. They also have a beautiful staff, inside and out.

Wonderful service and outstanding food. Our first experience with ramen.

Pretty good ramen, portions might not be as filling for most. Prices are around the same range as its competitors. Parking isn't much of an option, so metro! Staff was very hospitable.

If you want ramen, it is downstairs and you can not make reservations. With that said, the ramen is amazing. I love spicy stuff but get their shio because it is so flavorful and yummy. With it I always add an egg and pork. Today they had pork belly for an add and it was so good.

For the first time, we got the potstickers and they were the best potstickers I have ever had. They were full of port and perfectly crisped.

Overall the soup was fragrant and tasted unique (actually reminded me of Chinese noodle soup because of the onion and minced meat)

The egg was yummy. The chasiu could be softer and more marinated, and the noodles could be cooked better to not clump together

Great atmosphere and the ramen is top notch (flown in from Japan). The menu is very small, but I like that (too many options can be overwhelming). Unlike Toki Underground, this place doesn't have dessert, but the ramen is GREAT! I recommend this to anyone!

This place is a little too noisy for my tastes. The ramen didn't wow me. The noodles were tough. The broth was not as complex as other ramen places in DC. One day I'd still like to try the Izakaya upstairs.

If you love waiting, this is the place for you. The tapas-style place upstairs is a little pricy but incredible. The ramen is really good. Spicy miso broth will be worth going 12 times a week

Great atmosphere and great food! I'm sure you all will love it. Friendly people.

This place is awesome. It is always packed but offers quick service to keep people flowing through. The ramen was amazing, which is surprising because I don't even like soup! Highly recommend and I'll definitely come again.

Food was pretty good, but the vibe and service from this place is not okay. My boyfriend and I went to both the 1F for ramen and 2F for happy hour. Downstairs is ramen only, and it was pretty tiny. The server was okay and the food came pretty fast, but the hostess was not welcoming at all. She was to fake a smile the whole time and just didn't enjoy her job? Not sure.

As for the second floor, I love the layout and decor. However, the bartender was a douche and the rest of the staff didn't seen happy either. We were just grabbing some quick drinks and snacks on the second floor as we were already pretty full from the ramen. The happy hour deal wasn't that good, everything was overpriced. Most drinks were still $7 or $9+ after the deal. The cheapest thing on draft was sapporo, which so happened to be what we were both craving so we got a beer each. We only got 2 skewers to go with our beer. I thought the beer would come in a pint glass but it came in a smaller water glass. Okay I guess this is a upscale place so whatever. Then the bartender started slamming glasses in front of our faces out of nowhere, like literally slam slam slam as he was making other people's drinks. Seemed like he was not happy about us ordering so little? Or ordering the cheapest drinks? But seriously? That's how you treat your customers? Never coming back again. DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE.

Amazing spicy chicken Ramen and soft serve ice cream. Go!

Came here after work and I was seated right in the front with a great view of all the ramen that was being made. The server was very friendly and made some helpful recommendations to make sure the ramen suited my tastes. Had the veggie ramen with the spice bomb which was spectacular. It had just the right amount of heat and I happily ate all of it.

Yummm. Lives up to the hype. Nice bar w knowledge bartenders. Happy hour specials too. But the Shoyu ramen lived up to the hype. Skip Toki and come here!

5 stars all around; has been since the beginning. A+ staff, vegan friendly ramen, always a consistent experience

(2F) the tapas were very very small. you have to order 5 or 6 to barely scratch the surface.
We ordered 10 different ones. only 2 were memorable, the tongue and the Crab croquettes. Grilled octopus was bland, and not crispy at all. Fried avocado was uneventful, it seemed more like warmed half avocado with wasabi and a condiment sauce on top. The octopus salad was decent but very small. The pork belly was another highlight.. I liked it, good flavors and tasty, you get two small pieces of pork belly.
They have 3 separate single stall restrooms. Cute by when I used it was very dirty.
Atmosphere is very pleasant.
Bill for 2 with drinks was $140.

I had the shoyu ramen as is and it was very good. Fast and great service.

Simply great ramen. Friendly service and hip atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out if you're a foodie or just looking for some great eats.

Fun spot. This place has a vibrant energy and great people. Also the food is unbelievably delicious.

This place has fantastic ramen!! Definitely worth stopping by if you are a ramen fan!

Spicy noodle is salty. The first taste was good. But I think the person of USA enjoys salty taste.

Their Sapporo-style ramen is a clear umami broth as compared to big-boney thick flavoured ramen from other regions; small bites and liquor at their izakaya upstairs were good too; friendly staff both up and downstairs

Good small plates upstairs. The chicken and waffles are amazing.

They need to make it clear online that Izakaya and Daikaya are two separate restaurants you cannot get ramen in Izakaya. Be aware that when you make a reservation, it doesn t include the ramen restaurant. The music is too loud, and the food is just OK.

Oh my oh my. That shoyu ramen is all the umami you could hope for.

Loved the barley based ramen noodles. So nutty in flavor.

The Hosts was on point. I think her positive and professional attitude made it worth waiting an hour. The simplicity was awesome to see, the taste even better. The aroma, spiciness, and perfect texture...wow! Look at those colors. Kudos to chefs working hard too.

Underwhelming flavors and texture combinations, especially the tuna tartare. Bit pricey all things considered.

the reception lady (she said her name was jordan) is very rude. have never met such person. wont be coming back ever..

This is the best place I have found so far in dc for ramen. If you come for lunch, get here early. It opens at 11:30 so get there around opening time because it's a small restaurant and it's really good! The ramen and dumplings are fantastic.
I love the atmosphere of this place and you can see the chef making the ramen, so you know its fresh!

Good food, nice ambience but a few disappointing dishes (e.g. the pork).

Great Japanese restaurant with super fresh indigents and a goof taste. The portions were a little bit too small for that price but the taste was excellent. Service was very friendly and the food was served very fast

Izakaya had great drinks! Nate, the bartender, was awesome!

Excellent ramen. You should expect to wait as the space isn't that big.

Delicious food with wonderful staff. I'd only wish for more options.

The food in the izakaya menu is too small. Especially, mentaiko pasta is a bite-sized piece that can be lost if you scoop it with a fork three times. The price is not necessarily cheap. The taste is neither good nor bad. I guess you probably won't go anymore

Very Good! Extra busy and fast paced environment with great food every time.

A little to hard to find. Even long waiting line, shortly U can eat. Different, but look the same all. Just eat quick.

Very much enjoy both floors. For the uninitiated you have a traditional Japanese ramen bar on the first floor; this is certainly the most authentic and best ramen in DC, and among the best you ll find anywhere outside Japan. Casual surrounds and good prices.

Upstairs is what I ve heard described as Japanese tapas. This is a more trendy, low-lit restaurant with prices set a notch higher. Still reasonable for what you re getting. Great menu with some very interesting highlights - be sure to try something new while you re here.

Reservation is a must for both.

Great atmosphere and food. Small plates are good and some are adventurous. Would recommend to anyone.

If you're in DC and have a craving for Ramen, this is the place to go. While there might be a wait, it's definitely worth it. The atmosphere is also fun as the set up allows you to interact with strangers sitting across/next to you. Bonus points for the 90's hip hop playing in the background.

Walked in to Daikaya and our group of four was immediately seated (you won't be seated without your full group present). Waiter brought water and was ready to take our order pretty much immediately. Barely had to wait for our food before it came. It was so good. Had the spicy miso. Broth was perfect. Friend got spicy miso with spice bomb. Also so good. Spice bomb added a great mix of flavours.

They turn tables rapidly, service is quick and friendly, restaurant is clean and the light fixtures are awesome... ya know... in case you were wondering about the lights.

The izakaya is not really Japanese, but weird fusion

We drove two hours to try this place and we were not disappointed! Wonderful flavour, yummy appetizers, great atmosphere!

Holy wow. Best ramen I've ever had. Cramped, busy, and crazy waits + lines but it's worth it. If you're looking for top quality ramen, this is the place to go! Put your name in, go upstairs and grab a drink and wait

During a visit to Washington, I saw on the internet this restaurant and the photos, very impatient to take a look, I came back and saw that it was just ramen, it doesn't look like what I saw on internet photos of the dishes, nobody informed us that there was a 2nd floor. In addition, it was raining, my husband led us to the door and then went to get the parking, the table was ready for us, but the receptionist did not leave us seated until my husband arrived, no accommodation ! Very disappointed because if I knew that there is a 2nd floor I would not eat downstairs

When I went ahead and made a reservation for ramen, the reservation seemed to be accepted only as a izakaya reservation, so I did not enter the ramen shop.
You can't order ramen from izakaya, so if you want ramen, you need to wait for one hour and go to the shop once.

The place is nice but the food Nothing special. We haven t try the ramen. But upstairs foods has nothing special to it. I would not go back. Good beer if draft tho

One of my favorite places to eat in DC! Great service, great food, and the thing that tops it off for me, is the old school hip hop music playing in the background!

There's a reason why this place is always crowded. The ramen is amazing. Izakaya upstairs does take reservations so you can get some drinks or really unique Japanese small plates while waiting for a spot for ramen downstairs. Or just stay there because it's also great.

Interesting food. Relatives took us. I am willing to try anything. Fine for a one time exotic experience, don't know if I will be back.

Love the ramen either with meat or vegetarian. Quick turnover. Gets jammed packed after 6. But totally worth it!

Daikaya is delicious but that wait is just STUPID long sometimes. The expected topping with the typical broth selections you would see elsewhere. Noodles are on the thinner side but coat really well with the flavor of the broth. I always opt for miso but have heard good things about their other bases as well. Service is pretty speedy but less friendly than their neighbors at Bantam King. Probably because they are in more of a rush to turn tables. Awkward seating as there are long communal tables but nothing that's a dealbreaker. Love that there is the Izakaya upstairs. Drinks are good. The "mule" thing is nothing like a typical mule. not even close. You have been warned. The drinks are generally good though. Dark and sometimes surfaces are questionably sticky but I suppose it's expected for a busy DC bar.

My sister took me here, and we were able to get seated quickly. Ramen was very good, as were the dumplings.

Small and cozy place with great service. Lamen was very good, get here with a little time, the waiting time varies around 45 minutes but it is worth the wait.

Great ramen and nice drinks come at a hefty price, but it's worth it.

Delicious spicy miso ramen. I don't need anything more than that.

Visiting from Austin and I thought we had good ramen options. Went to Daikaya on our trip to DC and hands down the ramen here beats Austin's ramen. We're vegan and the vegan selection was amazingly delicious!

Popular ramen place, walk in, usually with wait. Seems to be awesome if you eat pork but only one just okay vegetarian option.

Edit 10/8/18: After being contacted by Josh me and my friend were invited back to Daikaya-Izakaya to try again. We stopped by again for food and drinks on the way to a movie. The food and service were excellent despite the crowd.

I appreciate the reaching out and attempt to make it right. I'll definitely be taking clients and guests to I-D in future.

Original Review: Spent over an hour waiting for a table with the hostess in front of us. By the time we were called, the hostess said she'd given our table away and we'd have to wait another hour again to be seated. Never going again and will do all in my power to steer others away.

Came in all the way from Crystal City to downtown to eat it and I would do it again for my next meal.

Ramen is good but could use some more heat
Even the chili paste was not spicy
And I'm not someone who is a fan of spicy food, but this ramen needed it.

Love the bar. The ramen was pretty good. They have a long wait so they sort of rush you to finish.

One of the best meals that I had it 2016 -- I can not wait to go back!

Absolutely fantastic!!! I had the spicy miso ramen and it held up. Not so spicy as to mask the well-developed flavors of the broth. They had a cocktail that paired really nicely.

Really awesome place, with great food. Ambiance can get a little crazy in the evening, so try to make it during the day or before the evening Rush if you can.

Last night was my second time being here. This is probably the best ramen I ve had in DC metro area! It seems like it s pretty consistent with their cooking. I usually go for spicy miso anywhere I go and this was pretty good. The broth was very flavorful and the noodles were cooked very well too. I only wish it came with the egg, but that s an extra charge. It does get packed and the bottom floor seating is pretty limited, but they seem to move fairly quickly to get you seated. Either way, I would recommend and definitely come back!

Ate at the second floor and everything was fantastic. The most disappointing items were the conservative picks, and would have been top of the list at other meals. Go bold or weird and you won't be disappointed.

I loveeee ramen and this spot is great! However the broth is not as full and flavorful as Toki Underground.

Waiting time was long but food was good. Thinking about their spicy miso ramen and gyoza make me hungry!