I've been eyeing this place for months after my friends have recommended it to me. This place is delicious and the flavors here will blow you away. My friend and I definitely felt Michelin vibes here as the chef is so talented. I made reservations...weeks ahead. When we arrived we received our pri fixe menu and were absolutely thrilled. Some of my favorite dishes include the seared Japanese wagyu, sashimi, crab cake, chilean sea-bass and our favorite the duck ramen. Something to pay attention here are the sauces, textures and especially flavors. The wagyu was so buttery and the truffle shoyu was really rich. The sea-bass was cooked perfectly. The miso yaki glaze with the thick cut of fish added some great texture. The duck sesame ramen was amazing. Each bite had the tangy miso flavor with the cold watermelon and tender duck. We found ourselves looking at each other after each bite as the crisp flavors and the well seasoned meat left us in awe. Highly recommend this place if you love authentic Japanese food. Expect to spend $15-20 on average per dish. Well worth it and I left stuffed. The ambience, service and food definitely 5 stars. I'll definitely be back to try other items on the menu.More

My wife brought me here for my birthday. It was an overwhelming great choice. I have lived in Japan as a child and have since returned several times as an adult. The food in this restaurant is just superb. There is not really a menu...- you are going here to eat a seven course tasting dinner/experience. We also paid for an optional, accompanying sake menu of six sakes paired by the chef to the tasting menu. The absolutely stunning and delicious courses in the tasting menu offer the full range of Japanese culinary techniques. The chef decides the menu daily, tailoring it to take best advantage of what ingredients are fresh on that day. Our menu included beef, lamb, crab, fish, and other entre's. The real stunner for me were the sakes. I have had a lot of sake over the years typically served hot/warm. All of these were served lightly chilled or at room temperature. I can't describe them all but their matching to the courses were perfect. This restaurant has only two/2 employees - the owner/cook and the server. Maximum seating in the entire restaurant is 14. The maximum group size could be 6. Reservations are a must. This is not a "loud" restaurant and is great for a couples evening where the goal is to enjoy the best food and a great conversation.More

Amazing, delicious, filling. A sensory culinary experience. I visited Nasime for an anniversary dinner in the end of April. Their only option for food is a 6-course fixed tasting menu. According to their menu the courses are adjusted daily based on what the chef can...make. I speak from experience that every item we had was delicious and amazing. Seared Hokkaido Scallop Delicious way to start the tasting. The scallop was cooked perfectly as expected, but the vinaigrette sauce on the vegetables (I believe it was asparagus amongst others) was extremely tasty. Seared Japanese Wagyu Short Rib w/ Truffle Shoyu This was a very modest amount but the flavor was extraordinary. I asked if this was authentic as many places may advertise something that is comparable and our gracious server pointed out their restaurant's certificate of authenticity. I did not mean to offend but I'm glad I asked so there was no need to question. Even if this had been just an ordinary short rib, the preparation and Truffle Shoyu was absolutely extraordinary. We were soaking up the sauce with our garnishes. Otsukuri (Sashimi) A more ordinary sampling of sashimi including tuna, salmon, sea urchin, roe, tamago. Some highlights were the toro and yellowtail. Each item was clearly top quality and served correctly at room temperature. Eel Okowa Spring Roll The spring roll was fried but perfectly so. The unagi was on the inside along with other tasty fillings. Easily the heaviest item eaten so far. Our server said this item was her favorite and I can see why, especially if you like fried rolls. Crab Cake Stuffed Soft Shell Crab Agedashi This was my favorite course. A hearty crab cake served cut in half, stuffed with soft shell crab. Decadent and delicious. Our stomachs were starting to fill up so this was a nice course to savor and enjoy. Duck & Snow Pea Leaf Udon A classic Udon with snow peas, served with duck. Noodles were firm but not tough, each surrendered to bite. The broth was full of spices and flavors. House Made Yuzu Frozen Yogurt The cap on the meal was the house frozen yogurt. We paired our food with the sake tasting. Each course was accompanied by a sake designed to complement but not overwhelm the dish. The lighter dishes had dryer sakes, and the stronger ones would be paired with sweeter sakes for contrast. I loved the pairing and am glad we did not order a bottle instead. The restaurant seemed very cozy, probably seating less than 20 people total. We had made a reservation and I overheard our server answering the phone to say there was no availabilities that evening so I knew they had a full night. I did not feel rushed at all, after we finished each course we were given the time to relax and digest and then the next course would come out right as we wanted more. My only critique would be that the decor was sparse. I would have liked to see some art or anything to decorate the walls. Clearly their focus and passion was on the food and presentation which was top-notch.More

First and Foremost, as noted this is a chef-driven restaurant with a very talented guy at the helm. He works alone, which explains some of the pacing issues on the omakase, although the place itself is tiny. Also bare-bones; I have never had food this...good in a place so shabby. And in an obscure area. Upshot is what is saved on the outside seems to make it into the food. Chef is proud to serve REAL Wagyu beef, with the ID certificate displayed from the cow itself. Small quibble: menu says local and seasonal, but in March we had Chilean Sea Bass (delicious though) and Lamb from NZ. Sashimi course was other-wordly. Amazing value, you can easily pay double for a similar meal in NYC (we have). I would go back.More

So so fortunate this crown jewel is within walking distance of our home. Celebrated an anniversary there last night. Chef/owner Yuh Shimomura has an incredible talent and gift - this modern Japanese cuisine is exquisite. The 6-course tasting is plentiful and you will leave happy...and full - believe me! We felt very safe: Chef and our server both wearing masks and appropriately spaced in this intimate seating area with the other guests. On to the food and experience: a value, believe me. Better than any Nobu in the country and the freshness, creativity and incredible flavor of our food was first rate. I was so intrigued by the beautiful bowls and plates too. I don't eat meat and my fiancé communicated that to the restaurant well in advance. I know it was probably a pain because two of the courses for our dinner were meat based - they accommodated and I was so thrilled with my black cod! When dessert came, I thought there was NO WAY I could eat that. Green tea ice cream, berries, shave ice. Of course I finished it... We each had a couple glasses of Gruner Veltliner and a French Chablis and it is always so wonderful to have the wine chilled at the perfect temperature.More

My partner and I visited this restaurant twice. I was initially drawn to it because it offered "Nabe," a kind of winter soup that I loved when I lived in Japan, and other homestyle dishes. Our first experience was other-worldly. The quality and presentation of...the dishes, the service, and atmosphere all warranted a 5++ rating. But the second time, we were truly disappointed. The dishes were genuinely not that impressive and the service was slow. Perhaps this was because we had such high expectations after our first experience, or because we went at 6:30 when the place was packed (our first reservation was for 8:30, both on Saturdays) ; the two waitresses struggled to get dishes to each table in a timely manner. Given that the menu is fixed each evening, it is rather hit or miss what you will get when you go. But I am guessing our second experience was just an off-night; it is a small operation and the chef/owner clearly puts great care into choosing high quality ingredients and in preparing original and beautiful dishes. Just plan to be patient. And if you want more attention, go later in the evening when it's less crowded and you're likely to have better service.More

Tiny Japanese restaurant with a Japanese chef and a menu that changes daily based on the freshest ingredients available that day. Exceptional quality, beautiful presentation and fun dining experience. The wait staff is attentive and informative explaining each dish as it was served. Hard to...know what was best in the 5 course prix fixe meal. On the last visit, we started with a sake steamed tile fish with fried tofu. Next was assorted sashimi—we opted for the upgrade and it included sea urchin (a delicacy), some Argentinian shrimp, sea trout, Japanese scallops, yellowfin tuna and several other fresh sashimi. A fried pork tenderloin served medium rare over a foie gras miso followed and was divine. Perhaps my favorite of the evening was the Mussel Noodle Soup brought to the table by the chef himself because of its subtle flavors. For dessert there was a house made yuzu frozen yogurt with pastry. Every bite of every dish was delicious. There is an optional sake pairing available. We opted for wine and some Japanese beer. Reservations required. I only counted about 20 places to sit down.More

We were looking forward to our evening out with family for a while. We arrived on time, got seated at a table (next to a storage room door). We had the tasting menu with sake pairings. The first 2 courses took a very long time...to get. The next ones arrived before we were ready. At the end if the meal moments after we finished our last course my husband wads told we needed to leave. We spent a lot of money on our evening there and never have we been asked to give up our table, especially when the delay was partly their fault. As good as the good was the experience was not and we will not return.More

A delightful experience in a small, quaint bistro in Alexandria. The menu is price fixe, but you are given the option of an upgrade and by all means, I would very much recommend it. The service was very personal, the food delicious, and the ambiance...pleasant. There was a bit of a delay at points, but there is only one chef who prepares ALL of the meals and so this was understandable - not a negative at all. If you are in the Alexandria area, this place is definitely worth checking out if you like sushi served as a complete meal. The fried oyster cake was outstanding, the sashimi fresh and very tasty (the upgrade here is worth the additional price), the lamb chop was incredibly tasty, and the lobster and mushroom miso soup was the best that I've ever had. All of this was topped off by their housemade chestnut ice-cream. It is truly worth a visit.More

Overall, we were treated extremely well here and the whole experience was wonderful. We had a LOT of good food and don't worry if the sashimi plate looks skimpy. They'll feed you a ton! We had delicious soup, amazing sashimi, and really good stew/sea bass...agedashi. My sole gripe is that the pork stew AND the sea bass agedashi were quite heavy and rich in umami. I kind of wanted one of them to be a bit lighter. But everything else was amazing and mouth watering.More

Wonderful, inventive food that never disappoints. The menu changes daily and is always fresh, seasonal, and creative. The Chef’s flavors are perfect. I have eaten here many times and it is wonderful every season of the year.

I've never had a bad meal here, the menu constantly changes and the quality of food is exceptional. Suggest making reservations well in advance, this place is always packed. The seating is very limited, they only have two seatings per night. Definitely worth the wait,...the experience eating here is special, a must try for any true foodie.More