Kotobuki
| Address: | 4822 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA |
| Phone: | +1 202-281-6679 |
| Site: | kotobukidc.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 5–9:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 17
AL
Alice Wang
Kotobuki is another favorite sushi/Japanese restaurant of mine. Its a small, bare bones restaurant atop of Makoto on MacArthur Boulevard. The menu is minimalist and they dont have any noodle dishes or tempura/teriyaki dishes. Their play list is Beatles all day every day. Order off their a la carte menu. For only $1.50-$3.95, you can get one piece of nigiri sushi such as unagi, shishamo roe, tobiko, kura, toro, hamachi, uni, and some others - or for $3.50-$10.95, you can get six pieces of select maki sushi such as salmon skin roll, spicy salmon roll, spicy tuna roll, yellow tail roll, tuna roll, and more. They also have a couple of appetizers such as miso soup, seaweed salad, edamame. If you dont want to order from their a la carte menu, they also have sushi lunch, sushi deluxe, sashimi, chirashi, tekka don, and oshizushi lunch boxes that range from $10.95 to $13.95. The dinner menu also features these boxes but range from $18.95 to $25. Fairly high-quality fish for reasonable prices is what brings me back.
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A Private User
I never write reviews for restaurants unless theyre really good or really bad. And this restaurant...authentic to the letter. Tucked away on the Vern, a quaint place, but the food, the food is amazing. We had the Unagodon combo. Miso soup, it was lighter than most that Ive had but it was good. Then we were served little side dishes: pickled lotus root, ginger/carrot salad, sashimi, mushrooms. Excellent, light, refreshing, and great complements to the main dish. This eel...was perfect. Cooked just perfectly so it wasnt tough at all. Many chefs make the mistake of drowning the eel in sauce, but this one was just right, not too heavy but not too light. The eel was placed on top of pickled ginger and then below that a bed of rice. It was amazing, simply amazing. Sweet, filling, I left the place rolling down the stairs. I have to go back to try their sushi.
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A Private User
My partner and I have been going here several times a month for the past few years. Without a doubt this is the best sushi in dc, and for the quality it is incredibly cheap. Most 6 piece rolls run for $3 to $5, its made and immediately served from the small counter in the restaurant. The atmosphere is cozy but not crowded..you can have an easy conversation here or just enjoy the food while listening to an old us hits station - Ive heard some people criticize this but I think playing japanese music would be too much. The owner and the staff behind the counter are great, some of the waitstaff though can be a little brusque.
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Benjamin Kirkup
They have many old awards on the wall, but something is wrong. Had chirashi. It had a sensible number of pieces, but they were mediocre in quality. Not thick, somewhat mealy. Salmon, third piece had no fat, a tail end. Tuna, didnt hold together well. Saba was flaking. Serving temperature was also too cold. Plenty of other reasons it wasnt top flight. Cheap wasabi, for example. This was 6 pm Wednesday. Maybe slow time, they get rid of leftovers? Or I looked unsophisticated? Several people claimed their takeout, maybe it is going downhill.
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Paulette Paglia
I was very impressed by this tiny sushi restaurant in Palisades. I arrived at the height of lunch hour. The small sushi bar was full but was able to get a table. Service was friendly, quick and attentive throughout. I opted for seaweed salad and one of their lunch specials. The seaweed salad was delicious. The sushi was excellent. The special included miso soup and Japanese green tea. A nice healthy lunch for very good value.
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Joseph Raczynski
One of the better sushi places in the area, but it definitely is bear bones when it comes to ambiance. Most of the rolls they produce are excellent. They also cook a Kamameshi (Vegetable or meat cooked in a traditional iron pot) which I really wanted to like, but the first time it lacked something. Ill try again and report back - its just a bit more expensive which makes it less tempting to retry when the sushi is that good.
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Jane Min
Kotobuki is great for decent sushi at a great price. I have to say they are probably the cheapest in the area for good quality but not necessarily the best. Its a bit far for me now but I used to go here all the time. I recommend to-go as the restaurant itself is tiny and a line can form all the way down the staircase. Go for the rainbow roll, my favorite at Kotobuki.
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Duy Huynh
My favorite sushi spot for its value. Best deals are the Chirashi and the kamameshi for lunch. Sushi rice is perfectly seasoned and the selection of neta to go with it is good. Try the saba oshizusushi if youre into mackerel--its hard to find this traditional method. The lobster roll and the scallop are a nice addition to any meal at $1.50 a pop--why not?
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A Private User
Party of four for lunch had three kamameshi and one donburi plus appetizers and drinks. All was good, promptly and courteously served, and reasonably priced. The atmosphere was friendly, not formal, and a wee bit crowded. Ill be confident to take a group there again, and will certainly return myself.
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A Private User
I dont want you to go there. Its too crowded already, especially on a "date" night. So lets pretend its terrible, smelly, ugly, and generally a bad place to go. OK? (If youre still here, you should eat their sushi. Its delicious, cheap, and pretty. But do take-out, please. No eating in. Thank you.)
EL
Elijah Yoon
When they say cozy they really mean cozy. Its small (like 15-20 seats) but feels intimate. We got a couple of rolls and they were pretty good but were a little on the cold side. The miso soup was tasty and hot, great appetizer. Overall it was good but Im not sure if Id go unless I lived close by.
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David Alexander
Two people in our party got very sick, one needed to visit the hospital for vomiting.. Bad service. We returned some rolls because they tasted funny but they did not reimburse us nor did they give us a new roll. Lets face it, cheap sushi is not worth the hospital bills...
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Roberto Flores
Excellent spot for quick sushi on a budget or for more expensive sushi options, which will usually be their specials. The kinburi is a nice buy, their squid (on anything) is fresh, and their many rolls are made by a trio of Japanese experts. Share a 22oz. Sapporo.
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Michael LaRosa
I was first introduced to this place through friends at the Japanese Embassy. I was surprised by how small the restaurant is, but quickly realized its a well kept secret. Food quality is amazing and it fills up rather quick, so you want to get their early.
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A Private User
I read the review in Washingtonian about this place and gave it a try. Their sushi was fresh and excellent (a rarity in this area), the service was good, and the prices were extremely reasonable. I left satisfied, and will definitely visit this place again.
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Rui Wang
Very inexpensive but very very good japanese restaurant. The Uni is very sweet and fresh. The chirashi is good, the Unagi kamameshi and Unadon are all superb. Me and my husband have visited the place countless times. Its a all time favorite place for us.
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A Private User
You can get better sushi elsewhere for sure, but not better Sushi at the same price point. The service is good, but not spectacular. If you want fantastic service, go to a chefs tasting, not a cheap sushi place. I keep going back for a reason.
