Nara-Ya

Such a beautiful place !! The food was especially outstanding the mixture of ingredients is superb!! I love it would go again for sure ! Didnt take a photo of the sushi but it is recommended!!

Unlimited brunch was $45 for two hours. We were very impressed by how quickly the food came out and the quality of the food. They brought enough of each item for everyone at the table to try everything. We loved everything we tried! The decor/vibe of the restaurant was very trendy.

NA-Raya is beyond exceptional. We came to celebrate my best friends birthday and our server Luis went above and beyond. Making sure that the food was timely and delicious to ensuring that we enjoyed the atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend. And thanks to Dave, the GM, for making sure we had a great time. One of the best restaurants in the city!

Bets brunch I’ve experienced to date and I love the tapas style to serve large parties. Posting this receipt because CLEARLY a $55 brunch is not that price (see fees). Otherwise, I’ll be back when I visit DC again really enjoyed everything from atmosphere, service and food.

Probably one of the best brunches I have had to date! Everything we had was soooo delicious! I really enjoyed the steak and eggs! The Takoyaki was to die for! All the waffles, pancakes, and French toast were made to perfection. The food was truly a 10/10 The service was a 4 because our assigned waiter was not very attentive of our table and It was obvious he was stretched thinly but because we order bottomless mimosas that made It very annoying and honestly they should have just left our table with a pitcher so we could refill It ourselves. But the team was excellent. I was able to order with anyone and no one had an attitude they were more than happy to assist and the manager came by twice to clear our table of dirty dishes. I really liked seeing the manager walking around to each table and making sure all the guests were comfortable and satisfied. The restaurant itself was beautiful and clean. You get had an amazing view of the water and it’s nice and cool in there for warmer days. I already told all my friends about It! We will definitely be back and bringing the whole gang with us!

Literally one of the best places I’ve ever had brunch in DC period. Amazing food. Great ambiance. Wonderful decor. Management was AMAZING. As was our phenomenal server Jose. Made my birthday the best!

Great HH stop! Select drinks and eats all ranking from $9-$12 (must sit at the bar). Great options. Definitely recommend trying one of the Japanese Whiskey Cocktails. Food was delicious and served quickly. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and drinks. Super cool aesthetic vibe with great picture worthy decor. View of the Potomac, very private atmosphere.

I thought I did all my back dated Galentines Day dinners, but I missed one! Last but not least (stay tuned for 2025!), we had an amazing meal at NaRa-Ya! This restaurant came highly recommended by an acquaintance. So, what perfect way to start the 2023 year off with some great food with my good ol' school chum 🙃! We celebrated GD on a Sunday that year, so the restaurant was not packed. Plus, I remember it rained that entire day. It was a cold, rainy Sunday, but we both showed up and showed out. Again, the restaurant was not packed, and we were able to pick our seating. You enter via elevator and up, up, up as you enter a dimly restaurant with a modern Japanese decor. Along the back wall were windows that faced the D.C. Harbor. Our server, nice and eager, seated me first as I was first to arrive. I looked over the drink menu. I cannot remember what i ordered, but I do have a photo. What I can tell you is that the drink was amazing, and i definitely had another 🥃! Once school chum arrived, she ordered the same, and we began to dig into the menu. For an appetizer, she ordered the mussels, and I ordered the crab tacos. Now, about these tacos, they are about the size of a fortune cookie. Very small, very bite-sized. They run about $25, and you get two. I was warned about the price and was prepared to take out my checkbook, but I was definitely surprised about the size of those tacos! As small as they were, they packed a punch. They were amazing 🤩!!! For the main course, I had the lamb chops with a carrots medley, and school chum had a sushi roll. The lamb chops were super small; however, they were full of flavor and very tender. They were cooked perfectly. My school chum devoured her sushi roll 😂. For dessert (yes, inordered a dessert!) I had a custard dessert. I cannot remember the name, but it was really pretty and really good. NaRa-Ya is an upscale Japanese restaurant worth a try. As always, eat at your own risk and bon appetit 👌🏽!

Enjoyed the food but the SERVICE. Lewys was my server and definitely elevated the experience to another level. Will return and request him specifically💕 The restaurant could do well leaving salt/pepper on the tables, albeit the tables are small. GET THE CHICKEN AND WAFFLES, steak and eggs great (only if you request medium rare as medium came medium well) both better if the meat was salted. Was told the salmon roll and takoyaki were good. Dumplings (chicken and pork) both decent w pork being more flavorful but neither seemed salted enough.

I tried this place for brunch. The entryway has become a famous photo opp, very beautiful! The food was delicious. However, they do brunch a little differently, nothing is single-served, and it would better serve a group of 4 or more. I'd still return!

Came here for my birthday dinner and it was amazing! I usually don’t eat raw sushi but had to here since there were no options for cooked sushi. I love it! The lobster fried rice could have used a little more flavoring. The mixed drinks were all delicious as was the celebration dessert. The personalized menu was a nice touch. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Celebrated my friends birthday here and she loved it! The food and drinks were amazing, prices were fair, and the birthday celebration was great with complimentary shots and birthday cake. Will be coming back!

Excellent! As others have mentioned, unreal or surreal experience! The attention to detail of decorations is simply wonderful. From the moment you enter, it feels like you have entered the world of Nara-ya! The elevator stop is 3.1. View is amazing. Food is not only delicious but a work of art. I was too much in wonder to remember to take a picture! Wonderful service, fresh fish that melts in your mouth. Expensive But worth the experience! Will be back!

This was my first experience at NaRa-Ya but definitely won't be my last! The food, atmosphere and service was impeccable. Loved every bite!!!

I had an incredible dining experience at Nara Ya at The Wharf in DC. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt welcoming and vibrant—modern yet comfortable, with the perfect touch of elegance that makes it ideal for both a casual night out and a special occasion. The food was absolutely outstanding. Each dish was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully plated, and full of flavor. You can tell the chefs put real passion and creativity into the menu. From start to finish, every bite exceeded expectations. What truly set this experience apart, though, was the exceptional service led by James, the General Manager. James went above and beyond to make sure our evening was memorable. He was warm, attentive, and genuinely cared that we enjoyed our time. His professionalism, combined with his personal touch, made the entire experience feel special. You don’t often come across a GM who takes the time to engage with guests the way James does—it really made us feel valued and appreciated. If you’re in DC, Nara Ya at The Wharf is a must-visit. Amazing food, a beautiful location, and top-tier service—especially thanks to James and his team. I can’t wait to come back!

Honestly, I loved Nara-Ya! The atmosphere was so nice, calm, cozy, and perfect for just hanging out and enjoying good food. The service was great too, everyone was super friendly and attentive. And the food… amazing! The calamari was hands down the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried quite a few. Everything we ordered tasted fresh and flavorful. Overall just such a great experience, I’ll definitely be coming back!

This place is good like really good. The food and atmosphere are great. I dunno how more people don't eat here. I don't really go out to eat in restaurants anymore cause i always feel dissatisfied and ripped off by the experience. This restaurant brought back some hope. All the dishes were unique and flavorful. The carbonara was amazing. The ceviche amazing. The sushi was more than fresh it was intentional in concept which made it worth it. The crab miso was deep and rich. Server gave us complimentary drink and i don't drink and i got a mocktail without asking. Then the chef came out and said hello. Its very good food and experience and in an atmosphere where it seems like restaurants are trying to wash us of our money this was not the case. I will be back and may have given me hope again to eat out at restaurants.

So, I will start by saying best best post proposal brunch surprise. Thank you for serving a table of 20 after I proposed to my fiance, in front of Friends and Family. The menu was amazing and the service was outstanding. If you like sushi go, if you like a variety of brunch, go. If you like bottomless, go. If you want to have a memorable time and enjoy great energy and atmosphere go. Our favs were of course the sushi, but the fried chicken Benedict and house salad was a fav as well.

We came to Narayar at The Wharf for brunch and absolutely loved it. The location is stunning we had a corner table overlooking the water, and it made the whole experience feel extra special. Brunch is all you can eat for $55 per person, and honestly, it’s such a great value. The dishes come out very quickly, everything is super fresh, and the portion sizes are perfect for sharing between 3–4 people. We got there early, so it was calm and easy to grab a great table, but by the time we were leaving it had definitely picked up it gets busy fast, but there’s still plenty of seating. The space itself is extremely clean, bright, and decorated in a modern Asian style that feels upscale but still relaxed. And the food? SO good. The standout for me was the matcha pancakes fluffy, flavorful, and honestly the best I’ve had. Overall, this is a perfect brunch spot on the Wharf with beautiful views, fast service, and delicious food. Highly recommend grabbing an early table and making a whole morning out of it!

Bottomless food for $55 great deal. The only thing is it's a shared experience not your own plate. So table has to agree to select on the menu item. Best thing was the roasted potatoes and matcha pancakes 10's across the board. The steak and eggs 8/10 the steak was highly seasoned perfectly just wasn't cooked long enough to my liking. The Sakura sunrise mocktail was amazing. The French toast was also great not too eggy and honestly good and fluffy. The chicken and waffles 3/10 waffles were burnt and chicken was ok. But the chicken Benedict was great took off the egg and it was good cooked perfectly. Crispy Brussels sprouts-2/10 they weren't crispy it was like they were boiled. Service was good individuals were cleaning consistently and checking in. Just didn't keep my friends bottomless drinks filled. Place is cute tables could be a lil bigger.

Hubby and I decided to go for Japanese food for our anniversary dinner. Absolutely good food, though overpriced. We appreciate the celebratory dessert given and our server was fantastic. We got amazing view but that was after the table infront of ours got finally cleaned. We noticed couple of staffs passing the table and picking up one item at a time which took them to come by 4 times to fully clean it up and have it set for a next customer.

I came here for a book event and had a great experience. The ambience was lovely. I tried the Red Thai Curry Sushi, which was good, and a mocktail called Blade — spicy but interesting in a fun way. Overall, it’s a nice spot to catch up with friends or coworkers after work

Nara-ya is a gorgeous spot, perfect for a cute date night. The decor is stunning, with lots of florals that make the whole space feel romantic and inviting. It’s definitely a place where the ambiance stands out, and the attention to detail in the design adds to the experience. The service was great, and the presentation of the dishes was just as beautiful as the space itself. As for the food, the sushi was okay—not bad, but not the best I’ve had. The flavors were good, but nothing particularly memorable. If you’re looking for a place with an amazing vibe and solid drinks, this is a great option. I’d come back for the atmosphere alone, but I’d probably explore more of the menu next time!

My wife and I went to NaRa-Ya for their weekend bunch. It’s a pretty good deal. $45 per person for an all you can eat 2 hours brunch. We got the chance to try most of their food options. The service was decent. I personally felt like our server was short with us. They have an automatic 20% tip added to all bills so I guess there was not really an incentive to provide superior service.

I went to Nara-Ya and had their bottomless brunch and mimosas. You have about two hours to eat and drink. The food was pretty amazing and our waiter Malcolm did a great job taking care of us and making this a great experience. The space is beautiful and the location makes it great for shopping and walking around before/after your meal.

Let me start by saying…phenomenal place! Located at the newly renovated Wharf in Southwest this place is definitely a charm. Went without some beautiful ladies on a mini brunch outing and I must say we fell in love with our visit . The dishes were lovely. Unlike other unlimited brunches, the staff brings you the brunch items according to your group. At first I said hmm but then realized that’s a great idea. Dennis our server(great service BTW) informed us on this. The best best we’re definitely the Roasted Potatoes, Matcha Pancakes, California Roll. Oh wait I said the best lol so yes those three for sure. They also offer the Steak n Eggs(10/10), chicken&waffles and so much more. Wasn’t a fan of the chicken that was with the waffle. If going for brunch and you want to be around less people definitely go before 1p. Only down part was we didn’t get to try other Salmon sushi ; they never brought it out to us which sucks because we requested twice. They had bottomless drinks but we just did the one because our guest was running late. Their policy is if one orders unlimited every one at the table has to do unlimited. So that takes a way the one star. Definitely will be going back for Dinner. So another review awaits soon. Thank you Nara-Ya for the lovely experience !

I came here around 5 on a weekday and they still had their happy hour menu on their high-top tables which runs until 7. The food was pretty decent but I'm not a fan of sushi that has so many additives and was hoping for a traditional Japanese style when it comes to selection. The service was okay and the happy hour prices were reasonable but they automatically add a %20 service charge. Overall my favorite part of the visit was the decor and make sure you try the grilled edamame which was unique and delicious.

Visited for Father's day brunch and was not disappointed. The service was fast and attentive. So many choices for food - we tried to sample as much as we could (& failed happily) - the small plates are perfectly shareable. Keep in mind, this is more like Japanese tapas, so don't get an attitude when you aren't served a giant, American - style heap of fried food. While not totally traditional Japanese cuisine, we found it fun and enjoyable. We will definitely return.

Had a wonderful brunch with friends here. They have an all you can eat for $40 dollars and bottomless mimosa or bellini for $25. Everything we had for brunch was so good and after the 1st round we were stuffed but kept going. Service was excellent and very attentive and my friend enjoyed the French toast so much she called over the chef lol Definitely plan to uber or metro and they charge automatic gratuity and a credit card processing fee FYi.

Came here for dinner Wednesday night—had reservations so we were seated right away, and got a table for 2 by the window with a nice view! Service was great—our server was attentive and very helpful with food questions. The decor inside is pretty! Even the hallway downstairs leading to the elevator was gorgeous and once upstairs, the restaurant has the Japanese/Cherry Blossom decor feel. Highly recommend the Chilean Sea Bass—well flavored and so delicious. For the sushi rolls, top faves were the A5 Roll and Tempura Crunch Roll. For dessert, the Banana Miso Tart was okay. Overall, the food was great but some were overpriced. And cocktails are especially overpriced—their average cocktail started off at $19-20 a drink, and my martini was $25—nothing special or worth paying that much. Also, there is an automatic 20% service charge added to the bill.

We attended brunch. I absolutely loved the savory foods. I was a little disappointed with some of the actual breakfast foods. We tried the pancakes and a couple other items not pictured. Would not recommend the matcha pancakes or the French toast. One was super dry and I mean like 1 bite and your reaching for you drink so you don't choke. The other so googy it became gross in my mouth. I couldn't take more than 2 bites. But everything else was perfectly cooked and appetizing. All the food picture made the cut for flavor and presentation. I loved the atmosphere and the decor. The manager came by and spoke with us and was very pleasant. I gave it a 4 because of the awful heat on the first floor and the issues with the food mentioned above. Otherwise we would totally visit this place again for girls brunch.

The food was ok a little pricey for the portioning. Before ordering we were told that it will be family sized plates and they definitely were not. My favorite dish was the French toast had great flavor. Also the view was nice and the staff were extraordinary.

Nara-Ya was a fun brunch spot that was welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. They do $40 all you can eat brunch until 3pm on the weekend. For $25 more, you can also do bottomless mimosas! We started off strong with the Steak & Eggs, which was so juicy and delicious! I highly recommend this. Otherwise, everything else left much to be desired- the miso pork belly mash was cold and not crispy as advertised, the dumplings were overcooked and crunchy, the sushi rolls were falling apart and lacked in flavor, the French toast was undercooked. Overall, a great time for a brunch, especially being able to look out onto the Wharf harbor, but the food is not their strong suit.

The ambiance was cool and the interior design set a fun vibe. I went for brunch and the drinks were amazing, especially the 3.1. Sadly, while the food had some really interesting and exciting flavor combinations it was below expectations. The steak in the steak & eggs was burned and charred. The eggs in the fried chicken Benedict were over cooked and the chicken was dry. The cottage cheese blueberry toast had almost no flavor. The French toast was very good, though the center was very undercooked and gooey. The service was great but the food didn't live up to expectations.

Food was good but not good enough for the price paid. The presentation was good except for our sushi. They make it look way prettier on social media. The service was slow to start. The view of the water was nice. I am glad I tried as there were many vegetarian options but have no need to go back. My dad, at least, was very pleased with his seafood as my wife. Highlights for them were the Nara-ya roll and prawn okonomiyaki.

The restaurant itself is small but beautifully decorated. Right on the wharf so the views were nice. The food for brunch was a little disappointing. The pork belly hash was good. Small bits of pork belly with a spicy sauce. Brussel sprouts are good. We liked the matcha pancakes over the French toast. Chicken eggs Benedict wasn't good. The chicken was meh and the english muffin was hard so we didn't eat it. Salmon toast was so hot with whatever sauce they use so beware. Steak and eggs was ok. Steak needed a little more seasoning. Sushi was ok nothing special. Dumplings are fried and not steamed like I had hoped. Mixed greens salad had a good dressing on it but it was literally just a bowl of greens with a few other veggies. The Sakura drink was good. It was ok. Nothing amazing for that price. That bottle water is also $20 a bottle so get the tap if you want free water. It's ok to try the place out but one time is enough for us. Service was good 👍🏿.

the food here was a hit or miss. definitely overpriced. we went for bottomless brunch and had the following : - the miso pork belly hash was all potatoes, hard and undercooked. there was tiny small pinch of pork belly almost unnoticeable. flavor was okay - pork dumplings: not edible. it had a sour taste and weird texture - brussels sprouts: good flavor super soggy wish they were crisper -matcha green tea pancakes: this was decent but sweet but can eat -spicy salmon roll: good -octopus takoyaki: was too chewy -steak and egg: don’t even bother really bland and bad -smoked salmon: good toast -french toast: bad -matcha tiramisu: squishy other wise service was good the food was just bad, atmosphere was really loud but definitely overpriced and don’t recommend. they charge an extra 3.5 % credit card fee without telling you ahead of time, not sure ifs common for the wharf but a heads up!

Great atmosphere if you’re ok with a lot of noise. Very nice ambiance with beautiful decorations. But for the price and the amount of food, I would NOT recommend. The menu does not do a good job of describing the foods and taste. My boyfriend had 4 lamb chops (one of them wasn’t even cooked properly), one carrot slice, and a smear of sweet potatoes for $40. The 3 lamb chops that were cooked properly were good, just not enough. I had the lobster fried rice ($45) which was very good but it was unexpectedly spicy (the menu didn’t describe that) and only had two pieces of lobster meat within the rice. Our server wasn’t attentive or friendly and did not help with recommendations since the menu does not describe a lot. Not to mention there was a 20% service charge fee with a party of two people smh. Overall just very over priced and still left hungry 🫤

Nicely decorated restaurant and beautiful view overlooking the wharf waterfront. Food is not good especially for the price. All the staff are super friendly. Sakura Hiramasa Sashimi is probably the best, beautifully arranged like a flower and hiramasa is great with ikura, avocado and Sakura ponza. Green Soba Noodles is really salty, I normally love bok choy but is super salty and a bit hard to bite, serving the whole half of it. The green soba taste like any store bought soba. Honestly didn't like this at all. Electric Eel and Tuna Truffle both the sushi rice is too wet and is not sushi rice, I couldn't taste the rice vinegar at all. Can barely any taste of the truffle in the tuna. For the eel, cream cheese pretty overpowering. Jiggly Rabbit well it said jiggly and contains gelatin, I expected it to be jiggly? Is like shaved ice, completely left us disappointed 😔

Disappointed with the food, our server was nice but this is the first restaurant that the chef will come outside and say they used different types of seasoning so that’s the reason why the food was salty and will always come out salty, I have worked and dined at several Asian fine dining restaurants and not once have I heard that ,the lamb chops was salty but manageable, the mashed potatoes that came with the lamb chops was really nice, the lobster fried rice would have been great if it wasn’t so salty., spent $275 but left very unsatisfied. I will not recommend neither will I be back. I don’t understand why you people will lie, we barely ate the rice either times, my friend and I split it both ways and my friend didn’t want I complain again so she said half of her lobster the second time, i already ordered a desert and another cocktail when you brought us the worst tasting champagne ever . We didn’t ask for either the complimentary dessert or champagne. And when I asked you to remove the rice from the bill you said no you already gave a discount and made the rice the second time and so you can’t remove anything. So why lie that you offered to remove more items.