The Top 7 Sushi Near The Duck & the Peach
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Rank 1. Omakase at Barracks Row
Japanese
A 14-seat omakase counter in Capitol Hill that holds a Michelin star and earns every bit of it. The chef sources fish directly from Tokyo's Toyosu market, so each piece of nigiri arrives with a whole origin story attached. The room is intimate enough that the team treats every course like a small ceremony. Regulars tend to wear that slightly reverent look of people who already know what's coming and can't wait anyway.
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Rank 2. Sushi Nakazawa
Sushi
Tucked into the back of the Waldorf Astoria, this Michelin-starred omakase room is the kind of place where everyone at the counter is quietly trying to look like they do this all the time. Twenty courses of immaculate nigiri, paced over a couple of unhurried hours, with rice seasoned so precisely it almost feels personal. Splurge for a counter stool over a dining room table if you can. It costs more, but watching the chefs work is half the point.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Washingtonian 2026 · #48 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Washingtonian Where to Eat Near the National Mall
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Rank 3. Kiyomi
Japanese
A 16-seat sushi counter in downtown DC where the omakase actually respects your bank account. The chef built a loyal following slinging a weekday lunch deal before landing this proper home, and the regulars followed. It draws the kind of crowd that genuinely knows their nigiri, which keeps things honest. Dinner omakase runs on Fridays if you want the full commitment, but the lunch deal is the real reason people keep coming back.
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
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Rank 4. Dear Sushi
Sushi
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Rank 5. Raw Omakase
Omakase Sushi
Tucked on the third floor above a restaurant on 14th Street, this tiny omakase counter fits fewer than ten people, so getting a seat already feels like an achievement. The chef runs two seatings a night and moves through a tight, seasonal progression of nigiri that earns every penny of the price. The aged sake list is genuinely worth exploring. Dress sharp, arrive curious, and don't be late.
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Rank 6. Sushi Taro
Sushi
Sushi Taro is the kind of Japanese restaurant where the omakase counter seats maybe four people a night and each gets their own dedicated chef, which should tell you everything about the level of seriousness happening here. The nigiri is top-notch, the specials list goes well beyond tuna, and the rest of the menu holds its own too. Dupont Circle regulars in the know, dressed appropriately.
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Rank 7. Kyojin
Sushi