Restaurant in Washington DC, United States
20-course omakase, counter seats fill fast.

Sushi Nakazawa DC delivers a tightly run 20-course omakase at the $$$ tier, ranked #248 on Opinionated About Dining's North America list in 2024. The marble counter is the seat to book, and the 510-selection wine program adds genuine depth. Easier to secure than the New York original — aim for three to four weeks out for weekend dinner, or take lunch for a lower-friction entry.
The 20-counter seats at Sushi Nakazawa DC fill fast, and the dinner service on weekends books out further in advance than most D.C. omakase experiences. If you are planning a special occasion or a deliberate food-focused evening, reserve at least three to four weeks out for Friday or Saturday dinner. Lunch windows are comparatively easier to secure and offer the same format at a quieter pace. This is a $$$ venue with a 20-course omakase structure, and at that price point the service team needs to earn it — here, they largely do.
The space at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave NW runs dark wood and gold accents throughout, and the marble counter is where you want to sit. The leather stools at the counter put you directly in front of the itamae, where the preparation is precise and visually deliberate — ingredients laid out with the kind of organizational discipline that signals intent before the first course arrives. The room is intimate rather than sprawling, which works in its favour: the atmosphere stays focused rather than diffuse. Request counter seating when booking. The room seats a small number of covers, which is part of why the booking window matters.
Sushi Nakazawa DC is the second outpost of Daisuke Nakazawa's New York original, operated with Alessandro Borgognone and led in the kitchen by chef Katsu Okuna. The front-of-house team includes Wine Director Dean Fuerth and sommeliers Chris Mendenhall and Victoria Rodriguez, which is a depth of wine staff you would not expect to find at most omakase counters. The wine list runs to 510 selections and 1,550 inventory units, with a heavy lean toward Burgundy , the wine pricing tier is $$$ and the corkage fee is $75 if you bring your own. For a food-focused explorer, this list offers real range rather than a token selection appended to the sushi program.
The itamae team works with the kind of precision and economy of motion that makes watching the counter worthwhile. At 20 courses, the meal runs approximately two hours. That pacing, combined with attentive but not intrusive service, is what justifies the $$$ price tier. The service philosophy here is formal competence rather than warmth-first hospitality , which fits the format. If you want a looser, more conversational counter experience, that is not what this room offers. If you want a tightly run, technically serious 20-course progression with a serious wine program available alongside it, this delivers.
Sushi Nakazawa DC holds a White Star from Star Wine List (published July 2022), recognising the wine program specifically. On Opinionated About Dining's North America rankings, the restaurant placed #248 in 2024, up from a recommended listing in 2023, and sits at #341 in the 2025 rankings. A Google rating of 4.7 from 431 reviews reflects consistent execution over time. For context on the lineage: Daisuke Nakazawa trained under Jiro Ono, whose reputation in the sushi world is historically documented. That provenance sets an expectation , the DC outpost is not Sukiyabashi Jiro, but it operates with a level of technical seriousness that the OAD ranking and wine recognition support.
For food and wine explorers comparing this against other high-end omakase experiences internationally, the counter format and multi-course structure place it in the same category as venues like Harutaka in Tokyo or Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong , though at a different price tier and with a different ambient context.
| Detail | Sushi Nakazawa DC | Peer Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Cuisine format | 20-course omakase | Standard omakase: 15–20 courses |
| Price tier | $$$ | Comparable D.C. omakase: $$$–$$$$ |
| Lunch service | 11:45 AM – 2 PM daily | Many omakase counters dinner-only |
| Dinner (Fri/Sat) | 5 PM – 10:30 PM | Most close by 10 PM |
| Wine list | 510 selections, 1,550 inventory | Most omakase counters: 100–200 selections |
| Corkage fee | $75 | D.C. average: $35–$50 |
| Booking difficulty | Easy (plan 3–4 weeks for weekends) | NYC Nakazawa: harder to book |
| OAD North America rank | #248 (2024), #341 (2025) | Top 250 is the target tier for serious omakase |
For other sushi in the city, Dear Sushi at Love, Makoto and Kaz Sushi Bistro offer different points on the price-and-format spectrum. For a broader view of the D.C. dining scene, see our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide. If you are building a longer trip around this booking, our Washington, D.C. hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest. For reference points on what a high-calibre tasting menu experience looks like in other U.S. cities, Le Bernardin in New York, Alinea in Chicago, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, and Emeril's in New Orleans provide useful context for calibrating expectations.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Nakazawa DC | Sushi | Sushi Nakazawa DC is a restaurant in Washington DC, USA. It was published on Star Wine List on July 21, 2022 and is a White Star.; This second outpost of Chef Daisuke Nakazawa’s critically acclaimed sushi house is elegant and intimate with dark wood and gold accents. For the best seat, angle for one of the leather stools at the marble counter, where you can watch the itamae work their magic. The team works in a tidy fashion, their hands moving as adeptly as a surgeon along meticulously organized counters. Ingredients are sourced both locally and from abroad and each course is presented like a revelation—from Japanese sumi ika with shiso and pickled plum sauce to lightly torched kama toro with spicy daikon. It will take you a couple of hours to work your way through the luxurious 20-course omakase of the chef, who trained under the legendary Jiro Ono, but rest assured it is time well spent.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #341 (2025); WINE: Wine Strengths: Burgundy, France Pricing: $$$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Corkage Fee: $75 Selections: 510 Inventory: 1,550 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: Japanese Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Lunch and Dinner STAFF: People Dean Fuerth:Wine Director Wine Director: Dean Fuerth Sommelier: Chris Mendenhall, Victoria Rodriguez Chef: Katsu Okuna General Manager: Sam Borzi Owner: Alessandro Borgognone, Daisuke Nakazawa; This second outpost of Chef Daisuke Nakazawa’s critically acclaimed sushi house is elegant and intimate with dark wood and gold accents. For the best seat, angle for one of the leather stools at the marble counter, where you can watch the itamae work their magic. The team works in a tidy fashion, their hands moving as adeptly as a surgeon along meticulously organized counters. Ingredients are sourced both locally and from abroad and each course is presented like a revelation—from Japanese sumi ika with shiso and pickled plum sauce to lightly torched kama toro with spicy daikon. It will take you a couple of hours to work your way through the luxurious 20-course omakase of the chef, who trained under the legendary Jiro Ono, but rest assured it is time well spent.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #248 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Recommended (2023) | Easy | — | |
| Albi | United States, Middle Eastern | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Causa | Peruvian | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Oyster Oyster | New American, Vegetarian, Vegetarian (Sustainable) | $$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Bresca | Modern French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Gravitas | New American, Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Washington, D.C. for this tier.
Omakase formats are inherently inflexible — the 20-course menu is chef-driven by design, which means severe allergies or strict dietary restrictions are a real compatibility problem here. check the venue's official channels before booking. If the format cannot accommodate your needs, a la carte sushi venues in D.C. will give you more control.
The marble counter is the seat to book, not a fallback option. Leather stools along the counter put you directly in front of the itamae team, which is the point of the format. Request counter seating when reserving — it's a meaningfully different experience from a table.
Yes, provided the person you're bringing wants omakase specifically. The dark wood and gold interior, two-hour 20-course progression, and OAD Top North America ranking (No. 248 in 2024) make a strong case for milestone dinners. If your guest wants flexibility or a shorter meal, this format will feel like a commitment, not a treat.
Dinner is the fuller commitment: service runs until 9:30 PM Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 PM on weekends, giving the 20-course menu room to breathe. Lunch (11:45 AM to 2 PM daily) is available if you want the counter experience on a tighter schedule, but if this is a special occasion or a first visit, dinner is the format the kitchen is built around.
For a different price point on sushi, Makoto is the most established Japanese counter in D.C. and offers a more traditional kaiseki-adjacent approach. Kaz Sushi Bistro is a lower-commitment, a la carte option. If you want a high-end tasting menu in a different cuisine entirely, Bresca and Gravitas are the closest D.C. comparisons for format and formality.
The room runs dark wood, gold accents, and a marble counter at $$$ pricing with an OAD-ranked pedigree — dress accordingly. Business casual at minimum; most guests at this price point dress more formally for dinner. There is no documented dress code in the venue data, but the format and price tier set clear expectations.
There is no ordering at Sushi Nakazawa DC — the 20-course omakase is the menu, and the kitchen decides the progression. The wine program is a genuine asset: 510 selections, 1,550 bottles in inventory, and a White Star from Star Wine List. If you want wine pairing, the list is worth engaging rather than defaulting to sake.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.