O-Ku - DC

Review summary

1. W

   Whitney

   VIP

   Washington DC

   25 reviews

   4.0

   25 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   My kiddos and I wanted Japanese on a whim! We searched for ‘best Japanese near me’, and O-Ku - DC came up as the best option. Off we went and arrived around 815pm. The host asked if we had reservations, and I said no. She looked around and said there might be up to a 30min wait, even though there were tables available. She asked if we were ok with a high top, and I said yes, but we didn’t want the high top next to that host station. When we asked for a table further down, she snapped, ‘You’ll have to wait because I don’t bus tables.’ I thought that was odd, but accepted her response, and we sat for about 15 more minutes until finally I approached the host station and inquired to a tall gentlemen about our table…he said very snarky, ‘Well did you want the original table, otherwise you have to wait.’ I asked why would it take so long to bus a single table that looked like all it needed was to be set. He glared at me, and at that point I asked for a manager. We were seated quickly and our dining experience was absolutely perfect from the moment Mike the manager got involved. He apologized for the initial experience (our first time there), and made sure the rest of our dining experience was perfect. And it was. He offered a complimentary app and dessert along with a ‘party bag’ that my two kiddos loved. My oldest dances at Duke Ellington Performing Arts school and the t-shirt in the bag was a perfect color match for a performance he has today! Inside the bag also was a handwritten apology from Mike on behalf of the restaurant…very impressive and genuine. As someone who worked in hospitality for more than 20 years, I know better than anyone that things happen, but it’s how you recover that makes all the difference in the world between what could’ve been a horrible experience and what turned out to be a magnificent dining experience. We will be back!
   

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2. N

   Nia

   Chicago

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Loved my server he was great! Food was amazing as always and drinks were just a good!
   

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3. Z

   Zach

   VIP

   New York City

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   I had a great experience at this sushi spot! The sushi was fresh and flavorful, but the real standouts were the scallops and tuna—both were incredibly tender and packed with taste. The quality of the seafood was top-notch, and each bite was well-balanced. I’ll definitely be coming back for more!
   

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4. R

   Ray

   San Diego

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Our server was amazing, personable, and so funny. I just wish I could remember her name to share with you. Thank you !!!
   

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5. E

   Esther

   Greater Boston

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 21, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I had a fantastic experience here! The atmosphere was welcoming, the server was incredibly friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. I’ll definitely be coming back!
   

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6. J

   Jan

   Washington DC

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 20, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 5

   Service was very slow, sushi was okay — I had high expectations after a friend recommended this place. Gorgeous space though, very vibey. Host was helpful.
   

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7. J

   Jazmine

   Washington DC

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 18, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The food was amazing as always. We got our go to sushi order and tried some new dishes our waitress suggested!
   

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8. H

   Hasani

   Washington DC

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 17, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   It sucks that I'm giving a negative review because I'm dined at O-Ku several times. Yesterday my wife and I wanted to celebrate Valentines Day days later so we came to O-Ku. The steak came first but the sushi rolls took over 45 minutes to get to the table. We asked the waiter what was the wait about and he said that there were a lot of resys happening at the same time, I booked a reservation as well so I didn't see that as a good reason to wait over 40 minutes for 2 raw sushi rolls. After the food got to the table we opted into order more right then because we didn't want to wait that long again for sushi. Of course the sushi was taking forever again so we just asked for the bill so we can leave. When we paid we noticed that the waiter charged someones else dinner to us and we almost didn't notice. I'm not nitpicking the waiter's honest mistake but it seems like the lack of attention to detail trickled into the service we were getting. I want to come back and enjoy my experiences but this time I was very disappointed.
   

   O-Ku - DCResponded on February 20, 2025

   Hi Hasani, Thank you for taking the time to write and I want to apologize for the experience you had with us. As someone who dines with us often, this is even more disappointing. You have every right to be upset and we are too. Consistent great food and service are what we strive for every day, even busy holidays. We will be reading this to our staff in the hope of making it a teachable moment for us all. I would love the chance to speak with you as well at your convenience to discuss your next visit. Thanks again and I hope we see you again soon so we can give you the experience you have come to expect from us. Most Sincerely, Todd Hunt Area Director-VA/DC
   

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9. J

   James

   Washington DC

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined on February 17, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   5/5 every single time. The duck is the best thing I’ve ever had.
   

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10. C

    Camerin

    Tampa

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    It was absolutely amazing from start to finish! I brought my bestfriend here for her birthday and we started with a Sugar & Spice Cocktail w/o the spice. It was soo great. We also selected a few good options because they are small plates. Everything was 10/10 our waiter brought us 2 free strawberry mimosa-like drinks and 2 free Tuna (sushi something’s) that were really really good. Overall 10/10 birthday experience and we will be returning again!
    

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