Akeno Sushi Bar and Thai at Capitol Hill

We just moved back to the US after living in Asia for 25 years and this place checks the box for good Japanese which is tasty and not overpriced. We loved their innovation serving trays. This is now our local, go to place when we want simple tastes of Japan.

I LOVE this place! I have been coming (often) for the past couple of years, and have celebrated birthdays and other special occasions here. The staff are superb and welcoming, the food is well prepared, and the drinks are delicious (love that they have mocktail versions of their cocktails too)! I mention this place to everyone I know who loves Sushi and Thai, they never miss when it comes to anything. Highly recommend this spot to everyone.

The sushi was amazing. They have different options and flavors. Servers were polite and helped us pick from the menu - which is always a support I like and need :). Restaurant is on the second floor and you’ll have to go through a short alley. Parking can be hard to find.

Great all around. We went for the brunch, unfortunately someone in our party didn't want to pay for bottomless so the rest of us missed out. We ended up ordering a mix of sushi and entrees, everything was top notch. Not a massive crowd, we had reservations bit probably didn't need them. The double hamachi roll was particularly good.

A small group of us tried Akeno Sushi for the first time, and I loved it. We had a late dinner reservation and the restaurant was full. It’s a small restaurant with two levels for seating. Be cautions of the stairs. There’s steps leading to the restaurant, then if you sit upstairs of the second level of the restaurant itself there are two or three additional stairwells. The seating is pretty tight and close together so you don’t have much personal space sitting, but the overall experience was great! We had three courses of sushi, cocktails, and entrees. I absolutely loved my food. My friends tried cooked sushi for the first time, and they really enjoyed their selection of cooked sushi. They entree wasn’t what they anticipated, but they still ate their meals and had a pleasant time.

Akeno Sushi Bar has very fresh sushi! I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sushi there. We got the sushi boat and the appetizer platter, which was really tasty. The restaurant itself was pretty large and trendy. I would recommend getting a table outside on the rooftop if you can!

I would personally not come back because of how uncomfortable I felt when leaving. I had ordered shrimp tempura but was given a shrimp tempura sushi roll, when I pointed that out to one of the servers they brought out the actual dish I wanted, ok cool move on toward the end the roll was included in my bill so when I asked for it to be removed they looked confused, the server didn’t communicate the error and they were having a full discussion over it before they agreed to take it off. As we were leaving the lady who served us the shrimp tempura rolled her eyes at us. An automatic 18% gratuity was added and I honestly felt like we should get to decide. Since it was a party of 3 The shrimp tempura was nice and crispy. Could have a little more salt I got the Akeno tini for drink and it was good Sushi was okay, but not great. The dessert was good! We got crispy banana and ice cream The place is aesthetically pleasing but food could be better.

Very good sushi and great vibes. It’s a bit tough to find but walking up the stairs transports you to a sushi fairytale land. Lots of bright colors. Great sushi. Crab rangoons were so good. Not your typically carry out rangoons with cream cheese and fake crab. These were made in house and had awesome flavor. Awesome staff.

Came here based on Yelp reviews. Very cozy and charming sushi bar, 2nd level. Great views of 8th Street and a nice feeling of "height" associated with it. Had a lunch meeting here. My guest had the curry and I had a tuna tower - which was well executed. She loved her food too + had a mocktail. Service struggled a bit but he cleaned it up. We got there right at 11:30a opening. Parking is Capitol Hill infrequent, but we both managed to acquire street parking so all was well. Good spot, I'll definitely return.

The service was great and the ambiance was soothing. This was a real hole in the wall location with a cozy feel. I ordered the beef noodle soup which was okay, not the usual I order from ramen shops (can't mix ingredients, broths, etc). The only reason why I gave this restaurant 3-stars was because my relative ordered the Chicken Teriyaki and it made them sick to their stomach. I was worried with how fast the Katsu Curry and Chicken Teriyaki came out. Nothing wrong with food coming out quick, but it was too quick which was suspicious to me and may be the reason my relative got sick.

Stopped in after running errands on a Monday afternoon and had an average experience. Staff was mostly pleasant and my sushi was decent, not great, not horrible...but decent. The ambiance is very cute with ample seating. I sat at the bar which wasn't crowded and received my food super fast. I will say the spicy miso soup was delicious!

Loved it loved it loved it. The food is delicious and comes quickly. The options are plenty full and each one taste better than the next. The service is fantastic. It's a cool vibe. There's nice ambience. It's a great place for dates. It's a good place to go eat a solo meal and it's a good place to go with friends. I didn't give it five stars because it's located on the 2nd floor which could prevent some folks from getting there. Everything we had was delicious.

I really enjoyed this spot for sushi. They were generous with the fish and all the rolls I tried were delicious. Service was prompt(around dinner time on a Sunday night) which was appreciated. Nice decor, located on the second floor. Great place for a chill dinner date or dinner with friends. I plan to go back to try the Thai dishes.

10/10 experience!!! This sushi is AMAZING!!! The spicy garlic edamame was the bomb too! This is truly a hidden gem, it is tucked away upstairs, a secret little sushi spot. If you are near or in the area you HAVE to stop by! It is a clean and comfortable restaurant. Staff was very attentive and quick. Everything was so fresh! We would definitely come back!

Akeno Sushi Bar & Thai had delicious food. I ordered the appetizer samples and the premium sushi boat. I was very happy with both orders. The sushi was very fresh and tasty! I would recommend getting a seat on the rooftop outside if you can - otherwise the inside of the restaurant is also super cute and trendy on the main floor. I will definitely be returning!

So good I came back after coming yesterday. The curry is both sweet and spicy, so favorable.

Highly recommend a reservation if you're going on the weekend. My friend and I came on a saturday night and it was packed. I was pleasantly surprised at the fun atmosphere/decor on the inside. I had a 7pm rsvp and was sat immediately. The staff was quick, checked in often and kept our table clean when we finished with plates. I started with the Thai iced tea and miso soup. The tea was delicious, strong & flavorful! The miso soup was good but it was lukewarm, & I would have preferred it to be hotter. I ordered the Akeno Speciality Roll & it was great. Fresh tasting and a great size. I really enjoyed it. Overall, my experience was great and I look forward to coming back and trying their various other menu items!

Another winning experience at Akeno barracks row! Our table was waiting and ready with a sign when our group arrived. Service was very efficient. Everyone enjoyed the door. Happy hour is fantastic, prices are fair overall, portions are generous. It's a rare place that does both Japanese and Thai food well in the same restaurant. Cozy atmosphere with cherry blossom theme.

Holy smokes! I wasn't expecting the sushi to be THIS GOOD. Melt in your mouth cuts, perfectly presented and seasoned, unobtrusive but solid service ... just perfect! The interior is also decorated in such a lovely way, it definitely transports you away from Barracks Row! 10/10, I can't wait to go back again!

Food is amazing, the sushi, fried rice and noodles dishes are some of my favorites! Service is excellent! Ambiance is also nice, there's a rooftop area that's sometimes opened, be ready to climb some stairs though!

My wife and I love this spot! The service is great and the sushi is excellent. On our most recent visit, I ordered the akeno roll and spicy crunchy tuna roll. Both were excellent. My wife got scallop, uni, and salmon belly nigiri and a tuna and avocado roll. She loved every single bite. Oh and the akeno lychee cocktail is sooo yummy! Perfect for spring! I think it's worth noting that, from my observation, most of the mid reviews are from people who had the Thai food, not the sushi.

I love this place. The atmosphere is so chill. The food is great. And the customer service is always friendly.

Normally, if a restaurant features two different cuisines, I am a little skeptical, but given that Japanese and Thai are two of my favorites, I didn't have to think twice about selecting Akeno for dinner. Somewhat hidden in an alleyway, this restaurant can be a little tough to spot from the street, so keep a lookout for its awning. The restaurant's interior is lovely with a floral theme. It is two stories with the main dining area being on the first floor, and the second floor housing a bar area and small patio. Between all the sushi options and Thai dishes, it took us some time to peruse the menu, but our waitress was very patient as we took a few moments to decide on our order. One of my dinner mates started off with the MURASAKINO PASSION drink ($7.95), a mix of passionfruit, butterfly pea tea and lemonade. It was pricey for a mocktail, but based on one sip, it was quite refreshing. + BEEF TENDERLOIN YAKITORI ($14.95): Two small skewers served alongside tangy yuzu sauce. While they looked nicely grilled, the beef seemed overcooked and was a little tough. I'd personally skip this since it wasn't worth the price. + PAD SEE EEW ($16.95): This is one of my go-to orders at any Thai restaurant and Akeno's is solid. The noodles had a good chew, the chicken was tender and the sauce was balanced between sweet, salty and savory. I also liked how they incorporated Chinese broccoli rather than regular broccoli. + NIGIRI PLATE ($39.95): This included eight pieces of nigiri and a classic roll of the chef's choice, which was a salmon crunch roll that day. Our table shared this plate, but each piece of nigiri I had was satisfying and tasted fresh. I also enjoyed the crisped rice in the salmon crunch roll. Overall, the rice-to-fish ratio was just right. + BARUTAN DOUBLE SHRIMP ROLL ($17.95): Shrimp tempura and avocado inside, topped with shrimp, tobiko and sweet chili sauce. Between the creamy avocado, crispy shrimp and sweet chili, this roll had a great combination of textures and flavors. All of us enjoyed our dinner and there's plenty more that I would have loved to try off their menu. I appreciate the focus that they place on presentation which is not only apparent in the restaurant's décor, but also the food. After all, my eyes eat first! 4.25 stars.

We've come to this place several times! Their sushi is great and well priced. We love the vibe of the place and the servers and staff are always super nice. The kitchen is amenable when I want to tweak a roll and I'm always happy with our order. Unfortunately the last time we were there, one of their regulars at the end of the bar was totally slammed and making very gross and misogynistic comments while barely able to stand. The managers kind of just laughed it off noted that he was a regular, instead of realizing he was making many people uncomfortable. Haven't been back since, but may go again soon because I miss the sushi.

Love! Love! This place was everything! My job had our holiday party and this place did not disappoint! The sushi, the wings, and the drinks flowed all afternoon long. The waiter and host did a great job helping us educators start off our winter break. I will definitely be back again!!!

Review is for happy hour at the bar. This sneaky big space on Barracks Row greets you with a silk flower endowed staircase up to a narrow but vaulted and long restaurant space. All smiles, the staff are fast and efficient. The sushi counter and bar sprawl to the back of the restaurant with more stairs leading up to more seating upstairs. Happy hour food and drinks are Japanese favorite including octopus balls, gyoza and sushi. I was jonesing for Sake and oh do they deliver. Served blazing hot or cold a caraf of sake on HH is my love language. Food comes out fast and temperature appropriate. The Sake hit the spot and the bill was beautiful affordable. I'm rarely in the area but best believe I'll be back here for snacks and dranks!

Delicious sushi and appetizers! Service was a little slow but still friendly when around. The drinks were good as well. They had cherry blossom decorations that really created a great an atmosphere. We unfortunately did not get to sit on the upstairs/rooftop but hope to the next time we visit

Great service and drinks! I ordered drunken noodle with shrimp. It was decent but the portion was smaller than what I'm used to and the flavor missed the mark and lacked vegetables. Usually drunken noodle comes with bell peppers and bamboo shoots. I have yet to find a stellar Thai restaurant in DC.

Good food and quite possibly the best miso soup I've ever had but my only issue if the portions. The miso soup was $5.95 for about 6-8 oz or the container was half full. The chicken teriyaki was good too but you only get about 6 pieces of broccoli and a skinny chicken breast for $17. Great food but portions need a lil help. Its located on the second floor but the look of the restaurant is beautiful

Good service, and the food came out quickly. They have delicious mocktails. Not too sweet, but still a combination of strong flavors. The sushi was standard, delicious. I just got a California roll. To start, I did the spicy soup, which was SO flavorful! 10/10. The spice wasn't too much to handle as well. The drunken noodles were standard as well, delicious- the perfect combination of sweet,salty and spicy.

Fabulous service every time! It's so cute inside. Sat upstairs on the patio for once and it was perfect! Service was quick and the food was delish! Everything came out quickly and did not disappoint! Definitely a go to for sushi! We'll be back!

Love love love this place! Decor is super cute, the service is ALWAYS great and the sushi AND Thai entries AND appetizers are ALWAYS DELICIOUS. There's a few other options on this street but we're always going to come here based off our experience. If you're in the mood for sushi this is your jam!

We went to Akeno's because it's fairly close to the Eastern Market station. It's located on the second floor and you would have to take a staircase to get there. The food was good portioned and delicious. My tonkotsu ramen soup was less salty than what I expected, which was great. Overall, we had a positive experience but it didn't blow us away.

I've been to Akeno a couple of times since the name change for happy hour and I loved it. But I recently went 7/26/2024 with my children. The food was still amazing and the atmosphere was still great but somethings I disliked were one being when I asked for busboy because I wanted to tip him. The guy said oh he's the busboy and I stated I know I guess he was trying to figure out why I wanted him(none of his business ). Anyway when I went to tip him he seemed timid and scared to take the tip from me. He was great and made sure we had water and the table was clean. Not saying the servers didn't do it but he was a little more attentive. I was also irritated with the 18% gratuity added to my check. I wish restaurants would stop this ish bevause half time you don't even get that type of services. Let people leave what they want to leave. And if you're going to do that make sure it's divided evenly for everyone for example the busboy. Not sure if I will go back for a while. They do have great happy hour and again food. I'm just not feeling the 18%. And I can't remember if it's always been like this. But I live their sushi. Photos are from recently visited and old ones.

The sushi is amazing. Melt in your mouth. The salmon roll . We also had Akeno Special Roll. This is a definite must sushi spot for eveyone in the DC area.

The food was good and the happy hour has some decent deals, but I was sadly disappointed by the service. The happy hour has a number of drinks on special and a bunch of $5- $7 snacks and basic sushi rolls. We ordered a bunch, and I thought they were all decent for the price. However, I looked at the regular menu as well, and the specialty rolls seemed a bit on the expensive side even for DC (many around $18). We had a bit of an issue with the service. We were originally charged full price for some sake that we had specifically asked before ordering if it was included in the happy hour. We were told yes; however when the bill came we were charged full price (almost double what we were expecting). While the restaurant ended up meeting us in the middle on price, I don't think this was appropriate given we had specifically asked before ordering what the price was. Given how many happy hour options there are in DC, I'm not likely to come back here any time soon.

A friend recommended this spot for happy hour, so we stopped by before a wine tasting nearby. We were pleased to learn that happy hour was both at tables and the bar, so we were able to sit at a table. We were seated on the top floor, which was lovely and had an outdoor deck that we did not venture out of because of the heat. It was originally about 88 degrees up there, but once we sat and they started seating other people up there, they thankfully turned down the thermostat and it became much more pleasant. Honestly, the sushi was really, really good. It tasted super fresh and high-quality, with decent sized pieces of fish in the rolls. For $5-7 per roll during happy hour, I felt like it was a great deal. I also ordered $5 takoyaki which may have been the highlight before. I had never had takoyaki before but had been wanting to try it, so seeing it at that price point was a steal--and it was delicious and beautifully presented. Would definitely order all the happy hour food again. There was a snafu with the bill, however. When we were ordering drinks, we indicated to our server that we wanted sake that was on happy hour. The happy menu explained that house sake was $5 and then premium sake was $5 off. However, the happy menu phrased it awkwardly, making it a bit unclear whether it was premium sake or only bottles of premium sake or which exactly fell under the premium sake on happy hour. It was also unclear whether the yuzu sake on the menu was available in a bottle, or just by the glass, and we only wanted to order it if it was on happy hour. We asked our server about it, and she said that yes, it was on happy hour, and it was $5 off and pointed at the happy hour menu. And we said, oh even by the glass? It's $5 off? And she agreed and said it was part of the happy hour. So three of us ordered two rounds of it--and it was delicious, would recommend. But when the bill came, it was the menu price with no happy hour discount. When we asked the server she said it was only off bottles, but we explained that we had asked, and she confirmed that it was part of happy hour. We had an extensive back and forth with who I would presume to be the manager, who eventually settled on giving us $3 off, rather than $5. I was glad they worked with us, because the bill was originally much higher than we had anticipated. I've still given the restaurant five stars because both the food and drink were delicious, and even though it took some time and back and forth, they worked with us. I think it ultimately came down to a poorly phrased menu and a miscommunication with the server that was probably due at least in part to a language barrier that was neither party's fault.

This place was one we stumbled across on our anniversary sushi food hop. The staff were welcoming and seated us right way. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with flowers and art. We rode the happy hour saki, a Sapporo, miso soup, beef skewers, and a shrimp tempura roll. We enjoyed mostly everything. The roll was lacking freshness and the beef skewers lacked flavor. Overall the experience was nice but not sure if we will return.

More Japanese than Thai. Thai menu is back of the menu and one page. I went for the Thai due to Barracks Row proximity. Overall good 3* experience. I tried the Panang Curry. It was good. I always add extra veggies and they were willing here. Overall good meal. Not a bad option and with 2 Thai options in the area, I'd call it a coin toss.

This is a solid sushi spot on barracks row. The staff is friendly and the food comes out relatively quickly. The cherry blossom theme is a nice touch, but the lighting is too bright for an ideal date spot. The ambiance is better for catching up with friends.

Been here a few times. One of my favorite Thai places in Capitol Hill area. Food is delicious with good portions. Servers are always polite and attentive. Cute spot for dinner/lunch.

After seeing a reel on Instagram hubby and I tried this place out. He's a Thai lover and I'm a sushi lover, so perfect. We had the crunchy scallop roll, tuna avocado balls(not the name), seafood fried rice, fried octopus balls (not the name). We devoured everything! The sushi was fresh and delicious, simple flavors but the fresh fish stood out. I also had some salmon nigiri that was extremely yummy! The service was quick and pleasant. This place has a couple levels. We sat on the roof top which is a what the young people would call a "vibe". I def recommend this place for my sushi lovers.

Akeno is a sushi bar and Thai restaurant with locations in Capitol Hill and Alexandria. The food comes out quickly and everything tastes fresh. They have a wide variety of options and are very creative with their displays.

Food is always delicious and service is always attentive and pleasant. The atmosphere is nice, especially on the rooftop. It can be a little noisy on the main level.

DoorDash knows I have a special place in heart for Akeno. Their drunken noodles have me in a chokehold like seriously. The food is always good and the portions? chef's kiss - they don't skimp on anything, apps included. Now, the in-person experience? That's where things get a bit... interesting. It's 8pm on New Year's (no res, which is usually NBD for most places in Cap Hill). The host gave us this weird vibe like we should've made a resy - meanwhile the place was pretty empty except for the bar area. Our server totally saved the experience though - super knowledgeable about the menu and made some good recommendations. Drinks were yummy and I ordered my usual (The drunken noodles...DUH!) Only sour note really was the sushi taking a solid 45 minutes to reach my partner's plate, which was a bit much. Still very favored and loved in my eyes.

After a gym session, I was hungry and saw this was a new spot that opened not too far from where I was at so decided to give it try. There was nice art as you walked down the hall and uo the stairs to get to the dining area. Admittedly I was going about 40 minutes before closing but they let me choose where I wanted to sit (bar or a table), were friendly, and I had enough time to order a drink, appetizer and a couple of rolls. The food was delicious--I ordered spicy garlic edamame, tuna tataki, salmon skin roll, and buri buri (double yellowtail). I definitely plan to come back and before I left, I was told they had happy hour every day including the weekends from 4:30pm-6:30pm. Maybe I'll see you there?

Along Barracks Row in the old Nooshi space is a second-floor restaurant through a very narrow, mural-lined alley. Ordering takeout for a group at 5 p.m. on a Friday, it was ready a few minutes before the scheduled time of 6 p.m. The restaurant itself was empty when we walked in, but the dining area is spacious with tables and booths. There's also a long bar and a third floor. The takeout bag was beautifully designed, but our food was too heavy. The moment I grabbed the bag from my car, it broke, spilling some of the dishes on the ground. We found the green curry and kaprow with chicken delicious and a little spicy. The larb gai and drunken noodles were average. Overall, the prices are a bit steeper than other area Thai spots.

If you're looking for a beautiful atmosphere, great food, Akeno is definitely the place to go. There is no shortage of Instagram photo- ready areas and the staff was very pleasant. Our waitress even stopped to take pictures of us together. I had the drunken Angel I believe was the name of the dish it was spicy noodles and salmon. The salmon could use a little bit more seasoning, but it was not bad. My friend had the basil fried rice with shrimp and she said it was spicy but good. We had the Sriracha chicken wings and crab Rangoon as appetizers and they were good too. The Sriracha Wings were not spicy but they packed flavor. They have an every day happy hour specials so you can get the appetizers for pretty cheap and they have a few entrée options. Unfortunately, the entrées on the happy hour menu did not interest me, but they may to someone else. This is definitely a place to try if you're in DC!

Highly recommend. 10 out of 10 !!! We came across his place by happenstance and have visited every time since. A true hidden gem. You have to look to f d. It's upstairs but well worth the effort!!!!!

The food was delicious. The presentation was awesome and so much fun. Service was great. Very attentive. The ambiance was perfect. We sat in a booth and were able to talk and enjoy our meal at a leisurely pace.

I'm definitely disappointed. Walked into this place and it has such an amazing vibe! From the mural entrance to the flowery rooftop...Very Instagram-able! So many cute little photo op spots! Rooftop is super cute! Good happy hour! But we got the food and it was mid... then got my sushi and the avocado was brown and the lettuce was also brown so I was not impressed. Then I went to take a drink of my water and I saw a long brown hair in it and was so grossed out, so I turned my cup to show my partner, and then I saw there was a big pink lipstick mark (that was also not mine) on the cup... I was grossed out, to say the least, and immediately waved over our server. He apologized and brought me a new water and then brought the check like nothing just happened. I asked if he was going to make any sort of adjustment and he said he would have to talk to his manager. Then he came back and offered us free dessert and I was like no, we are leaving. I'm so grossed out right now. He apologized again and said they can't adjust the check. I said I would love to get the manager's card so I can follow up because I would definitely put this in my review. So, he went and got the owner who came and talked to us and said sorry they had a big event and they had an issue with their washer. She asked if the food was at least great and I said I was disappointed with the quality of the sushi and she did not appreciate that comment, but I showed her the pictures of my sushi and then she agreed the avocado and lettuce were brown and offered to take 20 bucks off the bill and asked us to come back to give them another chance. I would come back again, for the vibe, but not for sushi... that's the only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 1, because serving on dirty dishes is unacceptable to me, so I hope they tighten that up.

Not what I expected. The food was so so. Sushi was ok but the salmon salad came in a small bowl, didn't look appealing, salmon was overcooked. You have to walk down narrow alley path to get to restaurant and no ambiance

Sometimes you just want some takeout. While I didn't eat inside the restaurant it looked like a cute new spot. The takeout service was quick and the food was the appropriate temperature. This is usually hard when you order sushi or sashimi etc. I ordered a couple rolls - the Philly and Tuna with avocado. Both rolls tasted fresh and with appropriate ratios. The truffle salmon sashimi was a pleasant and refreshing surprise. The truffle balsamic sauce with tobiko was a great combination and the presentation, despite being take out, was fabulous. I recommend trying this spot out whether you're dining in or dining out add it to your list.

Nice atmosphere and wonderful food. waiter was very intensive. The sushi was very fresh and the drunken noodles was delicious.

This was me and my boyfriends first time here after hearing such great things. We arrived just in time for the end of Happy Hour where we ordered fried pork gyoza, fried shrimp sumai, and a spicy tuna roll. All came out fast and were delicious. We didn't have a huge appetite so that was just enough for a quick bite. We ate at the bar because I love watching them make the rolls. The staff were extremely friendly and answered all of my stupid questions about items on the menu I was u familiar with. I love the decor inside and it was a very relaxed place to eat. It's located on Barracks Row, just north of Jeni's ice cream, set back in a not so obvious spot that leads you upstairs. I would've walked right past it if I didn't know what I was looking for. Will definitely return to try more off the menu. There were lots of yummy options for the raw and cooked fans.

Ambiance is very laidback. They put a lot of effort into presentation of food and drink! Highly recommend the Akron-Tini. Fish was fresh! And they were also teaching a sushi making class which is fun! As an avid sushi eater, I'd come here again!

We did take out and while the roll was good, for the price it was a little underwhelming.