DAIKAYA
Ramen restaurant · Downtown
705 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Highlights
Sapporo-style ramen shop with a hip vibe and great flavor
Sapporo-style ramen shop with a hip vibe and great flavor
"Izakaya means “stay-drink-place,” and that’s exactly what you’ll want to do at this small plates Japanese restaurant. Unlike other places on this list, don’t expect live entertainment, but do expect a surprisingly awesome ‘80s world disco soundtrack, fantastic hibiscus-mandarin drinks, and immaculate dishes like smokily charred chicken wing skewers and homestyle wagyu curry. The fun here sneaks up on you. You might come in thinking you’re just pre-gaming for whatever’s happening at Capital One Arena across the street, but by the time the game starts, you’re three cherry mandarin mules deep and too happily skewered out to care." - tristiana hinton, omnia saed
"Directly across Sixth Street from the arena, Daikaya offers two separate options: the popular downstairs ramen shop, and the upstairs izakaya. The ramen is among the city’s best bowls, but walk-in only. Upstairs, the (reservable) Daikaya Izakaya serves creative noodles, wagyu beef tartare, and other freestyle dishes in a quieter setting. If the ramen downstairs is super crowded, either bide time at the bar or see if Bantam King around the block has more space; from the same owners, it specializes in chicken ramen and fried chicken." - Missy Frederick
"Listed as another established ramen destination and part of the city’s dense ramen scene." - Eater Staff
"Many of Daikaya’s ramen varieties are beloved, but the vegan version has made a surprising and lasting impression on diners — even if they end up adding egg or pork to the mix. The walk-in venture with a laser-cut metal facade is open for lunch and dinner." - Tierney Plumb
"Since opening in 2013, Daikaya has remained a standard setter for ramen lovers in D.C. The fast-paced shop on the first floor doles out traditional broths with salty shio, shoyu (dark soy sauce), and white miso bases (add pork to the vegan ramen for a sacrilicious option). The company has its own special noodle recipe courtesy of their distributor in Japan." - Eater Staff
