Kanpai Sushi

If you want to impress and delight your guests, or just have an amazing meal at home with your family, this is the place. Beautiful, delicious sushi platters lovingly created by a perfectionist. Take-out only. We’ve relied on Kanpai Sushi for special occasions for many years. You won’t be disappointed.

A year or more later it is still as good as when we first tried it. If we were closer I would buy every week. Original review: I'm pretty sure this is some of the best sushi in the entire US. Hidden gem in a hole in the wall. We are willing to drive the 55 min to go get more on another occasion. If you are down by Great Falls and don't know what to eat, look no further.

I think this must've been one of the first sushi places in the area, before it became a thing. I've been going for maybe 30 years? Freshly made and mouth watering, never much of a wait.

Salmon with citrus roe. I’m a fan. The shopping center left me questioning the idea of buying sushi from a 7-11. This though is a separate business. I took it to Clara Barton’s house in case it wasn’t good and I needed a nurse, but it turns out not only is she not here right now, but the sushi was excellent.

We went during lunch for first time. Food quality was really good. Our server Tony is on point! I’d come back again.

This sushi is life changing. Genuinely the best sushi I’ve ever had!! Absolutely amazing, five stars!

The staff are super friendly and I've never had a bad experience with their food. The spicy tuna rolls are absolutely incredible and I'm literally in and out with fresh sushi within ten minutes. I highly recommend this place!

What a hidden gem this place is. As soon as I walked in and saw the Japanese groceries, fresh fish, etc, I was reminded of another place I used to go to in Illinois that was very similar and had very good sushi. My expectations for this place were very high and I'm happy to say my expectations were met. I ordered a few simple rolls, they were made fresh in front of me, and they were all delicious. I really enjoyed the quality of ingredients and how fresh and delicious everything tasted. I'm usually not in this part of town very often but I'll make sure to come back whenever I'm passing through.

I've been picking up sushi for lunch from this little shop every week for several years. The fish is always very fresh and the sushi is carefully prepared to order. The lunch box special is served with a miso soup which is quite nice. It's not inexpensive but I feel it's well worth the cost for the quality. The staff is friendly and efficient.

If you want to impress and delight your guests, or just have an amazing meal at home with your family, this is the place. Beautiful, delicious sushi platters lovingly created by a perfectionist. Take-out only. We've relied on Kanpai Sushi for special occasions for many years. You won't be disappointed.

Food cannot be beat. The SP Large combo is my frequent "go-to." Service is prompt and friendly. Phone orders are accurate.

This place is a MUST if you're looking for FRESH and QUICK sushi. It's tucked away in a small plaza next next to a gas station. The shop is next to a pizza place. I've only tried the Philadelphia roll, but each time I get it, the portion is generous. Keep in mind this is not a sit down restaurant, so I usually just get a roll for myself and finish it in my car before I even leave the parking lot. It's so good and I look forward to my next visit!

This sushi carryout spot has been here for decades and I finally got it try it. It's tucked away inside the Glen Echo shopping center. The store itself is small, with just a sushi counter and a few shelves and fridge with beverages and snacks to purchase. The sushi itself is a bit pricey compared to other places but it was fresh. The staff were very friendly. We ordered the salmon avocado roll, tuna roll, and California roll with roe. Happy I tried this place, would probably go back to try other rolls.

Excellent take out sushi! Pleasant quick service. I recommend calling in your order.will definitely make this a regular stop when going to Glen Echo.

A very cute store located in the glen echo area that has great sushi for a good price ! The food was prepared fast with no issues and the taste was pretty good ! I would definitely come back.

Since it's been a few years since my last review, I thought I should update. Nothing has changed - Sushi Kanpai is still one of my favorite places in D.C. - the best, most fresh sushi. If you love sushi, you must try!!

Great spot! Affordable and exactly what I wanted for lunch! Also the guys running it are nice and friendly :)

Love love love this place! Small carry out place that's hidden within the shops. They make the sushi with love and it is such a good price. This is our first choice when we want sushi!

Good quality for sure. These guys know what they are doing. Still, The rice is a little too vinegary for me and there are no creative items. But if you want a good sushi hit. This place delivers.

We're so happy to find a great sushi place near where we live. We're picky sushi eaters so it takes a lot for us to like a place and keep going back. Kanpai is a hidden gem. The fish is so fresh, everything is well prepared. Not to mention the price is unbeatable. You have to try it to know. Just ordered party platter for Father's day and CAN NOT WAIT! Thank you chef!

Cute tiny takeout next to a 7-11. Sushi was fresh and quick. Recommended when you want a no frills Carryout roll or two

My favorite sushi place for takeout. Great Bento box options. Sushi and nigiri made in front of you. Nice people working there

A hidden gem. The spicy tuna roll is fantastic. Owner is very friendly and service is quick and consistent

This place is a neighborhood staple. The fish is always fresh and simple. The prices are amazing and the staff is super sweet. I usually get the spicy tuna, which isn't too hot, salmon skin and real crab California roll. I stop by at least once a week when I am in town. Love this place!

Authentic, classic sushi. Sushi was fresh and surprisingly delicious - not fancy but above and beyond what you'd expect from a small take out shop. I would take out from them again for my family of sushi lovers. Try it and support small family owned businesses like these who know how to keep it real.

Two and a half stars, plentiful street parking by the church and in the shared Exxon plaza parking lot. No seating, per branding. Specials on a board behind the counter. Online menu pricing is slightly out of date. Goods include rice, noodles, rice cracker snacks, condiments, daifuku, green tea beverage varieties and ice cream pints. Pricing just can't compete with the supermarkets. The only edge they have over Hinata is service. I'm rather surprised how many people they have on staff for such a small store and limited menu, but they're definitely more friendly. Seaweed salad portioning is quite fair, and includes bits of wood ear, very light sesame chili dressing. Chirashi is priced low since it only includes four cuts of actual seafood, some filler (kampyo, imitiation crab, cucumber, tamago on the dense side), and a dominant serving of faintly seasoned rice. Fish quality is average at best, cuts are conservative. I don't think I'll be back except when I'm looking to grill my own hamachi kama, but maybe I'll try an eel bowl or bento box then.

One of my go to sushi joints on the go. Traditional sushi, no spicy crunchy volcanic caterpillar dragon rolls. You'll find nigiri and rolls with simple additions of avocado, sprouts or cucumber. The nigiri has a bit less fish than I would like but for their lunch/dinner special it's still a steal. For about 11 bucks you get 3 to 5 pieces nigiri and 2x 6 piece maki with a miso soup. Atmosphere: 4/5 Food/drink: 4/5 Price: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Overall 4/5

The sushi is great!!! I look forward to their daily specials. This is a small business run by two guys and they sometimes have help here and there. I like supporting small businesses, and this one is especially good since their food is great! I have celiac so I let them know, and they offer me the gluten-free soy sauce. It's a blessing to have such yummy food.

This small spot is in a very unassuming spot in a tiny strip mall. But it is definitely worth stopping in if you're looking for some fresh sushi or some Japanese snacks, which they somehow are able to stash in this [did I mention?] small store. The lunch box is always a good deal and is ever changing. Sushi is made to order and is ready in a jiffy. I think they must be doing really good business despite being in such a strange part of the strip mall.

I went there to have mu carryout dinner, bought the two combinations and two rolls. As an asian, I can understand many locals support this restaurant. However, I have to say that the value of my food cannot compare to other local restaurant. Agreed on the quality f the food is good, just felt that my combinations are so short of the REAL raw fishes, too many eggs, tofu skins, man-made crab meats, ... --- like 30% of cheap stuff. Not worth my money for the price.

i love this place and the sushi here. it's a small shop with a few snacks and frozen items to choose from as well. sushi is always fresh and delicious and items are always ready for pickup within 20 minutes from calling.

I love this place. Always excellent food. My go-to for takeout sushi and sashimi! Plus the sides like seaweed salad! And the desserts!

Pretty good quality for the price! Definitely better than what local competitors have to offer. We happened to be in the area and wanted to get a quick carry out meal. We got a tuna roll and an assortment of nigiri, including imitation crab, tamagoyaki, tuna, salmon, hamachi, roe, and shrimp. Surprisingly the raw fish were the best - the imitation crab and the roe weren't as good. A lot of raw tuna in America tastes very off and has a strange coloring, but this tuna seems to be okay. We will definitely be back for our sushi carry out cravings!

I've been going there at least once a month for the past twenty years. Always friendly and prompt. The daily lunch boxes are consistently very fresh and delicious. The best miso soup ever.

Kanpai sushi is the place to be!!!! Not only do they have the great sushi at amazing prices they also have the friendliest staff who is always so kind when you order. Many people don't know about Kanpai, BUT THEY SHOULD because nothing can beat them! I recommend their lunch box special and if you're having a party they make the best catering plate!! My one issue with them is that they sometimes have spinach sushi in their lunch boxes and I'm not the biggest fan. But overall if you want sushi Kanpai is the perfect place to go!!!!!

Call ahead! (Please! Especially if you have a big order.) No seating. Sushi and sashimi of very limited choices, but portion sizes pretty good for the price. Check order before leaving; in two recent visits they left off ingredients both times, but also did get right my special requests, both times. Have been very happy with their sashimi, and the "your choice" is a bargain.

I seriously go here at least once a week. Good prices for great quality of sushi. Service is fast and friendly. Honestly this is my #1 sushi spot. On top of great sushi they also sell a lot of Japanese sauces and snacks. Snacks that are hard to find unless you go to specific Asian markets. I'm very grateful I found this place. I'm a Lifetime fan and customer

Kanpai Sushi is easy to miss if you're not looking out for the generic lettering outside of the Glen Echo Center that says 'Sushi'. Look for the Exxon on the corner and then you'll know you have arrived. Get ready for some great sushi! The sushi rolls are absolutely the freshest! Fresh Crab California Roll $4.50 - large white bits of meat Avocado Roll $2.75 - fresh and bright green The sushi chefs (3 at the time I was there) are very nice and chatty. One of them was quite the salesman; informing me of their Lunch Box and Dinner Box specials for $6.50/$9.50 respectively. It is a no thrills carryout joint as adam m. says. They have Japanese grocery items for sale along one wall. It was a great find for me while house sitting two miles away.

It is nice sushi carry out. I am from Japan, so it is great taste and quality, for sure.

I don't know how it is that I have never reviewed Kanpai. We first used Kanpai years ago to supply sushi to a birthday party I threw for my spouse. They made beautiful arrangements of sushi on large round plastic trays, perfect for a party. The sushi was excellent. Since then Kanpai has been our go-to carry-out sushi place. Its location is a bit inconvenient for us (North Bethesda/Rockville), so that says it all if I am willing to drive 15-20 minutes rather than 5 minutes. The key is the quality-to-price ratio: very high quality and reasonable prices. The quality is up there with almost any other sushi restaurant in my opinion, and their prices are down there with the budget places. We typically order by phone and it's ready when we arrive. We are planning another party and using Kanpai again, that says it all!

Quick, easy sushi carryout from good sushi chefs is right here in Bannockburn / Glen Echo Park area. If you're coming into MD from McLean and need to get to Bethesda (or going toward McLean from MD), you may not know about this spot, but it's an awesome stop for pizza (next door) or really good sushi! I usually get the yellow tail and unagi nigiri, but I've had quite a few of the rolls and some other sushi that has always been great. They are always fast and the price is good, but you're eating it in your car or in the park nearby--there's no dining area inside! It's a literal hole in the wall, where the pizza place next door and Sushi Kanpai have divided one already small space, so don't expect any breathing room... but do expect good, fast sushi to go. Oh, and it's been there for about 20 years and I've just written the first review. This is because I've been here for about 40 (39.96 as of this writing), so I am sort of an oracle of knowledge... like the old Magic 8-Ball, only real. :-)

Fresh, fast, and friendly! This place is definitely worth a try; it's affordable and just simply delicious. (Heads up, it is carryout only but offers ample parking.) I am normally a creature of habit, but decided to go out on a whim recently and tried the Tuna-Nuta (listed in the 'side orders' portion of their menu: it is sashimi-style tuna with a special miso dressing) and all I can say is, WOW. My go-to spot in Bethesda for sushi.

Great place, wonderful service. Be patient if you happen to order during a crunch time. It's worth it.

Do you love wasabi as much as I do?!?! Do you take soysauce with your wasabi?!?! Does the thought of that potent spice traveling up and burning your nose makes you tingle with excitement?!?!?!? I don't mean to brag but I love wasabi, eating pea size bits in addition to my raw fish. . . The wasabi at Sushi Kanpai packs that KA-POW punch and more!!!! I can only handle half a pea size bit before that wonderful nasal passage clearing sensation!!! So yeah, be judicious about the wasabi you add ;-) Hahaha yeah. . . That's my additonal contribution since other reviews already covered the essentials: -Carry out only (read the name of their business!!!) -Hidden in the middle of nowhere (look for the Exxon gas station, it's in that shopping center) -GREAT quality sushi (whoooooo) -AMAZING price (the daily specials make me all hot and bothered. . . hoooo) -Other items available for purchase from fresh sashimi grade fish to wasabi powder, Japanese crackers, POCKY (!!!), salad dressing, instant Japanese curry cube things, etc, etc. -Super friendly guys working it Grab your sushi, find a beautiful place to park and let your eyes and stomach bask in all the wonderful glory of the world. . . Or you can take your sushi back home (which is what I did that day. . . . The wonderful glory of the world was catching up on my shows, equally a beautiful thing :-P)

In the middle of nowhere lies a slice of Japanese life. And i'm better for it. Ok, I'll be honest, MacArthur Blvd really isn't the middle of nowhere considering you have Glen Echo Park and Great Falls at it's front yard, but to have this bit of Tokyo, this slice of the Ginza, this part of my home country is utterly fantastic. Atmosphere: It's a small carry out wedged in a small strip shopping center, but it's not a dive. It's a corner slice of Japanese Heaven and the guys back there are slicing and dicing their hearts out for you. Food: Sushi/Sashimi: They have all usual suspects. Tuna, Yellow tail, Salmon, Eel, Mackeral, and more. They don't have Uni or Murigai, but what they don't have in some of those more expensive items, they certainly make up for it with great affection and sincerity. The sushi rice is great and the fish is fresh. Service: Always fast, friendly and they make me feel like i'm home. Pricing: Low to moderate. Actually for sushi, sashimi and party platters you're getting a great deal. They also have a small section of Japanese goodies. I'm talking the bare essentials of any Japanese kitchen from sesame crackers, to furikake, to soy sauce. It's not extensive, but it's good enough. Overall: When i'm ready to go see where Heaven greets the earth at Great Falls, I head over there first, get some sushi, Calpis (Japanese soda...nom, nom), and some crackers and i'm loving life. It very well may be one of life's little secrets best kept hidden, but I Yelp and i'm telling you. So, it's no longer a secret...so, get off your keister and head over there and support your local economy. Now!

Great guys, great sushi, great takeout. I have been to plenty of sushi restaurants in DC and this one is top notch. The price is excellent for what you get. Highly recommend. Note: This place only has takeout. On a nice day, grab some food and head to Glen Echo Park to eat.

This is a great sushi restaurant in the Glen Echo area. The sushi is comparable in quality to any of the more "upscale" sushi places in downtown Bethesda, and it's a lot better price too. There's nowhere to sit inside so you should probably order ahead.

I've been ordering sushi at Kanpai for 35 years! The quality has always been outstanding. This is the place to go for carryout traditional good quality sushi. While I grew up near Glen Echo, I always make a point to stop by for some carryout anytime I am near the area now. If entertaining, the party platters are very practical and will undoubtedly impress your guests.

For what it is (no frills sushi carryout), it's as good as it gets: quick, inexpensive, excellent sushi. And as mentioned in one of the other reviews, it's owned and operated by Tako Grill, an excellent restaurant in Bethesda. I recommend the sushi lunch and sushi dinners; for a party, buy a platter. It's all inexpensive and the meals come with consistently good miso. Even though it's truly a hole in the wall, it's clean, service is quick, the sushi chefs are friendly, and there are a couple of shelves of Japanese grocery items. Highly recommended, healthy carryout!. I've been going there for 25 years. When you call in your order, tell them "We're friends of Sue" for a laugh.

Great sushi, really small space. Don't expect to sit down and eat (hence the name) but this place is wonderful. Their California rolls with fresh crab meat and wasabi is one of my favorite rolls in the DC area. Their other sushi selections are rock solid too. Pretty cheap considering what you get. Whenever I'm in the area I definitely drop by. And try their box lunch, good stuff there too.

I've been eating here for a loooong time. It's no-nonsense, honest-to-goodness, what more could you want and ask for in a tiny little place that's like stepping into Japan for a few moments. How perfect if you happen to be creating some Japanese-types of pots at the pottery yurts across the street! A complete and tiny cultural experience, with sodas and candies and everything. Yum-ee.

Awesome sushi great service if your near glen echo you need to try this place plus price is good

This place is great. I have been coming here since 1999. The sushi is fresh and the guys who make it are authentic. No place to sit, so it's more of a carry out place. Lots of Japanese grocery food. They will also sell you cuts of fresh fish. Great lunch specials for $8-10$

Great little hole in the wall for Sushi. Two old guys cranking out sushi rolls in a very small space. It's carry-out only, but the sushi is legit! Call ahead to pick up and not wait.

I would love to give Sushi Kanpai 5 stars because their sushi is excellent, and you can't beat their prices and portion sizes. However, the staff is not the friendliest. I am not expecting a hug (hahaha!) when I go there, but when I say "hello" as I go up to the counter, it would be nice to get a "hello" back...sometimes I get a grunt! I go here often because I bike on MacArthur Blvd. and stop here for lunch. I do so look forward to this ritual. Note: If you blink you will miss this place!

Staff is very friendly and the "lunch box" is quite literally the perfect lunch. This is a Carryout only place much like the sub shop next door, but Glen Echo park is right across the street for nice weather. They do catering, never experienced it but they close shop occasionally to prepare for catering events.

3.5 stars Good sushi, convenient location. As a strip mall sushi joint this place does not have the high turnover necessary to offer items such as uni. But the maki here is great and quickly prepared as you wait. The tuna is very fresh, and the california roll and other rolls are all very good because the rice here is made very well.