Koryouri Urara

My partner and I came Koryouri Urara for her birthday dinner. We decided to try this “home style” omakase after reading about it online. The atmosphere was comfortable and cozy - relatively small in size. The service was top notch. Chef urara was very approachable and friendly describing how each dish was prepared and her thought behind the offering. The food was excellent . I’ve noticed that some disappointed reviews based on the menus/dishes that were offered. I think the key word of the dishes being offered here is “home style” which can be different from other omakase experience. Personally, we enjoyed our experience at Koryuri and look forward to our next visit.

This was our second time visiting Koryouri Urara, and it continues to be one of our favorite spots. Chef Urara has a real talent for creating a menu that feels homey and comforting, but with sophisticated twists. The way she incorporates ingredients like yuzu, shiso, and cheese is always so inspired. While there are tables, we definitely prefer sitting at the counter. It’s a much more immersive experience watching the preparation, and we appreciated having every dish explained to us. It was also great to see how the menu has evolved since our last visit in the summer. Highly recommend for anyone who loves Japanese food or is interested in trying!

Wow wow wow! One cannot rave about this delicacy enough! Everything was so delicious from start to finish. Every dish was uniquely tasty and every time I put my utensil down I was so excited for what was to come next. 2 hour passes without you even noticing and has you planning your next trip. The service is phenomenal and the way Chef Urara prepares each dish in front of you makes for an intimate and warming experience. I cannot wait to come back again!

Urara san, curry is a no go. You went too subtle and delicate for the rest of the course. Japanese curry is delicious but a horrible taste to end it. Maybe a seasonal ochaske? A cheaper version may be a lightly soaked salmon in hojicha. But overall delicious Japanese course meal and worth the ~$170 pp with tip price. Food is perfectly balanced and well thought out. But they charged 22% tip for an additional bottle of alcohol. WHO charged extra 22% tip for a bottle of alcohol? Urara, you are going down the path of disaster… A $40 bottle of sake sold for $130ish became an $180 dollar bottle! I wouldn’t come back.

Great experience overall. The servers were attentive, friendly, and explained everything well. Every dish was delicious. The tasting menu is around $185 per person, and the meal takes about 1.5 hours. I’ll definitely be back.

Dining at Koryou Urara was one of the most exquisite culinary experiences I’ve had in DC! The food was beautifully simple but the freshness was unreal. It felt like each ingredient had just landed from Japan (pretty sure it did) and Chef Urara’s take on every dish was so thoughtful and unexpected, I found myself genuinely excited for what was coming next. There was a quiet confidence in the way everything was presented from the plating to the pacing to the atmosphere. Nothing felt overdone but everything felt intentional and authentic.

I came in with high expectations for this omakase, and while there were bright moments, the overall experience fell well below what I have come to expect from restaurants aiming for Michelin recognition. I reserved counter seating online, but the Google reservation process routes you through Resy and the information did not match what was actually available. Upon arrival I learned the counter had not actually been reserved as selected, and we were instead placed in the dining room, or more accurately what functions as the dining room, which consists of three tables set in the hallway between the sake refrigerator and the restrooms. Paying full omakase pricing while seated away from the counter feels like paying full price for a second-class ticket. You end up following the counter’s pace without the engagement and sense of theater that usually makes omakase special. It is all of the downside with none of the interaction that defines the experience. The beverage program could use more flexibility. They offer no sake by the glass and rely almost entirely on curated pairings, which can feel restrictive for diners who prefer selecting their own accompaniments or pacing their drinks throughout the meal. The only by-the-glass option is a $27 sommelier pick, so you are committing without knowing what you will actually receive. The front of house service did not quite match the level of polish I have experienced at comparable establishments. At this price point, small details stand out, and the overall execution felt a step behind where it should be. The omakase itself was solid and clearly used quality ingredients, but it never quite reached the memorable heights I was hoping for. The progression felt steady rather than building toward a strong finish. The wagyu course was well prepared, yet wagyu has become so common at Japanese restaurants that it no longer feels distinctive on its own. Serving a small portion of wagyu alongside fried rice as the primary savory courses was a surprising choice for a tasting menu, and the overall presentation leaned heavily brown and grey, lacking the color and freshness that typically bring visual energy to an omakase. Ending the meal with a single dessert option, ice cream, came across as an afterthought rather than a deliberate closing note for a menu in this range. There is potential here, but in its current form the experience does not fully justify the price or position it alongside the city’s top omakase counters. The seating logistics, limited beverage choices, and lack of a true crescendo in the menu hold it back from being a destination meal. With tighter attention to these elements it could become something special, but right now it feels closer to promising than polished.

My suggestion to future customers is to figure out what the menu is going to be on the day of your reservation. We had booked to dine at the restaurant after reading the reviews and seeing the pictures, but for us, we had scored a bad day. The menu curated by the chef, which was more expensive than the omakase, felt lower quality than the omakase. This was especially true for the curry udon noodle, although there was a small, tiny, literally a child's fingernail-sized piece wagu beef and a chicken dish with a few pieces infused with truffle. Why shabushabu!! Noo... where is the creativity although the concept is home style meal, home style meal shouldn't cost 170! I'm not sure if the price matched the menu that was curated the day we went. Don't get me wrong, all the dishes were delicious, but not for the price...

One word, Immaculate. The food was flavorful. With every bite there was a span of flavors. I really enjoyed the texture of some the dishes. For example, one dish that stood out was the Toro Tatsuta Age. What stood out was the tenderness of the chicken. I have never in my life had chicken that melted in my mouth. The staff were friendly and informative. I will definitely be coming back in the future to test out the new menu.

Love the meal here! I can't say enough great things about the food. The flavors are perfection IMO. We had the chef counter dinner with Chef Urara. This isn't our first experience with her from Kappo so we were excited she opened her open restaurant and to try it. It's a more casual Japanese dinner experience versus a fancy upscale place which was refreshing in the stuffy high end DC food scene. Every dish is executed with perfection in flavors and textures. We decided to not take pictures of our meal to be present and just enjoy it for my husband's birthday but every dish was memorable. Can't wait to return for more with Chef Urara!

Koryouri Urara is a hidden gem in Washington, D.C. Dining here feels like stepping straight into a cozy restaurant in Japan -- from the warm, intimate atmosphere to the exquisite presentation of every dish. Chef Urama pours heart, creativity, and meticulous care into crafting each course, introducing diners to the soul of Japanese home-style cooking with a refined, modern twist. I visited with friends at 8 p.m. on a Tuesday and, to our delight, we had the entire restaurant to ourselves -- a rare treat that made the evening even more special. Every dish was incredibly fresh, balanced, and bursting with flavor. It's clear that nothing leaves the kitchen without Chef Urama's personal touch. Koryouri Urara now firmly holds a spot in my top three restaurants in D.C., and I'm already counting down the days until I can return for their fall omakase. Arigato, Chef Urama -- we'll be back soon!

So good. I really enjoyed our time here. Minimal decor and restroom. Small space, but I loved their tableware. Interesting that they do wine pairings instead of sake, and it's clear they've carefully curated the list. I appreciated their ability to sub out the dessert for me due to my allergy. Every dish was unique, flavorful, and carefully prepared. My personal favorites of the courses: wafu fish and chips, scallops, chawanmushi, curry, and the chilled cream soup. Chef Iwasaki was super welcoming and down to Earth, and service was great. I think the meal is also very reasonably priced, we left pretty full. Excited to come back in the fall for their upstairs sushi omakase.

What an unforgettable tasting experience curated by Chef Urara Iwasaki. I celebrated my birthday here and truly couldn't have chosen a better spot. No regrets at all. The 10-course tasting menu was a beautiful expression of Chef Urara's interpretation of Japanese comfort food, and every dish felt like a work of art. The atmosphere: The space is intimate, with bar seating and a few tables in the dining room. While the decor is minimal, the wall behind the chef's counter is lined with beautiful bowls and plates that add a touch of charm and elegance. The food: I almost cried after every dish because it was THAT good. Chef Urara clearly pours her heart into each creation, and it shows. I especially appreciated how she thoughtfully explained the ingredients and where they were sourced. Personal standouts for me were the Chawanmushi and the Roast Wagyu. Both were absolutely divine. The service: Truly exceptional. The staff was incredibly warm, attentive, and welcoming from start to finish. They made the evening feel even more special. Street parking and nearby garages are available. We had no trouble finding a spot on a weekday evening, though it may be more challenging on weekends.

Koryouri Urara is a great addition to the DC fine dining omakase scene. They deserve to be recognized for their tasting menu and creative flair. A few insights: If your reservation is at 5pm which is when they open don't attempt to enter earlier, space is limited and you will be asked politely to come back at 5pm sharp. Parking is sometimes challenging due to the areas limited residential street availability close by. If you want to experience the omakase dinner 18 course sushi experience , you must reserve by emailing them directly instead of booking through Resy. The Resy app only books for the tasting menu experience, which is a 10 course meal with a variety of Japanese delights including comfort foods that was carefully crafted with style. The chawanmushi starter was one of the best I have ever tried, the taste was perfection and you will enjoy the complexity of each flavorful bite. I was engaged after that and really keen on the explanation of each course by chef Urara, she was very accommodating and even was able to substitute a request to deviate from the tastings that was unexpected due to a personal preference, very impressive. Each course was very well plated and I could tell chef Urara has great precision with a distinct palate of taste that I can appreciate. I couldn't help but wonder what was on the omakase menu on the other side of the counter which was going in simultaneously, although our hand picked choices presented by chef Urara was so well executed. We should definitely have to try the omakase menu next and will visit again!

Stopped in for a solo date based on a TikTok recommendation and had a lovely evening, however...was super not impressed by the actual food. Now I'm not sure if it was because I had the pescatarian omakase...but was hoping for more sushi and sashimi instead of cooked options. I will say, the staff was great and the space is very very cute and after a few discussions with my waiter, I would come back to try more of their menu w

The owner chef was willing to take us on late on a weekday night and it was unforgettable. Best sushi is G'town!

When we heard the chef was previously with Kappo, we were a bit concerned as we had left that restaurant not full and therefore had concerns here. Glad we gave it a try as it is certainly not the case! Similar to chef urara's prior establishment, you are seated right on the dot for your reservation - no sooner. Each course seemed to be thoughtfully composed and crafted, and of course, tasted delicious. The duck salad was probably some of the best-cooked duck we have ever had. Also appreciated the wide variety of dishes within the 10 courses. One downside to consider working on would be the timing between courses and wine pairings. Each course does not take long to consume, and the staff is behind setting up the next course's pairing. Guests not drinking must wait for everyone's pairings to be poured before the next course can be served, which is inefficient. Otherwise, a great meal. It was great to see some familiar faces of staff who came from Kappo. We will be back to try another menu offering. We were advised the menu changes monthly.

10-course tasting menu / kaiseki for the first 7 courses, each bite brought me to heaven. some of the best steak i've ever had and the seasonal fish was amazing, paired with ikura. damn. and the uni was indulgent, buttery and soft. miso soup and the eel rice were just alright. the ice cream dessert was incredible too. service could've been better: there was a long wait even though there are only 2 seatings

Incredible omakase newcomer: super balanced, fresh, yet luxurious dishes with a perfect progression from lobster chawanmushi to wagyu beef and grilled fish and eel rice mochi with red bean ice cream. There wasn't a single dish I didn't love. Very friendly, helpful, and laid back service with knowledgeable chefs at chefs counter and a smaller yet excellent wine list (no cocktails or beer). This is a real gem.

This is the perfect 5 out of 5 Japanese Cuisine Experience. The service PERFECT. The atmosphere PERFECT. The food, heaven in every bite! The chefs were friendly, knowledgeable and experienced! I felt as if I was hosted at their home. Seasonal menu changes will make you want to come back for more !

Food 4.5/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0 Value 3.5/5.0 Decor 3.5/5.0 Overall 4.5/5.0 Very nice spot. Food was quite good. Service was good but not very crisp, which in many ways is appreciated. I thought the pricing was very reasonable; you're really not paying much for service and decor here. They deserve to be harder to book.

I don't know why someone could give less than 5 stars for this place but I guess she doesn't know what she's talking about. Service was impeccable. Food was 12/10. I'm Japanese who grew up in Japan eating Japanese food 7 days a week, and this is the best Japanese food I've had in DMV. Yes, the steak was amazing, and yes the sashimi was just melting in my mouth, so the quality is so high up there, but what I'm most impressed with is the balance of each dish, how you can maintain the taste of the main ingredients but also enhancing it by adding some contrast. I'm sure they will get rave reviews for the beef and fish, but for me, it was the first course, chawanmushi - the delicate balance of the taste and texture was "chef's kiss" (insert chef's kiss emojis here) - Chef was amazing, each dish was outstanding, and the service staff went above and beyond. We are so full from the 10 course meal - couldn't even finish the dessert!! They are supposed to open up a patio for more casual food and beer in July, so I'm definitely coming back for that. Highly recommend this place for memorable evening - we were there for our anniversary dinner, and they definitely made it very special for us.

We totally need more Japanese food in the neighborhood. Welcome, and I'm excited about getting to know this place well.

Fantastic new restaurant! The experience and food were amazing. Each course left me and my partner wanting more. We got the wine pairing and the service was delightful. The ambiance is nice and quiet as there are only a few seats at the bar.

This is probably just the second review I have posted on Yelp. Chef Urara is incredible. One of the best omakase tastings we've had in the DC area. Even compared to some we've had in NYC, LA, Las Vegas, Korea, and Japan ... Chef Urara is special. Her food is well-balanced, highlighting the flavors from fresh ingredients, and with the best sauces and pairings. You will not regret enjoying a dinner here.