Tonari
Japanese restaurant · Downtown
707 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704016/mushroom.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704019/baby_fish.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704009/Upstairs_seating.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704013/mushroom_pan.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
.jpg "Tonari by Vina Sananikone")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704023/Downstairs_wide.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704010/Bar.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19704021/Upstairs_moss.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66272130/Pizza.0.jpg "Tonari by Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.")
Highlights
Japanese-Italian fusion with unique pizzas and pastas
Japanese-Italian fusion with unique pizzas and pastas
"Katsuya Fukushima’s wafu restaurant in Chinatown brings a Japanese spin to Italian dishes like pizza and pasta. That means thick, square pies with a crust made from Hokkaido wheat flour and smothered with Wisconsin brick cheese, available in varieties like pollock roe-covered Mentaiko corn. The chef is always experimenting; he recently introduced a Monday night menu focused on Japanese-influenced cheesesteaks (don’t forget to add an order of fries dripping with S&B curry sauce) and the summer return of kakigori (Japanese shaved ice) on weekends. The buzzy two-floor restaurant has a spacious bar downstairs, but if crowds are an issue, fear not: Fukushima, Yama Jewayni, and Daisuke Utagawa also own neighboring ramen shop and izakaya Daikaya and chicken ramen haunt Bantam King around the corner. Takeout and delivery here. Best for: An ambitious, reasonably affordable dinner before or after a Capital One Arena event" - Tierney Plumb
"Tonari rolled out a new cafe menu last year, but they switched up their weekend offerings this spring for a full-service brunch that includes even more egg-centric dishes, like a tamago salad sandwich, and savory lunch options, like a BLT wedge salad with thick-cut bacon and a tomato soup served with grilled cheese. The refreshing shaved ice special, kakigori, is also back for the summer and is served from noon to 2 p.m. on weekends, perfectly lined up for a brunch dessert." - Emily Venezky
"Chef Katsuya Fukushima, behind the Daikaya Group restaurants, operates the only wafu Italian spot in the city dishing out Italian pizzas, pastas, and appetizers made with Japanese ingredients. The pizza at Tonari takes an even crazier spin on that fusion, serving Detroit-style pizza with brick cheese on top of a three-day-proofed crust made out of Hokkaido wheat flour. These thick, square pie flavors change seasonally, but the mentaiko & corn, unagi (barbecue eel), and Japanese Philly are current favorites. Know before you go: Don’t miss out half-off whole pizzas at happy hour Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m." - Tierney Plumb
"A summer specialty program serving kakigori-style shaved ice with an especially smooth, decadent texture—sometimes topped with toasted meringue—and flavored fillings such as coffee, strawberry, matcha, watermelon, or lemon; the special is offered on weekend afternoons (around 1–2 p.m.), and the venue also hosts a recurring Philly-style cheesesteak pop-up (the “Kat’s King of Suteki” event) on the first Monday of each month." - Emily Venezky
"Just as America created its own distinctive interpretation of Italian food, so did Japan, and you can get a taste stateside at this lively Chinatown spot just across from the arena. The pasta dishes are built on noodles from a ramen maker in Japan and tossed in sauces that are traditionally Italian—the iconic Marcella Hazan tomato sauce has a home here, with a dollop of ricotta and a snow shower of pecorino and parm. In other dishes, the Italian sauces are remixed with Japanese ingredients. The vodka in vodka sauce gets swapped for sake, and white miso turns the umami of white clam sauce up to 11. The pizzas, too, are made with Japanese flour. The most popular is the Mentaiko Corn, which is slathered with sweet corn sauce and salty cod roe Kewpie mayo. It’s a fantastic bite to grab before the game." - omnia saed, allison robicelli, mekita rivas
