Kappo DC

Intimate dining with coatracks at entry and a very subtle outdoor entry - from the outside you’d have no idea what deliciousness awaits you. Once inside, it has about five tables and the rest was sushi bar seating of about 10. Fitting maybe 20 total in the small but cozy room. Thw dining experience was about 2.5 hours. The food came in about eight plates, and was delicious. We got caviar and uni (sea urchin) to top off our meal, about $100 ea. Reservations have to be made a month or more in advance but it is SO worth it. We went for our anniversary tonight and the service was amazing, the server explained each course and even brought us champagne for our special occasion! There was some special diplomat there so the menu was celebrating the owner’s love of whisky and had complementary whisky drinks and little pins, a notebook and pen, and a little wooden box housing chopsticks we could take home. Nice little gifts. The chocolates were great too. All courses were delicious and if you’re looking for a great sushi experience; we highly recommend this spot!

Favorite dining experience in DC so far. Wagyu-based 8 course Japanese style set menu.

Reservations-
Made on Tock in advance. Around $50 deposit per person counted towards check. Reserve at the counter to watch the masterful preparation of the food! Definitely part of the experience.

Food-
8 courses, 7 savory and 1 dessert. Menu changes, this was our set menu:
- Wagyu Salad, Chawanmushi (egg custard dish), wagyu tataki, wagyu harumaki (egg roll), sashimi trio (yellowtail, tuna, scallop), wagyu Yakishabu, wagyu nigiri
-Dessert was ice cream, if you’re celebrating they upgrade your dessert- ours included an extra scoop of ice cream, red bean, cheesecake, and gold flakes!

-Chawanmushi was so silky smooth and loved the flavor combination.
-Their dashi broth used throughout was amazing!
-All the meats and sashimi were melt in your mouth. Everything was really fresh.
Seriously, the fish was SO fresh- we visited Japan recently and the sashimi brought us back! My only nit is that they have all the toppings and sauce on the fish trio when the sashimi would’ve been so good alone too. I’d come back if they introduced a fish only option!
- Other favorites were the wagyu salad, and the yakishabu
-The tataki and harumaki were good but other dishes were more memorable. The harumaki (egg roll) also had Kobe beef inside and definitely was a unique experience using some seasoning that had a slight numbing effect.
- Flavors were traditional Japanese, with dashi, soy sauce, yuzu, ginger, and greens throughout the dinner

Other-
- We also ordered tea which was so good and comforting on a cold day
- Also I have to comment on the beautiful plates. I read that the Chef went to Japan to hand pick them all himself.

Service-
Very attentive as expected. Each dish is explained and how to eat. The chefs at the counter were also very friendly and it was a pleasure watching them prepare the food.

Vibes-
Small, intimate place with just a few tables and counter seating. The counter was elevated so you’re looking down where the food is being prepared.

Parking- street parking

22% gratuity added to the check.

Overall, come to Kappo for a taste of Japan in DC!

Seriously, this place deserves a Michelin star. Why doesn’t it already have one? My wife, friend and I have decided to start treating ourselves to amazing food experiences and this was our first stop. We weren’t disappointed either! My wife isn’t a huge beef lover, but she really enjoyed this experience! I think it changed how she sees and has experienced beef and steak. Especially Wagyu! I was in heaven with each and every dish! Man, I could eat here every day!

Street parking all around DC, mainly 2 hour parking signs. If the restaurant is on your right, there's additional street 2 hour parking making the 1st right past the gas station.

Walking in, you're immediately greeted. They take your coat and hang it up for you and are escorted to your table. We booked the Chef's counter. It's a small area but being at the Chef's counter was cool, you can see everything happening and the waygu cooking and preparations.

The service is amazing, they don't miss a step at all, immediately clearing your plate and drink glass once finished.

Every course was amazing and beautifully put together. They announce each dish and their ingredients and the best way to enjoy it. I was full after the dinner and satisfied. Loved everything and fully enjoyed the uni and caviar add on as well.

For our cocktails, we ordered the Mt. Fuji and the Calor Con Leche. My 2nd cocktail was the Intercontinental. I loved both cocktails. The Intercontinental was a little sweeter than the Calor Con Leche but not a sweet drink overall. We also had the matcha beer and the salty Plum beer as well. I loved the matcha IPA beer, not very hoppy and quite delicious. I didn't really enjoy the salty Plum beer because it was a tad too salty for me but it was a good beer in general.

I would definitely come back, everything was fantastic.

Acts like a Michelin restaurant more than some of the awarded restaurants in the DC area, and deserves a star more than other Michelin rated restaurants in the area. Excellence from start to finish, which is saying something.

I went for my 5th anniversary celebration, and the experience was nearly perfect. Each dish is unique, and thoughtfully curated. Most of the dishes clearly show their inspiration through multiple senses, and the quality of the ingredients reflects a premium experience. The pacing is timely, staff are knowledgeable and on hand, and there were no issues that were not swiftly and immediately dealt with.

I would and plan to eat here again. Very satisfying.