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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: PalisadesTue-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tue-Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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A truly authentic experience.
A very small place that is theatre in itself. It is quite small but I strongly recommend you make a reservation at the "bar" which essentially looks down upon the kitchen below you.
Get the tasting menu. Omakase... Seriously.. trust me.. let the chef decide your meal and just go in blind.
Like a true Japanese meal, the dishes are both visually appealing and filed with great subtle aromas. You will have flavors and savory-ness that you'll never would have tried if you just picked what you wanted off the main menu.
The place is very formal and small, but treat it as a very special place (which it is) and you will be treated very much in kind. Pull off some simple "thank yous" in Japanese and you will be welcomed beyond belief. It's not that hard...
After the glorious meal and great sake, I even had some of their sushi which had just perfect rice.
Great dinner to be had, make sure you take it all in at a slow pace.
Makato
I'm not going to offer the restaurant any excuses. To be rated so high for so long, they have to be at the top of their game at all times.
if I show up at lunch or 30 minutes before they close I expect the sushi super fresh and the service impeccable. Not only did I find the sushi selection comprised of the usual suspects but the service gruff, authoritarian and sterile but the food was just as unwelcoming. Strange odors of fishiness (which no respectable sushi establishment should ever have) flowed through the restaurant. We waited outside in the cold like other reviewers experienced which is outright terrible customer care. When our meal arrived it was very average with no mind-blowing pieces you'd expect like West Coast Uni, Chu-Toro or Sweet Shrimp. Save your money , time and gas (since it is a long drive) and go elsewhere.
How awesome is that one of the best meals I've ever had falls to be my *100th review! Yay me and double yay to Makoto!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++
A few tips:
-Men don't even take the chance of not wearing a collared shirt and/or jacket. We saw one man get rejected and his wife raised hell since they come there all the time.
-Girlie's.. don't wear your cute strappy buckled heels or knee high boots. You have to take your shoes off and really no place to sit to take off your shoes in a tiny room.
-Expect not to understand anything, just nod your head say yes.. your meal will be amazing regardless.
-It's going to take at least 2 hours to finish.
We had the 10 course tasting menu with upgrades that are well worth it. Every single course was so delicate and meticulous. The sashimi melted in your mouth while the conch soup (served in a conch shell) warmed you from the inside out. We ordered Uni off the sushi menu, and it is truly the best uni I have had to date. Buttery, creamy, smooth.. How cliche of me to say that it was an orgasm in the mouth.. but there really is no other way to describe it!
We sat at the counter and got to watch the Chef hard at work, it's amazing to see one person putting these dishes together. It's good that Makoto sticks to its strict dress code/no cell phone rule. They have an image they want to uphold and cheers to them for doing so. Will post pictures of my meal soon!
One of the best meals I've had in my life.
Three quick guidelines so it's one of yours as well:
1) If you play by their rules, you'll get great service. Give respect, get respect. Simple. Can't handle that? Kotobuki (right upstairs) is much more casual.
2) Budget a few hours. If you you're trying to catch a 8pm movie or show, don't make a 7pm reservation! This is a tiny, specialized place and a dining experience, not Panda Express. Go with people you enjoy talking to, be patient if you're table isn't immediately ready, slip on those slippers, order some sake and relax.
3) Other reviewers have done a fantastic and thorough job describing the food (by all means, go with the Omakase). I'd just add that their Blowfish-infused hot sake (literally, sake heated with a generous cut of the infamous poison fish floating in it) is worth trying. If memory serves me correctly, it was pretty reasonably priced, definitely unique and memorable, and sure to warm you up on a cold winter evening.
I felt like I was in the small alley restaurant by where I lived in Taiwan (which has as good Japanese food as anywhere in the world outside of Japan, the influence of having been a Japanese colony for the first half of the 20th century).
I disagree with the complaints about the service. The service was very professional and friendly - explaining the dishes, making sure your glass is always filled to the top, folding your napkin for you when you get up to go use the restroom, etc.; but yes, there is a dress code - they do tell the men to wear a collared shirt and coat/jacket when you make reservations over the phone.
Go for the 10 course.
Be prepared for authenticity!
You really feel like you step into another country (and perhaps another time) once you get to the front door. The staff is decked out in beautiful kimonos.
I tried the 10 course menu and was very impressed.
Don't be put off by the fact they are really strict on the dress code....the food will be worth it and they seem to know this!
Recommendations for Women
1) Wear sleeves or carry a wrap/sweater. (it gets a bit cold but is also socially acceptable too)
2) Have some hosiery (stocking/socks) on as you will be asked to leave your footwear at the door and asked to wear the house slippers.
3) This is not the day to wear those Manolos or Louis V's with the 12 buckles. Wear shoes that you can slip in and out of without taking up everybody's time
Recommendations for Men:
1) Wear a jacket. I dont think it has to be formal just some sort of sport coat.
2) Keep in mind that you will also be asked to leave footwear at the door. And asked to wear the slippers of the house. So for your protection wear socks.
3) Not the venue for shorts.
This restaurant is extremely tiny. (I think I counted 4 tables and a bar). So think of it as stepping into ancient Japan where there is no clunking of shoes and no beeping of cell phones.
Just really good food.!
IMPORTANT: We went there with someone who had a shellfish allergy. I think, although they found the place amusing, fantastic and authentic, there really is not much on the 10course menu they could eat!!
First thing that comes to mind is: Chef's Tasting Menu.
No, no actually first thing that comes to mind is, 'Take off your shoes!' and wear some slippers. That's how it began from the time you walk down the steps into Makoto in the Palisades area. And you must dress well, no shorts, tank tops etc. They were short from saying black tie! Hats off to the lil' japanese ladies who were to be obeyed at all times. The restaurant was tiny with an occupancy of max 28 people. The waitress opened the chair cover for me to put my purse and they warned of no phones or even texting whatsoever. The chef tasting menu looked most interesting at $60 a pop which gave you 8-10 courses. You can switch to better cut of sashimi or kobe beef for $20-30 more each. The sake and wine were going at $100 to $300 it was mind boggling!
Course 1: It started off with the conch soup that came in the conch shell sitting on a pile of salt and a tiny flame on the side. There was a nice helping of conch slices and enoki mushrooms. Drinking the soup from the shell was so cool and the soup was a delicious broth.
Course 2: The eggplant with miso and the mussels with tomatoes, scallions and shallots, some vinegar and oil it was absolutely delicious.
Course 3: The soft shell crab coated in rice and fried - the rice had a nice crunch but was overpowering the soft shell crab you almost can't tell it's soft shell since the coating is so hard.
In between the courses, two middle-aged businessmen walked in one a Jewish guy from NY and other an Indian guy from Bombay, they are so rambunctious like a couple of kids. They were freaking out when a course with hot plate was smoking out like crazy so they ran off from their table. The jewish guy decided to check his text when the waitress came by with their next course, she told him to put it away otherwise the chef will be angry if he continued to text she won't serve him the food. That took him so off-guard it was too hilarious.
Course 4: The sashimi of tuna, snapper and mackerel. Mackerel being my fav. The sashimi were very fresh and meaty.
Course 5: The blossom with smoked salmon, the snowpeas with seaweeds and the kiwis and melon with a nutty paste
Course 6: The hot smoking plate came out with raw scallops, shrimp, beef, shitake mushrooms and matsutake mushroom. There was a spicy radish dipping sauce where the waitress placed the half charred pieces of meat and mushrooms into and demanded that I eat! The beef was absolutely amazing and the scallop almost like a sashimi was very fresh and tasty.
The businessmen made another dash when my hot plate came to the table it was so funny they were a couple of naughty boys. When their hot plate came, the waitress told the Jewish businessman not to move and he proceeded to freeze in motion, making a spectacle everyone including the waitress started cracking up and she started turning red and couldn't explain what the components were in the dish.
Course 7: The tuna, snapper and mackerel nigiri. They were smaller than the normal ones you get in other restaurants. The fish were very fresh.
Main Course: Chilean Sea Bass lightly grilled with a light sweet soy sauce. The fish was fresh and juicy, I love the slightly charred and light sweet sauce combination. I was close to a food coma at this point.
Course 9: Soba with mushroom in a starchy broth, there was a generous amount of mushroom which was very delicious.
By this time the businessmen got acquainted with us gave us a glass of the sake for toasting. This is the most hilarious experience at a serious dinner.
Course 10: Grape ice drizzled with grand marnier. This was refreshing and palate cleansing.
The dinner was a long drawn out affair but every dish was meticulously prepared and very tasty. The businessmen added entertainment and interesting conversation to the dinner. Makoto is by far the most authentic JAPANESE restaurant I been to in the DC area. What an experience. Bravo!
3.5 stars.
Fiance (how do you put that accent on the e?) and I came here for a date night shortly after I moved to DC from LA. I know I'm definitely spoiled by 4 years in New York and another 4 in LA, so hmmm this place is good but didn't blow my mind. Memorable dishes from the 10-course meal: conch soup, amazingly fresh; oysters in some sesame oil sauce which was so good that you wanted to drink all the sauce but was too shy to do so in front of the chef and wait staff; and orange roughy, which was surprisingly good (mebbe I just don't know enough about this fish) and rivaled with the cod in taste and texture.
Super friendly and professional wait staff, although you have to listen really hard through their accents when they are introducing the dishes. If you sit at the counter, they also insist you store everything in your seat (which doubles as a box storage), and I wanted to have access to my camera (I love food pictures). You have to dress up, and they make you take your shoes off when you enter. The restaurant provides disposable socks if you're not wearing any. And like any other Japanese restaurant, your clothes stink like fried food afterwards(so if you're wearing a nice jacket, store it away to avoid expensive dry cleaning bill).
Overall rather pleasant but for the same amount of money I'd go elsewhere in search of better gastronomic adventures.
My Japanese Mom gives it a thumbs up. What about YOUR mom?
After quite a few months, we decided to check out Makoto again. As usual, we were asked for credit card, told the dress code and changed into slippers. We were seated at the bar and we ordered the basic tasting menu per our past experience, and other reviewers. The highlight of the evening came very soon, which was the conch soup in conch shell with heavy dose of alcohol. Decent, but not excellent. Then the tiny sushi, the tasteless hibachi, cold dishes similar to seen in Temari (but not as good), Fried softshell crab with a burned oil taste, the main entree was so so, and intermixed with a few unremarkable dishes. The evening finished with some Italian like ice which I thought was pretty roughly done and not tasteful.
I am not sure what other reviewers are talking about. Perhaps my visits to Sushi Taro spoiled me but I am thoroughly disappointed at my food and experience at Makoto. I am downgrading it to a regular restaurant, rather than some place you visit for special ocassions.
Unlike my last visit, the food is worse and not as delicate. The service is not good (I had to repeatedly ask them to pour me tea when they finished). The place is not vented well and filled with cooking smoke, which is potentially cancer causing.
After much thought, I still don't get the removing the shoe part. In Asian households that I grew… Read more »
I really like this restaurant, and its probably ranked one of the highest of my DC restaurant picks. Yes, they're a big stickler about dress code. Why? I don't really know. I have visibly seen people being turned away because they were wearing a tank top. I can see why people would be very turned off about this, but it doesn't bother me that much. I dress the part, they give me good food! They're happy, I'm happy :) !
I've been here for lunch several times and dinner once. The lunch, while it's not the dollar menu, is very well priced at ~17. I always get the bento box. Though I wouldn't traditionally spring for a bento box - as that tends to remind me of mediocre packed lunches - Makoto has a great offering. They switch it up every so often too, so it's usually a little different each time. What I really like about Makoto is that they have a fresh spin on ingredients that I wouldn't have ever thought of myself. Once, I had what seemed to be a ketchup-hollandaise-like sauce on avocado. Their sushi is good, but I actually prefer their cooked/fried food. Oh, and the sorbet at the end is delish~
The dinner is multiple courses and is similar to the bento box lunch but kind of like if you took the lunch and multiplied the # of entrees by 3. I was terribly full by the time I got halfway through. I would say that you probably can get most of the dinner by coming to Makoto for lunch a lot of times (better bang for your buck), and the portion size is more in tune with my stomach size, so I would recommend doing that over dinner. They are closed on Sunday for lunch though, so don't make that mistake!
This place is not near the metro (insert sad face) but I make the trek, so you should too! :P
A great food adventure for all you foodies in the DC area. Guys: if you forget to wear a jacket, they carry several and will make you wear one. Skip out on the expensive wine and sake and order beer or ginger ale which went surprisingly well with the sushi dishes. Order the ten-course and definitely upgrade to the fatty tuna or yellowtail--it's a $15 upcharge, but well worth it. Some of the dishes are a miss (I ordered the white fish, which was overcooked and bland, and the noodle dish near the end of the course required a lot of red pepper flakes), but overall, the courses are fresh and diverse--a truly unique dining experience in DC.
Makoto is a place I rely on when I am craving home cooked Japanese food. There is something very cozy and comfortable about the food here. I love the personal touch to the meals such as the hand torn tofu in miso soup. It's unpretentious yet refined.
The servers here are super attentive almost to the point of being a little too much, but I would much rather have them refill my green tea cup every 5 seconds than not.
I would recommend making reservations here since there are only about 6 tables and 10 bar seats available.
Not for everyone. Benihana, or the local Chinese buffet are always there for those who don't get a place like Makoto.
Believe the best of what's been written (and pity the negative reviewers' sad social/sensory impairments) -- recommend getting the special tasting menu -- and do a quick review of basic Japanese table manners so you gain immediate cred along with a skill set to allow to you better experience this wonderful place.
Dress conservatively, not "fashionably trashy"; call ahead and ask for a reservation; be quiet, respectful; if you get it, then, the experience at Makoto is truly ennobling, something of which we have far too little, today.
I have written over 150 reviews with about 80% of them being food related. After dining here last night, I want to down grade all of my other reviews of restaurants as Makoto was one of the best dining experiences of my entire life.
First off, Makoto is much more than just a sushi place. In fact, only about 1/4 of our food involved raw fish. The other dishes had cooked salmon, mussels, and there were even soups that you drank right out of the shell! There is saliva on my key board as I write about how AMAZING the food was. I really don't want to go dish by dish as I ordered the 10 courses with all the upgrades, but I promise you with all of my yelp heart that Makoto's food is absolutely divine and perfect for either an opulent night of dining or just keep it low key. It's versatile in style but 100% perfect in taste!!
As for decor, it's not much. You sit on these small wooden boxes (which I will admit after 10 courses my back of killing me) and the size of the entire restaurant rivals that of my current condo (i.e. small).
I will also add that the waitstaff is excellent with their service always ensuring you have tea (which by the way is AMAZING. I mean, who knew tea could be so great?!) and sake were always filled. On a side note, they don't speak English very well so it's difficult to understand them at times so just roll with it. Who cares what it is... it's just tasty!
Arigato, Makoto!!
After reading rave reviews, a friend and I got dressed in our Sunday finest and headed over to Makoto for a mostly positive experience (This was a Thursday night in June by the way). The decor as others have noted is very minimal, the restaurant is small, and the service is very attentive. But how was the food?
For the most part stellar, our favorite being the soft shell crab which was eyes-rolled-back-in-the-head amazing. The conch soup and sushi were also top notch. Out of 10 courses, there were only 3 misses...but they were bad misses. One course was so salty that it was not edible. The grilled fish was over cooked and rubbery. Finally, the most disappointing was the Kobe beef (I had ordered the $20 upgrade). I was expecting a tender succulent cut of the that marbled massaged and beer feed flesh but what I got was tough with a lot of ligaments. I kid you not, after 5 minutes of chewing my friend could not break down the meat enough to swallow and so she discretely spit it out in a napkin. Luckily we had a good laugh about it. I hope that it was an off night for Makoto, but future diners beware.
All in all, I paid $207 with tip (including 2 glasses of plum wine, and one kobe beef upgrade).
First, I have to say, the 10-course meal here was absolutely DELICIOUS!! The flavors of the stock in the conch soup and soba noodles reminded me of my dear oba-chan's (grandma's) authentic cooking. Also, the sushi and sashimi were so good and fresh...really cut perfectly too (that's important!) And at $60 per 10 -course meal per person (without upgrades or drinks), it was a bargain!
The reason I only gave Makoto FOUR stars instead of FIVE were twofold:
One: We had to wait 40 minutes for our first course to arrive - that is not a good scene when you have already begun with sake! But once the first course arrived, the rest of the meal was timely! (and yummy)
Two: Now, this is a long story but the incident is worth repeating to all you Yelpers out there!! The head chef of Makoto actually THREW OUT A CUSTOMER AND HIS DATE mid-meal who were sitting right next to me at the counter!!!! OMG!! Wha.....?
This is the scenario: Husband and I are enjoying sake and waiting for our first course (aforementioned 40 minute lag time). Next to us are a Japanese man and his date, enjoying their first few courses when I overhear the man ask the head chef (in Japanese) for the fresh wasabi root so that he could show it to his date. The head chef states that the fresh wasabi is "only given to the customer to use with the sashimi course" - which was one course ago. Man states in Japanese, "I know but am willing to pay extra for it." Head chef relents grudgingly but I hear him guffaw under his breath.
Then, man tries to impress date with lecture on fresh wasabi root and then the date proceeds to grate the wasabi root over and over until it is just a little nub. Next course comes for the couple: the arare-covered soft shell crab. Waitress comes to take wasabi root nub and gratings away but the man states he wants to keep it. Again, head chef explains it is not for the crab dish- just the sashimi dish!! Then, when the man still insists to keep the wasabi root nub, all hell breaks loose. Pans are jumbled about, head chef is yelling, arms are being waved around and then, a very UNCOMFORTABLE scene envelops the counter and the counter patrons who notice this is NOT normal. Including me....I DON'T want to be a part of this! But the foolish man is sitting right next to me!
Next, can you guess what happened? The head chef yells at the man and says "SAYONARA!! You are not welcome in my restaurant, you cannot eat here." Man and date are in disbelief, as am I and husband and the rest of the counter patrons. Man and date sit there silently, not knowing what to do. Finally, after an eon, head waitress comes and informs the couple: "sorry but your meal is over, please leave" And they do!! Dishes, chopsticks and cups are hastily taken away as if the incident never happened.
WHAT?? I have never seen a diner get kicked out mid-meal, and on what seemed like a first date too. Suddenly, the couple was gone and I had to pick my chin off the counter and be on my best behavior.
After that, we had to buck up, enjoy our food, make sure we had our cell phones OFF and be good! Luckily for us, after the meal was over, the head chef actually smiled at us and thanked us....ah, Japanese culture is so interesting!
OMG YUM OMG. Had been dying to eat here for ages and finally did last Saturday night. My sis and I opted for the 8 courses, for $60 and didn't do any of the upgrades. They asked us if we liked raw fish and if we chose mushroom or veggie broth and to choose a fish (CHOOSE THE ROCKFISH!) for a few of the various courses. I (obviously) love food but have only eaten in a handful of the top restaurants - according to Washingtonian's top 100 anyway (e.g., some faves being Minibar, Kinkead's, Zaytinya) My sister, however, spends a lot of money on really good food in the city's top restaurants and she said that this meal was the best she'd had in a looooong time.
I think I think I'm missing a course cuz, sadly, I can't recall what it could be :( My sister remembers something with red bean paste, but I think she's crazy cuz I have no recollection of that. Here goes! (The order might be slightly off)
Course 1: Mushroom and conch soup, served in a beautiful conch shell atop a bed of sea salt with a little flame on the plate. Deelicious. Beautiful presentation.
Course 2: Three types of sashimi (skip jack seared just a bit, tuna, and the most freaking delicious spanish mackerel ever), served with a shiso leaf, fresh wasabi, ginger. Beautiful presentation and all of the fish was incredibly fresh and the best sashimi I've ever tasted.
Course 3: Three part square dish - left side was a green very crunchy, mountain vegetable, middle was a shrimp and scallop on top of some orangey-pink citrus segment/sauce, on the right was something tastey and rice-vinegary (I'm sorry my memory sucks!) This was very good but not my fave course.
Course 4: Tempura fried softshell crab, actually coated with crushed Japanese rice crackers and then tempura fried. It was served alone and the softshell crab tasted nice, but it was kinda dry. Prob our least favorite course, though it was super-creative!
Course 5: Three pieces of sushi (I think they were tuna, yellowtail, and horse mackerel). Totally awesome, but I prefered the spanish mackerel (to the almost as delicious) horse mackerel.
Course 6: A delicious little piece of salmon (cooked) in tasty broth (my sis had mushroom broth and I had veggie broth, both with seaweed). This was great.
Course 7: My sister had the wood-grilled rockfish filet (specified at the start of our meal when the waitress asked us) served with some kind of radish. The rockfish was the most delicious part of the meal (next to the sashimi). It was soooooo soooooo, sooooo good. Best piece of (cooked) fish both of us had ever tasted. I wish I'd chosen it, since this course followed the salmon in broth course, but my salmon was pretty awesome too.
Course 8: A watermelon-berry like ice shavings...nice clean ending. I think this was actually course 9 (and I'm forgetting course 8). Grrrr! I suck! Will update if I recall the missing course. The real standouts were the: grilled rockfish (insanely simple and delicious), sashimi (OMG that spanish mackerel), sushi (wonderfully fresh), and conch soup (flavor but especially presentation). I can't wait to come back.
As the food courses have already been covered here, this will be quick.
Excellent food. Extremely fresh. Extremely! I took my boyfriend who lived in Japan for 4 years and he was extremely pleased. Makoto is the place of extreme deliciousness. I threw in that extreme because I thought it would be more fun to have it in every sentence.
Uncomfortable seats. Yes, that's right. Not comfortable. Very minimalist. Especially if you're a person with long legs. Minus one star for the seating!
Also, this place is in the bum middle of nowhere. Not a problem for you lucky (except at 5pm on weekdays) souls who drive. But we were wondering where the heck our taxi driver was taking us.
This is a place for those who love Japanese food, for foodies, and those eating their way through the District.
Makato is the best Japanese food I've ever had outside Japan. Not a sushi place, rather real, creative, delicious Japanese cooking displayed with typical simplicity and beauty.
My boyfriend loves sushi and Japanese food so we made reservations at Makoto basd on Yelp's ratings. I'm a vegetarian so I can't say I got a true taste of Makoto but I thought the food I had was very good. The pickled plum sushi roll was unlike any vegetarian sushi I had ever had before. Everything my boyfriend had he really enjoyed and said its probably the 2nd best sushi place he's ever been to (and he's been to a good amt).
The service is great and very much part of the experience. The native Japanese ladies will barely let you touch your glass without refilling it for you and are very kind and helpful.
Outrageous but true statements:
- This is the best meal I've had in DC, ever.**
(**Be advised that I have not yet eaten at Komi or minibar.)
- This was a better dining experience than I had at The Inn at Little Washington. Yes, you read that correctly. The service at Makoto was more efficient, and the food presentation was more thoughtful.
- The black cod here rivals (but does not surpass) that at Rasika.
I don't see the need to run down the entire list of what I ate, but I would certainly opt for the tasting menu. It's so nice to have the chef do the thinking for you, especially when you can trust that everything you are about to eat is going to taste like heaven.
A few notables, however:
1) The mussel and mushroom soup served in a conch shell = best soup presentation I have ever encountered. As I was eating and slurping my soup, I kept thinking to myself "Why isn't all soup served in a seashell?".
2) Fried softshell crab with rice cracker coating accompanied by green tea salt and chili pepper powder for more flavor. The salt and hot were perfect together.
3) One part of a three-plated course was a cold, sweet, fruit-like squash in a citrus syrup. This was the best part of the meal. I'm not sure I've tasted something better in my life.
4) Soba noodles with mushrooms. This was served with a self-serve spice box, which added to the fun.
To be clear, all of the food was outstanding; some of the above are just still making my mouth water.
In addition to the food I also had warm sake (I usually like it cold, but it was a dreary and wet evening, so having it warm made more sense); Asahi; and the best plum wine I've ever had.
This review seems overburdened by superlatives, but when I say the best I've had, I mean it. There are multiple items at Makoto to which that statement applies.
As noted earlier, the near-perfect service is very Japanese. The sense of propriety and restraint expected in Japanese establishments makes the delights exiting from the kitchen even more surprising and charming. There are no missteps.
My only complaints are that the spartan wooden box chairs are very uncomfortable after a couple of hours and that the restaurant was very cold. That said, I must have looked cold during my meal because one of the servers brought me a sweater. I am not sure to whom it belonged, but it sure was nice to stop shivering.
Often when I hear of a must-try restaurant with a prix fixe menu I try it once just to see what all the fuss is about. Makoto is different in that I will be back again and again; I can't wait to see what they serve up next time.
Although the food was really excellent, Makoto loses major points for customer care. We had 8pm reservations for 4 people and arrives right on time (appropriately dressed!). After a few minutes in the "waiting area" -- which is a 6' by 6' room with no seating -- someone comes out to greet us. The lady asks me 4 times for my name, to confirm my phone number, and asks repeatedly for my reservation time... it was like she was waiting for a secret handshake to get in. She tells us to wait and change into slippers (no shoes allowed). 10 minutes later, another lady comes out to tell us that our table is running late. When we ask how much longer, she can't give us a number, just saying that they're on the 'noodle course' (not helpful!)... We wait another 15 minutes and decide to just leave since she couldn't tell us if it would be 10 or 30 more minutes. It takes 10 minutes for someone to come back out (at this point 2 more couples were waiting in this TINY room, and 1 couple had already been kicked out for wearing jeans). Finally she says we can sit at the bar area and order drinks.
Despite waiting 30 minutes (even having a reservation!) it wouldn't have been so bad if they had just called me in advance to tell me they were running behind! Why do they ask for my phone number? She was entirely unaccommodating making us stand in this tiny room without our shoes on.
The restaurant itself is small and hot. Make sure to request a seat at a table, not the bar... it's 20 degrees hotter at the bar. Service throughout the night was OK. We all got the "Dinner Course" and at one point asked for a bowl of rice with the sushi course (because my fiance was running a marathon the next day!) and she said "No, we don't do that." Come on, that's really the least you could do for us.
All in all, no discount for our inconvenience, no extra rice... but I really have to say THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT. You can't beat that. It's very fresh, very flavorful food that's presented in interesting ways (like soup inside a conch shell!).
Oh, I'd also like to comment that the drinks menu is ridiculously expensive. $24 PER GLASS was the cheapest wine. Stick to a beer, or just some tea.
Absolutely a must-go restaurant for a fancy dinner. Small space, with small, super-attentive waitresses, and great food. It is definitely not a modern, casual sushi joint. Dress nice, like you are on a business call and you'll be fine, and don't get upset about restaurants with rules- Go to Outback if you can't handle showing a little respect by dressing nice, wearing some slippers and not speaking on your cell phone, like they ask. These things all add to the experience, and novelty of the place.
The space is small and intimate, and the decor is minimal. The Food is superb, and so is the experience. Pricey. End of story.
1) I like all the dress code rules here. The pomp and decorum fits well with the embassy/diplo crowd
2) Get the omakase. It's worth it to eat the random traditional Japanese dishes
3) Fish is as fresh as it gets
4) I've been going here since I was 17 with parents, prom date, friends etc and I'm always blown away
5) I miss living in DC because of this place
Makoto is a tricky place to go to since my spouse and at least one good friend have fish/shellfish allergies. Now, that's not usually a problem at your standard restaurant, where there are many choices and/or the kitchen usually can substitute something to avoid an allergy. Not so with Makoto. Substitutions are not allowed and the primary feature of their menu is the 8-course dinner. I recently went (my second visit) with a friend who doesn't suffer from fish/shellfish allergies, so I was all set...
I've never been to Japan, but from what I've read and heard about the culture, Makoto is a little slice of Japan in NW DC. The service is curt, but polite, exacting and unbelievably attentive. The cuisine is absolutely first rate. Foods I normally don't care for, such as mussels, I really enjoy at Makoto because I know that whatever appears on the small plate in front of me is absolutely the best quality product available. Every course was delicious and presented in a delicate and appealing way. The fatty tuna melted in my mouth. The Chilean sea bass was like butter on my tongue. The fried shrimp (not tempura) with seaweed was amazing.
The small dining room is sparsely decorated in a traditional Japanese style and mostly quiet - a calm oasis of Asian civility. It's not cheap, but afterall, you're paying for the best. Highly recommended.
Neat experience. So intimate and frisky. 10 courses. I was full. Wife was full. We were full. Menu is a surprise and different every time. We drank 8 bottles of Saki and I saw that fish again later at home.
One negative: I hate the smell of feet so I was constantly weary of when I was going to smell someone else feet while I was eating. You must remove your shoes before going inside the hut.
As much as I appreciate reinvented sushi rolls or pan Asian trendy places with pizzaz, there's something to be said for straight up old school tradition. Makoto boasts an amazingly authentic atmosphere and fish with can't-be-beat freshness. If you're more of a "I only do rolls named after states and cities" person, prepare yourself for the Real McCoy. These are not fancified designer rolls, this is the real thing - fresh and raw ingredients. I am a fan of both kinds of cuisine, but must say Makoto takes the cake for an authentic experience. Both my parents (who tend to be tougher critics) were head over heels for this impressively legit Japanese gem.
As a person from Japan, I think the price is ridiculously expensive just for the standard Japanese food. I like to eat a good meal but with the correct price. I saw they sell one of Japanese cheapest sake for almost 80 dollars.
Their arrogant attitude to the customers were completely opposite to the one at a nice restaurant in Japan. I have never been asked to wear a tie or turn off my cell phone for my visit. Great Japanese restaurants usually welcome everybody very warmly regardless of their dress code. I read the article about the owner of one of the top Japanese restaurants in Japan mentioning he would even serve a homeless looking person. It might be a little exaggerated but that's how Japanese hospitality is. They appreciate the moments people meet for the first time.--"Ichi go ichi e"
I don't like Makoto's menu either; you can't choose what you like. They are like, "You don't know anything about Japanese. We decide what you can eat."
I feel sorry that there are some people who think Makoto's has the "real" Japanese hospitality. I think they are far from the authenticity and will lose their business within a week if they are in Japan.
First and foremost, Makota is an experience like none I've had. A very small and intimate place that requires proper attire but delivers back to you exceptional service and top notch food. It's tied in DC for 1st for food according to Zagat and I can see why. You must take off your shoes, and not use your cell phone.
The service is fantastic. Staff are constantly watching over you to fill your glass. Perhaps this is to sell more Sake or other beverages, or that's just part of what you get for $100+ for dinner. Either way, I liked it.
I had dishes that I've never experienced before and one course they brought all the food to be cooked to your table while you were eating previous course, and then they made it at your table.
This was the most memorable, as they had scallops, tiger shrimp, Kobe beef, and 2 types of mushrooms, which they proceeded to grill right at the table. All were delicious, and the Kobe beef was extraordinary.
Two other favorites:
1) fried seaweed encasing shrimp, and it came with 2 unusual spicy salts and spices.
2) Main meat dish. Not sure what type of beef, but it was delicious. One of our party got the Kobe beef option and it was exceptional, but the normal beef option was also great. Amazing sauce, interesting presentation...
The sake we chose was excellent. Not cheap, but cheapest by the bottle option they had.
I would surely go here again as it's a culinary and cultural experience you cannot really find elsewhere in DC. Sushi Taro is close, but not the same at all.
It's apparently know that your clothes will smell like the food because it's small, and as I sit and write, I can smell the flavors of the evening on my clothes.
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of enjoying a most amazing 10-course dinner with my family, and for $60 each person, we got to enjoy the following:
1st course - mussels in richly flavored rice wine broth. OMG - I never tasted a more delicious broth, enhanced by pieces of ginger & garlic. Pre-Makoto, I thought only meat broth could taste this good.
2nd course - 3 different appetizers: eggplant in miso, cooked beef then chilled in sesame sauce, & tuna salad canape. The eggplant was so sweet it tasted like fruit! I didn't care for the cooked beef, and the tuna salad was good but nothing special.
3rd course - tuna, snapper, & Spanish mackerel sashimi. All pieces melted in my mouth ... need I say more?
4th course - rice cracker-fried softshell crab, with green tea salt & cracked chili pepper for dipping. Creative, that's for sure!
5th course - avocado in miso sauce, with sliced radish. The miso sauce was yummy sweet, citrusy, and had a nice kick that kinda sneaks in. My dad doesn't care for avocados but he enjoyed this avocado. I'd probably say this was my favorite course.
6th course - seaweed, scallop, shrimp, & shiitake mushroom in vinegar sauce. I liked that each course was introducing a different flavor.
7th course - tuna, yellowtail, & horse mackerel sushi. Like the sashimi, these melted in my mouth. I'd never had horse mackerel before - and I'd say it was my favorite of the 3.
8th course - Chilean sea bass, with grated radish & snow pea leaves. I guess I assumed this would've been the main course but the portion was small and consistent with the portion size of the other courses, which was ok with me b/c by this time, I was starting to get full. The radish complemented the sea bass well. I didn't care for the raw snow pea leaves - too bad they weren't stir-fried. FYI - for this course, you had the option to get the orange roughy or steak instead.
9th course - soba noodles with grated yam potato topping. This tasted plain to me, and also probably my least favorite course. They had several different options for toppings -- I picked grated yam potato b/c the server said it was the favorite among Japanese customers.
10th course - Japanese lemon & aloe vera sorbet. It was refreshing but a little too lemony for me. Not something I would order.
However, overall experience was excellent. Not only was the food great, I'd never witnessed a more attentive service. Every time I had a sip of my Coke, the server would come and refill my cup. I'm talking w/in seconds. At another point during the dinner, a lady sitting next to our table dropped her chopstick -- immediately the server came with another pair of chopsticks and said "I heard someone drop their chopsticks and so I brought this for you." Outstanding.
Other things I liked:
- the serving dishes. Everything was so pretty, and the serving dishes were different from course to course. I started anticipating the presentation as much as the food itself.
- the delivery. They delivered each dish in the same order (mom, sister, me, dad, brother-in-law), and after everyone got their dishes, they would explain the course. Course done, course removed, new course arrives. Clockwork every time.
- the chairs. Their chairs also function as storage containers for personal belongings. I wish all restaurants had these. (By the way, check out my pictures!)
The restaurant is tiny so there's no question you need to make reservations. You can't wear jeans. Be prepared to take off your shoes and wear their slippers. And I heard you're not allowed to use your cell phones. Follow these rules and then enjoy being entertained with food -- my favorite kind of entertainment.
Revision after 2nd visit with family members:
From now on I am getting the sashimi upgrade on their tasting menu.
Since we had to wait a bit for our table, the master chef gave us the upgrade, which was very kind of him. I don't think any other restaurant would do that. The sashimi, especially the fatty tuna, was 'melt in your mouth' delicious. I would definitely pay the extra for the sashimi upgrade.
There are also few, new delightful additions:
1) The fried bread-wrapped shrimp with seaweed wrapped around it was simply 'amazing'. The two different kind of spices compliments the shrimp very well.
2) Shrimp, steak, mushroom cooked on hot plate were 'amazing' as well.
3) I believe the others on the tasting menu are the same from previous tasting menu.
Others in my group were very impressed.
This restaurant really serves high quality food with very attentive service. I can see why so many people give this place very high ratings.
This is the type of restaurant that you want to go back again and again or impress your friends.
Best. Meal. Ever. I felt like I was on Iron Chef and the secret ingredient was "awesome."
If you have the same options that we had with the omakase meal, get the tenderloin. It was the best thing I have ever tasted... seriously.
I want to give this place 5 stars, but I might be biased because I know I can get excellent Japanese food for a lot cheaper in the San Francisco Bay. Plus, I ordered the 10-course dinner that I felt obligated to stuff down since it was so expensive (and half the stuff I can't compare to anything because I never tried it before).
I also added in fatty yellow tail to the 10 courses for an extra $15, bringing my total plus tip to $96.
My favorite dishes were: the fatty yellowtail (oh my god-good), the rare beef (so nicely cooked and soft), and the aloe vera dessert.
The overall atmosphere of the place was really cool and it's definitely a cute little place that's really well maintained, though I wish they weren't so picky about attire.
There's little to add that someone else didn't cover. I thought the omikase was a steal, but we moved here from NYC where the same experience would have cost $120 a head. I agree with another reviewer about the presentation... everything from the folded paper coaster to the shape of the plates was so appealing to the eye. It was so nice to eat somewhere that was truly a culinary treat.
As soon as they seat you, they make you put your purse/coats in the cubby of the bench stool. There just isn't any room for extraneous clutter. I did hear someone get scolded for using their cell phone. I was too scared to use mine to take pictures of the food! Some guy did get seated in jeans, which pissed off my husband, who bothered to wear a jacket. Wear shoes that are easy to take on or off, and know that your hair and clothes will absorb a lot of food odor because of the small space. It aired out overnight, but I could smell it strongly the rest of the night.
This place has great service and the food is very good. There is nothing that makes you want to live next door to eat there every day. However, as a special occasion kind of place to have a dining experience unique to the dc metro area, Makoto is a great choice.
Sushi is fresh, presentation is excellent and service is top notch.
This tiny Japanese spot serves dishes made of the finest ingredients available. It is as good as it gets in this area, you don't have to be Japanese or go to Japan to truly experience their culture, go to Makoto and everything you need to know about Japan, its cuisine or culture is right in front of you! Fresh sushi washed down with Grand Marnier, tuna melts in your mouth - heavenly experience.
Went here for our 3 year anniversary/Valentine's Day extravaganza and be forewarned; this place is not cheap. We had the cheapest bottle of wine on the menu ($45 for a half-bottle), both got the 10 course meal and made it out of here for a little over $200, which seems a *tad* on the steep side, but maybe I just don't get the 10 course meal enough to know.
That being said, every course was amazing. Some of the highlights: the green-tea infused/chili pepper combo that came with the deep-fried shrimp on a stick things... the sashimi was ALL melt-in-your-mouth, the cranberry/Grand Mariner sorbet was so tasty without being too sweet. The atmosphere is great; I love how everyone yells a greeting whenever a new party enters the restaurant.
This is not a place for crowds; there are TWO tables that could seat 4 people; besides that, plan on coming as a party of two.
I would definitely recommend for a special occasion.
As per the recommendation of fellow yelpers, I also got the Omakase, which did not disappoint. Service was prompt, but I often struggled to discern what exactly our waitress was saying. But it's cool: food is food anyway you serve it.
As I'm a dessert guy, one of my favorite parts of the meal was the dessert, which was this sort of green tea sorbet-ish dish, that served as the perfect palate cleanser. The dessert was worth the trip alone.
If you take a taxi cab there, be sure to get the number of a cab company for the return trip because this place is located near the Gtown reservoir, which is not too heavily trafficked by cabs. I came back into the restaurant after having realized this to ask for them to call a cab, still wearing my flip-flops, and was consequently cussed out for wearing them inside. However, despite this faux pas, they were still helpful and ordered a cab.
If you like the food here, then congratulations. That means you like authentic Japanese food unlike most of the so -called "Japanese cuisine"(aka crap) in this country. The food here is innovative, and is a good reflection of Japanese food. I've been going here for years, and even though often times the chef makes the same dishes, I never get tired of it. The food is displayed elegantly & will keep you eagerly waiting for what is to come next.
People say it is pricey, but it is well worth the price. In fact, people from Japan will tell you that it is a bargain for the meal you get. An equivalent course meal in Tokyo would be double the price. I recommend going for lunch to see whether you may wanna come again for the pricier dinner.
The only reason why I do not give this place 5 stars is the service. Yes, the waitresses are very attentive...as soon as you take a sip of your water, they will come rushing in to fill your glass.
Japanese chefs(esp. sushi chefs) have a reputation for being stubborn. The customer is a slave to the chef who gives you what they want, how they want, and when they want. This rule doesn't sit well with me. I'm not gonna ramble on about this, but let's just say that the chef here meets this stereotype. There's no flexibility, and expect simple requests to be turned down...in other words, don't bother asking 'cuz you'll just get upset. The waitresses will act like they'll ask the chef for you, but since they're terrified of him, they will not and eventually you'll just get a no.
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