Bar Japonais

The perfect dining space for japanese cuisine is here at Bar Japonais in Washington, DC! I love a good Salmon Ponzu! Amazing happy hour specials and atmosphere! I feel like I am dining in Manhattan!

Came in for restaurant week but decided to try some other dishes when we saw the quantity on the other tables' plates (we were hungry). The place was completely packed when we came in around 715PM, probably because they have a 6$ cocktail happy hour until 7PM. It's very dim and loud inside but our 2-top table was in a corner so was sliiiiightly quieter. We got two orders of chicken skewers, one order of steak skewer, spicy tuna hand roll and katsu kare (Japanese curry w fried chicken). The skewer order comes with two skewers- the chicken skewer was pretty nice smoky and a little sweet from the sauce, the steak skewer was apparently a bit salty. I enjoyed the Katsu Kare (clearly because I couldn't get a picture in before we decimated It); It felt warm and comforting without being overpowering. We realized we didn't get our tuna hand roll but were kind of hoping they just forgot because we were getting full but It arrived at the end of our meal and tasted a bit too fishy for my liking. The meal after tax and tip came to 99$. I probably would come for Katsu Kare and maybe a happy hour drink in the future, but overall was just OK.

went to Bar Japanois many moons ago for just drinks and fell in love with this cosmo - not only is she the pinkiest of drinkiest but the melon foam is the perfect sweetness without being sickly. this one of those cocktails where I remember food can be an art - the melon highball and the anjin margarita are both on the happy hour menu which honestly maybe the best happy hour menu I have encountered..... next to this places sister restaurant;) both delicious and very light despite the sweet descriptions. I wish the margarita was less watery though as only the first sip really had the citrus flavors....- the chicken was perfectly charred while magically not being dry and I loved the onions. the sauce was supposedly of wasabi sauce, but it wasn't spicy....still tasted good.- the fries were thick and tasted like they were made a second ago. I love that it came with three sauces. edamame was warm and as salty as all edamame should be. so many good cheap HH options. just love.- my friend got the spicy tuna hand roll from the dinner menu and she was a stunner. so many good lookin sushi options for not bad prices especially for 14th street- i've been here twice and had absolutely amazing waiters both times. However, the hostesses always seem very stressed, unhappy, and like they want people out of there quickly. super modern chic spot.

Service was exceptional. Ambiance could maybe use a little work to even out the lighting. All the staff were very pleasant.The Japanese Melon Baller was perfect, sweet and sour. The spicy edamame was basic- really just drowned in oil and red pepper flakes. Huge mess. The Japonais maki roll was basically a California roll, except extra small and cost $17 before tax. The crepes had caramel sauce on top but otherwise were dry and flavorless.The service was nice but the food (and cost) were big misses. Would not return unless it was only for a drink.

Came to Bar Japonais around 5:30 on a Friday and had a great time! We walked in without a reservation and were seated immediately. They have happy hour until 7 in the whole restaurant, not just at the bar, which is great though they do also have a big bar with plenty of seating!Their happy hour menu is fairly small with 2 cocktails, beer and wine, and a few food options. We ordered both from the happy hour and regular menu and enjoyed everything we had.The salmon avocado roll was super fresh. The seaweed salad was tasty and the karage was a stand out. I think they add a yuzu sauce which is delicious. The gyoza were just okay but still enjoyable.Their happy hour drinks leave a little to be desired but at $6 they're good for what you get. The melon highball was light and refreshing though lacking flavor and complexity (again, to be expected for $6). I also had a lychee martini, not on the menu but absolutely fabulous and served in a beautiful tall stemmed couple.Vibes were pretty chill and our server was friendly and attentive.Food and drink wise, nothing was particularly a standout but I enjoyed everything I ordered and their happy hour is good. Definitely a good place for a drink and light bites. I would come back!

Bar Japonais is an A+. The ambiance is sexy and fun, dimly lit but no need to over dress (jeans or slacks will do)! Our server was so sweet and attentive not only recommending things but being honest about certain items to steer clear from! I went for dinner but love that happy hour is the entire restaurant NOT just the bar, so I got to taste a wide variety of the menu! My favorites were the sushi and the skewers! I'll definitely be back !

Came here for drag brunch, and I have to say-- the entertainment portion of drag brunch was amazing! Been to their sister bar, Bar Chinois, so that's how we found out about Bar Japonais! As always, the drag show was amazing and the queens were fantastic! What I will say is the food portions are smaller and quite pricey, but nothing really to write home about. Pretty average and certainly not worth the price in my opinion. The drinks were great and priced as expected for bars in DC. There were plenty of servers checking on us throughout the show, so that's was a definite plus. Even though it was pricey for average food, I would still go back for drag brunches in the future!

Very attentive service and excellent skewers. I can imagine this would be a good happy hour spot if you are in the Logan Circle area. There were a few miscommunications with wait staff throughout the night but overall everything was brought out promptly. Besides the skewers, which I absolutely loved, we tried the vegetable maki roll, tuna tartine, agedashi tofu, karaage, hamachi hand roll and hamburger steak. I thought the vegetable maki roll could have been better. It tasted similar to what could be purchased at a standard middle grade sushi restaurant. I really enjoyed the blend of flavours on the tuna tartine. The agedashi tofu had a strange temp combo where it was hot on the outside but cold inside. I appreciated the inclusion of cabbage on the karaage but the mayo sauce was nothing spectacular. The presentation of the hamburger steak was a little strange and made it almost impossible to share. I did not try the hamachi but it received generally positive feedback. Overall, besides the skewers, the food was hit or miss.As for drinks, I had the melon highball and the ariinshi. I would have appreciated a better balance in the melon highball as it tasted almost exclusively like lemon lime soda. I loved the ariinshi though and it was an excellent dessert drink. I don't recommend ordering with your meal though. Due to its heaviness, it is best enjoyed after eating.

Decided to check this place out on my way back from an event - it's easy to find and centrally located on the 14th street corridor.The inside has a huge bar, a few high tops and plenty of tables. The music is kind of loud, but it does see the vibe. My waiter was super friendly, and by the end of the night, I realized that everyone bringing my drink or food items knew my name. That was a nice touch. I ordered the waygu steak skewer, salmon sashimi, and tuna hand roll. Everything was delicious, but the portions are SMALL compared to the price. I could tell all of the food items were fresh however, which is nice. I also had the Japanese old fashioned. It was nice and strong, but I'll probably try something else if/when I return. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience and I would recommend.

TWENTY-FOURTH BIRTHDAY DINNER at @barjaponaisdc fourteenth street for some Japanese dishes with a French flare to celebrate starting off with cocktails: anjin margarita and ariinishi a variety of skewers, salmon and hamachi sashimi, a variety of handrolls, edamame and shishito to feastwhile all the plates were tasty, it took SO long for a few to come out -- which took away from the overall experience -- not to mention a little pricey given the small portion sizes :/