Kappo is absolutely amazing for a special dinner. We celebrated my fiancés 30th birthday here and everything was divine. The dishes were so unique and flavorful. It wasn't just a dinner it was an experience. The whole thing takes about two hours. Our server was so attentive and was there for anything we needed. The cocktails although don't seem like they have a ton of alcohol definitely do and were some of the best we ever had. (We had the feel like a million and the intercontinental). Originally we were a little worried we would leave hungry because of the small portions, but we left stuffed and extremely happy. The restaurant was super sweet and provided a small cake with candles. Which was out of this world. I would definitely recommend taking your loved ones to here for a surprise and wonderful meal.

This is @kappodc located in DC. This was a great experience. As you walk in you're greeted and walked to your seat. It's an intimate setting that seats 21 people. I went with the bar seating though I made reservations at the table. It was nice to be able to see Chef Ogawa prepare the dishes. My favorite dishes were the Wagyu Salad and Sashimi Trio. I wish I had more of it!!! Unfortunately the other dishes lacked in flavor which is why I'm giving this establishment 4 stars. The service made up for it. Here is everything I experienced. Wagyu Salad Chawanmushi Wagyu Tataki Wagyu Harumaki Sashimi Trio Wagyu Yakishabu Wagyu Sushi Dessert

My goodness...I am pretty sure Kappo DC is the closest thing to heaven on earth. Upon arriving, you are greeted with a conspicuous entrance, light brown wooden door, and a gold plaque with "Kappo Makoto" carved into it. It gave off a very exclusive and high end vibe. Once our dinner reservation time arrived, the door finally opened with a host greeting and welcoming us in. Walking by an amazing display of various bottles of sake and a large mirror for us to snap a picture together, we entered the main dining area. To start, the chefs introduced themselves and gave us a little history on the restaurant's creation and overall vision. We ordered our drinks and we were given the option for the uni & caviar add-on. Since it was my birthday, you can bet your ass we got it! To start, we were presented with the wagyu summer salad. Every ingredient paired perfectly together with a dash of acidity from the light dressing. The uni was absolute butter. The wagyu was melt in your mouth goodness. The greens provided the perfect balance to the rich, complex flavors from the uni and Wagyu together. I knew we were in for an amazing night. Next up was the Chawanmushi, a savory egg custard with wagyu. It was delicate and velvety, yet bursting with umami. Of course, with our caviar topping, this dish was the perfect amuse-bouche. The sashimi trio that followed did not disappoint. The first was light, refreshing, and well balanced. The colors of this dish popped, with bursts of green, pink and orange. The fish (I believe it was hamachi) was super fresh and perfectly marinated. The next one was more meat centric and being paired with the uni, it balanced out the sharper taste of the tuna. The final of the trio was a scallop sashimi, with thin cucumber slices and red onions in an acidic drizzle. Like the first one, it was refreshing and bright. Annnd let's not forget, the caviar/uni pairings which perfectly meshed with each dish. Next up we starting getting back into the wagyu with the Wagyu Menchi Katsu. This one was fun to eat, not anything super impressive, but overall had rich flavor and sat atop a small pool of sauce and a shishito pepper. Overall, a nice change of pace from the fish heavy dishes from before. Onto the Wagyu Chirashi Sushi, this was by far one of my favorite dishes on the menu. The presentation was gorgeous, with a small ball of white rice topped with orange salmon roe, red tobiko, bright yellow quail egg, vibrant green chives, a little yellow flower and a gold flake on top. Let's not forget the radiant uni and caviar to top it all off, this dish was bursting with color. The flavor was overwhelmingly good. My friend, wife and I couldn't stop ourselves making awkward "mmmm's" and "oooh's" out loud lol. It was served in the perfect portion, as any more would have been too overwhelming, but any less would leave much to desire. The Wagyu sukiyaki was a good transition from the rich and savory flavors of the Chirashi. It was solely Wagyu beef with glass noodles and some greens on top, sitting in a puddle of delicious sauce. Sweet yet savory. At this point I was getting very full. Finally the Curry Udon arrived. It was good, but honestly it was definitely well past the climax of the courses. I found this to be a grounding dish, bringing us back down to earth after being sent into space. It was comforting and warm. I wouldn't say it was amazing, it was just nice. A reminder that overindulgence can be detrimental to your overall enjoyment. They did provide me with a scoop of some yummy ice cream since it was my birthday, but also we were sent home with some Royce chocolate. Among the dishes, they had really great cocktails and we also got a bottle of "Seven Spearsmen" sake, which paired really well with the rich and fatty flavors we consumed. Service was phenomenal and I think the chef's enjoyed us at the counter because of how expressive we were and amazed by each dish that was put forth. They spent a lot of time chatting with us while preparing the meals. All in all, this was a five star experience and I would totally go back. I just need to figure out how I can afford this for a second time

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.

Overall, it was a great meal and experience that's perfect for a special occasion. The counter seating was a nicer experience as you get to see the chef prepare and plate every dish. Loved every wagyu and sashimi dish and left very satisfied. It was also my birthday, so they surprised me with a small matcha cheesecake and a candle. Only 21 seats and by reservation only. If you come earlier than your reservation, there's really no bar for you to wait in. So we ended up getting a drink at Lupo next door until our reservation time.

Food: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Vibes: 9/10 Value: 7/10 Bottom line: I would recommend Kappo for special occasions where you want high quality yet predictable Japanese food. Kappo is delicious and the wagyu dishes were delectable, succulent, and melted in your mouth. I give it a 4/5 mostly because it's so expensive while the flavors were kinda predictable. For $150 (without tip) I'd like to have more innovative plays on seasoning and variety in textures. For example, one of the dishes was curry, which is like pedestrian comfort food. Also the raw scallop was in desperate need for a crunchy element. I did enjoy the wagyu egg roll, that was a creative morsel that is fun and new. Outside of the food, the service is incredible, the head chef "presents" each dish to you, sharing its ingredients and how it's made, and the atmosphere is chic, intimate, and exclusive.

Went here to celebrate my birthday and it was absolutely amazing. They have a delightful course menu where you get to try some amazing dishes. The salmon trio was super fresh and the waygu was delicious. For drinks the peak excess is perfect-amazing flavors. You get to watch them prepare it if you sit at the bar and the chefs carefully explain each dish to you and suggest to you how to eat it. The whole menu is completely thoughtful and delicious. Tips: make a reservation. Pretty sure they don't do walk ins. This makes for a great special occasion or a treat yourself meal.

This place was on our list for a long time and we had a dinner here to celebrate after getting married. The restaurant has a very intimate feeling to it and creates a great atmosphere for a date. Come hungry! 8-course menu was a lot for me and I definitely was not up for it after course 5, this is something to keep in mind! Every dish on the menu was delicious and the team knows what they are doing. We never had so much waguye prepared in different ways. The service was smooth and the staff were friendly, we asked for sake recommendations and we received a few great recommendations we went with. Overall, it is worth to make a reservation and enjoy this dinner, you will have a lot of fun. Just keep in mind, it is an 8-course dinner and is a lot of food.