Genki Izakaya

Went for a late lunch a little after 1:00 on a weekday and it so crowded it was still reservations only so we had to sit at the bar. Got a pork belly meat skewer to start which was good, and some sushi rolls and a curry udon noodle with pork bowl. Both were decent, but the pork could have been a bit more tender. Server was great and overall the experience was good but given that it's pretty pricey I was kind of was hoping to be a little more "wowed" by the food.

Came here for the first time last night to celebrate our anniversary & it was wonderful. Our server was a sweet young woman who was very kind & attentive to our table, making sure we had all our needs met without having to ask. The food was amazing- some of the best Japanese food we’ve had in the states. I even found my new favorite beer, Hokkaido white peach ale! The atmosphere was incredible and the pricing is very reasonable for the portions. We can’t wait to go back!

I've been to this restaurant 3 times, and am going tonight because I love this place 😭 Not only are the employees so nice and attentive, but the food and drinks are beyond satisfactory. The vibe itself is magnetizing; glass windows on the exterior, birch wood tables, clean and simple decor, lanterns by the kitchen, Japanese hanging wood signs above the dining booths. I love the organic clean look of the bar and the hanging storage above it. Every time that I've been to Genki, the employees have treated me as if I was the only person in the restaurant; ensuring my comfort throughout my time there. The food is definitely the star factor that brings me back. Out of all the meals I've tried, the spicy ramen may have been my least favorite, but I still finished the bowl. The drinks are delicious and presented beautifully every time. If it's your first time or your fourth, have the employees explain the menu and suggest their favorites because it's worth trying something new every time you come!

Celebrated our 10th anniversary with a delightful lunch at this place. The waiter was kind, patient, and flawlessly remembered our entire meal. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the menu offered a variety of excellent options. We enjoyed peach soju, ramen, sushi, and a delicious seaweed salad as appetizers. The seaweed salad was particularly phenomenal, and we look forward to returning for another date.

Japanese food lovers, I have found our heaven! Genki izakaya has everything for you, and I mean, EVERYTHING! Starting from the appetizer with plenty of options from Chicken karaage, takoyaki or selections of Yakitori (Japanese skewers), for those sushi lovers, there is about one whole page of the menu for you to choose from, we tried tuna, salmon and wagyu. Delicious and fresh, great quality of meat. Tonkotsu ramen was perfect, the broth was delicious, pork belly cooked and season well. And a MUST-ORDER item has to be "Tornado omelet fried rice" a chicken fried rice served with omelet and Japanese curry, they nailed it! It tasted authentic. We also had fun watching the staff sear the Miyazaki wagyu for us at the table. The sauce they provide paired well with the meat. There is a good list of fun cocktails and other drinks and dessert item that we have yet to try, but definitely will in the future. The store is decorated well and you really feel like you are in a nice, fun restaurant in Tokyo. Staffs are very nice, helpful and friendly. Thank you Benjamin, especially, for taking a great care of us. We were so glad we decided to check this place out, and this has become our new favorite spot for Japanese food.

I almost don’t want to leave a review because it’s so good I don’t want the whole world to know! But this place absolutely deserves a great review. One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in the DMV. Went for my birthday last week and the first open reservation was for 9:30. When we got there it was packed (they told me it was a slow night for them!) but not chaotic. We sat at the bar and ordered drinks while we waited for our table but it was ready so fast we hadn’t gotten our drinks. The hostess was very kind and assured us she’d bring our drinks over. I tried more of their cocktails than I’d like to admit but they’re 11/10 in terms of creativity and presentation. Every drink was great. Our server was so wonderful, down to earth, and extremely knowledgeable about the menu (she walked us through the whole menu since we hadn’t been there before and I was so impressed she’d memorized a whole speech on the details of such a packed menu). She gave great recommendations and knew the answer to every question I asked. I’ve been in the dining and hospitality industry most of my adult life and that makes me extra observant when I dine out. That said, I had NO complaints about this place except the price of the nigiri ($12 for unagi) compared to how reasonable the rest of it was priced. Based off my visit, this place has hit the impossible trifecta of affordable prices (in this economy!!) , a wildly creative menu of perfected recipes, and gracious, consistent and competent service. The food we got: gyoza (I’ve never seen gyoza like they did it), miso soup, fried squid legs, the yakitori skewer platter (and a few other skewers), tonkotsu ramen, the Miyazaki waygu (they come out with a stone in a bowl, light it on fire, and cook each piece for you individually! I included a picture), the Genki roll, mango tango roll, and the matcha crepe cake. Drinks we got: avena de chacha, kawaii tiki, blooming asago, ichigo cloud, and (I think?) the u-bae killer. Everything was great but if I could give two recommendations it would be the skewers and the wagyu. My boyfriend and I already have plans to go back for his birthday next month!