Nasime Japanese Restaurant
A 20-seat Japanese gem in Old Town offering a daily-changing, chef-driven omakase menu at remarkable prices.
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Nasime Japanese Restaurant
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A 20-seat Japanese gem in Old Town offering a daily-changing, chef-driven omakase menu at remarkable prices.
"The best dining experience I've had, with every dish outdoing the last."
Book Far in Advance
With only 20 seats, reservations are essential and fill up quickly due to high demand.
Explore Beyond Sushi
The omakase experience highlights the non-sushi side of Japanese cuisine with creative dishes.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Japanese
Price
$$$
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Intimate Omakase Experience
An intimate 20-seat restaurant offering a daily changing seven-course tasting menu by a Ginza-trained chef.
Exceptional Value
Enjoy high-quality, authentic Japanese cuisine with multi-course tasting menus at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Standout Dishes
Savor expertly prepared sashimi plates, rich ox tail soup, and delicate dishes like fried octopus.
Plans like a pro.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Far in Advance
With only 20 seats, reservations are essential and fill up quickly due to high demand.
Explore Beyond Sushi
The omakase experience highlights the non-sushi side of Japanese cuisine with creative dishes.
Portion Sizes
Be prepared for small, artfully presented portions; consider ordering additional items if very hungry.
Daily Changing Menu
The menu varies daily based on ingredient availability, offering a fresh culinary adventure each visit.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Far in Advance
With only 20 seats, reservations are essential and fill up quickly due to high demand.
Explore Beyond Sushi
The omakase experience highlights the non-sushi side of Japanese cuisine with creative dishes.
Portion Sizes
Be prepared for small, artfully presented portions; consider ordering additional items if very hungry.
Daily Changing Menu
The menu varies daily based on ingredient availability, offering a fresh culinary adventure each visit.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Diners praise Nasime for its intimate atmosphere, exceptional value, and the chef's thoughtful Japanese cuisine, often calling it the best dining experience they've had. However, some reviews note inconsistencies in food quality and service attentiveness, particularly for the price point.
"Very intimate setting, great for an impressive date night. Hard to get reservations due to only having 3 tables. But totally worth it for the amazing top tier fine dining experience. The chef explained each dish personally and gave recommendations on how to eat it. Was truly the best dining experience I’ve had. Every dish out did the last. The sashimi plate and ox tail soup a were stand outs. However the menu varies by day."
Ashley Carswell
"We were really looking forward to returning to Nasime after five years, but sadly, this visit was a major letdown. At $110 per person for the omakase and $75 for the sake pairing, we expected a polished and memorable dining experience — but it missed the mark on several fronts.
The chef seemed disengaged throughout the meal, which was surprising given the intimate setting. His uniform was visibly stained, and the kitchen didn’t appear as clean or orderly as we remembered or expected at this price point.
The biggest disappointment came with the sashimi course. We were given a single shared platter — and each type of fish had only three pieces, so we had to awkwardly split the third piece between the two of us. For an omakase of this caliber, individual plating should be a given. To make matters worse, some of the cuts were gristly and unpleasant in texture — a far cry from the clean, delicate sashimi we’d hoped for.
All in all, it felt like the attention to detail and care that once defined Nasime has faded. For the cost, we expected more — in food quality, presentation, and hospitality."
T T
"best dining experience i’ve ever had. was full by the end, it was a well rounded meal with different types of vegetables, meats, and fish. everything was delicious and either rich and hearty or flavorful and refreshing. service was also phenomenal, the waitress was super sweet, attentive. and it’s a super intimate restaurant, you can only reserve in groups of two i believe."
Kristine Phan
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Reservations are highly recommended and should be made well in advance due to the restaurant's small size and high demand.
A seven-course tasting menu is typically around $95 per person, offering excellent value for the quality and experience.
Yes, the menu changes daily based on ingredient availability, ensuring a unique culinary experience each visit.
Absolutely. The intimate setting is perfect for romantic evenings and impressive date nights.
Customers frequently rave about the sashimi plate, ox tail soup, and fried octopus.
Yes, there is a 'tasting to-go' menu available for a flexible dining experience at home.
The chef is accommodating of dietary needs; it's recommended to inform them when making a reservation.
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This is a low-key, modernist space offering the freshest Japanese cuisine in Old Town. It comes from chef Yuh Shimomura who trained in Ginza, Tokyo, and aims to serve a flexible omakase menu that’s equally suitable for date night as it is for a Wednesday night on the couch. The mission here is to serve the highest quality food at an affordable price, so you’ll find options like a seven-course tasting for $95 per person or a “tasting to-go” menu for $48 per person that include raw, grilled, and fried dishes.
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Impressing a date or out-of-town guests is easy at Nasmine, an intimate Old Town spot that sticks to what it does best: a seven-course tasting menu. The menu changes daily, so if it’s in your budget to keep coming back, you likely won’t try the same thing twice. A few past favorites include juicy wagyu short rib, a summery octopus and taro salad, and a hearty duck and matsutake mushroom udon soup.
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Tiny and assuming – if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll walk right by – Nasime, helmed by Tokyo-born chef Yuh Shimomura, is a jewel box of a Japanese restaurant. It seats only 20, and reservations are a must for the five-course dinner service. Though the lighting is too bright and seating cramped, all will be forgotten once you tuck in to Shimomura’s delicate, thoughtful cuisine.
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Nasime Japanese Restaurant immediately creates an upscale feel with its classy decor and beautiful plates. This chic restaurant offers a rotating menu based on ingredient availability, but you can expect creations inspired by Japanese and other cuisines, such as ox tail ramen, miso gratin, or otsukuri. We recommend trying the tasting menu to discover new flavors.
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Nasime – I’ve only been once but Nasime is definitely the “coolest” restaurant in Alexandria. Moved up to number 8 on Washingtonian’s best restaurants of 2025, Nasime is a tiny but impressive restaurant that offers a 7-course Japanese menu that changes daily. Though hard to snag a reservation due to its small size, it’s sure to impress your date.
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A post shared by YiLouisLu (@louisludc) on Mar 5, 2017 at 8:24am PST. Nasime, a tiny 20-seat Japanese concept that opened in the fall of 2016, has received high praise from The Washington Post. Chef and owner Yuh Shimomura showcases the non-sushi side of Japanese cuisine with a one-of-a-kind experience of a five-course tasting menu for just $48.
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ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Nasime, a new Japanese restaurant has opened its doors in Old Town Alexandria. Nasime recently opened at 1209 King St. (see map below). The eatery is a "boutique" restaurant serving up authentic Japanese cuisine; the eatery is on the small side, and seats about 20.
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1209 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314Phone: 703-548-1848 Visit Website. A post shared by Nasime Japanese Restaurant (@nasimerestaurant). Located minutes away from Lorien Hotel & Spa, Nasime Japanese Restaurant is your best option for authentic and modern takes on Japanese cuisine.
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